ok let me tell you guys a story...... So I have been a VES member since it started.... I moved to India a few years ago, and because of some weird political crap, with some indian wanting to be the first VES member in this country and trying to make a big deal about it, my membership mysteriously disappeared.... I kid you not.... I have repeatedly tried to contact the VES about it, but they have been silent.... Funny how politics gets involved.... BULLSHIT is what i call it.....
I believe the VES membership dues are worth it. VES had the academy raise the visual effect catagory fro 3 to 5 nominations. Doesn't matter that I recieved 6 or 7 dvds last year. The organisation is doing many great things on many different fronts and should be supported.
Disclaimer: I'm currently serving on my second term of the Board of Directors for the VES, this term as an alternate. I believe I am the only butt-in-the-chair, fingers-on-the-keyboard member. I am speaking only for myself here, not as a representative of the board. I know Jeff Okun, chair of the board, is a member of this site and he can probably speak more eloquently than I, if sees this and wishes to.
That out of the way, *I* believe that, yes, it worth the money. Obviously if you live in a city such as L.A., or one of the number of areas that has an official section, you have more opportunities to take advantage of screenings, seminars, mixers, etc. The VES is not just free DVD screeners. Sure, those are nice, especially when you get a film before it's released publicly to DVD and you can flaunt it in your envious friends' faces. :-) The VES works on a number of things behind the scenes, such as getting members included into a group health care plan, planning a number of educational events each year, building a growing effects library and archive, writing and publishing the first ever visual effects handbook, working within the industry to get visual effects more respect and stature within the movie making community, working with other professional organizations to educate each other so that we all work together better. There's the awards show and everything that goes into putting that beast together. Have you attended any of the annual membership meetings to hear the reports of what exactly the VES has done in the past year and planning to do in the upcoming year? I think members can also get more value from their membership by calling up the office and asking "What can I do? How can I pitch in?" Participating on the board and committees has been quite a privilege and educational experience.
And there's the DVDs -- which you should have received more than 2 last year. :-)
Only if you are able to go to the free screenings. They don't send out many DVDs anymore. Plus, VES seems to be just an awards show. But, like I mentioned if you live in LA it might be worth it.
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