The Industry

A great way to stay connected in the industry is by keeping up with trade associations. One trade association that I have fallen in love with is the Music Video Production Association. On the MVPA website they describe themselves as "a non-profit trade organization created to address the mutual concerns of its members in today's highly competitive, ever-changing music video industry." As a member of the MVPA it means being among some of the most influential members of the industry including directors, editors, producers, and choreographers, just to name a few. In order to advance within the industry, becoming apart of this trade association would be extremely beneficial. 

Certain ways the MVPA affects the industry is through there events and resources. The MVPA has an events section on there website in which members are invited to attend. Some of the events they have held in the past include the MVPA awards, mixers, and seminars. These events are a great way for members to network with fellow professionals and advance further through the industry. 

The resources page on the MVPA website is another great service they provide. The list consists of links to important resources a member could want or need including music festivals, production companies, and music libraries. In order to start a business of my own within the music video industry, several of these resources will be beneficial especially Disc Makers. Disc Makers provides manufacturing and duplicating of the disc hardware. Another resource I found very interesting was a book called Experiencing the Music Video: Aesthetics and Cultural Context. I haven’t had a chance to read it but it is definitely a resource that could help further shape my knowledge and feelings towards the industry. 

One thing I wish the MVPA had more of would be an active comment/discussion board. I would love to hear more from the members themselves and get insight on being apart of the MVPA. It would be wonderful to hear how the MVPA has helped its members on a business level via networking.

A few other trade associations to check out are the Motion Picture Association of America and Recording Industry Association of America. Both the MPAA and RIAA have active blogs and news updates to keep there members informed every minute. Although neither, the MPAA and RIAA are directly apart of the music video industry both topics play an essential role in what makes up a music video. I think trade associations are an important and necessary way to stay informed within a niche of an industry.