-
Continue Reading
OneMusic: What Do I Do? What Do I Need?
The aim of this post is to somewhat clarify the situation following the establishment of PPCA and APRA AMCOS joint venture, OneMusic and the impact on Disc Jockeys.
First some basics, Copyright is a federal law governed by the Copyright Act (1968). The Act exists to ensure that people who make creative content (musical, literary or dramatic works, and sound recordings and films) are able to protect their content. When someone creates a piece of music (or a piece of text, a graphic, a photo, a film or anything else that is protected under copyright laws), a whole system of legal rights and obligations comes into play. These rights and obligations outline what someone can and can’t do with the material.
There is generally more than one owner of copyright in any given musical track. The composer who wrote the music owns copyright in the musical works. The lyricist who wrote the lyrics owns copyright in the literary works. The artist who performed the music owns copyright in a sound recording of their live performance. Finally, the maker of the recording (typically a record company) owns copyright in the sound recording.
The different types of rights in any given musical track are referred to as Mechanical & Performance Rights.
In Australia there are a number of organisations which manages and licences the Mechanical and Performance rights;
APRA (Australian Performing Rights Association Limited) administers the “performance rights” and is the collecting society which collects and distributes licence fees for the public performance and communication to the public of musical works (including their lyrics) on behalf of its members (composers, songwriters, music publishers) and other copyright owners, including overseas affiliated societies.
AMCOS (Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) only grants licences to reproduce the musical work, and the copyright in the recorded version of the musical work, i.e. the “mechanical rights”.
Prior to 1997, APRA & AMCOS were two separate organisations. In 1997, they formed an alliance and became APRA AMCOS and now is a music rights organisation representing its members plus grants licenses to play, perform, copy, record or make available their members’ music, and then distribute the royalties back to those members.
ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) grants licences for the reproduction of the sound recording (“mechanical rights”), where it is authorised to do so, and distributes the fees it collects among individual sound recording copyright holders (usually the record company/label).
PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) grants licences for the broadcast, communication or public playing of recorded music (such as CDs, records and digital downloads or streams) and music videos (“performance rights”).
OneMusic is an APRA AMCOS and PPCA joint licensing initiative launched in 2019 and offers joint public performance licences so there is no longer any need for separate licence agreements and invoices from PPCA and APRA AMCOS (“performance rights”).
Rights Owners Performance Right
Mechanical Right
Songwriters, Composers and their Publishers APRA
AMCOS
Recording Artists and their Record Labels PPCA
ARIA
What does the OneMusic initiative mean for Disc Jockeys?
With the introduction of OneMusic, the onus to have a public performance licence to play recorded music in public has been shifted to venues (clubs, pubs, restaurants, community halls, councils, cruise ships, function, convention & conference centres, places of interest, activity & amusement, cinemas, schools, live adult entertainment and much more). The only time a DJ would require a separate public performance licence is if they are also the promoter of an event.
- If a DJ uses music on original, legally purchased CD’s or Vinyl i.e. no digital music, they do not require any other licence to comply with the Copyright Act.
- If a DJ uses digital music whether purchased in digital format or by “ripping” from legally acquired CD’s or Vinyl, then a reproduction licence is required. This was also the case prior to the introduction of the OneMusic initiative and nothing has changed here.
In short, OneMusic simplifies public performance requirements only (“performance rights”).
But doesn’t every DJ use some form of digital music?
Unless all your music is in the format mentioned in 1. above, then to be completely legal, you require a licence to cover the mechanical rights in your music. As mentioned above AMCOS administers the copyright of the musical work and ARIA administers the copyright of the musical recording – a licence covering the mechanical rights is available from AMCOS and information and rates for a Casual Blanket Licence can be obtained by contacting medialicensing@apra.com.au. For the mechanical rights administered by ARIA – Application Form Licence for Reproduction of Sound Recordings, can be found at https://aria.azureedge.net/documents/Reproduction-Licence-Application-Form-Updated-11.03.14.pdf.
I hope that you now have a better understanding of the copyright requirements and clarifies what is required in regards to the music you use at your events.
