Interlude Films

A forum for sharing views on the art of film, video and AV sequence making as well as on competitions, judging and festivals.
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Dave Watterson
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Interlude Films

Post by Dave Watterson »

In the last year I have come across more and more "interlude films". I mean movies that show pretty pictures and have pleasant music on the soundtrack ... but do not seem to be any more than that. There is no sense of telling a story, giving a lesson, following an interest, sharing an insight ...

Technically they are often very good indeed.

They remind me of the early days of television when there were frequent gaps between programmes which were filled with apparently endless footage of charming scenes: a potter at his wheel shaping a vase which was never completed, a kitten playing with a ball of string ... there may have been others I have now forgotten.

They can be useful for shows when you might slot them between a couple of heavyweight movies ... but are they truly films?

Dave
Mike Shaw

Re: Interlude Films

Post by Mike Shaw »

Not really (IMO!).

I'd add to that list the 'birds on the lawn' films, the films of garden or park flowers and trees, in bloom, or at autumn. Very pretty. And more often that not, pretty boring.

I sit there sometimes watching them desperate to hear a funny/amusing commentary (that's just me). Humour wouldn't detract from the 'beauty' of what is being shown, but would maybe add to the interest factor. People love to laugh and be amused. I'm sure they'd appreciate such movies more if they were able to chuckle through them ... no?
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Stephen
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Re: Interlude Films

Post by Stephen »

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder ... yes?

anyone that puts together pictures whether they be single frame, 25fps or 30ps(for ned c :wink: ) will get my vote!

I just love watching other peeps work, especially that that may not convey any form of message, plot, story or construction, except that the photographer has that elusive "photographic eye".. pure relaxation sometimes ....does it need a story to be enjoyable?

as Dave mentions sometimes after a session of heavyweight films the viewer sometimes needs a little spell of relaxation .... ?

The Potter's Wheel etc did the job!... after all these years peeps can still remember them (including moi!! - oooppsss now there's me giving my age away ...
Stephen

Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
ned c
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Re: Interlude Films

Post by ned c »

The real problem with this type of film is what to do with them in contests. They are usually entered as either "documentary" or "experimental". Often very well photographed and edited but just moving wallpaper.

However, I recently flew over this area (the Red Rock SW of the USA) and filmed producing a 30 minute piece of slowly moving landscape with nothing more than the hum of the aircraft engines, we ran it as wall paper during a break in a film evening, so far I have given away 25 copies! Which is more than I have ever given away of any of my other films.

Just goes to show, as they say.

ned c (at 30 fps)
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Interlude Films

Post by Dave Watterson »

My personal feeling - as a frequent judge at non-commercial film festivals, regional and club contests - is that a film should always take us on a journey of some kind. That might be a traditional narrative, a story. It might be the exploration of an idea, place or theme. It might be an emotional journey to help us understand or sympathise or hate. I always like to feel that my life has been a little bit changed by watching any film.

Pure interlude films don't do that. In combination with other works they can enhance a programme of movies by acting like a sorbet or amuse-bouche between courses of a banquet. But that does not give them value in themselves so far as I am concerned.

I often think of them as no more than an exercise - often technically very good - but not something I want to see again.

Am I too mean-spirited?

- Dave
Brian Saberton
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Re: Interlude Films

Post by Brian Saberton »

But does a film always have to be deep and meaningful and take the viewer on a journey? Isn't film essentially a medium of entertainment and isn't that in itself a worthy objective i.e to entertain an audience and provide a few moments of pleasure. I feel that if someone has gone to the trouble to create a film of the type that Dave would describe as an "interlude" movie, then that does have some value and the author should be encouraged and nurtured.
Brian Saberton
Mike Shaw

Re: Interlude Films

Post by Mike Shaw »

I wish I could agree. But I'm with Dave on this. Pointing the cam round a park or a garden (for example) for 20 minutes doesn't, in my mind, constitute 'creative input' or 'food for thought'. I find this type of movie extremely soporific - which implies of course that they do serve some purpose.

