job opportunity for videographer/photographer/cyclist extraordinaire
 

Hi, I'm usually hanging out in the Women's Forums, but I thought this would be a great place to find someone with some unique skills. I own a bike tour company and have some new products and ideas we want to implement. I am looking to hire someone to film some video footage, take professional photos, edit a DVD and produce various videos that will be put on my website. But, to keep costs down, this person should also be into cycling, and very good at driving.... Because whoever I hire would go to France with us for the shooting, and would need to be the driver as well - and able to drive vans through narrow cobblestone streets in tiny villages.

Included in the research would sampling the food and wine.... (Ah man, someone has to do it! :p)

My preference is to find someone who has already ridden in Europe, knows a little about driving over there, has a good working knowledge of GPS systems (and how to use them on a bike), and even better, who speaks a little French!

OK, so I may not be able to get all of that in one packaged person, but you never know until you ask!

I've put an ad on Craig's list and a few others, but I thought I'd put it out to this group as well - if anything, you might know someone who knows someone... And besides, this is such a cool group of people, that you might know some other cool people! (Hey, and maybe one of you can actually fit the bill).

It's not a sure thing. I have a fantastic new product idea, and I'm putting together a business plan and will need investors and maybe even partners. But if we get the funding, this could be as soon as a few weeks this summer, and perhaps a few weeks several times per year for the next few years (in other areas of France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, etc etc etc).

We can't pay the industry standard for producing a DVD/video, because of the high costs of expenses involved, but maybe someone would be willing to discount his/her services due to the very cool nature of this opportunity. Mind you, it will be a lot of work (probably non-stop during the 2 weeks we're over there)...but pretty cool work!

To get an idea about what exactly I do for my self-guided tours, check out my blog and read the posts on self-guided cycling. My goal is to create some video support for my clients, and I have a few more ideas as well....
http://cyclingeurope.wordpress.com

Or check out my website at www.vivatravels.com, and click on Velo Concierge.

If you're interested, or know someone who might be, contact me at info@vivatravels.com.

Ride on,

Jennifer Sage

Too bad Sheldon Brown isn't still with us. He'd be just your man.. minus the MS.

Yeah, wouldn't he? But I'm starting to get some responses - I've really been putting the word out there, so sooner or later I'll find someone.

When we get this going, this is a business that could really benefit a lot of people on these forums. In a nutshell - I am the premier expert on self-guided cycling tours in France and Italy - now I'm going to put some of the most popular destinations in a do-it-yourself package with everything you ned to know to do it on your own in total confidence. And save thousands of dollars - EVEN if the dollar is rock bottom! So take that €!!

awesome.

Drive? Why not cycle it all?

So what makes you "the premier expert on self-guided cycling tours in France and Italy"? All my touring, and that of most of the people in the Touring Forum (and on crazyguy too, I imagine), is self-guided.


You might want to post this in the Touring Forum.

I'd love to cycle it all - but it's a matter of time (and money). If you have only 2 or 3 weeks and thousands of miles to cover for the R&D, then you gotta drive. 2 years ago I led a private guided honeymoon bicycle tour in Provence. I thought I might be able to ride a little bit with them, but they needed the sag the whole time (darn). Then I spent 15 days in Italy doing research. My bike never left its case that whole time! Augh! It was crazy, non-stop hard work (total of 5,000 miles from beg to end), but I got some fantastic new routes and information to share with my clients. Most of it was places I've ridden before, I just hadn't recorded the routes into written form or GPS, or I was checking out some new and improved routes nearby, new hotels/B&Bs, etc.

Also, for this trip that I am planning, I want the videographer/photographer to do a lot of the driving, while myself and another ride some of the routes, stopping to photograph or video things along the way. I don't ever want to experience another R&D trip with NO riding! It kills brain cells...

I've done this for 20 years, organizing, leading, and customizing guided and self-guided bike tours in Europe (it began in 1988 with a solo, self-supported trip around Europe). I have a lot to share with others and have a passion for telling others how to do it and have the best possible time (the best roads, the most charming boutique inns/B&Bs, the best places to eat or to buy picnic items, the insider tips and local's favorites, secret picnic spots en route, not-to-be-missed sites or specialty restaurants along the way, location of bike shops, logistics, emergency and safety information, etc) especially those who don't have the time to do the research on their own.

I'll take your suggestion and post it over there as well!

I've gotten some good responses though!

ride on,

Jennifer