Post Script
The DJAA has negotiated a Licence Agreement to cover both the “mechanical rights” of AMCOS and ARIA at a far more favourable rate and additional inclusions, however whilst the intent was to negotiate a licence which would be available for all DJs, APRA AMCOS have restricted the availability of this licence to DJAA Members only.
The DJAA wishes all DJs who desire peace of mind in regards to complying with copyright requirements and protecting their business, the opportunity to also be able to obtain the negotiated licence. Accordingly, the Committee held a Special General Meeting in early 2019 and Members voted on amending the Constitution and removing the requirements that many had stated, were a barrier to becoming a member and created a General Level membership. There are no requirements for this level of membership other than abiding with the Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics and any Guidelines set.
Not only have the requirements been removed from the General Level, but becoming a General Member could not be easier, just click on the following link “Join DJAA as a General Member“, select whether you wish to pay monthly or annually, complete the form to create your account and process payment – that’s it!! Simple. You are then officially a DJAA Member and as a member eligible for the special priced DJAA negotiated Licence ?
This post was contributed by Serge Olivieri. Serge is an Accredited Member of the Alliance and currently serves on the DJAA Committee, is based in Sydney, New South Wales and runs DJ:Plus! Entertainment.
-
Continue Reading
Help!! Someone Stole Content From My Website!
The following is a guide to the steps I have taken to address the problem of DJs stealing my original material from my website and reproducing it or substantially reproducing it on their website over the last twenty or so years. This has involved both those based in Australia and from overseas (USA, UK, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.). In all but a few rare cases, I have been very successful. Those, which were not successful, have, not surprisingly, ultimately gone out of business and the web site eventually disappeared. As you can appreciate, if they resort to stealing other people’s material, one would be led to believe that they also do not adhere to ethical standards in their day to day business dealings and accordingly, do not last in business.
I believe this is the most cost-effective approach to take and gives reasonably quick results without having to resort to legal action, which can be quite costly.
This is the process that I use:
1. A cease and desist email to the offending website owner;
The website owners email address will generally be found on the website or you may need to do a WHOIS enquiry (which is detailed and linked below
Note: The cease and desist notification needs to be flexible. My emails are usually targeted exclusively at plagiarists. This means that certain parts of this wording may not apply in other cases. Please edit to suit your needs.
(a) A softer approach:
Dear Sir/Madam
It has come to my attention that you are republishing original content from <<YOUR WEBSITE LINK>> on your website, at <<INFRINGING LINK>> which contains <<TEXT, DESIGN, CODE,CONCEPTS, PHOTOGRAPGHS OR WHATEVER HAS BEEN STOLEN>> that is a direct replication of intellectual property owned by <<YOUR COMPANY / BUSINESS NAME>>.
Your unauthorised use of original material from <<YOUR WEBSITE LINK>> is in violation of copyrights owned by <<YOUR COMPANY / BUSINESS NAME>>.
Please remove the unauthorised <<COPY, PHOTOGRAPPHS OR WHATEVER HAS BEEN STOLEN>> from your website. Failure to do so will result in the instigation of alternative remedies.
Sincerely,
<<YOUR NAME>>
OR
(b) a more hard-line approach:
Dear Sir/Madam,
You are using a work that I own the copyright of. The name of the work involved is “<<WORK NAME>>”. It appears on a site operated by you at <<INFRINGING LINK>>. I have reserved all rights to this work, which was first published on <<ORIGINAL LINK>> in <<YEAR OR DATE OF PUBLICATION>>.
Your copying and or use of my work, which appear at the link above, is unauthorised. You neither asked for nor received permission to use the piece nor to make or distribute copies of them in the manner you have. Furthermore, you have taken credit for my work and caused confusion as to whom the original author of the work is. Therefore, I believe you have willfully infringed my rights and could be liable for statutory damages. Further, such copyright infringement is a direct violation of International Copyright Law.
I demand that you immediately cease the use and distribution of the work and all copies of it, that you remove any further works you may have stolen and that you desist from this or any other infringement of my rights in the future. Furthermore, I demand that you post an apology on the site clarifying who the real author is and that you inform others that might have been misled by your misuse of the works’ origins.
