The Association of Professional Videomakers was a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1993 by Graham Fenton and Gerry Roffey. They both felt that the UK's video industry professionals were under-represented. by the existing organisation of that time. IThe APV was highly successful throughout the 1990’s and was the largest industry organisation of it's type in the UK. Its ‘Videomaker’ magazine was an interesting and informative read, renowned for its innovative (and rather risqué) front covers and many helpful articles, whilst the annual conference and awards ceremony is still remembered fondly by long-standing members for the welcoming atmosphere and spirit of friendly competition.
The early post-millenium saw a slow and steady stagnation, but 2005 saw the appointment of a new director, who set ambitious goals to re-establish the APV once again as the UK’s largest trade association for video industry professionals; unfortunately this was not to be. The APV was revitalised, grew in membership and a range of new services and innovative programmes was introduced, however, this was not enough and due to difficult economic times it was decided in early 2010 that the APV could no longer continue as a valid trading entity and it has had to cease trading as a business.
The APV is now closed to membership and not considering new applications. Whilst no longer operating as trade association or providing the services to members that it used to, the qualifications given by the APV during it's many years of operation are still as valid as ever as testament of the skills that the APV qualified members can apply to their work and services they can provide to a client or customer.
The uniqueness of the APV was always that the members were only ever professionals; amateurs and enthusiasts were never encouraged or expected to join the APV. This meant the number of members was smaller than other organisations, and the levels of quality and service provided by members (especially the APV qualified members) was kept to a very high standard. Unfortunately it seems that this is no longer what is required by the industry... we believe falling quality and standards now seem to be acceptable all in the pursuit of getting a job done as 'cheap' as possible. The APV as an organisation cannot operate under these circumstances.
