Fame Crew · Chicago
McCormick Place photo by Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Manufacturing Technology · Chicago
Video Crew for IMTS 2026
IMTS - the International Manufacturing Technology Show - is one of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, drawing over 86,000 attendees and roughly 1,800 exhibitors to McCormick Place in Chicago every two years. Exhibitors range from CNC machine tool manufacturers to robotics integrators and metrology suppliers, and the content stakes are high: many companies use IMTS to launch new equipment, demonstrate live machining cycles, and meet buyers they won't see again for another two years. Video is one of the few ways to extend that investment beyond the six days on the show floor.
- September 14 - September 19, 2026
- dates
- 8
- crew in Chicago
- 8
- with showreels
Why exhibitors at IMTS 2026 need video crew
At IMTS, the most valuable footage is often a live machine running - a five-axis mill cutting a part, a cobot completing a pick-and-place cycle, or a CMM scanning a component in real time. A crew that understands manufacturing can frame that action intelligently, follow the cut rather than the coolant, and conduct a credible on-camera interview with a process engineer without slowing down your demo schedule. Turnaround expectations are tight: social cuts are typically needed within 24 hours so they land while the show is still live. Fame vets crew specifically for industrial and technical product experience.
Show-floor logistics
McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America, and IMTS spreads across multiple halls - North, South, East, and West Buildings - so crew travel time between locations is a real scheduling factor. Exhibitor badges and any additional media credentials need to be arranged in advance through the AMT (Association for Manufacturing Technology) exhibitor portal; crew arriving without proper credentialing will be turned away at the hall doors. Load-in for exhibitors typically begins several days before the show opens on the Monday of show week, and heavy equipment installations mean the floor remains active and sometimes hazardous during setup. Crew should plan for early call times to capture booth content before the floor opens at 9 a.m., when machines are running but foot traffic hasn't yet crowded the aisles.
What crew for IMTS 2026 costs
Video crew day rates at IMTS vary based on the number of crew members, shooting days across the six-day show, and how quickly you need edited deliverables turned around. A single-operator setup covering one or two days at a smaller booth will cost significantly less than a two-camera crew shooting across the full run with same-day social edits. Equipment size matters too - capturing large-format machine tools well often calls for wider lenses, sliders, or drone-adjacent perspectives using permitted stabilizers. Fame provides a fixed, all-in quote so you know the full cost before the show opens.
How booking crew for IMTS 2026 works
- 1Tell us your booth datesShare what needs covering and when - takes two minutes.
- 2We match & quoteWe pair you with the right Chicago crew and send a fixed quote.
- 3We deliver the videoFame produces and delivers the finished, edited video.
Booking crew for IMTS 2026?
Tell us your booth dates and what you need covered - we'll match you with the right Chicago crew and send a fixed quote before the show.
Get a quote for ChicagoOfficial IMTS 2026site →IMTS 2026: common questions
Can the crew film our machine while it's running live demos on the show floor?
Yes, and it's exactly the kind of shot that makes IMTS footage worth having. Your crew will work around your demo schedule, capturing the machine in operation without interrupting sales conversations at the booth. Fame assigns crew with industrial product experience so they know how to frame moving toolpaths and mechanical action safely and compellingly.
IMTS runs six days - do we need crew for the whole show or just part of it?
Most exhibitors get the best return by booking crew for two to three focused days rather than the full six, typically covering launch-day activity, key customer interviews, and one full machine-demo capture session. Fame will help you map a shoot schedule against your demo timetable and meeting calendar before the show opens. That way you're not paying for crew time that doesn't produce usable content.
How do we handle crew badging for McCormick Place?
Crew members need exhibitor-linked badges, which you arrange through the AMT exhibitor portal using your booth registration. Fame sends you the crew details well in advance so you can submit them before the credentialing deadline. We flag this early in the booking process because late badge requests at a show this size can cause real problems on day one.