"The Videographer Awards"--are they for real?

riredale wrote on 2/20/2004, 10:42 AM

Got this in the mail last week, and immediately my "fraud" sensors went to full alert.

It is a "call for entries" for a competition put on by an outfit located at www.videoawards.com. You pay $40 to enter, and if you "win," you have the option of paying $110 for a nice trophy to put on your desk (and your resume). They don't mention just exactly who will be judging, nor do they mention just what percentage of entrants will become "winners."

Hmmm... seems to me like a scam to make money selling overpriced trophies and padding your work experience with "awards." Or am I just being a bit cynical?

Comments

Former user wrote on 2/20/2004, 11:01 AM

This is a big thing in writing. You enter a poetry or writing contest and if you win you get published in a book that you can buy for $19.95. Not really a scam, but no benefit either.

Dave T2

ScottW wrote on 2/20/2004, 11:03 AM

A quick check with google suggests that this has been around for awhile. It would appear that some find it worthwhile. ymmv.

mjroddy wrote on 2/20/2004, 11:32 AM

I have two videographer awards (NOT tuting my own horn, here). They get a bit of respect from clients and fellow videographers. They're kind of cool to have on the shelf. But if my Work didn't pay for them, I don't know that I would have persued it.
... Yeah, maybe I would... It's a kick to be recognized for hard work.

JackW wrote on 2/20/2004, 11:45 AM

It has been around for quite a while. We received an Honorable Mention for a piece of work a couple of years ago. We were told that 15% of the entries won and there were over 2000 submissions. As for who the judges are, I think we found out by going to the web site but I haven't looked this year to see if they are still posted.

All winning gives you is bragging rights, good promotional material for your company. Some clients think it's pretty cool to be working with a company that has received national recognition when they see the framed award certificate or look at your web site.

What convinced us to enter was some of the names on the winners list, local and national companies whose work we knew and whose reputation for doing good work was excellent, as well as others. Looking at the list in front of me I see AT&T Media Services, March of Dimes, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, several university video production centers and the U.S. Navy. That's pretty good company to be in.

I have a short piece that I'm going to enter this year, too. The advertising budget can handle $40 for the entry fee.

Jack

Matt_Iserman wrote on 2/20/2004, 11:49 AM

For $150 you can go to the local trophy shop and have them make a few "awards" for you.

My family has a fantasy football league. Every year, we get trophies (eighteen years now). Unbeknownst to me, some people saw these football trophies and thought I must have been a pretty good athlete. Then I'd use words like "unbeknownst" and that would eliminate any illusions they had.

Matt Iserman

ZippyGaloo wrote on 2/20/2004, 12:03 PM

DELETED

Grazie wrote on 2/20/2004, 12:16 PM

Zipps! LOL!

John_Cline wrote on 2/20/2004, 12:29 PM

Of course, Zippy is referring to the "Oscar Meyer Weenie Whistles" that his mommie gave him for eating all of his dinner.

rextilleon wrote on 2/20/2004, 1:39 PM

The only Oscar Zippy ever one was a woman dressed like a man in a dark bar that went by that name.

BE0RN wrote on 2/20/2004, 2:38 PM

Excellent. I'm glad that Zippy's posting again. Brightens my day :)

ZippyGaloo wrote on 2/20/2004, 2:39 PM

DELETED

BillyBoy wrote on 2/20/2004, 2:57 PM

Of course Zippy is too cowardly to post under his REAL name so that claim could be verified. Obviously Zippy isn't the modest type, so why does he find it necessary to hide his identy?

riredale wrote on 2/20/2004, 4:34 PM

I started this thread based on the "Video Awards" mailing, and just today I received another mailing for a group called "Aurora Awards," this time out of Salt Lake City (www.auroraawards.com). Oh, this time the entry fee is $60. The winners pay $160 and get a 5-pound statue that stands "...over 14 inches tall." Cool shiny gold statue--it's of a woman in a flowing dress, with her hands up in the air. Probably paying homage to the Vegas folks in Madison, Wisconsin.

bakerbud9 wrote on 2/20/2004, 8:26 PM

Why don't you just mail me $150 and I'll send you a trophy. That way you don't even have to enter to win.

je@on wrote on 2/21/2004, 9:56 AM

Is it a scam? Well, maybe, but that's how most of these "award" programs work: Pay to enter and pay even more to win. I've picked up an Emmy and a few others over the years and cannot attribute one whit of business to the receipt of any award. I'm with Miserman, if you think it's important, eliminate the middle man and award yourself a plaque for outstanding acheivement in (whatever). ;-)