Preferences

The Human Faces of EDU

Since commencing EDU in 2010, our popularity as a provider for Professional Development has grown. In Australia, there are a lot of industry training options but few that focus specifically on the needs of wedding cinematography...in fact we will be bold enough to say that we are the only group who provides a comprehensive and structured program with multiple presenters, that looks both on the technical elements of shooting / editing + the running of a business.

We have also been asked in the past, why a person should attend - a fair and logical question. We can speak with passion about the benefits of attending ... however, authentic and honest opinions are better - so we asked some of our attendees for their thoughts ...

DON'T MISS OUT!!!

BOOK HERE

Geoff Schatzel - Motion Art

Since I had never attended a large video workshop before EDU, obviously I wondered how I would fit in even with many like-minded people. Of course I was also slightly concerned about how my skill level and experience stacked up to everyone else in the room. I quickly found that many others had the same concerns attending a workshop for the first time but it was easy to strike up a conversation with people who shared the same passion as I did. It was also great to meet other professionals in my area who, without EDU, I may have never met or talked to.

Spending a few days breathing the same air as others in your field has so many benefits: networking, making new friends and learning from international film makers who have so much to offer in regards to knowledge and experience. I always walk away from EDU being inspired and ready to implement new ideas from the countless discussions I’ve had and from what the presenters have put forth. Meeting new people has allowed me the opportunity to collaborate and of course to make new friends.

I think there’s only so much you can take away from reading information online. There’s no substitute for hearing how someone conveys a message when you hear it directly from them and by experiencing things firsthand.

Bernice Simpson - All Your Memories

It is quite daunting sitting in a room full of fellow videographers and hearing them talk about all these new technologies and having a lot of it go straight over your head. I am not a technical person, yet I always feel that everyone else is, and my greatest fear was coming across as a total novice and someone who did not belong there. However, I realised that everyone has to start somewhere, and after talking to a few other attendees I found that I was not the only one. I also realised that I was coming in to this workshop with a huge advantage….I (and the others at my level) had the most to learn, and therefore the most to gain from being here.

In 2010, after working 4 years and 5-6 days a week for another company and being completely frustrated with the dodgy equipment and lack of motivation, I decided to branch out on my own. I figured I had learned all I could from being there and so bought my own gear and then………well, I pretty much kept plodding along as I had. I would often stumble across work from other companies and think 'wow, those images look gorgeous…what am I doing wrong with mine?' I then received an email inviting me to something called 'EDU'. They had speakers from around the world talking about things I had been wondering about and some things that hadn't even occurred to me. I convinced my husband that we should both go down (two heads are always better than one!) and we have never looked back.

In two years (and two EDU's), our business has gone from doing one camera ceremonies for a measly $200, to three camera all-day shoots for around $4000. We are at a point now that we don't have to be shooting three times a week just to pay the bills, but can actually afford to have some time off. From a personal point of view, I am very much a perfectionist, and I used to struggle with the thought of increasing our prices even though we were struggling to make anything. Now, however, I feel proud of the work we do and know it is worth every cent that we charge.

There are a lot of online forums out there these days for all sorts of things. As great as it is to have this sort of information at your fingertips, nothing beats having a network of friends who you can catch up with, swap stories and thoughts and even call on for help if you are in a pickle. It is also great to physically have a play with some of the new gear coming out and chat to those who spend their days using them.

Aaron Kamp - Everafter Productions

I'm an introvert, so don't usually do well with meeting new people etc - my biggest fear of first attending EDU was not being able to connect & get to know anyone else at the conference.
But, given that everyone has a similar passion, it was quite easy to meet people & chat.

The reason I came to EDU was because I decided that I wanted to push myself to create better wedding videos. It's easy to get stuck in the same routine & simply follow the same (often boring) way of creating wedding videos. I wanted to get out of that mindset & be challenged to reach a higher level. The best way to do that is to surround yourself with like-minded people. EDU pushed my wedding company to another level creatively. It resulted in increased satisfaction in my job, and also increased profits for my business. I have also developed numerous friendships that I value.

