SUCCESS

Most founders spend real money on an event and then treat the video like a souvenir.
That is the mistake.
If you are running a conference, launch, seminar, or brand gathering in Melbourne, the room is temporary. The footage can keep working for months if you treat it like a business asset instead of a recap. The right Event video production in Melbourne team is not there to make the day look pretty. They are there to capture usable content for sales, recruiting, training, and follow-up marketing.
If the brief is “just film it,” you will get footage.
If the brief is “this has to work after the event,” you will get leverage.
Hire for fit, not for a highlight reel
A polished portfolio is not enough. Plenty of teams can make a room look expensive. Fewer can tell you which moments are actually useful.
Ask better questions:

Who is this video for after the event — buyers, staff, investors, or social?
What should someone do after watching it?
Which talks, product moments, and audience reactions matter, and which are noise?
How many deliverables are you actually getting: recap, clips, internal cut, launch edit?

A good production company starts with the audience and the job of the video. A weak one starts with cameras.
Local experience matters in Melbourne because venues, access, timing, and event flow change the shoot. Conferences and corporate rooms move fast. Speakers run long. Schedules slip. The team has to adjust without turning the day into a production about the production.
One event should create more than one video
Entrepreneurs waste this constantly.
A single well-shot event can produce:

A recap for people who missed it
Short clips for LinkedIn and YouTube
Speaker or founder excerpts for sales follow-up
Internal cuts for onboarding or training
Launch or product footage that outlives the campaign

That is how you justify the spend. Not “we have a nice video.” The footage has more than one job.
Festivals, community events, and product launches work the same way if you plan the coverage. Crowd energy is useless if it never becomes a clip someone can actually watch. Capture the reveal, the reaction, and the one or two lines that explain why the thing matters. Then cut for the channel, not for the memory.
What the money actually buys
Pricing is not mysterious. It follows scope.
More cameras, more crew, better audio, a harder venue, motion graphics, drone work, and a fast turnaround all raise the quote. Compare packages by deliverables, not by the number at the bottom.
A useful package usually includes:

Pre-production and a clear plan for what will be filmed
Coverage on the day, with audio good enough to use
Editing
Final files you can actually publish

If a quote cannot explain those four pieces, you are buying hope.

Cost factor

What changes the price

Crew size

Better coverage, higher labour

Cameras

Extra angles for speakers, panels, and rooms

Audio

The difference between usable speech and wasted footage

Venue

Access, layout, and setup time

Extras

Graphics, grading, drone, rush delivery

Audio is the item founders underestimate. If the speech is muddy, the video is dead. Pretty pictures will not save it.
The process that keeps you from getting a pretty mess
Before the shoot, write a short brief:

Purpose of the video
Primary audience
Three moments that must be captured
Deliverables and due date
Where the content will live after the event

Then review the portfolio for usefulness, not gloss. Look for clean audio, planned edits, and videos that still make sense if you never attended the event. If every sample looks like a wedding trailer, keep looking.
Confirm extras early. Live streaming, same-week edits, motion graphics, and multi-platform cuts are not assumed. They are scope.
After the event is where the ROI shows up
The newest trend is not a camera. It is making one shoot feed more than one channel.
The companies that get value out of event video cut fast, publish with a point, and reuse the best moments in sales and education. The ones that do not get value wait three weeks, post a five-minute recap nobody finishes, and never look at the files again.
If you are going to spend on a Melbourne event, budget the filming as part of the marketing system. Otherwise you paid for a room full of people and left the asset on the floor.
The post Your Event Video Is Either an Asset or an Expensive Recap appeared first on Addicted 2 Success.

Elly De La Cruz put on a show at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night, hitting a home run in his fourth straight game and throwing a ball 102 mph to cut down a runner at home.

President Donald Trump’s hair has seemingly gone through multiple changes in the last month or so, ranging in fullness and color.

