Matt Davis has been able to not only raise his prices every year, but has a rare business model in the industry of having an additional two creative teams and 3 editors that can emulate his style of wedding films. All of this being done without advertising, no bridal shows, and in the middle of a terrible recession. Learn how Matt has thrown out the excuse of videographers being last on the budget for weddings and has grabbed onto NC’s high end market by making wedding films a necessity, not a luxury.

1. He’ll cover the pitfalls our industry makes as a whole in branding and marketing, and why that is hindering us to make top dollar.
2. He’ll cover my entire sales process from start to finish, using my very “backwards” system of booking brides without feeling like a sales person.
3. He’ll go over price objections and specific ways we can avoid hearing “you cost too much” and even if you do, end up booking a high dollar package.

This month, MIVA has partnered with the Detroit chapter of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives – though they’re SO much mor than that) to bring you Jeff Tobe who will be speaking on “Coloring Outside the Lines: Learn What Your Customers Want But Are Too Afraid To Tell You.”

The event will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Detroit from 6-9pm. We will be receiving their members-only rate for this particular evening, so dinner & cash bar will only cost you $30, and dinner + signature drinks will be $35. To register, find directions, or any other information, please visit the Detroit NACE website, or click hereto go directly to the event page. We’d love to have a large MIVA turnout on this night, so please register ASAP!

Michael Jeffries, President and Founder of the Yes! Network will be speaking to us on the power of positive attraction. Is the state of the economy having an effect on you? Then you need to fight back! And where else can you start but with your own worldview and attitude? Let Michael influence how you approach your business by drawing on his twenty years of speaking as a sales and success guru. This should be an exciting evening with a dynamic presenter!

Four categories are open for submissions in our annual MIVA Film Festival this year. Only current, paid-to-date MIVA members will be allowed to submit entries. Each MIVA member has the privilege to submit up to, but no more than two entries. These two entries may be in the same category or in any two that he/she wish. Specifics about the different categories are listed below.

All entries must be submitted no later than 5pm on Friday, October 28th, 2011.

When you submit, you must then also e-mail a Paypal payment of $20 per entry (limit, one entry per category) to info@mivaonline.com.

The categories are as follows:

Wedding/Event Highlight Reel

Although it may seem self-explanatory, this entry includes any production which highlights a wedding day or special event. The Wedding/Event Highlight Reel should be 5:00 in length or less.

Wedding/Event Trailer

This category is specifically designed for entries which were produced as a preview to the upcoming film. Trailer entries should be 2:00 in length or less.

Same Day Edit

Same Day Edit is a new category for the 2011 film festival, and as the name implies are created within the constraints of an actual wedding day. This is only relevant to videos that were shot and edited on the same calendar day. Videos that would be considered Next Day Edits or Same Week Edits are NOT applicable, and must be submitted in either the Trailer or Highlight categories (dependent on run-time). Same Day Edits should be no longer than 5:00 in length.

Concept Reel

This category is designed for everything else under the sun, ranging from Love Stories to Trash the Dress, Save the Date and Video Invitations. The Concept Reel should be 5:00 in length or less.

File and Format Specifications:
Please use the same settings you would use for uploading to Vimeo or YouTube. Preferably a Quicktime H.264 file, but windows media is fine too. Please name your videos in the following format:

“StudioName_Category_NameOfFilm.mov”  (i.e. 3rd-Street-Films_Trailer_Ali-and-Alex.mov)

You need to use a FTP client to upload. For example on the mac you can use Fetch. On the PC you could use WS_FTP.

Also, please note that Epic Motion is generously hosting us that night as they have a more reliable internet connection than our normal hosts, so PLEASE register in advance so we know how much pizza & pop to have on hand and how many seats to provide. BYOB this time folks. Epic Motion’s studio is at 628 East Parent Avenue #504, Royal Oak, MI 48067. See you there!

Are you using an on-camera shotgun mic? Lapel mics? Did you plug into their in-house system? How do you monitor your audio live? Is it recording to a separate component or live to tape?

If you have had these questions or more, or are interested in hearing how our panel of MIVA experts handles audio, join us on August 3rd to join in the discussion. We’ll have a question and answer session after going over the basics, so come prepared with your thoughts and questions as well!

The Reaction- Holly & Nathan from GEBBS on Vimeo.

Check out Gebb’s work at gebbs.tv or gebbsweddingfilms.com.

THINK DIFFERENT, BE DIFFERENT and ROCK THE WORLD!

Michael Gebben started his company GEBBS TV right out of high school with zero business experience or college education. It has grown from a small wedding video business into an award winning video production company….that has worked with clients such as New York Times Bestseller, Tim Ferriss, MTV’S The Buried Life, Jars of Clay, Continental Tire and many more. GEBBS most recently shot the pilot episodes to some exciting new shows, one of which has been picked up by Oprah Winfrey’s Network, OWN!

Come to this presentation and you will enjoy his talk on how the Same Day Edit has changed his life and business…and how he will help you do the same! There will be technical insight and information concerning the Same Day Edit as well as his commentary on the many key things to be aware of during the hectic wedding day. He will also discuss how to overcome fears that will keep your business from growing, how being different and unique can grow your business…..and there will also be time for Q&A.

Make sure to pick up one of his Same Day Edit DVD’s after the event.

Don’t forget to RSVP to the meeting to SAVE $5. Members are $10 at the door or $5 in advance if you rsvp online and non-members are $20. If you are a first time visitor, please register with the coupon code: firsttimeguest and you will get in for free.

Receive a FREE drink ticket if you check in BEFORE 7pm.
Our meetings are held at Bastone Brewery in downtown Royal Oak. The address is 419 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, Michigan. We meet the first Wednesday of each month. Bring change for the parking meters or park in one of the nearby structures.

The Michigan Independent Video Association is hosting its first ever mixer at the brand new – and amazingly gorgeous Star Lanes at the Emagine Theater in downtown Royal Oak.

Appetizers will be served in the private High Rollers Room. Bowling is included with your registration (shoe rental included!). There’s also a cash bar, billiards, shuffleboard and an old school Ms. Pacman game w/ FREE unlimited play. What better way to build relationships than to destroy someone at bowling or share a drink over a game of Ms. Pacman?

This will be a fun and unique networking opportunity for event video professionals as well as others that are actively involved in the wedding and event industry.

Before the event, tickets for MIVA members are $5 and $10 for non-Members.
If you do not register online, the price at the door is $20 for members and non-members – cash or check only.