IN[FOCUS]

 (ed. note – Casey was last seen Monday in Maui, Hawaii sleeping in the back of an SUV in a Wal-Mart parking lot due to the roads and businesses being closed down on account of massive brushfires.

While we know that he is in the safe company of Patrick Moreau, along with their new Cinevate 135mm fire-hydrant adapters, we can only assume that our heroes will charge/glide into the action head-on, saving untold women, children, their feats beautifully documented in cinemascope.

Due to the priority of rescuing faunae and florae alike, Casey’s posts for Wednesday and Thursday might be pushed back until after he briefs the island about the prudence of each returning to his or her home.  In the meantime, stay tuned to the IN[FOCUS] blog for more quality entries this week from the rest of our team and for updates to Casey and Patrick’s adventures in the land of volcanoes.

And now, on to Casey…)                                                                    

When I think back…way back, and reach deep down into my recesses of my subconscious, I can dig up my earliest memories of life.

Although most of what I can recall is in faded bits and pieces, a couple things come alive in vivid color (with surround sound, 1080p resolution, and 12+ stops of dynamic range). These recollections are of me with a pen, pencil and a piece of paper. 

Drawing. Sketching. Doodling. Story-boarding. 

This is what I did for days on end, until my fingers ached. 

I was constantly trying to take what existed in my imagination and give it life on paper. 

This paradigm still continues today; however, the medium has changed – from spiral bound notebooks to a format that is much more representative of my imagination – the motion picture.

In my mind I am still constantly sketching out the ideas and stories of the people whom I encounter.  My goal with wedding cinema it to take the lives and experiences of couples and piece them together in a narrative that unfolds in an evocative, emotional, and creative way that is true to the narrative of the ones it represents.

I look forward to sharing some of what goes on in my Mind and in my Castle and trust that it will help you in your journey of becoming a better storyteller as well.

~Casey W., Mind|Castle Studios

Casey Warren

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Most wedding vendors have local gatherings in which they socialize and educate, much like videographers do with their PVA’s.  These groups are always on the lookout for fresh content to fill their meeting times, and YOU are just the person to give it to ‘em!

1. Start by showing your best highlights clip.
2. Introduce yourself and tell about your journey into the industry.
3. Tell and show them how your work benefits them! Get them thinking about how every time they refer you, you are building their stock library for promo videos and blog content.
4. Show a vendor promo – if you don’t have an official one, you can cut one together from some of your past wedding shoots.  Nothing will make them want to use you more than to see a competitor with a snappy commercial!
5. Take Q&A throughout – the photographer groups will certainly have a lot to ask.
6. Emphasize that the best way for them to get a promo done is to refer you for their gigs!

Pass out your business cards and collect the cards of those in attendance to write follow up e-mails and place them on your newsletter list (even if you don’t have a newsletter, yet).  Do this the next day while the presentation is still hot on their minds!

 

Who to pursue first?

 

I recommend getting your feet wet with a local photographers group (pictured above).  Not only are they the ones who can ‘get you’ the easiest, they can also provide great promotional photos (like the ones you see in this post). With those photos, create your own blog post about your “fantastic presentation,” and as you approach other groups, direct them to your blog entry!  This will give you an added dose of legitimacy and authority and make the other groups want you more (Thanks to Eric Hegwar for these shots).

Pictage User Groups (PUG’s) meet in several major cities nationwide.  Find the city closest to you, click on the city, and get the contact info of the person in charge.  I even approve you to show them Eric’s full blog entry about our presentation to their group in Austin to show them that a precedent has been set and that it is content of value to them.

After you get the first one under your belt, contact other groups in your area.  For Wedding Coordinators/Event Planners, find the nearest chapter of ISES, the ACPWC, and the ABC.  Click here to download the outline I created for an hour-long presentation to the Austin Wedding and Event Coordinators group last year.

You are responsible for your destiny!

While most of us are pinching our pennies during uncertain economic times, it becomes even more critical to market our businesses consistently.  What better way to do so with old fashioned pressing-the-flesh. It costs you little to nothing, and even in these days of social networking and web 2.0, I still believe it to be the most effective way of promoting your studio.

Let me know how it goes!

jones

Jones

Chris P. Jones began Mason Jar Films 10 years ago in his garage. He still has no idea why y'all would vote for him for EventDV25, but Thanks!

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