‘He took his art seriously:’ Myrtle Beach man remembered for decades-long video production career
The Myrtle Beach area lost an iconic videographer this week.
Richard “Rik” Dickinson died in a car wreck Sunday afternoon, near Highway 17 Bypass and 38th Avenue North. He was 74. The Myrtle Beach Police Department is investigating the deadly crash. Police have not released any details regarding the circumstances of the wreck.
Dickinson, who was originally from New York, had lived in the Myrtle Beach area since the 1970s. He started his own video production company, Encore Video Productions, in 1980.
His video career began with the Air Force as an intelligence photographic specialist. He then worked as a news reporter, cameraman, and film editor at a TV station in Columbus, Ohio.
Dickinson is remembered for his gentleness and artistry.
Tom Herron, who worked in advertising and did business with Dickinson for 30 years, said Dickinson was singular in his industry.
“Rik Dickinson was one of the most gentle, easy-going guys I’ve ever worked with on a professional level,” Herron said.
“He took his art seriously,” Herron said. “He put his heart into it. He loved what he did.”
Herron said Dickinson, who has lived in the Myrtle Beach area since the 1970s, had earned a reputation for himself — locally and beyond — with the work he did through his video production company, Encore Video Productions.
“It was not a surprise that so many national companies . . . would hire Rik when they came to town,” Herron said. “He was just as good as it gets.”
Dickinson served for three years on the board of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. He spent several years as the television production coordinator for the chamber of commerce’s annual Sun Fun Festival, according to Dickinson’s LinkedIn profile.
“(Dickinson was) just an absolute joy and pleasure to work with,” Herron said. “There wasn’t a phony bone in his body.”