Dating back to 1583 when hawkers and roaming entertainers started coming down to a natural spring that was discovered in a forest north of Copenhagen, the Dyrehavsbakken in Denmark is today recognized as the oldest operating amusement park in the world.

The 33 rides that families come to experience in 2026 include traditional wooden roller coasters, spinning teacups and bumper cars.

The vast majority of theme and amusement parks, however, will not stay in business even a fraction of the same stretch of time as Dyrehavsbakken given that aging ride infrastructure is expensive and often unprofitable to maintain.

Clementon Lake Park and Splash World makes “difficult decision to close” on September 9

On September 9, the 119-year-old Clementon Lake Park and Splash World announced that it has “made the difficult decision to close the park and plan to offer the park for sale” after the summer season.

The theme park was built by New Jersey assemblyman and Civil War veteran Theodore B. Gibbs and his sons in 1907 as a way to drive tourist dollars from Atlantic City to the nearby Philadelphia suburb in the southern part of the state.

Related: 50-year-old theme and water park to close forever after summer season

The theme park went through multiple chapters in nearly 12 decades, including a period of expansion to build what were then state-of-the-art rides in the 1920s, a fire that nearly destroyed the entire site in 1931 and a period of decline in which the area was used for dance performances and boxing matches between the 1940s and 1960s.

The Splash World water park section was added to the park in July 1993 following a $5 million renovation.

Clementon Park And Splash World opened in southern New Jersey in 1907.Clementon Park And Splash World

“We are hopeful that we will find a buyer”: Clementon Park and Splash World

The park also changed owners’ hands multiple times. In 1977, the Gibbs family sold the theme park to Miami nightclub operator Abram Baker who ran it with his family until it was purchased by Adrenaline Family Entertainment in 2007. In 2019, the park was closed down to the public for two years after the company defaulted on a $4.5 billion loan from TD Bank before being purchased by current owners IB Parks & Entertainment.

The latter company did not expand on the reasons for the abrupt shutdown but expressed optimism that a buyer will come along and resurrect the park that, while seeing declining visitor numbers over the years, plays an important role in local history and the childhood memories of local residents.

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“After five memorable years, we are saddened to announce that we have made the difficult decision to close the park and plan to offer the park for sale,” Clementon Park management wrote in a Facebook post. “It has been a privilege to care for a place that has meant so much to generations of families. We are hopeful that we will find a buyer who shares our love for Clementon Park and will carry its history and legacy forward.”

IB Parks & Entertainment added that it will be posting “additional details regarding the sale […] as they become available.” With no sale currently looming, the shutdown is being treated as permanent given no 2027 opening date.

Related: Another airline shuts down after losing license, cancels flights

Bestselling personal finance author and radio host Dave Ramsey has a surprising message for Americans considering buying a home.

Mortgage rates have been higher than expected in 2026. As of Sept. 3, Freddie Mac’s average 30-year mortgage rate was 6.71%, putting it at over 6.5% for eight straight weeks.

Home prices are also high. The average sales price of houses sold in the U.S. in Q2 2026 was $502,700, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Dave Ramsey is known for his tough-love approach. He often warns people against risky purchases and reprimands callers after they tell him about what he considers major, unwise financial decisions.

But even with today’s high mortgage rates and housing prices, Ramsey warned that waiting to buy could still be a mistake — provided you can actually afford a home now.

“For starters, experts believe home prices will continue to rise for the next two years (at least),” Ramsey wrote for Ramsey Solutions. “So if you try to wait to buy until home prices go down, you might be stuck waiting a long time.”

Fannie Mae predicts home prices will keep rising

Recent housing data support Ramsey’s expectation that home prices will continue rising. The government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Fannie Mae published its Q3 2026 Home Price Expectations Survey on Aug. 26.

In this survey, Fannie Mae predicts that home prices will increase by 2.5% by the end of 2026. It then projects annual price growth of 2.2% in 2027 and 2.7% in 2028.