If I have not received proof of compliance from you within 72 hours, I shall consider taking the full remedies available to rectify this situation including contacting my lawyer and/or your site’s administrators.
Sincerely,
<<YOUR NAME>>
Personally, I have had much more success using the softer approach with 85-90% of those that I send them to removing the content. If after seven days they have not removed the content or responded, I forward the original email again with the following words added to the Subject : FINAL REQUEST and amending the last sentence to : Failure to do so, within seven days will result in the instigation of alternative remedies.
My experience is that a significant number of those left will remove the content after the second email.
This will leave those that think they are above the law or believe that you will not do anything. In these instances, you need to ascertain who is the host of the website by doing a ‘whois’ enquiry.
2. Ascertaining the Web Host
A ‘whois’ enquiry can be done at: http://whois.domaintools.com/ If this does not return anything just google for example; “whois UK” for UK domains, or “whois Australia” for Australian domains and so on. The relevant equivalent site should return the results you require.
Example: This is what I did for an instance where a DJ in Canada had used my content on their website. I performed a “whois” enquiry for: perfectlittleweddings.ca on Domain Tools which gave the following result:
Domain name: perfectlittleweddings.ca
Domain status: registered
Creation date: 2014/01/28
Expiry date: 2016/01/28
Updated date: 2015/01/18
DNSSEC: UnsignedRegistrar:
Name: Go Daddy Domains Canada, Inc
Number: 2316042Name servers:
ns15.domaincontrol.com
ns16.domaincontrol.comNote the Name Servers:
Name servers:
ns15.domaincontrol.com
ns16.domaincontrol.comNext we need to determine the web host – Go to http://www.ipaddress.com
Type in the name server details into the search box e.g. ns15.domaincontrol.com (from above)
As you can see in this example, the host of domaincontrol.com is GoDaddy.com
Go to the Web Host website, locate the Legal Section and somewhere in there you will find that the host supports the protection of intellectual property and that the terms of the hosting agreement forbid the breach of a trademark, service mark, or copyright. There should also be a process outlined to report any infringements by owners of the intellectual property to the host.
Continuing with the above example, on the Go Daddy site, I located the Legal section which includes copies of all Agreements & Polices. As you can see (marked with arrow) they have a Trademark/Copyright Infringement Policy. This Policy details the process to follow for Go Daddy.
Note: A “whois” enquiry can, in some instances, also be useful to ascertain an email address for the owner of the website when there is no email address on the infringing site because it only has a form that needs to be completed for enquiries and can be used for the initial cease and desist email. In some instances, the form may also be used to send the cease and desist notice should no email address be able to be determined. E.g.
As can be seen in the above example the owners/registrants email address is secretary@djaa.com.au and if there was no email address on the website, this can be used for the initial cease and desist notice.
In some cases you will find that the above process will not give you the information you require or the host will not have a Legal page or an Acceptable Use Policy. In this instance you will need to conduct a number of online searches to ascertain if there is a parent company whose policies apply to all the subsidiaries. It can get a little convoluted and is difficult to document, but can be done. A number of years ago I had someone whose name server was vpweb.com. If you typed this in, it did not return a site. Through a series of searches, I eventually worked out that it has something to do with Vista Print, went to the Vista Print site and ascertained that my email to the host had to go to: abuse@systemec.nl.
3. Contacting The Web Host (Template)
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to you to avail myself of my rights under the Copyright Act and this is a Notice of Infringement. I wish to report an instance of what I feel in good faith is an instance of Copyright Infringement. The infringing material appears on the web site <<INFRINGING WEBSITE URL>> <<(INFRINGING WEBSITE NAME)>> for which you are the designated agent/host.
-
-
- The material which I contend belongs to me, and appears illegally on the Service is the following:
-
<<TITLES OF WORK>>
-
-
- The material appears at the website address/es:
-
<<ADDRESS OF INFRINGING WORK>>
-
-
- The material appears on my Web site at these address/eses:
-
<<ADDRESS OF ORIGINAL WORK>>
-
-
- My contact information is as follows:
-
<<NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL>>
-
-
- I have a good faith belief that the use of the material that appears on the service is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or by operation of law.
