Giving Back
Any successful company that does not use some of its resources to give back to the community that has supported it is in negligence of the responsibility that comes with owning and/or running a company. I learned this valuable information from one of the premiere CEO's in the Bay Area. John Chambers of Cisco Systems. Having worked for Cisco creating interactive multimedia, video CDs and web based training and eLearning modules, I was constantly impressed by how much Cisco gives back to the community... and the Cisco leaders do it by example.
I got a lot from Cisco, and this is one of the true gems. I tried for the first year of being in the wedding video business to give back, and was unable to find a way to give back that did not involve me giving everything away. This year I had an idea... use eBay!
I held an auction on eBay. The auction was for a full wedding video coverage with two cameramen. The trick was that all proceeds of the auction were donated to NetAid to help women in poverty in Cambodia get away from the oppression and abuse and get an education.
This was a raving success. In total, we were able to donate 1,800 dollars with the help of Cisco's Matching Contribution plan. Not bad for an idea I was completely unsure would work.
Gotta Love eBay!
I am assuming because of the amount that was donated they decided that my company and I are worth listening to because we have been invited to an event to discuss ways we can help end world poverty... Realistically, I do not think that in itself is wholly possible, but I do think we can make one heck of a dent.
¶ 8:02 AM
4.15.2004
A Thing or Two About Choosing the Right Venue for You
I have been shooting videos for some time now. Videos for companies, videos for individuals,and videos for fun. People, frankly, spend a lot of money to capture these moments correctly so that the money spent is preserved somehow in photo and/or video form in order to look back and relive the glamour of the day-evening-night.
Let's face it... a lot of time is spent decorating, setting up, organizing entertainment, etc. So it is these videos and photos are the ONLY memoirs of real note that capture those moments. Photographs capture an image while video captures an image with personality (hopefully).
As you look for a venue to hold your wedding or corporate event, it is very important to ask about the rules limiting the videographers and photographers from doing a thorough job. Too often I arrive at the event to find I am too limited in my ability to get creative shots because of rules put in place to protect the venue.
I totally understand this. I just got back from a rehearsal at the Mission in San Jose (Jennifer and Anthony's wedding is Saturday... congrats!) and I was informed of the limitations in place. I understand why they are there... and I am also perfectly happy to abide.
That is my job.
I understand it and do not buck the system in place.
Unfortunately, it seems that in some cases brides do not truly realize the limitations and how they affect the videographer. In this particular case it is going to be ok because I am going to hire another videographer to fill in the shots where I am currently blocked out from at the San Jose Mission. I simply cannot do the job with one camera and feel I have done a good job in this case so I have to do what is necessary to always offer the best quality available to me.
The point here is that as you are planning your event... whatever it is... you should decide how important the video and photos are and ask whatever questions are necessary to make sure the venue lives up to your needs.
In some cases they will, and some they won't... but it is important to go into it knowing if you're videographer/photographer is being locked out of providing you the product you expect. Most situations with video simply involve adding another camera-person to get the shots that one approved position is locked out of.
Best of Luck in Planning
¶ 10:20 PM
4.14.2004
Wedding, Corporate, and Sport Videography
Simply Interactive is going through a few changes in our web site and structure in order to better represent what it is we do and offer more specific visual media services differentiators. The goal is also to identify the locations we support and spread responsibilities accordingly.
It is essential to us that we keep the small business feel and the personal touch that only an entrepreneurial business can, but we also recognize the need to grow so that we aren't so overworked in a way that customer service becomes affected. With this in mind I have decided to spread the responsibilities and identify geographical areas of the bay area and surrounding suburbs as areas we support.
In order to do all of this effectively, we are going to be separating Simply Interactive (the corporate, training, and multimedia parent company) from the Wedding and Family event side of the business.
Say Hello to:
Bay Area Wedding Videos
South Bay Wedding Videos
San Francisco Wedding Video
North Bay Wedding Video
North Bay Video
California Wedding Video
Monterey Event Video
Santa Cruz Wedding Video
This site is currently a placeholder for now, but in the next few weeks the Wedding Link on the Simply Interactive site will take you to that site.
¶ 11:06 AM
4.06.2004
Another Beautiful Shadowbrook Restaurant Wedding Video (Congrats to David and Aimee)
Most of the time I really love my job. The only part I really do not like are all the administrative tasks, but I do them happily so that I can do what I really enjoy, meet happy people, shoot creative video, and edit memories that will last generations. Occasionally I get the "fire drill" phone call and I tend to really enjoy those as well because they are usually last minute jobs and require quick turnaround edits.
Aimee came to me about 10 days before her wedding upset because a family member was seriously ill and almost the entire family of the groom could no longer make it to the wedding. To top it off, the videographer she had chosen previously was not going to work out for her.
So she came to me and contracted our services which, to my joy, landed me back at one of my absolute favorite wedding spots. The Shadowbrook Restaurant in Capitola.
