Life cycle events are always fascinating. I’ll start with the happy event.
One of my occasional camera operators got married last Saturday. I was asked to attend the rehearsal, although I’m not really sure why. After all these years, it wasn’t likely that the ceremony would have even one element that I hadn’t seen before.
The church was where Oak Lane and Mt. Airy overlapped, which was something of a treat for me. My mother’s parents lived in Oak Lane for most of their lives, and my father’s parents lived in Mt. Airy for many years. My family lived in Oak Lane when I was very young, and I have many memories of that area. Driving past our former homes was an interesting trip down memory lane, especially since I hadn’t been past our home on North 17th Street in a very long time.
Rehearsal was interesting, what with the cherry-picker inside the sanctuary. The roof had a leak directly above where the bride and groom would be standing, and the cherry-picker was there for the repairs. Ok, so that was something I hadn’t seen before.
I didn’t know exactly what was happening, as all of the participants started gathering in a circle. About the same moment that I realized that everyone was going to pray together, I was “invited” to participate. “You too, sweepea” was the command of the woman in charge. And who was I to argue? We all joined hands and prayed.
It must have worked, because the rain did not materialize on their wedding day, and the roof didn’t leak on them. Kimberly and Shawn had a great and happy day together. Their honeymoon was in Cancun, and they had stocked up on flu-fighting goods.
On Friday, the day between the rehearsal and the wedding, I got an email with a very disturbing subject line. A fraternity brother had passed away suddenly, and the email was the funeral information.
“Passed away suddenly” is, of course, a euphemism. There was a widow with two young sons, one thisclose to his Bar Mitzvah. The rabbi called it a tragedy, and, at least for the survivors, that’s pretty accurate. I certainly know about the kind of madness that leads to such an end, but that doesn’t make it any better.
On Monday, I took the ride to the funeral with three other Brothers, each of whom I’ve know for more than 30 years. We met up with many others at the funeral, some of whom I’ve also known for more than 30 years. I looked around at these guys, my good friends, and realized that we have grown old together.
So there’s no big philosophical conclusion here. This was a glimpse into my world from the last weekend. That will lead into this weekend, where I’m covering a second-generation event. I covered the parent’s wedding, and now it’s their daughter’s Bat Mitzvah.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Wedding Video Business Needs More Challenges
Actually, the newest challenges have the potential to impact photographers, and other wedding professionals as well. Like so many interesting concepts, the business models I’ll discuss here started on the West Coast.
At least one video professional teamed up with roughly a dozen other wedding vendors to sponsor a DIY wedding video seminar. Their mission was to instruct engaged couples, and their friends, on how to shoot and edit their own wedding video. An afternoon of instruction would be followed by a “Meet the Professionals” segment, where the other vendors would be available.
While I know the person who coordinated this program, we have not yet discussed it, so I don’t know the motivation. According to the web site, the scheduled workshop was cancelled.
Places like Home Depot offer free classes because they know that they’ll sell enough product to justify the expense. Here, advance registration for the wedding video workshop was $49, and it was $69 at the door. Granted, that price did include a coffee break and a Wine and Hors d’Ouevres Reception. Regardless of whether the vendor partners made any financial contribution, this was going to be an expensive production. We haven’t seen something like this on the East Coast yet, but it looks like we could.
The other new concept impacts photography, along with video. There is a company offering to rent out digital still cameras, and those cameras are also capable of capturing video and audio. This is being touted as an environmentally-friendly improvement on the disposable cameras that have been so prevalent at weddings.
You can order packages of 10, 20, or even 30 of these digital cameras. They’re shipped to you just before the wedding, along with extra “eco-friendly” batteries. The company then hosts the photos and/or video on their web site, where anyone can access the files, and order copies. The claim is that each camera can hold more than 450 photos, or more than 15 minutes of audio and video. The images are available on the website for a month (included in the basic price), or for a year, for an additional fee of about $45. The photo and video files are then available for download-for free.
The wedding business has always been very competitive. With these two developments, I think that competitiveness ramped up a bit more.
At least one video professional teamed up with roughly a dozen other wedding vendors to sponsor a DIY wedding video seminar. Their mission was to instruct engaged couples, and their friends, on how to shoot and edit their own wedding video. An afternoon of instruction would be followed by a “Meet the Professionals” segment, where the other vendors would be available.
While I know the person who coordinated this program, we have not yet discussed it, so I don’t know the motivation. According to the web site, the scheduled workshop was cancelled.
Places like Home Depot offer free classes because they know that they’ll sell enough product to justify the expense. Here, advance registration for the wedding video workshop was $49, and it was $69 at the door. Granted, that price did include a coffee break and a Wine and Hors d’Ouevres Reception. Regardless of whether the vendor partners made any financial contribution, this was going to be an expensive production. We haven’t seen something like this on the East Coast yet, but it looks like we could.
The other new concept impacts photography, along with video. There is a company offering to rent out digital still cameras, and those cameras are also capable of capturing video and audio. This is being touted as an environmentally-friendly improvement on the disposable cameras that have been so prevalent at weddings.