-
-
-
- The information in this notice is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I am either the copyright owner or I am authorised to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
-
I declare that this notification is true and correct.
It is requested that the unauthorised content be removed. Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.
Signed: <<YOUR NAME>>
NOTE:
Whilst not required, I have had great success by attaching copy of all correspondence with the infringing party and any proof that helps validate that I am the copyright holder. Details on how to help prove that the material/photograph, etc. was on your website prior to the infringing website is detailed a little further below (Item 5).
If it is obvious that the material has been stolen and the email gets to the right person, this letter has resulted in the host pulling the website completely without warning to the owner. Some will advise their client (infringing website owner) first. Once the host contacts them, they know you are serious and generally will comply.
Sometimes you have to be a little persistent with the host. This arises because the infringer is their client and if they upset the client, they may take their business elsewhere – this is where you need to quote them, if you have it, that the client is not in compliance with their own Acceptable Use Policy and they are hosting unauthorised copyrighted material.
Occasionally, the host has a multitude of re-sellers who are virtual hosts and whilst it resides on their server, they maintain it is not their client and it can be quite frustrating as they will not divulge the re-sellers’ details, yet usually maintain that they have advised the re-seller of the problem. Doesn’t happen too often, but can be really annoying. Persistence is paramount in this situation.
4. Delisted From Google
The last step if all the above fails is to try getting them de-listed from Google, whilst I have not found it necessary to do this as yet, depending on how strongly I felt about the situation, I would;
Email to Google would be very similar to that sent to the host making appropriate amendments to reflect that you are writing to Google and not the web host.
5. Document, Document, Document
Obviously, it is prudent to obtain copies of the infringing pages as soon as discovered, produce pdfs of it or download the entire site at a certain date (there is free software available that does this easily). Some think they are clever and initially remove the material, then sometime later reinstate all or part of the material. If you have copies of the previous events the Hosts will act much more readily. It also means that you need to every so often pay a visit to those sites which have removed your material to ensure that they have not reinstated any of it.
There is a handy little tool called Internet Archive Wayback Machine ( https://archive.org/web/ ) which allows you to check any website and see what it contained at various points of time. Unfortunately, there is no regular schedule that it goes through your website and takes screenshots of it, but has proved invaluable to me in demonstrating that (i) I had the material in question on my site years before it appeared on the infringing website and (ii) proving that the material in question was not on the infringing website prior to a certain date.
Whilst all the above may appear complicated, I have found that the initial emails takes care of the bulk of them. You then need to make a call as to how important it is to get a particular site that has your material on it removed. This will determine how far you take it.
I do not believe legal action, other than possibly a letter from your legal representative to the host and owner as a scare tactic to make them think you are serious, is feasible as more often than not, they are located in different countries/jurisdictions and the any legal action would be largely cost prohibitive.
I hope this helps but please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss your particular issue or to ask any questions.
This post was contributed by Serge Olivieri. Serge is an Accredited Member of the Alliance and currently serves on the DJAA Committee, is based in Sydney, New South Wales and runs DJ:Plus! Entertainment.
-
-
Continue Reading
Simon McCuskey
Simon MC is Simon McCuskey – a polished, award winning master of ceremonies, television host and presenter. Simon MC’s philosophy is that you are only given one chance to deliver an event right!
With over fifteen years’ experience, Simon has hosted numerous television shows, presented radio segments and been a master of ceremonies for a variety of events. These include: weddings, engagements, festivals, conferences, gala events, awards, corporate functions – any occasion that needs to bring the best out of people!
Let’s celebrate once, yet remember it forever. Let’s do it!