Donita (I hope I spelled her name correctly) is the wedding coordinator there and she is always a real pleasure to work with and see in action. She is just so warm and friendly and very helpful to other service providers like your friendly Wedding Videograhy company over here :-)
The wedding went through beautifully and the sun peaked through the gray day just in time for the ceremony. Because of the situation with their family I am going to be editing their video a little faster than originally anticipated so this person can see what he was unable to because of his illness.
¶ 1:02 PM
Wedding and Corporate Video Blog for clients and potential clients of the award-winning Simply Interactive llc. Your stop for visual media, capture and design.
Wedding
and Event DJ Dot Com This is one of Simply
Interactive's favorite resources. This
site will help you find anything you
would need for your wedding video and
helps weed out the fly-by-night operations.
Wedding
Links Galore! This is a great resource
as well. Tons of links for different
wedding vendor types and broken down
by geographic theatre.
Party Pop
This is a
huge database
of tons
of wedding
service
providers
By Recommendation
Only
This is a
website that
lists vendors
ONLY if they
have been
referred
by
one of their
clients.
REFERR
US!
Approved
Photographer Links
Mark
Stagi -
Fine Art
Wedding
Photography
Mark and I have worked together several times and one
thing that stands out aside from his actual photography
skill (which speaks for itself on his website) is his
awesome, confident, calm and unobtrusive personality
and shooting style. Every time we work together I am
reminded of how cool and confident he is. Check out
his website - he's a great guy!
Anna
Myers Photography I
have worked
with Anna
Myers twice
and have
recommended
her for corporate
jobs as well.
Both times
I worked
with her
I was stunned
at her creativity,
her ability
to get stunning
shots and
work with
ct he bride
and groom
in a comfortable,
non-stress
inducing
way. When
I work with
Anna our
video work
and our synergy
together
to create
great shots
allows both
of us to
walk away
with some
extremely
glamorous
images.
Geoff White Photography While
I have yet
to work with
Geoff, I
have seen
his work
countless
times at
bridal shows
(our booths
are constantly
near each
other). Tremendous
quality every
time I see
his new array.
You can tell
how creative
this man
is by looking
at the effort
put into
his show
booth alone...
but once
you get sucked
into his
photo albums,
you'll likely
do everything
possible
to get him
as your photographer.
Jill
Johnson @ Insza Photography This girl was absolutely
wonderful to work with. She works very
well with everyone and even amidst the
mayhem of a wedding where an entire
TV crew was trying to muscle through
the hired service providers, she still
made sure she got everything the couple
wanted.
Darren
Wong Darren
and Simply
Interactive
have worked
together
on a couple
weddings
and has one
of the highest
skill levels
we have seen.
His compositions
and quality
are impeccable
-- matched
only by
his top-notch
equipment.
Approved
DJ Links
San Jose DJs DJ Earl is an excessively helpful
individual. His dedication to his clients means he
is willing to go above the call of duty to make things
flow smoothly.
Fog City Entertainment Russ Catanach is just plain
awesome! Every time I do a wedding with him he
is always prepared. He is smooth, suave, and professional
without being humdrum or frustratingly boring. He
reads crowds well, and guides the party along. I
could not recommend them more.
Carl
Mindling Music
This gentleman is a fantastic DJ - smooth, professional,
entertaining. Aside from his technical quality, this
was one of the most easy going and in-control DJs I've
ever met. I can only imagine how he would react under
pressure - with the same eloquence.
Approved
Venue Links
Nestledown
Estates
There are
no words
that can
describe
the beauty
and serenity
of this place.
We are proud
to have been
able to shoot
there.
Capital Athletics Club - San Jose Despite
the name,
this is
a beautifully
designed
building,
inside
and out.
Great Service
and wonderful
bar/pool
table/fireplace.
Great ambiance
with vaulted
ceilings
in a victorian
interior
decor.
Palmdale
Estates - Fremont Palmdale
Estates is
a beautifully
landscaped
spacious
venue location
that uses
beautifully
designed
two-story
halls for
the reception.
Ceremonies
are outdoors
on lawns.
Byington
Winery
- Los Gatos Definitely one of
my favorite spots. The ceremony area
is at the top of a set of brick steps
and surrounded by grape vines and gorgeous,
Los Gatos hills covered in hundred year
old forest trees. The reception area
is inside of a magnificent building
covered in ivy. Indoors are huge tanks
and an immense cellar houses hundreds
of oak barrels for aging wine. Great
stuff for video and photo.
Approved
Limo Links
White Hat Limo
I can tell
you this
about White
Hat Limo,
when it
came time
to hire
a limo
service
for my
6th anniversary,
White Hat
Limo was
the first
place I
called.
Reliability,
quality
and price.
White Hat
Limo is
exceptional
in all
areas.
