Saving Contest Coverage at RxMuscle

[Musclepapa John]

As Dave has suggested recently that he may be planning to dramatically cut back on show coverage are there things that can be done to save coverage by those of us that do photo and video coverage, who can tag images along with you competitors looking for an outlet for your pre and post contest coverage?

I think there is. I came here again after years of being off RxMuscle while working for Muscular Development, FitnessRxWomen, Flex & Muscle & Fitness Hers. Aside from NPC News I like the interactivity of the forum environment the spontaneity of it in a community setting as opposed to strictly focusing my efforts otherwise on social media.

[Curt James]

As Dave has suggested recently that he may be planning to dramatically cut back on show coverage are there things that can be done to save coverage by those of us that do photo and video coverage, who can tag images along with you competitors looking for an outlet for your pre and post contest coverage?

I think there is. I came here again after years of being off RxMuscle while working for Muscular Development, FitnessRxWomen, Flex & Muscle & Fitness Hers. Aside from NPC News I like the interactivity of the forum environment the spontaneity of it in a community setting as opposed to strictly focusing my efforts otherwise on social media.

And would you care to divulge any specifics?

[Musclepapa John]

And would you care to divulge any specifics?

As with myself contest coverage is my bread and butter as I shoot photo and video making most of my full-time earnings from photoshoots paid for by competitors, some team media work and supplement company work.
When I'm shooting shows as do other photographers I'd think providing them to RxMuscle and talking them up on the forums would provide me and my clients the competitors some good value. Doesn't cost Dave anything as its of questionable value for marketing purposes having the photo views to hawk ad revenue.
I've been spending a good deal of time here recently in all honesty, but likewise producing my own website content, working social and working offline believe it or not doing photo and video shoots and post production. The forum is a good conduit for sharing information. Many of my photo and video associates might should consider doing the same and using RxMuscle to grow all of our businesses and the profiles of our clientele the athletes.
The business model for too long as been us photographers and videographers get every penny we can out of the mag and website operators or not give them anything at all. We have to rethink things and do more sharing I think.

[gilbrt]

As with myself contest coverage is my bread and butter as I shoot photo and video making most of my full-time earnings from photoshoots paid for by competitors, some team media work and supplement company work.
When I'm shooting shows as do other photographers I'd think providing them to RxMuscle and talking them up on the forums would provide me and my clients the competitors some good value. Doesn't cost Dave anything as its of questionable value for marketing purposes having the photo views to hawk ad revenue.
I've been spending a good deal of time here recently in all honesty, but likewise producing my own website content, working social and working offline believe it or not doing photo and video shoots and post production. The forum is a good conduit for sharing information. Many of my photo and video associates might should consider doing the same and using RxMuscle to grow all of our businesses and the profiles of our clientele the athletes.
The business model for too long as been us photographers and videographers get every penny we can out of the mag and website operators or not give them anything at all. We have to rethink things and do more sharing I think.

With what you are saying what could be negative for RXMUSCLE with this proposal??? Also I've been enjoying all your posts since you have been active here .

[mackdaddy567]

I think forum members need to contribute in this sense. Financially it makes sense that RX can no longer cover the costs of coverage. Travel expenses are huge especially when there is a pro show every weekend. When I go to a contest I take videos and photos and I put them on the boards because I want to contribute. If all of us took some photos and videos when we went to shows there would still be a fair amount of coverage! This is a community and a community needs to be made up on contributing individuals to be worth anything. I assume everyone here is a fan of bodybuilding and I don't think you can truly call yourself a fan if you do not contribute financially to the sport in some way,e.g., buy contest tickets, athlete clothing, etc...
I came to Rx originally because I loved the hardcore bodybuilding coverage to provided and I will miss it but that doesn't mean it has to disappear. Hell, I would happily do some interviews for the site, for free. I went to the Ferrigno Legacy show and the Sac show this year, sat in the front row and took videos I only posted on RX. I spoke with a dozen "names" in the industry and could have had my fiancé film in interview no problem. I always loved the interviews done in the Hotel room the night before because I felt they brought excitement for the show. Those would be really fun to do and I would happily do them for RX if I could. Perhaps some system like that could be worked out to keep some RX style coverage alive. All it would really would require would be athlete participation, but if Dave or Chris would text someone and say for example Kirk (me) from the boards is at the show and wants to interview you for our site. Then boom it is done. If I am going anyway and paid my way why not?