Additional Information:
-
- Business: Simon MC
- Phone: 03 8395 1577 / 0410 291 030
- Email: simon@simonmc.com.au
- Website: www.simonmc.com.au
- Service Area: Melbourne and surrounds
-
-
Continue Reading
Scott Eichler
Additional Info
- Phone: 07 8561550
- Mobile: 027 5438335
- Email: info@djentertainment.co.nz
- Website: https://www.djentertainment.co.nz/
- Service Area: Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Manawatu, Taranaki, Taupo, Hawkes Bay and Canterbury
-
Continue Reading
It Starts With Us
Mitch Taylor who presented at our 2018 National Conference in Adelaide, writes about his experience in attending the DJAA National Conference “It Starts With Us” in the latest issue of Disc Jockey News. For information on the 2019 DJAA National Conference and to purchase tickets, head to www.djaa.org.au/nationalconference.
-
Continue Reading
What Frequency Do I Need For My Wireless Microphone?
You would think that buying a Wireless Microphone is easy right?
A few weeks ago, I had some challenges trying to buy a Wireless Microphone and work out the correct range.
It was really confusing.It’s easy to buy a wireless microphone, but if you want it to work correctly in your area then that’s a different story.
This is my understanding of how these frequencies work, and the purpose of this article is to help other DJ’s identify the type of frequency they need when buying a Wireless Microphone.
So back in January 2015, the ACMA said that wireless microphones must not be used in the 694 – 820 MHz frequency range. The main alternative frequency ranges will be 520 – 694 MHz and 1790 – 1800 MHz, with some other frequencies also available.
Frequencies
To keep things simple, Microphones operate on different frequencies. Most common microphones that you buy are either;
1) MHz range
2) Ghz range.The MHZ range are most Wireless Microphones you buy off the shelf, and there are different types of ranges. Much like the different freqencies on the radio FM, AM, etc.
So you will see it say what frequencies it uses on the box like 694Mhz, 820Mhz, 1790Mhz etc.For example:
The Ghz range, are like routers, and Wifi Devices, they operate on 2.4Ghz frequency.
There are PRO’s and CON’s to the Mhz range and Ghz range. I personally myself use both depending on the application, and the type of setup I use. I find personally that the Mhz range is more reliable, where as the Ghz range does seem to occasionally get interference from other devices such as Wireless Routers, Mobile Phones, etc because they also run on the Ghz frequency.
A good article to read about Mhz VS Ghz is here: https://www.rfvenue.com/blog/2015/01/27/what-you-need-to-know-about-2-4-ghz-wireless-microphones
So what frequency do I buy for my Wireless Microphone?
So, if you buy a Microphone that operates in the Mhz range, you need to make sure that the frequency it uses/operates in is not going to be a problem in your area.
To do this, go here: https://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/channel-finder
Using this map, it will tell you what frequencies your Wireless Microphone can operate in that area.
So for example, I travel to the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Brisbane, and other areas. So i’ll pick a few venues using this map and enter in the address of the venue to work out if my Wireless Microphone that i want to buy will work using the frequency it uses.
So i’ll use Maleny Manor as an example, it’s address is: 894 Landsborough Maleny Rd, Maleny
So now that we have entered an address it will come back and tell you what frequencies are available.
You can see below it says that an available frequency is 520-526Mhz.
It’s a good idea to also check other areas & locations to make sure that that frequency is the same at other areas as well. So put in some other addresses and check what frequency is safe to use in that area too.
Once you’ve found the right frequency – now you need to check the wireless microphone your buying will match that frequency.
So let’s look at an example of one online that I bought recently.
So there you go. Now you understand a bit more about Wireless Microphone frequencies and how to find the right frequency in your area.
Of course, if your still not sure and need help, ask your local Audio/DJ/Shop that your buying it from and they can help you.
Quick Disclaimer: I dont claim to be an audio professional, or expert on this subject. I simply used the information provided to me by other professionals and people in the industry to solve a problem that I couldn’t work out, so this information is like any advice, general advice and you should do your own research before acting on any decision.
This post was contributed by Bradley Kjeldsen. Brad is an Accredited Member of the Alliance who currently serves on the DJAA Committee, is based in Brisbane, Queensland and runs DJ BRAD servicing Brisbane & QLD areas and beyond.Good luck!
-
Continue Reading
What’s Been Happening At The DJAA Lately?
