Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/832212
12 CINEMONTAGE / Q2 2017 T he Editors Guild has released a comprehensive overhaul and upgrade of its website at www.editorsguild.com, creating a state-of-the-art online experience for members to interact with the Guild for streamlined information on wages and contract rules, networking tools, dues payment and event scheduling. The site went live on May 11. Call it Editors Guild Online 3.0 — the first major upgrade to the Guild's website since 2007. The Guild first launched a website in 1996. The site has been fully redesigned with the input of members, featuring a navigation menu bar that consolidates useful links and search tools. The site dynamically displays on both large- screen desktops and small-screen mobile devices. It also interacts with social media. Editorsguild.com has been a project about three years in the making, overseen by the Guild's Website Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. "We hope the new website will be the front door to the Guild, providing members easy access to all of the Guild's resources," comments F. Hudson Miller, MPSE, Board Vice President and co-chair of the committee. "The committee wanted to give the membership the tools to navigate the website with ease," adds co-chair John Vitale. "It was important for us to have all current technology available to the members so they could continue to be informed, using an easy layout and an elegant design." As technology is constantly changing in today's post-production industry, and the various crafts work under a countless number of union contracts, the Website Committee set out to empower members with information. Users are only a few mouse clicks away from seeing the most common industry contract summaries. A comprehensive search tool appears on the front page allowing users, with one click, to find other members or access a specific subject. "There are so many variables about union rules these days, it's hard to keep track," offers committee member A.J. Catoline. "The goal was to create a virtual interaction with the union so members can easily get answers and are encouraged to stay connected to the Guild." The site also interacts with the Guild's office database so members can update contact information, view their dues balance and pay online. Another goal of the website overhaul was to improve online security. The new Guild site uses modern technology to protect members' information behind an encrypted firewall. According to Guild Executive Administrator Lisa Dosch, traffic to the website averages thousands of members weekly, showing how most members prefer the efficiency of interacting with their guild online. "The Guild staff is really excited to provide this new website for members," says Dosch. "It's an amazing upgrade since the Editors Guild first went online two decades ago." The Website Committee sought bids from several companies, and eventually contracted with Studio Blue (www.studioblue.us) of Chicago for design and layout, and WinMill Software (www.winmill.com) of New Jersey for data interface and hosting. Last year, the Guild staff brought representatives from these companies to tour several union workplace sites so they could interact with members to learn about the many diverse crafts of post-production. Studio Blue has won awards for its digital design, including for the Art Institute of Chicago (www.artic.edu). As the prototype was being created online the latter part of last year, the committee invited several members to beta test and provide feedback, including choosing photos of editorial craft and history as background images to display on the homepage. The committee plans to monitor site usage and member Editors Guild Introduces Upgraded Website T he Editors Guild has released of the Guild's resources," comments to the answers connected to the Guild." Guild's office database so members can update dues goal improve site members' information behind an encrypted firewall. Administrator Lisa Dosch, traffic to the members members prefer the efficiency of interacting "The Guild staff is really excited to provide this new website for members," WEBSITE COMMIT TEE