australian proshow enthusiasts

[shazmark Profile Private message]

I am enjoying reading all the posts about running a business,
but I am interested if there are any people out there from australia who does these slideshows

[Pauline]

Hi Shazmark!

I'm in Wollongong, near Sydney and I'm having a great time with Producer. I am definitely interested in making some pocket money with the shows, and so far have had one customer, with a couple of others thinking about it. I have to admit that when I talk about it to people, they all say "that's such a nice idea" but often seem to leave it to that. I will be doing the Year 6 slideshows for one school and am about to approach one other, so that will keep me busy at the end of the year.

I have produced a brochure which I have begun to distribute, but I feel I am still in the stages of working out how best to get the word out there. Hopefully we are not in direct competition with each other! What state/city are you in/near? I'm interested to hear whether you've gotten off the ground with this kind of business ... good luck

[shazmark Profile Private message]

Hi Pauline so very very happy to hear your reply,
no we certianlly won't be in competition with each other, I live in the north east of Victoria,
I live on a couple of acres out in the country. close to the Murray River, I travell 40mins of country road to get to work a few days a week in retail baking. I LOVE LOVE LOVE PSP Allso. This site is wonderful as well, I know I can call on our friends here to help us whenever we get into trouble with the program, and allso photodex is preety cool too, but my last bill to them was 37dollars on the phone, so I try to email them more than phone calls LOL. I work for a night club in the town and do slideshows of people and advertise upcoming events in the club. I have business cards being done atm, but everthing apart from my p.c. i do for my business comes out of what I make, I make sure of that. If I dont make it as a business, at least my hobby will pay for itself, My husband works with me he enjoys photography, and he teaches me a lot of stuff in photoshop which we use a lot too, another program we LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I first started doing shows for family and friends which I still do, but I did a work one for my boss for the end of the years breakup last year, which I played at the club, and that is how the club ended up employing me. My dream is to run a business with this, but if that doesn't work out at least I have a great hobby which will pay for itself.
anyway cant rave on for too much I dont want to bore you
hope to exchange emails with you so we can stay in contact and discuss proshow together and share ideas and stuff
tnx your new friend
sharon

[shazmark Profile Private message]

hi again pauline,
would love to see your brochure too if that was possible
and allso do you use video backgrounds, cos I would like to purchase some but I dont want to use my card over the net, and I cant seem to find any australian companies at all.
cheers
sharon

[Pauline]

Hi Sharon!

It's great to hear that you're already earning some money with this fun software. I hope the schools will become a regular job for me after they see my shows at the end of the year. I think every job is a learning experience, and like you and everyone else, we are so lucky to have so many generous clever people sharing tips, ideas, problem solving, etc.

My brochure is still under wraps as only family and friends have seen it and I still want to fine tune it. Basically I have tri-folded it with a picture and heading on front, with info about what the slideshows are and the occasions they are suitable for, with contact info on back. Maybe a business card would do just as well, but I'll try this first.

I recently bought 3 volumes from www.digitalhotcakes.com, which are animated overlays, transitions, dvd designs, etc. I love them as I think they are pretty professional and really jazz up a show if not overused. I paid $225 for the 3 on special, including postage which was about $25 (geez!) That special ends at the end of March. You might want to check them out. I haven't had any experience with Digital Juice although lots of people talk about their stuff. I'm on a big learning curve but have never had so much fun learning something

All the best,

[shazmark Profile Private message]

Hi Pauline,
tnx for your reply,
i will have a look at that site, so looking foward to chatting to you again on here do you have any shows posted on here that I can view, I am still yet to learn how to do it
cheers
shaz

[Pauline]

Hi Sharon

Yes, I have just one show I posted late last year. It's in the sample shows section, page 5, called "Sweet Ashley", about 8th one down the list. It's of my daughter, whose now 12 and I'm starting to reconsider the suitability of "sweet" to describe her! Puberty has hit in a big way in this house but she's still our gorgeous girl. This show doesn't have a lot of wow effects in it but hopefully I'll be able to post something with some 'Hotcakes' stuff in it before too long. You should get something up on the site too!!

[Memories Inc]

Hi guys,

I also am in Australia, Sydney to be precise. I have used Producer for about 2 years but have only just found this forum. I do alot of Wedding Shows.

I think there are a few more aussies on this forum. I would say my specialty would be keyframing and colour correction.

I am currently redesigning my website should be live in the next few days.