Home prices generally rise over the long term, so Fannie Mae’s forecast isn’t unusual. Still, even modest price increases can matter to buyers who are deciding whether to purchase now or wait.

“Waiting for a lower interest rate can actually cost you more if home prices keep climbing while you sit on the sidelines,” Ramsey wrote.

Dave Ramsey warns that waiting for lower mortgage rates could result in a higher home price.Jackson Laizure / Getty Images

Dave Ramsey says waiting for lower mortgage rates could backfire

To show how high home prices can offset lower mortgage rates, Ramsey gives an example of someone who wants to buy a specific house that costs $300,000. The person would pay a 7% mortgage rate, so they wait a year for mortgage rates to decrease.

In this example, mortgage rates fall from 7% to 6%, but because houses generally become more expensive over time, the home price increases by 5% to $315,000 over that same year.

“So, even though your interest rate is a little lower, you’re now borrowing $15,000 more — and you’ve spent another year paying rent instead of building equity,” Ramsey writes.

“The small monthly savings from a 1% lower rate usually won’t make up for a bigger loan on a pricier house,” he continued. “A better rate on a more expensive home isn’t the win it sounds like.”

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This scenario assumes that mortgage rates will drop over the next year, though. Ramsey reminded readers that rates might not drop significantly in the near future.

“Mortgage rates are unlikely to drop in 2026 — and might even go up a little higher,” Ramsey wrote.

Recent forecasts also support Ramsey’s caution about waiting for substantially lower rates. The Fannie Mae August Housing Forecast projects that the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate will waver between 6.7% and 6.8% through the end of 2027.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Mortgage Finance Forecast predicts that the average 30-year rate will hold at 6.7% through 2028.

Taken together, these forecasts suggest that waiting may not produce the cheaper borrowing conditions some buyers are hoping for.

Dave Ramsey gives 4 signs you’re ready to buy a home

Ramsey clearly stated in his article that buying a home in today’s housing market is only for people who can comfortably afford it.

He considers the following to be signs that you are financially ready to buy a house:

You are debt-free. If you have too much debt when applying for a mortgage, the lender could deny your application or offer a loan with poor terms.

You have a full emergency fund. “Saving up an emergency fund of 3-6 months of your typical expenses before you buy a house will make a broken HVAC unit, fridge or washing machine merely an inconvenience instead of a catastrophe,” Ramsey writes.

You can put 5%-20% down. Ramsey says first-time buyers may put down as little as 5%, although he generally recommends a 20% down payment to avoid private mortgage insurance (PMI).

You can afford the monthly housing payment. If you can comfortably afford it without financial stress, you might be ready to buy a home. Dave Ramsey recommends that your monthly payment be no more than 25% of your take-home pay.

Ramsey warned that waiting could be a mistake — but only if you are confident you can afford to buy a home now.

Still, you don’t have to follow his homebuying rules to a T. Speak with a real estate agent and mortgage loan officer about your options regarding down payments, debt levels, and buying a home in your local market.

Related: Dave Ramsey, Vanguard warn Americans on housing costs

With more than 21,000 locations spread out across 48 states, Dollar General has the largest physical footprint of any retailer in the country.

The discount retailer’s size is undoubtedly a strength — approximately 75% of the population lives within 5 miles of a location, making it incredibly accessible — but it also creates a challenge.

Managing a chain of that size is no easy feat, with its enormous network of inventory, distribution centers, employees and customers to coordinate. 

In an effort to keep its scale an advantage rather than an operational headache, Dollar General is increasingly turning to AI to keep store shelves full and recommend more relevant bargains to shoppers during store visits.

AI changes how Dollar General runs its stores

At the end of August, Dollar General announced it would be partnering with Relex Solutions to “implement forecasting, replenishment, and allocation capabilities across its North American operations.”

The AI platform will help the retailer handle everything from store replenishment to ordering schedules, supplier management, and fulfillment methods across all 21,000 of its locations.