We are products of our surroundings. There is something that happens when you interact with people on a personal level, face-to-face. Their passion rubs off on you, yours on them, and it drives you to grow, to be better. When you're online, there is a barrier between you & everyone else. Sure you can learn stuff, but you miss that personal interaction that really drives productivity & passion. As the old saying goes, "Iron sharpens Iron". If you really want to achieve something, you need to hang out with & surround yourself with people that have either been there, or are on the same journey - as they will spur you on towards greater things.

Colin Pett - Mod Films

I can’t say I was fearful of anything before I went to EDU... maybe apprehensive of not knowing what level of expertise I had compared to others. After 5 mins of talking to some of the guys I realise I was on the same level as some of them, in fact I went into the week very confident.

Abe Joffe talked me into going, to be truly honest - until I spoke to him I didn’t know anything about EDU. People in remote areas get left out the loop……even though there are as many weddings in North Queensland than most capitals. There are over 10 wedding film companies in Cairns! We have filmed over 700 weddings in 8 years.

The main impact on me personally was meeting so many film Guys and Girls with all the same issues we have, and being accepted into a really cool and fun community. My business was impacted by letting me move to the next level.

Tom Phillips - Empire Video Productions

Since I hadn't been around too long I thought that most of the other attendees would be already streets ahead of where I was at and the sessions might be over my head. However, meeting the other attendees made me feel like I was on the right track in regards to moving in the right direction and I came away feeling confident in my own abilities. The sessions were relevant to my situation too.

I had missed out the year before and I was sold on the presentations by the speakers. I was keen to take my films to the next level and EDU seemed like the place to be if you wanted to take wedding and event films to the next level. It was great to meet other people just like me. Here in Adelaide there aren't too many people making cinematic weddings and it was great seeing a larger community who I can connect with. Also it was important to learn about aspects other than just filming. I came away feeling motivated to push what I could do.

At a workshop there are no distractions, they are more engaging and you can ask questions as well as discussing and debating points and often getting hands on too. You can't get this same experience online!

Glen Mackay - Directors Edge

My greatest fear before attending EDU was whether my work was going to be as good as others and that it would be critiqued. Also, I previously worked for some other companies who instilled the mindset in me that we show and not tell (show our work, but not tell the secrets on how we achieved it). In the first 10 minutes of EDU, I soon realised this was not the way successful businesses should be operating. We (as videographers or cinematographers) shouldn't be in competition with each other rather collaborating and learning.

I decided I wanted to attend EDU purely because I was wanting to further my skills and evolve my business mindset. I wanted to learn more than simply picking up a camera and pressing record. I attended EDU just as I was starting my business, and every year since then attending EDU has been imperative to the success of my business.

Personally, attending EDU has introduced some pretty amazing awesome people into my life which inspire me, motivate me and who are great friends. It's sometimes comforting to know that there are others who may be going through a similar situation with their own businesses and having that network that I can call on and share ideas and chat with is brilliant.
Professionally, it's the collaboration which has impacted my business the most. There is a whole pool of talent I can call on when in need for extra help and to learn from. EDU has provided the platform to form relationships with those who most inspire me.

When it comes to comparing learning online to attending a workshop, firstly I feel that those who believe they are the bees knees are clearly delusional. Those who refuse education and collaboration and choose to hold their cards close to their chest will soon realise they are missing out on what EDU has brought to so many people so far. Having the hands on education, chatting with presenters and attendees is by far more valuable and educational than what a YouTube tutorial video can provide.

Digital Logic -

Whether you're shooting a feature, a doco, TVC's, corporate videos, a television series or a private project Digital Logic Rentals can service your project.

Their passion for film making and drive for innovative production tools keeps them informed and up to date with new technologies that helps them advise you from the planning to completion of your next project.

Recently Den Lennie did a review on some of their new lenses - hear what Den Lennie & Mick Jones had to say in this video clip

Check out their promo reel