The Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) will strengthen its video producer membership numbers after finalising a merger deal with the Australian Video Producers Association (AVPA).
The AVPA’s Ron Dorre will be on the AIPP committee for professional video producers.
The AVPA, formed over 20 years ago to lobby the federal government over sales tax issues, has between 200-300 active members.
The membership numbers aren’t clear, as the association removed annual membership fees a few years ago, which stagnated the registration process, AIPP executive officer Peter Myers told ProCounter.
The AVPA website lists members as corporate and documentary video producers, television industry personnel, wedding and special event video producers, and retail and wholesale equipment suppliers and service providers.
The association was primarily financed through its annual awards. The remaining money will go to the AIPP to pay a one-year membership for AVPA members. Myers wasn’t willing to disclose exactly how much money the AVPA had, but said it was a ‘significant amount’.
Differences aside…
Since camera manufactures began including high-end video functions to DSLRs, the two professions have melded together. Myers estimates that over a third of the AIPP’s 3000 members also shoot video, or in some cases shoot video exclusively. .
Rochelle Morris is one of these members – she is the AIPP’s board advisor for video, and an AIPP Accredited Professional Video Producer (APVP). Morris says the merger is a positive move for video producers.
‘During the years of my AIPP membership, I have been privileged to witness the spirit of the members and the association, and the dedication of the staff.
‘Needless to say, I kept saying, “I want that spirit for our video profession!” As this transition occurs, I look forward to welcoming more video professionals and am confident that our community spirit is something that they too, will see and embrace,’ she said.
The synergy between stills and video makes the AIPP suitable to represent both
professions, Myers said, without pulling the focus from its core membership of photographers.
He also highlights that the AIPP is the final active membership organisation representing and advocating on behalf of image makers. The only other is the ‘moving pictures’ professionals’ association, the Australian Cinematographers Society, which caters more for broadcast and cinema videographers.
The AIPP has begun communication with AVPA members to invite them to ‘jump ship’.
Ron Dorre, president of the AVPA – which will be renamed Accredited Video Producers of Australia – explained that the merged entity will be a division of the AIPP.
‘Government departments, legislators and the ATO all seek opinion and input from the AIPP on matters ranging from copyright legislation through to the tax treatment of photographic assets.
‘Through our association we aim to continue to lobby for reforms of legislation that affects our professionals. Both AVPA and AIPP share a vision to be advocates for excellence in imaging,’ he said.
The AIPP, through the ACCC certification of its accreditation process, has the exclusive authority to offer accreditation to professional photographers and video producers.
Former AVPA members, who underwent the AVPA accreditation process, will be granted the AIPP’s APVP-accredited status, and can use this name and logo in their advertising and promotional materials.
AIPP Australian Professional Video Producer Awards
This year the second AIPP Australian Professional Video Producer Awards will run as a standalone two-day event on September 26-27 in Melbourne, separate from the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) in August.
The event is part of the AIPP’s strategy to replace the AVPA awards and welcome its new members, encourage still members to shoot video, and build its presence as a peak-body for video producers.
The Awards, sponsored by Olympus, is open to non-members and has three categories – Wedding, Corporate, and Documentary.
The overall winner of the categories will be crowned the AIPP Australian Professional Video Producer of the Year. Judging is free to attend.
Entries are $65 per video for members or $125 per video for non-members.
There will also be a conference, with six hour-long presentations. It’s $250 to attend the full day for members, $400 for non-members, and $150 for students.
The speakers include film producer Sue Maslin, director of photography Peter Szilveszter, wedding videographers Jared Kettle and Jacob Williams (Humdrum Films), professional editor Lorna-Jean Bradley (Untitled Film Works), small business social media marketer Steve Hubbard, and business coach Karen Hollenbach.
– The Australian Professional Video Producer Awards + Conference will be held at Swinburne University Hawthorne Campus