Also read: Women’s retailer closed 450 stores, heads to final liquidation

“We chose Relex because it gives us a practical way to use AI in our planning and helps our teams focus on the issues that truly need attention,” Jeff Vaughan, SVP Global Inventory Management at Dollar General, said in a statement accompanying the announcement. 

“The platform brings forecasting, replenishment, and allocation planning into a single environment, giving our teams greater visibility across the network,” he continued.

AI is changing what happens inside Dollar General stores

Relex isn’t the only AI platform Dollar General is using in its stores. 

In April, the retailer partnered with QSIC, rolling out an enhanced, AI-enabled in-store audio network across approximately 6,000 of its stores. 

The move was meant to help DG’s brands more meaningfully connect with customers, and to enhance the in-store shopping experience for its millions of regular customers.

“This platform allows us to deliver localized, real-time messaging at scale across the thousands of communities we serve – especially in underserved and often overlooked rural areas,” Austin Leonard, vice president and general manager of DG Media Network, said in a statement accompanying that announcement. 

“It’s a powerful way to create value for our brand partners while enhancing the in-store experience for the millions of customers who rely on Dollar General every day through more relevant, contextual messaging designed to add value, not noise, to their shopping trip,” he continued.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

Dollar General has bigger plans for AI

The two partnerships also offer a glimpse into how broad Dollar General’s AI ambitions are becoming.

“While we are still early in our AI journey, we are building agentic operating systems for the enterprise, focused on reshaping and optimizing our workflows to improve productivity throughout the organization,” CEO Todd Vasos told investors during the company’s second-quarter earnings call in late August. 

In other words, Dollar General isn’t just looking to use AI to make its existing processes more efficient. It’s beginning to use the technology to create a retail operation that can respond to what is happening across its enormous network in real time.

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Matt Elsley, CEO of QSIC, which provides Dollar General’s AI-enabled in-store audio technology, described the shift to me this way, “AI platforms are turning the store into a learning loop that gets smarter over time.”

“Digital media has worked this way for years, but physical retail hasn’t, and AI brings that speed and feedback,” he continued. “The bigger shift is in how retailers operate. Today, most retailers without these systems are working in the loop, manually trying to figure out the right strategy to deploy.”

But Elsley argues that bringing AI into physical stores doesn’t just benefit Dollar General, it can also create a better experience for its shoppers.

“Retailers are trying to lift the overall experience, and when that’s done well, it’s the best outcome for both the customer and the retailer,” he told me. “Think about the scale of the problem: these retailers carry tens of thousands of product lines, and Dollar General alone has more than 20,000 stores with an enormous amount of traffic walking through them. Delivering a contextual message to the right customer at the right time genuinely helps people discover things, and if even a small share of those shoppers finds one more useful product, the impact compounds very quickly across a network that size.”

AI could give Dollar General a new advantage

While efficiency may be the retailer’s stated goal for its AI use, the potential payoff extends much further.

As consumers become more budget-conscious, DG is facing increased competition from other value-driven retailers like Walmart, Dollar Tree, Aldi, and others. These chains offer similar deals, assortment, and convenience.

But AI use can give Dollar General an entirely new advantage: making its massive store footprint work harder for every customer who walks through the door.

“Competition from [other discount retailers] makes the traffic already inside Dollar General’s stores even more valuable,” Elsley told me. “Those retailers can fight to win the trip through price and promotions, but once a customer walks into a Dollar General, DG has a short window to help that shopper discover something they may not have planned to buy. AI-enabled audio allows Dollar General to use that moment deliberately, then measure whether the message changed the basket.”

“In a crowded value market, getting more from the store visit you have already won is just as important as chasing the next one,” he continued.

While Dollar General hasn’t specified how AI use has impacted its bottom line, the retailer has seen encouraging growth in both traffic and the average amount customers are spending.

At the close of Q2, net sales increased 5.2% to $11.3 billion, while same-store sales rose 3.5% during the quarter, driven by 2% growth in customer traffic and a 1.5% increase in average basket size.