Is there interest in a "Big' Mini somewhere in Australia in 2017..

[multicast]

never been done, but woudl there be interest in.


- A big event on a National / Tasman basis.
- A pretraining ( 2 days ) option on Xlights with a 'world expert'


Cost for training might be $250-300 depending on numbers;
Cost for weekend event, $50-80


THoughts?

 

[Heath-LightsOnTapley]

definitely keen...

 

[LagoonLights]

I'd also be interested and those prices seem reasonable. Gained a a lot this year from the Adelaide mini videos

 

[OzAz]

Re: Is there interest in a "Big' Mini somewhere in Australia in 2017..

Depending on location and dates I'd be interested.

I'll need lots of help with what I'm planning for next year

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[darylc]

I am keen on both

 

[Binkles]

Something I would love to do, but also realistically wouldn't be able to attend unless it was in Perth


I would definitely be interested, as I've made a commitment to convert some of our work's lights over to pixels next year.


Plus with all the fun I've had over the past 3 weeks with xlights, I would love to know more, after Christmas I will be looking for more training in it.

 

[mellowcouple]

Have it in Whyalla then I can go.

 

[keithsw1111]

With enough notice ... sure.

 

[ryanschristmaslights]

Any extra opportunity for people to learn more about decorating, lighting any everything that goes with this hobby sounds good to me.

If something like this was to occur, then it would be desirable that it not take away from the regular state-based minis or replace one of them - like not having it on the same weekend as another mini if it can be avoided (maybe not even the same month so people can recover/prepare if going to both?). Also, some people cannot or do not wish to travel interstate, etc.

So who will record it? Recording hasn't really impacted that much on the Adelaide Mini and I'm sure it wouldn't here. Anyone watching the video would lose the interactive component that comes with attending in person including the ability to ask questions and/or be guided depending on what the topic is, so I don't believe recording would negatively influence attendance (plus online viewers would have to wait for video to appear at all some weeks - or months - after the mini weekend). It might even enhance numbers at the next one assuming this isn't a one-off.

 

[multicast]

So who will record it? Recording hasn't really impacted that much on the Adelaide Mini and I'm sure it wouldn't here. Anyone watching the video would lose the interactive component that comes with attending in person including the ability to ask questions and/or be guided depending on what the topic is, so I don't believe recording would negatively influence attendance (plus online viewers would have to wait for video to appear at all some weeks - or months - after the mini weekend). It might even enhance numbers at the next one assuming this isn't a one-off.

I tend to dissagree with you. These training events cost a lot of money and its simply not fair to have some people pay nothing for it, while others pay all the costs. I can't remember any professional traing courses i've been to where it is recorded.

 

[ryanschristmaslights]

Remember we're all here because we enjoy and want to learn about Christmas lighting, we're a community not a business; for most this is a hobby and not a professional endeavour (although we may act like it is when we spot an error with our own shows and become dissatisfied until we can fix it)

You also have to consider that people who have attended may wish to rewatch something for numerous reasons. Yes there are expenses to pay, and paying attendees wouldn't miss out on anything whereas viewers of the video would (no interactive component, having to wait longer, etc as I have already mentioned). It could be a great resource so it would be a shame to not enable it to be useful outside of just the weekend.

 

[mellowcouple]

We are all members together here and try and help each other. Some of us just could not afford to attend a mini interstate, hence my last post have it in Whyalla...lol. I do believe that most of the mini could be recorded for members who could not attend for one reason or another. If you were to run an expensive training course in conjunction with the super mini then that part of it just doesn't get recorded.

 

[Kitman]

If I was going to attend an interstate mini I would need to pay for flights and accommodation for myself, my partner and my son as we would use it as a little holiday. Also have to take some time off work say a Friday and the Monday so I could fly out Friday for the weekend event and then fly back on the Monday, so cost wise I would be looking at at least $500 (With cheap accommodation, decent accommodation would be $750) without an attendance fee and then having to pay an attendance fee on top.... I just can't see myself doing it sorry.


Don't get me wrong I love this hobby and I love my lights but spending potentially $1000 to possibly learn something new I could spend on more lights and more controllers to make my display bigger.


As Ryan said video taping doesn't just benefit those that don't attend it benefits everyone, I have watch some of the Adelaide mini video's multiple times just to refresh what someone said even though I was there.


Sorry that's just my thoughts on the mega expo. If I was already heading to the state for a holiday I could work it around this but just going interstate for xmas lights would be a very hard sell to the Mrs.

 

[djgra79]

^ what Kitman said!
It's a hobby but for me, to pay a few hundred dollars for flights, accommodation, car hire/taxi etc, airport parking, tolls and take time off work and away from family is money & time I can't justify spending, particularly seeing as I can get 99% of the info I need via this website for free.


The state by state minis are a great way to put faces to names and generate discussion and ideas but to have a central one given we so far spread across this country and our friends across the ditch, I think would be too much of a strain for most people to get the benefit from.

 

[fasteddy]

My 5cents worth if its worth anything

What needs to be remembered is that for most this is a hobby and their lighting is done on a budget, a few hundred dollars is lot to many and could easily go towards more lights. The forum is about sharing and helping each other and that's why ACL has been successful.
Generally if you are going to make money from lights then you should be paying for training and such but if your a hobbyist then the cost is normally prohibitive for most

But I cant see nothing wrong with a commercial training session where members who want to pay can also go and I can understand why this wouldn't be available online.
But if its community based training then it shouldn't be done for profits and should be shared to those that cant attend

As far as a major mini then this has been brought up by multicast before and the consensus was previously that this sounds like a good idea but most members that would want to go cant attend due to the cost of travel and accommodation and time off, so the local state minis have instead been the focus.

Unfortunately this cant be treated the same as trade shows and the like as these are normally funded through businesses in their industries which can afford the travel expenses. Where the average hobbyist cant afford to attend even if they really wanted to go.

So if there was going to be a Big mini then it should be shared online and the costs required should only be for the operating costs and not for profit. But you would still find many members willing to pay for face to face training and a big gathering regardless if it was going to be online at a later date.