[Sandpig]

I will try to help when I can
Shows I go to

Olympia-Covered
USA's-Covered
Cutler Desert Classic- Working back stage

That's basically it. Most local shows here are produced by Lindsay and it cost close to $100 to go to both the prejudging and finals.

[Poptart]

Musclepapa: I'm not really here for the contest coverage, however I know tons are and most really enjoy it. I think your idea is a good one (in fact, I've read a lot of your posts and while I may not always agree, you do offer some good points). This is still going to require some behind the scenes work at the site, in terms of posting, tagging, and reviewing submissions. Not too mention coordination of things such as who is at what show and when Rx gets pictures etc. However, I think if you and others are willing to make that effort it's something I think Dave and Rx should strongly consider. "Coverage by the People" could work.

[Musclepapa John]

With what you are saying what could be negative for RXMUSCLE with this proposal??? Also I've been enjoying all your posts since you have been active here .

Screen Shot 2014-12-20 at 10.48.05 AM.jpg

[Musclepapa John]

I like what Kirk & Sandpig stated about being able to contribute. Coverage by the People like Poptart stated too!

*To Kirk's point: Where RxMuscle knows you are going to be at a show and possibly gets you press access officially and you represent the brand that could defer some of that cost Sandpig mentioned and regardless if you could also take pics of the award winners and get the score sheets there could be a thread started like I did for the NPC All South: http://forums.rxmuscle.com/showthrea...ips-Nov-1-2014

*Where you wanted to do more and for yourself I'd suggest building your own website to archive the material too and build your own brand. Wix.com you can start one for free and don't need to know web design or add your own domain to it and I think they charge $5/month for the use of their software. It could turn your hobby into something you could start making money off of too. Nothing wrong with that bud.

[Musclepapa John]

Note: I've been doing show coverage in Florida for nearly a decade and four years ago started doing more In the Trenches work for MD and then show coverage. It was a lazy approach to make good money and not have to be as responsible to booking with my individual clients. I knew it was stupid of me to get tied to something besides my relationships with individual clients. Over disagreements with management I lost some of that financial opportunity, but didn't miss a beat and got it back with individual clients and contract work with other mags. The business is changing and for all they may want to deny it big money payouts to those of us that provided coverage for magazines and sites like Rxmuscle is drying up. That said, the competitor audience is still strong and vibrant at the grassroots, but not easily monetized by the large sites and mags. By working together using communities like RxMuscle that effort at the vibrant grassroots level can benefit us all. Most of us don't in fact do this for money, but everything has to pay or itself.

[DBowden]

I think forum members need to contribute in this sense. Financially it makes sense that RX can no longer cover the costs of coverage. Travel expenses are huge especially when there is a pro show every weekend. When I go to a contest I take videos and photos and I put them on the boards because I want to contribute. If all of us took some photos and videos when we went to shows there would still be a fair amount of coverage! This is a community and a community needs to be made up on contributing individuals to be worth anything. I assume everyone here is a fan of bodybuilding and I don't think you can truly call yourself a fan if you do not contribute financially to the sport in some way,e.g., buy contest tickets, athlete clothing, etc...
I came to Rx originally because I loved the hardcore bodybuilding coverage to provided and I will miss it but that doesn't mean it has to disappear. Hell, I would happily do some interviews for the site, for free. I went to the Ferrigno Legacy show and the Sac show this year, sat in the front row and took videos I only posted on RX. I spoke with a dozen "names" in the industry and could have had my fiancé film in interview no problem. I always loved the interviews done in the Hotel room the night before because I felt they brought excitement for the show. Those would be really fun to do and I would happily do them for RX if I could. Perhaps some system like that could be worked out to keep some RX style coverage alive. All it would really would require would be athlete participation, but if Dave or Chris would text someone and say for example Kirk (me) from the boards is at the show and wants to interview you for our site. Then boom it is done. If I am going anyway and paid my way why not?

MPJ knows more about this than I do however I think that there is a probable cost associated with what you suggest.
Most promoters may have video and distribution rights over any content related to a show they promote.
They may require that someone sign an agreement and pay for the right to video and distribute show content.
If someone video tapes a show and then distributes the content by posting it on a site without an agreement with the promoter then they could wind up with a legal problem.