When such a movie is being shown at your local club or, perish the thought, at a festival, turn your attention to the audience: that will tell you the truth about the 'interest rating' of these films.
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Willy
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Re: Interlude Films

Post by Willy »

Brian Saberton wrote:But does a film always have to be deep and meaningful and take the viewer on a journey? Isn't film essentially a medium of entertainment and isn't that in itself a worthy objective i.e to entertain an audience and provide a few moments of pleasure. I feel that if someone has gone to the trouble to create a film of the type that Dave would describe as an "interlude" movie, then that does have some value and the author should be encouraged and nurtured.
Interlude films belong to a seperate category
Indeed, Brian, I agree. All filmmakers must be encouraged, but I have the feeling that "interlude" films are not so much appreciated in festivals and I understand. "Interlude films" are often just like "romantic picture postcards" like landscapes, flowers, swans on a lake, etc... As I am a romantic soul (joking perhaps) I find these beautiful and colourful pictures very entertaining and refreshing after epics, horror films, police films etc... So Dave is right, but that's why they belong to a seperate category. In Belgium this category is called "genre films". I don't know why. I would rather call them "atmospheric films". However, talking about seperate categories is like "preaching in a desert". That's a Dutch expression. I would also encourage "interlude filmmakers" to enter BIAFF and other festivals.

Judges and friends sometimes ask me : "Why have you made that film ?" That's a question that I hate. They sometimes think that I make films to promote something. I have never made any films to promote an area of outstanding beauty in Britain. I have just made them because I love them. They also think that I have made films to please British and other friends. I have done it only once : to please my English friend Brian, but also to know his feelings. He lived in Kent for many years and suddenly he moved into Devon.

Promotion film with asbestos in it
Once I made a film about the European Schools. The Secretary General asked me to do this. Mind : I was not paid for it and I didn't earn any money. In my film I told the viewer that the buildings had to be demolished because there was asbestos in it. New schools had to be built with money from the taxpayer. The Secretary General was angry with me. He was furious ! However, the audience still thought that I had made a promotion film.

Unfortunately I crashed with that film in my casablanca. My European film was gone and so I couldn't make a new one - I mean a documentary - to please the Secretary General. Therefore I made an interlude film : only shots of buildings in Brussels, Munich, Culham etc... with children playing in the playground. The Secretary General was pleased. The "interlude film" was shown in a fancy fair to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the European Schools. In Belgium a judge gave me a low score because the children at the European Schools are too spoilt ! He didn't like pupils coming to school in a roylls royce. That's what I just wanted to show. It was not appreciated.

So, I just make films because I enjoy making them and also to entertain an audience. At least that's what I hope. And also to show them interesting things. And to evoke certain feelings.
Willy Van der Linden
Mike Shaw

Re: Interlude Films

Post by Mike Shaw »

Willy's comments remind me of a film that could be designated 'Interlude' (but lasting, as I remember, for well over 60 minutes!) which was an inspiration to me, though must admit I haven't viewed it now for a year or two. It is called Alleman - The Human Dutch, and was made by Bert Haanstra, from Holland, in 1963.

It is essentially a sequence of (moving) images showing life of the Dutch people, in Holland. It covers buildings, boats, events - life in general, life in the round. The cinematography is stunning, the camera angles and subject matter a revelation. The constantly changing array of images is extremely engrossing - and yet as I recall, no story line as such, no plot as such, and all in black and white.

I will say this - the whole piece is extremely creative - clever glimpses from unusual angles of people doing ordinary - or unusual - things. Structures from strange angles and so on.

If this sits in the 'Interlude' arena - or any 1-5 minute snippet from it - then its an 'interlude' that cannot fail to entrance.

So, maybe I was a wee bit hasty in damning and condemning all interlude films, per se. I still maintain that a continuous string of flower close-ups, or of birds waddling or pecking at a bird feeder would mesmerise me into a state of oblivion fairly quickly. But with clever, creative cinematography, and/or an intriguing sequence of images, I guess the genre has a proper place in any show.

And now the good news ... A quick sort through my old DVD collections (it was transferred from VHS to DVD some time back) ... and there it is, re-discovered and now waiting by the player for re-visiting with a fresh viewing. Thanks for reminding me of this excellent 'interlude'!!

PS - Just discovered that in the Film Record Databases, it is marked as a 'Documentary', and apparently there is an English commentary to it, somewhere. Perhaps not a true 'Interlude film after all...
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