April is a good month to look for the camera you’ll be using this coming season. It gives you time to get to know the ins and outs before you dive into shooting season. April is the month that manufacturers release all the products they will be introducing for the year. Manufacturers work all year for NAB, but gone are the days that nothing is released before NAB. Now the leaks are fast and furious in their attempt to beat the competition. Since there are so many new product releases manufacturers drop the prices of the already existing inventory, thus JVC has just dropped the prices on their HD line and great deals are to be had on SONY HD cameras. Next month, Armato’s will be sponsoring our meeting and giving us their annual NAB wrap-up. I’m sure they will be coming with unique deals on the cameras you’ll need for the upcoming season. So, if you haven’t begun your research for your HD camera needs, now is the time to do it!

Remember to check the status of your batteries, filters and other accessories that may have become damaged or are in disrepair. If it’s been awhile since you’ve used your equipment, you may not remember a frayed wire. Have repairs made. Go over your packing checklist and revise as needed.

This quarter, April/May/June is the season for Communion, Confirmation, Graduation and Dance Recitals. Double check your order forms (fill it out yourself) to be sure all the information is correct. Check the contact information (is your email address current? Has your website address or telephone number changed since you last used the form? Are you asking for email address of the client on the form to add to your marketing database?) The one thing all of these shoots have in common is a tripod. Have you looked at your tripod lately? Is it good to go? If you hire other videographers to shoot for you, have you checked your contracts with them and reconfirmed the shooting dates and information? When all is said and done, don’t forget to put short clips of these pieces on your blog and let the other professionals you’re working with know they will be there and that you’ll mention them by name, so they should check out your website.

April is a great month for spring cleaning. Wednesday April 2nd is our meeting. As Al mentions in his column we’ll be having a SWAP meeting. Please be sure to price your items before you arrive and arrive early to set your stuff up. Additionally, we’ll be having a magazine exchange table so bring magazines you’re done with and we’ll have them on a table so other members can benefit from them. Leftover magazines at the end of the evening will be recycled.