Networking at BVE North 2012

On the 14th November 2012 I attended BVE North at Manchester Central. This is an even for 'production, post and content delivery professionals'. Meaning it is a gathering of UK film industry talent and companies to network, promote and socialize. It is also a great opportunity to learn from others and see the latest technology. 

Tickets and show guide for BVE North

The event is free but pre-registration was necessary which I completed easily and simply online. Allowing me to attend two days of events. Unfortunately I could only attend on the 14th however it did allow me to attend with a number of other peers from University and allow us to practice networking together. 

BVE was held in Manchester at Manchester Central, previously known as the g-mex. It is located in the centre of Manchester and was very easy to find, with signposts clearly visible. The building itself, is basically a large conference hall that was split into sections to accommodate stalls. Four temporary theatres had also been set up to base seminars and debates. I attended two seminars in the IOV theatre. 

Due to the wide level of people attending this event, the seminars were easy to understand as well as fully in depth, with tips for every level of skill. I particularly enjoyed Christina Fox's seminar on 'Essential Camera skills for Freelancers', all which was transferable into any area of work. She had great experience of the industry and gave simple but very effective tips. Her work and the presentation she gave can be accessed at 'Urban Fox TV'. 

This event was also a great opportunity to view the latest technology developments and have them explained and demonstrated by the companies themselves, such as Sony. We were also encouraged to be hands on with the equipment which was exciting. Watching those already experienced was also interesting as we could see what they looked for in the equipment or what they were using it for. This varied with the equipment and the job being currently undertaken. 

The BVE turned out to be very insightful and I learnt a lot, not just about the equipment but also networking and broadcasting my work to others. Also the importance of using the technology to my advantage such as vimeo and youtube. It was an inspiring day as well as somewhat overwhelming. I can't wait to learn and develop my own skills to be as knowledgeable as the people I met and spoke with. 

I also look forward to attending the next BVE event and learning more.