You can order packages of 10, 20, or even 30 of these digital cameras. They’re shipped to you just before the wedding, along with extra “eco-friendly” batteries. The company then hosts the photos and/or video on their web site, where anyone can access the files, and order copies. The claim is that each camera can hold more than 450 photos, or more than 15 minutes of audio and video. The images are available on the website for a month (included in the basic price), or for a year, for an additional fee of about $45. The photo and video files are then available for download-for free.
The wedding business has always been very competitive. With these two developments, I think that competitiveness ramped up a bit more.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
You Can’t Find Everyone On Facebook
Every now and then, I look for a couple of college fraternity brothers via the Internet. As so often happens, we’d fallen out of touch years ago, when we all went our separate ways. And for as easy as Facebook makes it to connect with old friends, it’s still not perfect.
My first target was Randy Weber, who was one of my best friends at the TEP house. We were last in touch about twenty years ago. I knew that he’d moved to the Erie, PA area, and that he’d started a chimneysweep business back then, but that was about it. So despite my sporadic efforts, I could not track him down. He did not have any visibility on the ‘net.
Around Christmas, the obvious solution finally smacked me in the head. Randy was from a small town in northwest PA. I figured that if I did a white pages search for his home town, I’d find someone he was related to, and I’d be able to connect that way.
The white pages search gave me 5 people with the same last name. I’d stayed at his home back when we were in school, and one of the street names sounded vaguely familiar, so I called. And the person who answered the phone was Randy’s mother. Trusting soul, she gave me Randy’s home phone number in Lake City, PA.
I called him right away, and his wife answered the phone. Randy couldn’t talk just then, she explained, because he was out skinning a deer. That flashed me back to Randy and his roommate trying to tan a deer hide in their bathroom. Didn’t work so well.
It took a couple of weeks of phone tag, but we finally connected. And he did confirm that he rarely uses email, since he does not have a desk job. Now we’re just going to have to find an excuse to meet up back in State College.
My first target was Randy Weber, who was one of my best friends at the TEP house. We were last in touch about twenty years ago. I knew that he’d moved to the Erie, PA area, and that he’d started a chimneysweep business back then, but that was about it. So despite my sporadic efforts, I could not track him down. He did not have any visibility on the ‘net.
Around Christmas, the obvious solution finally smacked me in the head. Randy was from a small town in northwest PA. I figured that if I did a white pages search for his home town, I’d find someone he was related to, and I’d be able to connect that way.
The white pages search gave me 5 people with the same last name. I’d stayed at his home back when we were in school, and one of the street names sounded vaguely familiar, so I called. And the person who answered the phone was Randy’s mother. Trusting soul, she gave me Randy’s home phone number in Lake City, PA.
I called him right away, and his wife answered the phone. Randy couldn’t talk just then, she explained, because he was out skinning a deer. That flashed me back to Randy and his roommate trying to tan a deer hide in their bathroom. Didn’t work so well.
It took a couple of weeks of phone tag, but we finally connected. And he did confirm that he rarely uses email, since he does not have a desk job. Now we’re just going to have to find an excuse to meet up back in State College.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Be Alert For Attempted Wedding Scams
From recent discussions with video professionals in Florida, it’s clear that there are some scammers at work. I’ve posted a full news story at http://www.4evergroup.org/. The current scam is a variation of what many of us have already seen, where we’re supposed to be sent money to distribute to others, while keeping a share for ourselves.
In the new wedding scam attempts, I’ve received reports from about a half-dozen wedding video professionals in both South Florida and Jacksonville. Emails sent to two different video producers were nearly identical, although the names were different. We also have a report of one person being victimized for about $2000.00.
Here’s what one of the emails looks like:
Sent: 9/11/2008 3:10:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight TimeSubj: Wedding planner needed
My Name is Dr Edmund Don, I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.Seven will arrive few days before the wedding day. The wedding is expected to hold on the 10 November,2008 and 25 to 40 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 21st October which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a Videography,Music Entertainment,Photography,Officiant/Priest & Church,cake,flowers and hall.If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don't have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us. Best Regards, Dr Edmund Don, 109-113 Queen's Gate, South Kensington , London , UK , SW7 5LR.. +447024024468
Although the scammers are currently targeting Florida video professionals, they could easily move into other markets.
In the new wedding scam attempts, I’ve received reports from about a half-dozen wedding video professionals in both South Florida and Jacksonville. Emails sent to two different video producers were nearly identical, although the names were different. We also have a report of one person being victimized for about $2000.00.
