videography biz v filmmaker biz at DVinfo.net

Dennis Stevens · November 9th, 2007, 10:35 AM

Hi folks -

I have a domain name and website dedicated to my filmmaking, but recently I've thought of concentrating on building a videography business.

A friend of mine, who's fairly business savvy, suggested I do the videography under a different business name, and have a website just for videography.

The idea is the public image, marketing efforts for filmmaking and doing videography work like weddings, corporate events, etc might not mesh.

If I do a horror film, and I have a picture of a bloody corpse on the site, would people want me to film their wedding? 'Here's the last person who was late in payments!'

It seems like other people on this site are doing something similiar - doing weddings, corporate video, etc as well as working on narrative films and documentaries.

What are other folks doing?

Richard Alvarez · November 9th, 2007, 10:55 AM

I think your filmmaking site should be seperate from your wedding bizness site, if that's what you're asking.

I work with a company in Houston Texas, Roadster Productions. The website for Roadster has all the clips and kudos for Documentary, Commercials, Industrials, etc. It ALSO has a link, and references the "Filmmaking division" - "Nu-Classic Films", so if you're interested in seeing what the Filmmaking side of the biz is, you can click on it, and go there. Where, of course, there's a link referencing the 'commercial/industrial' biz. So they both link to each other, and reference each other in the bizness bios, but there's not a lot of visual imagery there.

So each site cross-promotes, without being intrusive. Make sense?

Art Varga · November 9th, 2007, 12:35 PM

I agree to keep seperate. Even within my video business I plan to focus on wedding videography and music videos and will keep them on seperate websites. Prospective customers want to see that you're a specialist in the service they are looking for.

Art

Douglas Villalba · November 9th, 2007, 02:48 PM

I think that you should have a separate site for filmmaking.

Commercial customers are a little afraid of wedding videographers. They don't know what it takes to make a film out of an unpredictable event. Another reason is that most wedding videos are very boring and not cinematic at all.

Now for your wedding business it would actually help if you have nice commercial work in it.

Peter Wiley · November 9th, 2007, 10:07 PM

And if you are incorporated in the right way you might be able to rent equipment for one company from the other and take the rental as a business expense . . . ;)

November 9th, 2007, 10:35 AM	#1
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	videography biz v filmmaker biz Hi folks - I have a domain name and website dedicated to my filmmaking, but recently I've thought of concentrating on building a videography business. A friend of mine, who's fairly business savvy, suggested I do the videography under a different business name, and have a website just for videography. The idea is the public image, marketing efforts for filmmaking and doing videography work like weddings, corporate events, etc might not mesh. If I do a horror film, and I have a picture of a bloody corpse on the site, would people want me to film their wedding? 'Here's the last person who was late in payments!' It seems like other people on this site are doing something similiar - doing weddings, corporate video, etc as well as working on narrative films and documentaries. What are other folks doing?

November 9th, 2007, 02:48 PM	#4
Douglas Villalba Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Miami, Florida, USA Posts: 479	I think that you should have a separate site for filmmaking. Commercial customers are a little afraid of wedding videographers. They don't know what it takes to make a film out of an unpredictable event. Another reason is that most wedding videos are very boring and not cinematic at all. Now for your wedding business it would actually help if you have nice commercial work in it. __________________ Douglas Villalba - director/cinematographer/editor Miami, Florida, USA - www.DVtvPRODUCTIONS.com

November 9th, 2007, 10:55 AM	#2
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	I think your filmmaking site should be seperate from your wedding bizness site, if that's what you're asking. I work with a company in Houston Texas, Roadster Productions. The website for Roadster has all the clips and kudos for Documentary, Commercials, Industrials, etc. It ALSO has a link, and references the "Filmmaking division" - "Nu-Classic Films", so if you're interested in seeing what the Filmmaking side of the biz is, you can click on it, and go there. Where, of course, there's a link referencing the 'commercial/industrial' biz. So they both link to each other, and reference each other in the bizness bios, but there's not a lot of visual imagery there. So each site cross-promotes, without being intrusive. Make sense?

November 9th, 2007, 12:35 PM	#3
Art Varga Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 552	I agree to keep seperate. Even within my video business I plan to focus on wedding videography and music videos and will keep them on seperate websites. Prospective customers want to see that you're a specialist in the service they are looking for. Art

November 9th, 2007, 10:07 PM	#5
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	And if you are incorporated in the right way you might be able to rent equipment for one company from the other and take the rental as a business expense . . . ;)