The last few weeks have been a busy time for the DJAA!
May 22nd 2018 – QLD ABIA Awards Night
On Tuesday the 22nd of May, over 30 Winners of the 20th Queensland Annual Bridal Industry Awards were invited to the stage to accept their award at the exquisite Victoria Park, featuring the magical views of Brisbane’s cityscape.
Winners from the DJ & MC categories included:
Wedding DJ – DJ RHINO
Wedding MC – G&M Event Group
Ceremony Music – Michael Eotvos Music
June 12th 2018 – DJ TAKE OVER NIGHT – Mon Komo Hotel
We had our first QLD Social Night where we invited DJ’s across Brisbane for free, to come along to our Take Over Night where any DJ could jump on the decks and play a 10-15 minute set and show off their skills. We had just over 10 DJ’s play with a variety of music from R&B, Psy Trance, House and more. With approximately 40 DJ’s coming along from Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, we also had 2 DJ’s travel from interstate in NSW & VIC to come along as well.
Special thanks to…
BJ’s Sound & Lighting
We also must give a big thanks to BJ’s Sound & Lighting, they came along to show their support with some hot products & new gear available, and also gave out a $500 Hire Voucher along with a 10% discount when your mention the DJAA when hiring from them. They also showed off their new SPARK machine, which is a giant sparkler used for events such as Weddings.Mon Komo Hotel
Thanks to the Mon Komo Hotel for allowing us to use their function room and DJ area on a Tuesday night.Bradley Kjeldsen
Thanks to Brad from DJ BRAD for supplying some gear & equipment, along with organising and promoting the event.
June 18th 2018 – DJ Social Catch Up – Kurrawa Surf Club
Steve Bowen, Peter De Wever & Serge Olivieri were headed to the Gold Coast for the 2018 ABIA Designer of Dreams Awards night and asked for local DJs interested in catching up for a drink and/or meal plus chat about all things DJ!
It was a great night to catch up with friends & family over some good food and drinks.
June 19th 2018 – ABIA National Designer of Dreams Awards
On Tuesday, the 19th of June at The Star Gold Coast, wedding businesses from all around Australia flew in to celebrate the prestigious 9th National ABIA Designer of Dreams Awards.
To qualify as a National Finalist or Winner, a business is required to receive high quality ratings & reviews over the past 4 consecutive years. The standard of these industry awards continue to motivate business owners and team members to strive for better in setting standards for the Australian Wedding Industry.
Winners from the DJ & MC categories included:
Wedding DJ (VIC) – DJ PeterD Entertainment Plus
Wedding MC (QLD) – G&M Event Group
Ceremony Music (SA) – Music by Pearl
-
Continue Reading
Making Use of Technology – Responsive Marketing
We live in an amazing time. Technology has really made the world smaller as we are able to instantly communicate in real time across the globe. All those childhood dreams of one day having a video phone like in the science fiction movies has actually come to pass!
When we wind the clock back and consider the marketing of days gone by, it was non-responsive, one-way communication. Marketing in print media, television, radio and billboards are all one way. It is a place to get your message out, but is not responsive. There is no real effective way for the person seeing the advertisement to respond quickly and easily.
Fast forward to today with online marketing (especially social media), and we have a wonderful opportunity to embrace responsive marketing. Here is where we can advertise and encourage almost instant two-way communication between the seller and the buyer. This is something that marketers in the past would have only ever dreamed about. (Check out the story of Edward Bernays if you want some real inspiration when it comes to effective marketing. What he could have done with responsive marketing would have been incredible).
Even though we have this gift of responsive marketing, it is all too common to see people still stuck in the mindset of one-way marketing. Pushing their message out without taking advantage of the fact they could actually build a conversation with the potential client. It is not surprising as responsive marketing is so new that a mind-shift will probably take a generation to truly be embraced and used to its full potential. Dave Evans, co-founder of Digital Voodoo, a well respected marketing company in the United States said “to truly persuade, you must engage”. When it comes to social media, two-way communication really is the heart of the entire reason for the existence of
social media.It is not uncommon to see a potential client mention they want to hire a DJ on a Facebook forum, only to have the post quickly filled with one-way advertisements. This is one way of advertising and may work well, but consider the power we have been given and take the opportunity to start a conversation with the potential client. Ask a question, give advice, make a comment … whatever it takes to start that two-way communication. These strategies will have you stand head and shoulders above the rest who just pasted their usual advertisement on the post as it shows you actually took the time and care to read what they want and tailored a well thought out response.
