Welcome to the PVNB

Meetings are once a month, and are an informal place to share information, tools, and techniques. Open “show and tell” time makes it possible to show recent work, talk about the issues of the day, current business concerns, and the latest gear. Come join us!

Monthly Meeting:
  • Tuesday, September 8, 2009
  • 7:00pm to 9:30pm
  • Location: Creative Light Productions, Rohnert Park
  • Cost: Free.
  • “Managing Client Projects”
  • This meeting will be primarily a roundtable discussion on issues to consider when a media production service provider (like ourselves) is asked by a prospective client the question, "How much will it cost?"
  • Aspects of considering an answer to the question may include the following (plus any other discussion points on this topic that members pose during the meeting):
    • What is the sequence of steps or thought process you use to price a job?
    • How do you price a job that may have unfamiliar elements?
    • What have you learned from jobs that have cost you more than they were worth?
    • Does the consideration of what other vendors would likely charge come into play?
    • How do you ensure against being taken advantage of by “project feature creep” when you are operating on a pre-agreed price?
    • How do you tactfully negotiate a higher price when the client pushes for expanded services with the expectation that you should just include it? For example:
    • How do you respond when, after agreeing to a price for 4x3 SD, the client asks if it can be shot in HD or widescreen?
    • Are you dealing with any aspects of producing work in HD yet? How are you pricing it?
    • During these recessionary times does it make sense to lower your price to get work?
    • When do you provide work for free in the hopes of getting paid work? Has this strategy ever worked for you? Under what conditions?
  • We hope that this type of discussion, drawing from the variety of our members’ experiences, could prove invaluable to our survival in continuing to do this kind of work.
  • Of course, time permitting, we will also like to:
    • View any current member’s completed project samples that they would like to share - either for feedback, or just letting us all know what you’ve been up to.
    • Also, let’s try to find a few minutes to get your current thinking on whether to expand the website’s functionality — and specifically what we’d like to add.
    • And, we would also like to get some feedback on some of the ideas the steering committee is considering for future meeting topics.
  • Show and Tell: Bring some recent work on DVD to share (5 minute max, please.)
  • Cookies and soft drinks will be provided by PVNB for its members.