And now the rest of the story on the parting of ways between the IJA and and myself, Al Plotkin. It really started at the Pitt convention. I worked all year to produce a video called ³The Jugglers That Jugglers Watch² which premiered movie night to a sellout audience of 1000 who paid $5.00 each to get in. $5000.00 of which I saw not a penny of, but, I was assured by Salberg that I would be able to sell the video through Jugglers World.
(I have this on an email.) I submit an ad to Bill Giduz who also clears it with Salberg. The ad comes out, orders start coming in, but wait, now Kilbourn, Ginny Rose and Richard Dingman have decided that the video is a major copyright infringement for the performers who appear in it and they are not going to sell it. The footage I used came directly from the IJA archives of footage used in festival tapes before. Why it is suddenly taboo, I have no idea. Well, itıs all a moot point when they have already made $5000.00 off the tape (which they say is a copyright infringement so I canıt make any money for my work). Are you starting to get the picture here. Well, thereıs more. The IJA did not get an issue of Jugglers World out for Xmas. Since they wonıt sell the videos anyplace else, no JW equals no video sales. I sell 20 videos in December instead of 120. Iım not a happy camper at this point and I let them all know it. Salberg and Dingman assure me verbally that the IJA will make it up to me. Next contact is a letter from Kilbourn delivered on May 27, 6 weeks before Primm. I already had my room reservations and was at work on another movie night feature. With a contract standing since 1994, I had no reason to believe that I was not doing the Primm video. The letter goes on to state that I was free to bid on what was now to be a broadcast quality video. So this is how they decided to make it up to me. Instead of telling me 6 months ago that they wanted to go broadcast quality this year and could I put together a budget for that, they sneak up on me right before the fest and send me this insulting slap in the face letter as an exclamation point as to how theyıve treated me all year. Well, I decided enough is enough. I donıt need this abuse. Why should I submit a bid for a contract I already have. No, it was obvious that they were getting rid of me and I was tired of fighting these guys anyway so I let it go. But before I end this monologue, let me tell about the contract I did have with the IJA. I charged them nothing for my services, nada, zip, free, nothing down, nothing to pay, ever! I made my money from tape sales which is why having no Xmas issue of JW really hurt. So I made $20 per tape and the IJA made $10 per tape from the very first tape sold with no investment and no liability, no down side, no risk. I wonder if they have that good of a deal with their current video vendor? A broadcast quality video has got to cost at least $20,000 to produce.I know because I have made many of them. Everything is more expensive; tape, equipment, editing. Now, any given highlight tape usually sells about 300-400 copies. At $37.00 per tape, the math doesnıt add up here, does it. How are they going to not lose money? I donıt get it.
So there you have it. Salberg and Kilbourn had to go fix something that wasnıt broke. The video operation was running very smoothly but I let them know that I had been done wrong so they decided to get rid of me instead of dealing fairly with me. So letıs recap what I did to deserve this.
1. Produced a 5 minute video for awards night in Vegas which was shown to highlight the inductees. Cost to IJA - FREE
2. ³The Jugglers That Jugglers Watch² produced for movie night in Pitt.
Cost to IJA - FREE , and the IJA made $5000.00 in gate receipts.
3. Produced videos for Burlington, Las Vegas, Rapid City and Pitt. Recieved good reviews for these productions in juggling press.
Cost to IJA - FREE, IJA made at least $12,000.00 on these videos.
So Steve, donıt patronize me with your statement that I did a competent job for the IJA. You have done an incompetent job for the IJA. Maverick Media will have nothing to do with you and neither will I. Whoıs next?
Alan
: I hope at least that there is a special training for the new videographers. For example, when I ask someone to take a photo of me juggling, they take a photo of me, not the juggling. Often the pattern is cut off and the focus of the photo is the person rather than the juggling pattern (or both the person and the juggling pattern). This is a pretty basic thing for a posed picture. For video that is candid, there are a lot more things to worry about. The cameraman must be able to also predict where the action is going to go so he doesn't lose the action. For example, one must be able to predict when the juggler is about to throw something particularly high that would go off the screen if he isn't zoomed out. I can imagine an inexperienced cameraman (especially if he's a nonjuggler) not being prepared after the juggler takes a handful of rings to zoom out to capture a nine ring flash. It would be unfortunate.
: -Scott
: Check out my juggling home page: http://www.juggling.org/~scott.seltzer/
: : Interesting discussion. :). I will say that. I've personally never seen the previous tapes, but am glad that there will be quality enhancements to this year as I will be ateending.
: : Lotti (wondering what the heck he just said)