Andrew

my website is www.memoriesinc.com.au

[nwenban Profile Private message]

hi again pauline,
would love to see your brochure too if that was possible
and allso do you use video backgrounds, cos I would like to purchase some but I dont want to use my card over the net, and I cant seem to find any australian companies at all.
cheers
sharon

Hi Sharon,

Another Aussie here, just a tip if you have concerns on using your bank details on the net, visa have a have a pre-paid card that you buy with a set amount on it & when it's used up it's finished. http://www.prepaidshop.com.au/ you can get them from Aust Post, Caltex etc.

Also to save money on ph calls, have you considered VOIP I use MyNetFone http://tinyurl.com/5ps4rk. They have an ATA $20 (inc $5 Credit) (ATA = box that you plug into PC & then plug a normal phone handset into)

Neville

[shazmark Profile Private message]

hello, Andrew and Neville
firstly i am sorry andrew i dont know how i missed your post
i have just been allerted to it now,
i have just checked out your website and it is very very good, but i would love to see some of your work,

i have been getting enough business now to keep our hobby going, which is very good, I do a lot of birth to 21 shows and am now working on a birth to engagement for a couple to be an intro for their wedding dvd,

i have solved the problem Neville of purchasing off the net, by obtaining a debit master card from my bank which i just transfer the funds prior to purchase into my account, very similar to what you suggested tnx.
and i will check out voip too, looks like a good idea,

Pauline, have you finished your flier yet, I would love to see a sample
as I am thinking of putting some out there too,
anyway tnx for your posts everyone
look foward to chatting on here
cheers
sharon



l

[Memories Inc]

Hi sharon,

I am glad you like the site , I am about to launch a new site , probably in the next few days , I have just finished doing about 10 sample shows which will be shown on a image of a TV on the site. I have also just had all our stationary designed. Ill upload them and show you what we have done. we have had a business card designed , letterhead a4 folder dvd cover and dvd case. We have used a very talented designer. I cant wait to get them all printed.

Ill send you the links to the samples when they go live.

regards

andrew

[Pauline]

Hi Sharon

It's been such a long time since I was last on this forum... I have decided not to continue doing this as a part time job anymore as I found people often would like things for very little money. I'm working a regular job again and will just do this for family occasionally. Re my flyer, I won't share I'm sorry as I don't believe the design was quite up to scratch yet anyway. Good luck with all your work, keep enjoying!

[shazmark Profile Private message]

hi Pauline,
tnx for your reply,
i am sorry you decided not to pursue your slideshows as a business,
i suppose you have to really be pasionate about it, which I am, although my husband and i work as a team, and thats probably a plus for me, he does all the retouching and restoration for my show content, and then i add them to a show, we allso offer photo restoration and retouching. Yes.. there are many people out there who want the world for nothing unfortunately. But we dont expect our slideshows and restorations to pay our bills, we have full time jobs for that, we just want it to pay for our hobbies which is photography computing and my slideshows of course. Sometimes I have to meet deadlines for shows in a week, and without my husband i probably wouldnt be able to do it, sometimes i dont go to bed at all, i will sit up all night to complete a show and then head off to work in the morning, and of course if i charged the time i put into it i would never get the business, but i really do enjoy the end result, which is the smiles and happy tears on peoples faces when they watch my shows. I create for them.
anyway keep making them for your family and friends I am sure you do a great job,
kindest regards
sharon

[shazmark Profile Private message]

hi Neville,
just a quick question about voip, my husband wants to know if the recipient of the phone calls we make have to have voip too
cheers
shaz

[nwenban Profile Private message]

hi Neville,
just a quick question about voip, my husband wants to know if the recipient of the phone calls we make have to have voip too
cheers
shaz

Hi Shaz,

Nope, you can dial any ph number you like. I used to use it to call mum In Tweed Heads & she only had a normal PSTN (plain standard telephone network). If you are calling someone on the same VOIP provider the call is free. With MNF they also have a voicemail & you have the option of having the message emailed to you. You do need to have a fast internet connection, which I assume you have if you are watching PS shows,

You need an ATA which plugs into your router/modem. You then plug your normal handset into the ATA & off you go. Most VOIP provider have package deals with subsidied hardware. On this plan http://tinyurl.com/5ps4rk there's no monthly fee, $20 for ATA & only pay for calls you use.

If you need any more info, just PM me.
Neville