4evergroup Orlando Event & Exchange with WVDR

[Terry]

Hey Wes, be sure to look me up. Of course you'll know where I"ll be on Tuesday....Iron Videographer competition.

Glen's the guy, I"m the gal.

[HankCastello]

Welcome back Jimbo!  We missed ya.

Wes, I've heard good things about Mark and Trisha Von Lanken.  If you've seen their training videos, why not post a review on our Books & Videos review forum (a couple of sections below these forums).  You could give them a link back to their website. http://www.weddingvideodoneright.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=22

I'm not going to dwell any further on this unfortunate situation with this Steve Wernick fellow, from whom I just got another email wherein he spouts paranoia about us being a competing organization out to get them; worrying about  why we would need two people to write an article (I'd already laid out how we would have conducted the article); etc.; etc..

Jeeze, Steve - if we were really out to get you, would we have offered a free banner ad for you to promote your event?  Would I have posted all the pertinent info and a link to your site on our forums?  (the post and link remain)  Would we have offered to cover your event thoroughly in an article if we were out to get you or just looking for a free ride?  

Fact is, we're here to do whatever we can to help wedding videographers and to promote the wedding videography industry.  If some other organization is doing something good for the industry, then we're all for it.   But there seems to be a dark, scary side showing here and I wouldn't care to attend this meeting now - not for anything.  It's too bad.  Maybe 4evergroup will consider a change of leadership in the future.  I guess Steve feels he's doing the right thing, protecting his organization from Darth Vader from a dangerous, "competing organization".  Someday they may have new leadership that we can work together with for the good of the industry.

[osbornes5]

Wow, what a shame. Of course I have no idea just how much time Mr. Werrick or other leaders of the 4EverGroup have spent perusing the pages of WVDR but I don't think it would take long to discover the philosophy of its leadership. Hank is the founder and leader. Other main players should be evident. WVDR's philosphy and purpose are detailed in more than one place. This site exists to promote professionalism, integrity, and quality. If anyone feels threatened by that, what does that say? For that matter, hwat does Mr. Werrick's behaviour say about him? I have nothing against the 4EverGroup and hope that Mr. Werrick will swallow his pride and make this thing right though that doesn't seem likely.    Wow what a team these two organizations could make if they were both singin' the same song. What a difference they could make. How much could this change the industry? Is is possible that those promoting practices that short change the bride could become the outsiders, the pariahs of an industry in which brides are fully aware of what to look for and what to avoid? Where the true professionals who exhibit professionalism, integrity, and a passion for their work are the sought out ones. Oh well, enough of that I suppose because until a group like the 4EverGroup decides to "join forces" we'll never know. Come on folks noone has to be "out to get" anyone. Ther's plenty of room for everyone here I think. It should not be about how the success of the group it should be about changing the industry for the better.

[Dynesh]

Ok Terry, I'll try and look you up.  Is the competition during the trade show, I couldn't really figure it out from the program grid.  I see also you have a little quote on the DVD's from Mark and Trisha I mentioned earlier in this post.  Anyways, see you there.

[HankCastello]

I'll be the lonely looking guy who's not good at striking up a conversation with strangers.

Wes, we've all felt like that, going to things like this.  I learned a trick years (OK, maybe "decades") ago that worked for me.. Pretend you're the host of the event and when you see people off by themselves, walk up and introduce yourself and make them feel at home.  Pretty soon, there'll be fewer strangers and more friends!

[Dynesh]

Ok Hank, if the lonely puppy dog look doesn't get people to feel sorry for me and come up to me, I'll give your idea a try.

[kwshaw1]

For that matter, hwat does Mr. Werrick's behaviour say about him? I have nothing against the 4EverGroup and hope that Mr. Werrick will swallow his pride and make this thing right though that doesn't seem likely.

Seems to me that Hank's personal style can be rather confrontational, so I'd factor that into assessing how this exchange developed. But it is odd that the 4evergroup literature makes no mention of even the goal of maintaining professionalism, which is a basic statement of other videography groups. Unfortunately I don't think most customers care much about any of this: they just want to see you can do good work and then decide whether they like your price.

[HankCastello]

Seems to me that Hank's personal style can be rather confrontational, so I'd factor that into assessing how this exchange developed.

I went into this dialog with nothing but the desire to help them plug their event and all I asked for was a banner (regarding the event) from them that we could post.

When he responded that he wanted to trade association banner links, thta's when I asked about their philosophy, etc., stating I wanted to be sure we were on the same track before appearing to support them as an organization.  

Next, I thought, what a great opportunity to give people who haven't been to events like this, an inside look at what they are like.  Although I wasn't going to guarantee a positive article, I fully expected it would be so.

So honestly, I didn't go into any of this with a confrontational attitude, although I admit I don't take much from a lying down position, I was quite surprised with the way things turned out since we were offering nothing but to help 4evergroup.

[osbornes5]

Sad how it all turned out. Hopefully relations will warm in the future and much good can be done through the teamwork.