This year, some of our team was fortunate enough to attend Adobe’s annual MAX conference this year in San Diego. This is the largest–and arguably the best–conference for creative professionals in any industry, with over 10,000 attendees from across the world. And to a first-time participant like myself, it was a game changer.
To start, even the word “conference” feels wrong to describe the week of innovative learning and fun that I experienced. It always took me by surprise to discover the hands-on, exciting activities that each day held. Over 200 speakers, from legendary creatives like Quentin Tarantino to Adobe master trainers, kept us all busy and slightly exhausted from the packed agenda of sessions and demonstrations (Did I mention the massive party? I’ll save that for another post). But there was so much more to the event than being talked at, so here are some of my favorite highlights from this past week at AdobeMAX.
General sessions–Wow, that stage though
Though there was countless workshops and labs to attend throughout the week, everyone (yes, all 10k+) came together three times for general sessions. And in case the stage didn’t give it away, the lineup was lit. Literally, as Zac Posen showed off his glowing Met Gala dress design.
Other highlights from the stage included major Adobe product announcements, witty banter from comedian Jordan Peele, and a demo of live animation with Bart Simpson himself. These sessions quickly became my favorite part of the day, which is saying a lot, because it had some serious competition.
Labs–Look ma, I learned something
When we weren’t in general session, we were allowed to choose from an entire catalog of labs and talks to attend on our schedule. As a proficient video editor, I was determined to branch out a bit and learn something new. So I found my way into a few intro classes, including Illustrator and Muse. I was especially impressed with Muse’s abilities–by the end of two hours, I had created an almost-complete, functional website without a single line of code.
I also attended a couple of advanced video editing sessions, because let’s face it, design will never be as cool as video (don’t tell my supervisor I said that). By Friday, I learned a whole new program I hadn’t even heard of until last week, along with some new techniques for the tools I use every day.
Community Pavillon–Playtime for grownups
When my brain was too packed with new information, I knew it was time to hit the playground. Because of course Adobe would have a playground of hands-on creative outlets for attendees to enjoy, including VR fun and this giant lite-brite board (hello, childhood nostalgia).
The community pavillon held a host of fun activities and vendor booths to check out. I went three times and still didn’t do everything they had to offer. My favorite craft was their laser-print coasters, though that may just be because I didn’t have time to do the 3d printed selfie. Fingers crossed they’re back next year.
EduMAX–Professors really do care about our future
Before the official start of MAX, our Digital Lounge team was able to be a part of their pre-conference, Edumax. This was a day of educators, faculty, and creative professionals coming together to “learn about how technology is impacting teaching, how students are responding, and how innovations will shape education in the future.”
As a graduate student, I was thrilled to see the advancements many universities are making to include an emphasis on digital literacy. All graduating students need a foundation of digital skills, regardless of major. Our resumes–and future employers–will thank us.
And the best part was getting to present with these lovely ladies, all representing USC Annenberg and our commitment to digital literacy and creativity. The Digital Lounge is a unique treasure of resources for all things digital at Annenberg, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. From one student to another, don’t miss out on all our events and courses throughout the year!
To sum it up, I enjoyed every minute of learning from and getting to know creatives like myself. Where else will you find a stadium of people who are stoked to see the latest digital innovations come to life before their eyes?
Adobe gives discounted tickets to students every year, so I hope to see you there next year (psst, it’s going to be in Vegas)!