Enhancing Resources & Publicity for WEVA Members
January 29, 2006
Sarasota, FL - Every week, more print publications are announcing new digital versions coming in 2006, including periodicals serving the professional video community. "WEVA started experimenting with new media applications last year," said Roy Chapman Chairman of the Wedding & Event Videographers Association International (WEVA). "The association recognizes all of us are entering a whole new era of digital communications from content production to distribution."
High-speed Internet (broadband) access, Chapman believes, is the catalyst for many of the new changes. "The nationwide market penetration of broadband --over 70%-- wasn’t expected for at least another year and caught almost everyone in pro video by surprise in 2005. Everything digital is now moving faster than ever. Even Steve Jobs announced he was a good six months ahead of schedule in releasing the new iMac line this month. The broadband tsunami is causing an unexpected ramp-up in conversions of all types of media, but it’s also enabling a whole bundle of new business opportunities, particularly for WEVA International members."
Chapman's comments followed the release of his Open Letter sent to WEVA International members last week. The year-in-review letter recounted the new digital resources, state-of-the-art programs, events, and new opportunities created for WEVA members in 2005, and related an exciting agenda already underway for 2006.
"By positioning the association at the forefront of the digital revolution, WEVA members nationally and internationally have enjoyed the benefit of getting vital industry and association information instantly, day or night, no longer waiting for important news and reports to be printed, and sent through the US Mail in ‘hard copy’ format," Chapman said.
He noted it was during the WEVA Town Meeting Tour event in San Francisco last March that WEVA first recognized broadband penetration and the production of new media applications were moving much faster than industry observers were forecasting.
"At that time we had meetings with key executives at Apple, Canopus, and Adobe Systems at their respective headquarters in California, and we also met with other local and regional industry representatives. It gave us a new perspective on major changes in the world of high-speed processing, communications, video, and new media applications. This was probably the most significant round of discussions since the WEVA Camcorder Committee was invited to Japan for technology development meetings at the factory level."
As a result, while many organizations in the past year were caught surprised by the warp speed of broadband's market penetration, WEVA has stayed on the cutting-edge of new media applications, "leading the field by experimenting, innovating, and unveiling new channels of audio, video, and textual information transmitted via the WEVA website," Chapman said.
He pointed to association innovations that included the introduction online in 2005 of WEVA News Minute videos, WEVA Audio Media files, and the expanded production of online news and reports uploaded to multiple sections of site.
“While most industry organizations covered NAB 2005 in a traditional print/text format, for example, WEVA utilized the association website and new media applications to launch an innovative and experimental form of coverage online by introducing WEVA News Minute videos,” Chapman said.
“Dozens of WEVA News Minute videos were created and uploaded in 2005 demonstrating the association's ability to meld professional event videography with exciting IT developments. The result was a new and better way to report on the emerging technology and new ideas from key events such as NAB, HD EXPO, NextFest, and WEVA EXPO 2005."
Chapman noted that WEVA News Minute producer Bruce Himmelblau is already at work on an all-new series of special segments that are scheduled to be uploaded next month. (Visit the WEVA News Minute index-click here.)
Experiments with new, instant access media applications, he said, "also led to our industry's first online 'Instant EXPO Highlights' video. The video was produced by EXPO presenter Eric Cosh, who is also a member of the WEVA Continuing Education Committee. Footage was shot continuously over a 3-day period, edited on-site, and screened for videographers just before the close of WEVA EXPO 2005 last August. Then it was uploaded to the WEVA website for instant-on playback. Today, instant video for social and commercial events, including instant upload, is an emerging trend in our industry and a viable new business opportunity for WEVA members.” (To see the Instant-Edit Video click here.)
Chapman's year-in-review letter also pointed to other vital association developments in 2005, including the WEVA 2005 Nationwide Survey of Brides, the second such survey commissioned by WEVA, and the kick-off of WEVA’s nationwide co-promotion with Modern Bride (See the co-promotion at Modern Bride click here).
The new co-promotion is reaching a circulation of 1.6 million noted WEVA’s Director of Association Communications Dan Argenas, who said WEVA’s new organized outreach to other national and regional bridal media companies, including The Knot, and WeddingChannel.com has already resulted in cover stories spotlighting the value of professional wedding videography (see WEVA News click here).
New and unique promotional efforts, Argenas said, also included the introduction of the association’s first-ever nationwide bridal industry initiative called “Take A Bridal Consultant to Lunch Week” created and organized by the WEVA Public Relations Committee.
The WEVA PR Committee developed a special “Bridal Consultant Lunch Kit” for WEVA members to access. “The Lunch Kit contains valuable marketing information and documents-–including phone scripts, contact information, and WEVA survey results,” said Committee Chairperson Kris Malandruccolo.
In 2005 WEVA also became the first organization for videographers to arrange and supply laptop computers to facilitate hands-on training of system-specific editing techniques at all-day WEVA Institute workshops. “This hallmark in professional development training, set by WEVA, is a precedent the association will continue to build on this year and beyond,” Chapman said.
Upcoming for 2006
For 2006, new program sponsorship from Avid Technology will be introducing Liquid 7 to the WEVA community across the country. WEVA’s Director of Educational Development John Zale said the cross-country tour schedule for the city-wide workshops will be announced shortly. “The Avid Liquid 7 workshops will provide hands-on training of new techniques specifically developed to enhance wedding & event workflow,” he said.
On February 15th, wedding videographers will get their chance to be an official part of world history! Registration is now open for videographers nationwide to participate in "The World Record Wedding Video Event" co-sponsored by WEVA and the Sacramento Professional Videographers Association (SPVA).
"This record-setting wedding video shoot will be held in at the beautiful Library Galleria in Sacramento," said SPVA president Mike Jensen. WEVA workshops packed full of creative shooting and editing techniques, and a special screening of the record-setting wedding shoot, will be held the following day. (See complete details at: WEVA Institute-click here.)
Also coming up, is a special worldwide auction to raise money for the Videographers In Distress (VID) Fund. This 501c3 charitable relief fund, created by WEVA last September, has already distributed thousands of dollars in direct financial aid to videographers affected by Katrina.
Watch for an important announcement about the auction to be made by Tim Sudall, Chairman of the WEVA Disaster Response Committee which oversees the administration of the VID Fund. Brand new Adobe software collections have been provided for this special auction through a generous donation by Adobe Systems. (For information about the VID Fund click here.)
On the WEVA schedule of programs for Q1 is the 8th Annual WEVA Town Meeting Tour. WEVA will be on-the-road this year to unveil: X-treme industry artistry, feature-packed system solutions, and new "Year of the Gear" hardware and software. WEVA Town Meeting Tour 2006 attendees will also be getting the inside details on brand-new Portable Video for Brides, Podcast Marketing, High-Definition Shooting & Editing, and more. Tour 2006 announcements will be posted shortly on the WEVA website.
“WEVA International,” Chapman said, “is proud to be presenting a brand new season of exciting association programs and business-building events for professional wedding & event videographers – one that is topped off with fresh Promotions, Publicity, and Visibility for WEVA International members. Working together is working to make a difference!”
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WEVA News is a service of the Wedding & Event Videographers Association International (WEVA). The largest trade association for professional wedding and event videographers, WEVA International is dedicated to advancing the professional interests of videographers worldwide through continuing education, technical support, group benefits, advocacy committees and professional development training. For more information regarding professional videography and WEVA International activities and membership, contact the association office at 941-923-5334 or email: [email protected] |
