I have been a member of the IAWF for some years now. The association was founded in 1982 to encourage communication and co-operation between people who are often isolated in the field., rarely meeting fellow professionals doing a similar job to themselves. The IAWF is association for professional camera men and women and sound recordists earning most of their income from making wildlife films. The IAWF’s worldwide membership includes many of the leading names in wildlife filmmaking industry.
Recently I joined the committee of the IAWF. I’m a wildlife cameraman, and I don’t think my personality is much different to all the other cameramen and camerawomen around the world. Being on a committee does not come naturally, but keeping and association like the IAWF alive, relevant and active is very important. In the last year or so one of the committee members put forward the idea of an affiliation with The Guild of Television Cameramen (GTC). The GTC was formed in 1972 and now has over 1000 members in countries as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the USA, Russia and Singapore. The majority live in the UK, are mainly freelance and work in all aspects of broadcast camerawork from corporate production and shoots for the internet through to mainstream news and current affairs, documentary and television drama. The affiliation of the IAWF and GTC is moving ahead very efficiently and it a very exciting prospect for current IAWF members.
We have been chasing current IAWF members for contact details to enable to affiliation to be 100% complete and efficient, but there are a few far-flung camera people out there who are proving difficult to contact or get a response from. This is my last ditch call. Hello any outstanding IAWF members. If you are not aware of the affiliation with the GTC, or if you are but have not returned the form, please get in touch with our secretary as soon as you possibly can. Cheers.