About

Mission Statement

The Los Angeles Avid Users Group is a community of professionals from production, editing, effects and graphics as well as student, faculty and digital enthusiasts. The Los Angeles Avid Users Group is dedicated to education and training members on advancements in video and editing technology with a special emphasis on Avid and third party products and the techniques to get more from your systems. From tips and techniques to user case studies to industry event show and tell to demos.

As a user group, there is no official affiliation with Avid, third party partners, trade organizations or other corporations in the industry. While Avid Technology and their partners supply technical tips and techniques, speakers, raffle item, etc, the group stands alone. The policies, meeting dates, locations, etc. of the Los Angeles Avid Users Group are determined by the volunteer steering committee with input from the community and we welcome any comments to make the meetings or our web site a better resource.

The user group meetings are held every other month, and are open to all interested in attending, regardless of whether or not you own or are an active user of Avid products. We encourage anyone interested in post-production, graphics, digital media, and the arts to attend our meetings. Attendance is free but registration is required.

Please contact:

Jeff Elkins, President at (925) 786-3348 or eMail: jeff@laavidug.org for more information.

About the Los Angeles Avid Users Group

The Los Angeles Avid User's Group was founded in 2006 to give Avid editors and enthusiasts a formal voice in the Avid community.

Why start a user group?

It’s about the sharing. There is something magical about bringing users together and learning from each of their experiences. Trial and error will get you so far. Most creative professionals will be lucky to find creative solutions to common problems. And those that do find solutions are often left with a feeling of accomplishment and a need to share it with others.

A good users group will bring together those creative people that wish to benefit from sharing their experiences. Perhaps an editor simply needs to hear it from another editor that the creative process being employed is a common one; or perhaps a particular feeling towards clients, cost, or opportunities are shared by other fellow editors. I believe that as individuals we need to know we are on the right path. We need to express ourselves, and we need to gain insights from others all at the same time. That's pretty hard to do in a back room all by yourself. But when editors, authors, or anyone for that matter reaches out and connects with a group of like-minded individuals, that individual has opened up to a much greater and lasting experience which can heighten the sense of accomplishment. It's a feeling that feeds us with vindication and creates confidence.

Confidence is everything to a creative professional. Projecting confidence truly is the difference in everything we do. When you are confident in front of your client, your client feels assured. But if you project uncertainty, then your client will need to reconsider speaking with you. A knowing client pays for solutions not speculation. Imagine how sure you'll feel when a group of your peers have fed into you their combined experiences.

Imagine hearing about a technique before you ever thought of it. Others may express their trials and errors with that technique, and still another may have an answer for that problem all in the same discussion. Before you ever thought to travel this road, you have already learned it exists, and how best to make use of it. Perhaps your fresh thinking will add even more to this subject, and those you have benefited from will now benefit from you. This is shared acceleration, and it's the magic of the group.

-The Los Angeles Group

Our Sponser and Meeting Host:

Moviola: Training the Best in the Business.

Moviola Digital Education Center is the entertainment industry's premiere resource for post-production, motion graphics and digital arts training. Located in Hollywood, our modern facilities; award-winning, certified instructors; and in-house camera and Avid rental departments set Moviola apart from other training facilities.

Paul Stephan
Director
Moviola Digital Education Center
(323) 467-1116
www.moviola.com/edu

Starting a User Group in your area

It isn’t hard to start a group in your area and Avid is here to help you get started.  To start a new group in your area contact:  Brenda Bergin at UGDiva@avid.com.  

Don’t forget that the Avid Community website is a great resource for you.  Make sure that you visit often and find out when there is a meeting in your area, find information on starting a user group, as well as links to User Group websites and forums.

http://www.avid.com/community/usergroups/index.asp

Brenda Bergin
User Group Manager
Avid Technology, Inc.
phone: 239-248-7284
Brenda_bergin@avid.com