About conventions

[Dynesh]

This may be a little out of line for this forum, since you guys are your own certification group, and this talks about someone else, so feel free to delete this if I'm stepping on anybody's toes.  

My mother in law has given us one of her timeshare weeks(well we paid the various fees associated with it, but just over 300$ for a week in a super nice hotel=nice).  So we wanted to go to disney world in January anyway when the crowds are down, and I noticed that the 4evergroup is having a convention then. So we booked it for the same week.  Now.  Should I go.  I've obviously never been to anything like this, but just starting out, seems like it could help.

[Forever Endeavor]

I would say if you have the chance, go for it. Anything you can learn will help you become a better videographer. That can only be good for the industry as a whole.

[Dynesh]

Yeah, I'm leaning on going. I just don't know as much about the industry as a whole right now, but I from what I understand these guys haven't been around as long and therefore didn't know if it would be worth missing Disney World with my kid for.  Meaning is their conference big enough to justify it.  I'll have to look around some more and see.

[On a Roll]

I've been to a few conventions in my day. They can be a lot of fun, and great for networking. And besides learning a thing or two about our video production career path, you can write off the whole trip (read those words, "whole trip") as a business expense. That always feels nice around tax season.

[Dynesh]

Sounds good. My wife's a CPA so hopefully she knows all the tricks for writing stuff off.

[HankCastello]

..if it would be worth missing Disney World with my kid

Exposure to other wedding video vets won't hurt you one bit, but I worry about the conflict noted above.  Kids grow up so fast and for most of us, Disney trips don't come around every year.  Try your best to do both if you can.

[Forever Endeavor]

Yeah, when I suggested going, I didn't know that would mean missing time with the fam. If you have to choose, go spend time with the kiddo.

Do you have a boy or girl? How old? I have a 5 year old son, a 3 year old daughter and 1 month old twin daughters. I would never miss that time with them to go to a convention. But if you can do both, go for it.

[Dynesh]

Oh no doubt.  I'm trying to get a hold of the schedule now, and hopefully I can just pick and choose what I go to.  The conference is 4 days.  
We are going for 7.  So if I can manage to skip one day of the conference, skip a morning or two and go to the park, then I'll feel pretty good about it.  It helps that our son is only two, so he won't really know what the big deal is, other than being amazed at seeing Mickey.  But with him getting in free, plus the good deal on the week, and the conference all at the same time, seems like a no brainer to go ahead and take him.  And truth be told, I'd really like to see Disney World again.  Haven't been in 13 years or so.

[Forever Endeavor]

Sounds like a good time. We took my son to Disneyland when he was (I think) about 2. We ended up leaving after half a day because it was so difficult and he wasnt having any fun (not to discourage you from going). Now, with 4 kids, we look back and wonder what in the world was so difficult about bringing 1 measley kid to disneyland  :lol: . At the time it seemed impossible.

[Dynesh]

Oh, man don't scare me.  Yeah, our original plans called for taking him when he was 4, but as I said things just lined up right now.  My Mother in law may go, so maybe I'll get to go with my wife one day alone and be a kid again.