International Visual Communications Association
Joining Fee: £240 for a freelancer
The IVCA is an organisation that is designed to help anybody
related to the production industry. This includes video editors, directors,
copywriters and artists. It helps to promote you within the industry. This is
done by social networking events and links from the organisation's website. It
also gives you access to awards run by the IVC. You also have access to
industry statistics and areas in which the government is trying to assist. Part
of this are invites to industry events targeting international markets. If
you're a larger company it also assists with employing staff and treating them
correctly. The IVCA also has membership services to help with any media law
e.g. copyright and contract advice.
A colleague who is part of a production company made me
aware of the IVCA. They have not renewed their membership this year but their
organisation is well established. For someone coming into the industry like
myself, what they offer is appealing. Cost is a little high and I am unsure if
for a freelancer a lot of the benefits would fit. The attraction from me is the
possibility of it raising my profile. The social networking events sometimes
open doors but can be a little hit and miss. Membership is something I would consider
further down the line, but I have the feeling I might be a small fish in a big
pond.
Vimeo online creative video community
Joining fee: Basic free / Plus
membership $59.95
Vimeo is an online video website for the creative community.
It covers art, education, music and much more but they're all related to the
creative. It allows users to upload work
and discuss and rate videos from people across the globe. It allows users to
tag and categorise their work so others interested in the area can find it.
There are also channels that you can submit and subscribe your work to. You
also have the option of entering your work into the video Festival awards,
which started in 2010. Further, it allows people to share and host their videos
online, which can be technically quite difficult.
Vimeo Award 2012
I'm already a member of vimeo but I've only uploaded a few
videos at this point and have not tried to promote my work. I have found it
amazing for discovering new ideas and seeing what others are doing. It gives me
a standard in which to aim for. It also inspired me to see what can be achieved
within my category. Over time, I plan to become more involved and will need to
become a plus member as I produce more videos.
2010 Vimeo award – Motion Graphics Category
SIGGRAPH
Join fee: $42
Siggraph has been around for about 30
years and is an organisation for the computer graphics industry. It holds
annual conferences around the world focusing on innovations within the
industry. The last conference was in Vancouver with the 2012 conference being
in LA. The organisation mainly supports the technology behind the CGI and less about
the artistic side. They also have what they call chapters around the world,
which are smaller groups. The nearest one to here is the Manchester group based
at the University. As a member of Siggraph you receive quarterly newsletters
and discounts on tickets for the events. You also receive access to online
presentations about advances in CGI technology.
I'm unsure how I would benefit from
joining Siggraph but will investigate it further. I would very much like to
attend one of the conferences, as it is where a lot of new software is
premiered. They often have some great speakers. Last year when it was in Vancouver,
I watched Nick Campbell as part of the Maxon presentation of their new software
release. As there is no artistic community behind it I'm not too sure how it
would influence my work or promote me as an artist.