Here’s what one of the emails looks like:
Sent: 9/11/2008 3:10:53 P.M. Eastern Daylight TimeSubj: Wedding planner needed
My Name is Dr Edmund Don, I am looking for an experienced wedding planner who will handle my wedding and arrange dinner for a group of people who will be attending the wedding ceremony.Seven will arrive few days before the wedding day. The wedding is expected to hold on the 10 November,2008 and 25 to 40 guests are expected to attend. As i do not know what the guests might choose for their meals and drinks, i will make a prepayment as initial deposit for this booking via credit card once availability is confirmed by you.All checks and balances will be made with you on 21st October which is the final day of the booking, You are to arrange for a Videography,Music Entertainment,Photography,Officiant/Priest & Church,cake,flowers and hall.If there is any these items that is beyond your capability,you let us know so that another company can handle it. Get back to me with your response as we don't have much time with us so that we can process our accommodation within the region more convenient for you and us. Best Regards, Dr Edmund Don, 109-113 Queen's Gate, South Kensington , London , UK , SW7 5LR.. +447024024468
Although the scammers are currently targeting Florida video professionals, they could easily move into other markets.
Quick Trip to Jacksonville
Last night, I rolled out a new presentation designed for local video associations, called Business 2.0. The main point of the program is providing information on how to move your business forward in this challenging economic climate.
The presentation seemed to be well-received, which is always a good thing when the program is presented for the first time. Some suggestions offered during and after the meeting have already made the program stronger for the next time out.
If the flights to and from Jacksonville were any gauge, this is clearly a difficult time. Nearly every time I fly on Southwest, the plane is pretty well packed. This time, both flights were about half full.
The presentation seemed to be well-received, which is always a good thing when the program is presented for the first time. Some suggestions offered during and after the meeting have already made the program stronger for the next time out.
If the flights to and from Jacksonville were any gauge, this is clearly a difficult time. Nearly every time I fly on Southwest, the plane is pretty well packed. This time, both flights were about half full.
Monday, November 10, 2008
ABC Conference
This year marked my fourth time participating in the annual conference of the Association of Bridal Consultants. Like any other professional conference, it’s a great time to catch up with old friends, make new friends, and learn about what’s new in the industry.
The ABC conference drew about 400 attendees, with a number of international consultants participating. Some of the people I’d worked with in the past, like Sandee Monaghan (PA State Coordinator), did not attend this year. Philadelphia was still represented well, with Sheila Corbett, Mark Kingsdorf, Melissa Paul and Haeri Lee among the crowd. Our friends at Weddingvideo.com even produced the official conference video.
We met our goals here, which were to promote professional event video generally, and The 4EVER Group membership in particular. We passed out a bunch of 4EVER Group DVD’s, and had many more conversations about professional video. We heard the concerns of some consultants about some experiences they had with videographers, including poor-quality productions and even camera operators still using tripods, bright lights and AC power during receptions.
In addition to promoting our membership, we will likely be adding a benefit for members of The 4EVER Group Videographers Network. One of the other vendors offers an on-line service that could be very beneficial to our members. We should have the discussions wrapped up shortly, after which we’ll make the announcement.
The ABC conference drew about 400 attendees, with a number of international consultants participating. Some of the people I’d worked with in the past, like Sandee Monaghan (PA State Coordinator), did not attend this year. Philadelphia was still represented well, with Sheila Corbett, Mark Kingsdorf, Melissa Paul and Haeri Lee among the crowd. Our friends at Weddingvideo.com even produced the official conference video.
We met our goals here, which were to promote professional event video generally, and The 4EVER Group membership in particular. We passed out a bunch of 4EVER Group DVD’s, and had many more conversations about professional video. We heard the concerns of some consultants about some experiences they had with videographers, including poor-quality productions and even camera operators still using tripods, bright lights and AC power during receptions.
In addition to promoting our membership, we will likely be adding a benefit for members of The 4EVER Group Videographers Network. One of the other vendors offers an on-line service that could be very beneficial to our members. We should have the discussions wrapped up shortly, after which we’ll make the announcement.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Conflict of Interest?
One of the leading video software companies requested that I help coordinate their introduction of a new product to our market. That help was to take the form of suggesting several local videographers association meetings where they would do an in-depth presentation. The association would get reimbursed (by the software company) for certain expenses, and one meeting attendee would win the new software bundle, valued at more than $1500.00. It was a classic win-win-win situation. But things are never so simple.
After discussing the meeting proposal with the president of one particular association, he readily agreed. Later on, however, he took it to the association board for their approval. That’s where it got complicated.
Sitting on the board was at least one person who receives direct compensation from an organization that considers us (The 4EVER Group) to be competition. There’s also one other person who has received compensation from that other organization. Allowed to sit in on the meeting, but not a board member, was another person who receives direct compensation from that organization.
And the association’s president expressed surprise when our proposal was voted down.
In my first job after college, we had ethics training. We were taught about both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety. It’s hard for me to see how the situation here represents anything but a conflict of interest.
After discussing the meeting proposal with the president of one particular association, he readily agreed. Later on, however, he took it to the association board for their approval. That’s where it got complicated.
Sitting on the board was at least one person who receives direct compensation from an organization that considers us (The 4EVER Group) to be competition. There’s also one other person who has received compensation from that other organization. Allowed to sit in on the meeting, but not a board member, was another person who receives direct compensation from that organization.
And the association’s president expressed surprise when our proposal was voted down.
In my first job after college, we had ethics training. We were taught about both impropriety and the appearance of impropriety. It’s hard for me to see how the situation here represents anything but a conflict of interest.
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