Video footage of IGKT AGMs

[WebAdmin]

Dear All

This was a question mooted in a post, and I have been trying to find out what the Committee deliberations on it were.  It transpires that there were not enough members at the August meeting to be able to do more than essential business, and therefore I am asking for it to be aired at the next meeting.

Regards
Glenys Chew

[Fairlead]

Hi Glenys,
Are you sure you mean AGM?  AGM's are only held in May with Half Yearly meetings in October - If there was an AGM in August I knew nothing about it.

Gordon

[WebAdmin]

Sorry, Gordon, four out of 5 of us are under the weather to varying degrees, and I'm finding I'm not quite as clear as I used to be.  It was a Committee meeting I asked for this question to be raised at.  As it happens I was speaking to Ken Nelson, and he will raise it as an issue for the Committee to be aware of at the next meeting, with the probability of it being discussed at an AGM.

Hope that clarifies things.

Regards

Glenys

[DerekSmith]

Hi Glenys,

Thanks for refreshing this topic.  From what I remember, when it was first proposed the suggestion only received limited interest, however, perhaps it is one of those projects which will attract much more interest once others who for reasons of geography or other issues find it impossible to attend the AGM.  Perhaps we should do a bit of work before this gets put before the next meeting of the Council.

PhiltheRope, could you give us some idea how much it would cost to record the next AGM and make it available on suitable media please - you being in the business are probably best positioned to know real cost involved.  Is you offer of recording the AGM still on the table?

Lindsey. would it be possible to have a short piece in the next KM asking if interested folks would let us know how many would be interested in seeing the highlights and the main business of the AGM in this way?

Then if there is interest and it is feasible, perhaps we could have the process in place for the next AGM and simply get ratification that it is acceptable before the AGM starts proper.  The alternative is that we loose another year before getting any decision to provide this service.

Any thoughts?

Derek

[Phil_The_Rope]

Hi Folks.

Recording the AGM would cost nothing. Making it available on suitable media (probably DVD) would incur only the cost of materials and postage, which would be negligible.

I can understand why the original suggestion only received limited interest - AGM's, by their very nature, can be quite boring! HOWEVER, the "best bits" for me (and others, I suspect) in 2008 were not so much the Guild business discussions, but the knotter profiles and the entertainment over the weekend. Then, of course, there was Des Pawson's talk about his visit to Buckingham Palace.

That brings me to an important question - filming the AGM itself is one thing, but would it be ok to film other bits and pieces going on over the weekend? The AGM is a structured, formal affair where people would know it was being filmed, but would members (and visitors) be comfortable with a roaming camera capturing informal, candid moments? The AGM is minuted, the rest is not!

Regards,

Phil

[DerekSmith]

Gordon,

Do you know if there is a Council meeting before the AGM?

If there is, what would we have to do to table the proposal that Phil be allowed to film the AGM official business (boring for some, but interesting to those who wanted to attend but were unable to), and then to table the question at the AGM --  "Should the filming be extended to all the other interesting bits going on provided, those filmed are aware they are being filmed and have no objection"?

If we can pull this off, then we could have the next AGM as our first one officially captured on DVD - another step forward.

I fully support Glenys's request that this be reviewed at the next Council meeting but would add the proposal that the goal be to record the coming AGM and not to loose another year.

PS.  Does anyone know if we still have a Secretary, I have tried several times to contact David but have had no reply?

Derek

[Phil_The_Rope]

Interesting that at any meeting (not just IGKT) there will be lots of photos taken of people and "things", and nobody thinks twice about it! There is probably a lot of video taken too, but it's only when one is open about it that questions are likely to be raised!

I guess the difference is that video taken for personal viewing is different to video being offered for distribution - I accept there is a difference.

I do recall that someone took film (or was it only photos?) of the 25th Anniversary AGM meeting - unfortunately, a back injury prevented me attending that one. The resulting DVD was offered for sale, I believe, at this year's meeting? Does anyone remember any debate about that?

Don't get me wrong - no skin off my nose whether meetings are filmed or not. It's just that if some folks would like it filmed I'm happy to do it for no profit, as long as it's done with full consent and doesn't cause controversy after the event!

A final thought for all to consider ...

If the BBC were to offer to cover an AGM weekend and broadcast it to the nation, I think we'd jump at the chance, wouldn't we? We would probably have no editing or censorship input either! Having said that, if the BBC were filming I think we'd all make sure we were on our best behaviour!

Regards,

Phil

[Fairlead]

I am not so sure that making a video of the AGM itself (formal business) is really worth the effort - it is normally recorded in audio form and Nichola makes a very good job of producing accurate minutes.
As for filming the real reason we attend (teach and learn, exhibit and socialise) then I think it is worth considering, especially any talks or demonstrations. 
The precedent for this has already been set, so it is not a new idea - In 2005 Robert Black (USA) produced a DVD containing interviiews at an AGM in Weston-Super-Mare with three of the founder members and Jeff Wyatt followed by the exhibits at the 2002 (20th Birthday) meeting in Fareham - Robert has also produced several instructional DVD's on knotwork as well.  Then last year a friend of Ken Yalden made a professional DVD of the 25th Birthday exhibits and people - which is available from Ken or Bob Pearce at ?10 + p & p.  Several people have taken video footage of the exhibits at other AGM/Half Yearly meetings as well. Can anyone tell me why people video inanimate objects? - the mind boggles!!
Council Meetings - are schedulled to be held every 2 months, so there will be at least one (one about now has to be a budget meeting) before May.

Gordon

[Phil_The_Rope]

Hi Gordon,

I agree - it's the stuff that goes on around the AGM that probably sticks in the memory most.

I did create a DVD of this year's AGM weekend, but held back from distributing it because the question of permission came up. It sounds as though it has all been done before without the need for debate on previous occasions. However, I don't wish to upset anyone, so I won't do anything with the DVD unless the committee tell me it's ok.

Folks, don't forget I'm offering to do this in my own time for free (apart from material costs and postage), so I am certainly not going to argue over it.

FYI, these are a couple of posts that are relevant -

http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=1057.0

http://igkt.net/sm/index.php?topic=1077.0

I did suggest in one of those posts that costs may be prohibitive if sending out copies, but in hindsight I don't think that's necessarily true.

Phil

[WebAdmin]

Just as an answer to your question, Derek, Dave is still Secretary, but I understand he's had considerable problems with his computer, culminating in a total breakdown and the necessity of a replacement.  I daresay business has also kept him busy.

Regards

Glenys