This post was contributed by Nik Edser. Nik is an Accredited Member of the Alliance and an ABIA Award Winner, based on the Gold Goast in Queensland. He currently holds a position on the DJAA Committee and together with his wife Natalie, run NikNat Entertainment. Nik not only provides MC & DJ services but also offers a live music option.
-
Continue Reading
Thank You
As I sit at my local coffee shop for my regular daily coffee watching the commuters head up this busy road to work, one per car, rushed and unsmiling, it serves as a daily reminder of how truly fortunate I am to be able to do what I love for a living.
I have the power to create wonderful memories and experiences with people, build relationships, create links between others and feel truly great about doing this as I grow as a human being.
I give thanks for this regularly.
One of my favourite things to do is drive to nearby Mount Cootha and hike the mountain.
As I reach the peak I stomp my feet and as my left foot hits the ground I say THANK and as my right foot hits the ground I say YOU! I continue to do this as I walk.
I give thanks for my amazing twin boys, My family, my beautiful Edi, my good health, my amazing group of friends, for my ever expanding skill set, my good judgement, and on it goes. I keep thanking until I can’t think of anything else to thank for. This practice lightens my load and brings a smile to my face every time. It makes me feel fantastic, so much so that it has now become a regular part of my hiking routine. Important: It matters not who you give this thanks to, it may be to a higher order, the universe, your God or whomever. What matters is the loud verbalisation of those words ~ THANK YOU.
One of the things I constantly give thanks for is my ability to continue to do what I love for a living.
THANK YOU! to everyone who has helped me along this journey.
This post was contributed by Brent Officen. Brent is an Accredited Member of the Alliance based in Brisbane, Queensland and runs Decibels Entertainment servicing Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and beyond. Brent also offers Live Music, Photo Booth and complementary services.
-
Continue Reading
Important Things To Remember To Make Your Event Unique To YOU
With so many people getting married these days it is so easy to just fall into the trap of doing what everyone else is doing.
As a supplier to the industry for over 30 years I have seen many businesses and trends come and go.
Yes, there are certain facets that should be followed in a wedding, but you can also add your own little touches to these to make them your own.
Reaching out to not only couples getting married but also industry suppliers, I hope this article inspires you to open your mind to hopefully creating a new trend that will continue into the future.
So what next?
Well the first thing you need to find is suppliers that you totally trust as without that trust you won’t be able to let go and become creative. Once trust has been established, you may find that your supplier will ask you what you have visualised or dreamt of for your day and can then advise you on what has worked in the past and what they feel may not work or come up with alternatives that you have not thought of.Just a couple of ideas:
Ceremony: instead of doing what they have always done, walk down the aisle, vows etc. Sign the register, then walk up the aisle as newlyweds consider:
Walking down the aisle, stopping at the entry of the ceremony and allow everyone to look at the bride, then continue the walk, then instead of proceeding to the signing, have your officiant announce you as the newlyweds and after everyone has conveyed their congratulations, then take care of the paperwork.Reception: Try doing a Parent Dance and consider including the Mother of the groom with her son and then go into your first dance as a
couple.If there are kids at the wedding maybe look at doing some kids entertainment such as balloons or magician plus consider having drawing and colouring in books and also allow the DJ to play some kids music for the kids to dance to.
There are many other ways to make an event unique to you so keep an open mind and ask your trusted suppliers if they have any ideas to help you.
This post was contributed by Peter De Wever. Peter is an Accredited Member of the Alliance who currently serves on the DJAA Committee, is based in Mornington, Victoria and runs DJ PeterD Entertainment Plus servicing Mornington & Melbourne areas and beyond. Peter also offers Photo Booth and complementary services.