[Musclepapa John]

MPJ knows more about this than I do however I think that there is a probable cost associated with what you suggest.

Most promoters may have video and distribution rights over any content related to a show they promote.
They may require that someone sign an agreement and pay for the right to video and distribute show content.
If someone video tapes a show and then distributes the content by posting it on a site without an agreement with the promoter then they could wind up with a legal problem.

Actually yes I do this professionally (used loosely lol) and it would be best to actually ask permission from the promoters to shoot photo & video whether it be contest coverage for sharing on this site or not. If you are shooting every competitor in photo and/or video for the purpose of selling them that's not press coverage. That said many shooting under press access also sell images for profit, which opens up another can of worms entirely.
As Adina noted at MD today though its not a given that anyone is going to simply show up and do contest coverage, "As far as what we do, if there weren't companies wanting to sponsor our coverage, sure, we'd stop covering shows."
I don't require other companies or the promoters to pay me to cover their show as I'm self insured with photo & video shoot arrangements with competitors that I negotiate separately from coverage. Numerous shows I don't have time to shoot the stage as I've in fact got so many photoshoots booked at $150/2hr shoot and others are already doing the stage photography that its not worth my while. Others work other jobs and could do this coverage for RxMuscle as a hobby. Either way whether for sales or press coverage ask Dave about it if interested in helping out and let us know if we can help direct you the right way for everyone's best interest.

[Octavius]

Contest coverage with Dave and Chris on Rx is dramatic and informative. Contest coverage that doesn't go deeper than telling us who the judges put in the middle of the call out falls under the umbrella of meh.

[mackdaddy567]

Actually yes I do this professionally (used loosely lol) and it would be best to actually ask permission from the promoters to shoot photo & video whether it be contest coverage for sharing on this site or not. If you are shooting every competitor in photo and/or video for the purpose of selling them that's not press coverage. That said many shooting under press access also sell images for profit, which opens up another can of worms entirely.
As Adina noted at MD today though its not a given that anyone is going to simply show up and do contest coverage, "As far as what we do, if there weren't companies wanting to sponsor our coverage, sure, we'd stop covering shows."
I don't require other companies or the promoters to pay me to cover their show as I'm self insured with photo & video shoot arrangements with competitors that I negotiate separately from coverage. Numerous shows I don't have time to shoot the stage as I've in fact got so many photoshoots booked at $150/2hr shoot and others are already doing the stage photography that its not worth my while. Others work other jobs and could do this coverage for RxMuscle as a hobby. Either way whether for sales or press coverage ask Dave about it if interested in helping out and let us know if we can help direct you the right way for everyone's best interest.

I am a little confused, if I shoot video at a show, and post it here there should be no issue with promoters. I am not making any money off of the images/videos...

. Fans like me are not going to pay a 500 plus dollars to attend a beauty pageant and not have the right to have some memory tokens with it. Thats disrespectful to the fans and I will certainly protest any show/ promoter that bans any photography/video. Me shooting video on my iPhone should not cut into their ability to sell Dvd's. All I am doing is promoting their show by giving them free publicity.

[Musclepapa John]

I can't rep you anymore right now, but anyhow DBowden is a super moderator at MD and putting a little fly in the ointment when discussing people providing free coverage at RxMuscle for what MD may be bleeding red ink and green dollars to cover.
You are correct mackdaddy, but DBowden is correct too that MD could protest and others if they paid an exclusive or others. Interestingly though MD when asked by various promoters to be a sponsor typically claims they can't afford it. I don't know of any shows they sponsored in 2014. Conversely, Dave via Species nutrition is a widely seen sponsor at many shows they cover.

I am a little confused, if I shoot video at a show, and post it here there should be no issue with promoters. I am not making any money off of the images/videos...

. Fans like me are not going to pay a 500 plus dollars to attend a beauty pageant and not have the right to have some memory tokens with it. Thats disrespectful to the fans and I will certainly protest any show/ promoter that bans any photography/video. Me shooting video on my iPhone should not cut into their ability to sell Dvd's. All I am doing is promoting their show by giving them free publicity.