***Originally posted in 'These are the people in your neighbourhood'***

Hello everybody,

I've been skulking around these boards for a while before finally registering.

I'm based just outside of Liverpool in the UK and myself, and my partner, are currently trying to lift our video production enterprise by it's bootlaces.

I have some TV/Video education and an amateur enthusiast background. My partner has a photographic background.

We are in a portfolio building phase at the moment - which essentialy translates to, "We'll shoot anything, anywhere, anytime and cheap!".

I'm using an XL1s which will soon be joined by my partners XM2. So far we have quite a few jobs lined up for the portfolio - a couple of weddings, music video, local business/education promo's, local community projects...

We are trying to shoot and edit as diverse range of work as we can possibly manage. Our clients understand that we have an unproven track record, what we are trying to achieve and we have the opportunity to make all of our big mistakes in a relatively forgiving climate. So far, it is working well...

This is the first stage; the feasibility study. Progressing to a viable business will be the real test.

Are there any hardened veterans out there with any useful pointers? Or how about a few 9 to 5 dreamers like us - what are your experiences?

"skulking"...this is the second time in my life that I've seen that word used. The first was in "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Welcome, James. I'm glad you've joined the boards. Let us know more about you and your partners endeavors. Have a web site? Post a link. Have some footage? Post it. The best thing about this forum is that people are genuinely interested.

In the meantime, good luck to you in your portfolio building stage. We'll see you on the boards.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2872