This Blog - The Past Five Years

EC Come, EC Go is five years old. It started out being a totally off-the-wall compilation of blather based primarily on my original career skill set - writing. Having been a journalist, freelance writer of magazine articles, graphics designer, layout and publications designer, photojournalist, publisher and owner of newspapers for over 30 years, I figured writing was somewhere "in there."

But the blog was quickly becoming hodgepodge with no sense of direction to it, and I wanted it to be more than that. So, I started writing marketing articles - initially thinking I'd get as many, if not more, clients (brides) seeking affirmation/reason or justification for hiring a video producer, as I would video producers following my articles.

I underwent another change in focus, setting up a blog for publication and sharing of a very seriously screwed up project gone awry when I published a series of critiques from a volunteer group of "fellow" video producers (a total slaughter actually - all of them drawing blood). I included their comments, my responses, answers or rebuttals and the whole shebang was simply too HOT to handle - so I dumped it all.

The same thing for when I perceived that a blog focusing on critiques on the web sites of people in the independent professional video services provider business (by request or not) would be viable, helpful and informative. I called upon my publication graphic design experience, marketing experience and editing experience to help others proof their copy, reduce the redundancy, enhance the impact and focus on the effective. That one pretty much "burned down the barn" with people in the industry - many of them fiercely independent, selfish and headstrong. Many of them unwilling to accept that they might be able to benefit, lashing out instead in overwhelmingly defensive posts and responses on a few video related forums in which I participated.

And now, I write articles about ideas, approaches and rehashed possibilities for business in the video marketing arena, hoping I am helping somebody somewhere. Judging by responses on two forum sites that seem for the most part to have a more well-rounded, less self-centered and egotistical, less abusively aggressive membership all more willing to share than slice and dice their fellow members. Those forums?

Check out www.dvprofessionals.com and www.videomaker.com - you might also go to the bottom of this blog and become a "follower" joining the impressive TWO that I now appreciate having aboard. Check out their sites as well. Jay is especially focused on quality information, resources and input in this business of video.

I have participated in facebook and Twitter, using those sites to post when I have fresh material on EC Come, EC Go. And, of course, I post notices on the above two forums as well. I don't know about the overall effectiveness of fb and T, but time will tell. For now these are mostly social/viral marketing experiments that seem to not have much sway.

EC Come, EC GO will eventually (this year perhaps) find its way back to my original intention - promotion of my fiction and non-fiction writing, writing in general and trying to develop a marketing environment for the sales of upcoming books I intend to get published.

I will not abandon my focus on marketing concepts, and ways to make money, sharing mine, and others, experiences in video production with the community-at-large in an effort to spread the word about the commercial viability of video production at the independent producer level. It will simply be under another name with links and re-directs, announcements, etc. regarding the same when all that comes to pass.

Meanwhile, I have a number of marketing web sites that are in serious need of revision, updating and streamlining - this is a must do for 2009. I will keep those of you who are interested posted regarding the changes, and my progress on the above plans, as well as new and improved web sites - if, in fact, anyone is interested and (anymore) has the time to check things out.

My next article coming sometime early January, 2009 (I hope) will offer a review of the many articles contained in this blog's current iteration, and the areas I plan to focus in the coming months. I will also, as has been strongly suggested by Jay - one of my TWO followers - be creating a book with support materials and samples on disk, as well as resources and marketing letters, forms, etc. that can be revised to meet the reader's needs. I will be adding visual content to the blog, more links to other definitive or interesting sites and resources that might prove helpful in the business of video production.

I write LONG, and people in general dislike reading, so my way of communicating is probably going the way of 8-track, audio cassette, VHS tape and even MiniDV tape and standard CD - sooner, rather than later. Until then...
...I will write. READ if you want, or not, but I have to tell you that reading will remain the number one avenue for self-education for a long time to come.

Happy New Year!