Other Videographers....
 

Hey Guys,

I was just wondering if you guys contact the other Videographers in your area to kinda make a connection and help each other out or do you try to avoid each other?

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I don't go out of my way to call any one, nor do they call me, but we have a friendly approach to all our competitors that we see at wedding fairs etc. There seems very little to be gained by ignoring them or being unfriendly. Life is too short. We chat, pass the time of day, lament about bad experiences with some vicars etc.

The way I look at it is that no one videographer is ever going to get all the work and it's down to you and your relationship with the Bride & Groom, rather than your relationship with other videographers that will dictate whether you get booked or not.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I contact them if I double book and ask if they can shoot a wedding for me, I have 2 Videographers and 2 Photographers I work with if I double book. I shoot for them when I am free and they do the same for me.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I've tried... This forum board has been the best for reaching out. There's been one or two that I've complemented them on their work and they've never gotten back with me.
in my area there are plenty of weddings to go around for everyone. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a professional relationship with those around you.

Steve

Re: Other Videographers....
 

How do you double book? When some one asks me for a date I know if we're already booked or not. Are you actively taking bookings for days you are already booked and then subbing it to other people, and if so, do the B+G know they are getting some one else and not you?

Re: Other Videographers....
 

Absolutely. Invaluable source of referrals. I'm personal friends with most videographers in the area. Have had a couple of bad experiences though where I'm referring work onto them, and they don't refer anything back (choosing to hire students to shoot badly and edit themselves to make more $$$). But I soon get to know who I can trust to reciprocate.

We share ideas, demos, beers, equipment. Would be pretty lonely otherwise.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I agree with Steve -in fact he and I just made contact recently and may help each other out in the future. I see benefits to networking and partnering if both parties are professional and ethical.

Art

Re: Other Videographers....
 

Hi Dave, I tell them upfront that I am booked for that day but I do work with an associate who has the same style as me and show them his work. He shoots, I edit. Same if we double book with photography.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I've had another videographer call me up and ask me to teach him how to shoot better. Great guy. We met for 3 hours and then I invited him along for a wedding. There's more than enough work to go around. Plus competition only makes people better. If I can't improve - shame on me.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

As a volunteer covering live rugby I don't tend to hear of anyone else daft enough to be doing the same thing in the freezing cold. Video support is offered by a volunteer to the team they follow, and this can be of variable quality, often unedited material, and placed onto DVD. At level 4 and above the games have to be recorded under the rules, but at level 5 and below this isn't the case, and provision is ad hoc at best.

I followed a team at level 5 for a season, but edited the video, and authored a DVD, creating sections dedicated to specific areas of play, Scrums, Lineouts, Kicking/Receiving, Backs Moves, etc, plus the entire match, including scene selection; almost two hours of video, recorded Saturday Afternoon, and provided to the Coaches by Tuesday Evening Training, for 30 weeks, September to May. My editing technique and speed was forced to improve obviously. I now undertake a similar voluntary role for the England Deaf Rugby Team, but now put the majority of edited footage online at a secure hosting service for Coaches and Players, the DVD and Media Files on CD are still created, but are used as an archive resource. If I could find a second, third, fourth and fifth shooter to follow touch lines and dead ball areas I'd be a very happy chap, and so would the coaches, since the footage from a number of angles could make a fantastic resource to improve the Squad. Sadly, I so far haven't found anyone daft enough to volunteer.

This season there is a 'team' of us that cover games in the Midlands Region for the National U20 Championships, and for the Regional U20 Squad, videography is loosely controlled by the Midlands Referees Society, who use a copy of the videos for Referee Development, although this season in this competition they have promoted coverage primarily in support of providing DVDs for the Coaches for each County CB U20 Squad.

It is an interesting development because normally the Referees Society is only interested in using video in support of Referee Development. I assume they are hoping to recruit more videographers for their primary function.

If anyone is daft enough to want to run a touchline, or wait in the dead ball area, recording all England Deaf Rugby fixtures, please let me know, you'll be very welcome.

Apparently, they are entering a Squad in the Manchester Sevens Tournament in May, and I believe they have been invited to France to play against the French Parliament XV. Not many rugby sides get to play against French Government Politicians, so this should be interesting, they are hoping the Parliament side invite some French Deaf Rugby Players to join their squad, in order to promote Deaf Rugby in France, and embarrass the French Rugby Governing Body fund a proper France Deaf Rugby Team in the future.

We may also be going on either a Baltic Tour, or Southern Hemisphere Tour next Summer.

I'm more interested in them funding my travel and accommodation for the above than finding extra shooters at this point, but the more of us, and the better the footage, the more important we become, fingers crossed.

If you're interested, let me know.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I know personally most every videographer in my area and are friends with all of them, even though some have become snobs over time. I have worked for some of them and vice-versa.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

I've been involved with our local PVA (Professional Videographers Association) for 7 years. I served two years as Program Director, and I'm on my fourth year as the President of the BAPVA. It has been an invaluable asset in getting to know the local talent, exchanging tips/advice/referrals, and learning from the industry leaders. We have 70 active members currently, and this has given us the leverage to import some fantastic speakers. In the past 2 years alone, we've had Joshua Smith, David Robin, Jason Magbanua, Steve Moses, Ray Roman, Kevin Shahinian, Jeff and Andee Wright, John Goolsby....I can keep going!

Our forum has been extremely active in getting members questions solved, and passing along referrals. Most important is the networking and cameraderie that our monthly meetings offer. I would strongly suggest joining any local PVA's, or starting one up if there are enough interested parties.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

Well the main reason I started this topic was there two or three videographers in my area and I had emailed one and complimented on some of his work and asked if he would stop by my website and let me a comment on what he thought. Well I haven't heard anything from him. I'm just starting out in videoing weddings so my price is cheap compared to his but then he has better work than me. But I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I have got close to 10 weddings booked for this year. I'm doing this part time as of now. Thanks for your input.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

Honestly a better approach would be to ask to take them out to lunch. At the end of the day you want information from them and at the moment you're asking for their time and information for free. I would start by asking them if you could take them to lunch and don't even mention that you want their input on anything. Just start with lunch and build a relationship.

Re: Other Videographers....
 

Wow I wish I had some nice fellow fellow videographers in my area. There is a website here in the tri-cities which serious photographers and videographers pay to advertise their stuff. Mine is 1 of 4 videographers on that site. So far all Ive gotten in the 4 months mine has been on there, is hate emails telling me that its pathetic that Im NOT charging 3-4 thousand a wedding like the other sites do, and i have even gotten people telling me that they should "stay away from his services" Look im not here to rain on anybodys parade, step on any toes, or sleep with their wives (ok I made that last one up) Im here to do what I enjoy doing.....and make a little money as well.