2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

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

Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by chrisk »

Widescreen switching is not restricted to DVDs. There are two methods of signalling the aspect ratio, either by a signal on the Scart connector or by a Widescreen Switching Signal (WSS) embedded in the line structure of the video signal.

The Scart signal is defined in standard IEC 60933 and a voltage of 4.5 to 7.0 on pin 8 indicates a 16:9 source aspect and 9.5 to 12.0V indicates a 4:3 aspect. It is unlikely that Scart would be used with a projector and I don't think this standard has been universally adopted.

The WSS is defined in standard IEC 62375 and is much wider ranging than the Scart method. The aspect ratio is signalled by a 4 bit code embedded in line 23 to 27 of a 576 line system and defines eight possible settings with ratios of 4:3, 14:9, 16:9 and >16:9 with varied positioning of the image in the display. As it is embedded in the line structure it can work from tape, DVD or other source. With my Canon camera connected through s-video directly to a TV in auto mode, switching the camera betweem 4:3 and 16:9 automatically sets the TV correctly, so WSS must be working. I have tried other cameras and TV sets with varied results. With my Panasonic DV tape deck it appears that WSS is passed through to a connected monitor when directly viewing a DV source, but is not recorded on DV tape.

Premiere in 16:9 mode or 4:3 mode generates the proper WSS signal whatever the capture source, and this is detected by a compatible TV or projector in auto mode. I have tried several devices, but unfortuneately not all can be relied on to detect WSS and act properly.

So back to previewing and manual setting!

Chris
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Dave Watterson
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

Reviewing mine and other forum comments of the last couple of days I ought to acknowledge:

that the people who project at BIAFFs are individuals, who donate their time and energy, uncouple, pack up and cart their own or their club's equipment; lug it into hotels rooms and set up as best they can in inadequate circumstances; then work through the stressful business of public performances with the film makers present; before uncoupling, packing, carrying their equipment home and setting it up again for their clubs.

To a great extent they work without the benefit of a "line manager" supervising, advising and checking their work.

I try never to forget that they donate all that time and work for our enjoyment.

Since BIAFF is the premier UK amateur festival, it does not excuse silly mistakes in presentation, an unwillingness in some cases to stop, correct problems and re-start or in some cases not having checked for themselves that the aspect ratio should have been. But it does mean we should be grateful for what they have done, while hoping for even better standards in future.

-Dave
tom hardwick
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by tom hardwick »

I'm glad you pointed this out Dave. In fact when you look around the hotel at BIAFF you realise the vast amount of work that has gone on behind the scenes to get such a 3 day festival up and running as smoothly as it does. Of course all this work - as you point out - is done voluntarily by a whole host of good people. They all spend a great deal of time and I bet quite a bit of money booking, arranging, preparing, checking, printing, carrying, setting up and organising.

My thanks and appreciation to you all for your hard work.

tom.
Brian Saberton
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Brian Saberton »

I have a Panasonic widescreen TV as well as a panasonic projector but never use the "auto" setting on either. Both are hooked up to DVD players and matched for 16 x 9 but I have the aspect ratio control on the TV & projector set on 4 x 3. This means that both switch automatically into the correct aspect ratio so that 4 x 3 comes up as 4 x 3 and 16 x 9 as 16 x 9 without me having to do anything. I know it sounds contrary but it works for me and I never have any problems. It may be that it is the so called "auto" setting that is contributing to the problem, plus what are often badly written and confusing instruction manuals. I noticed on Sunday that the projectionists re-set the projector to 16 x 9 after Letters From the Front came on wrong which may be why My Point of View was stretched. By the way, the Panasonic projector that was being used in the Abbey room is considered to be one of the best on the market.
Brian Saberton
Phil Martin
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Phil Martin »

I have just seen Michael Slowe’s post of 20 April. Like him I picked “Between” as the winner of the Daily Mail Cup, closely followed by “In the Grip of Khat”…until I watched “Rainbow Angel”. How can a film of this quality fail even to reach the final Panel?
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Howard-Smith
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Howard-Smith »

What do people think of my suggestion in an earlier message that on the Friday night of BIAFF there should be an alternative to the AV winners show available, for example a mini cinema showing a small number of the longer three and four star winning films? After all, BIAFF is a film festival, and to my mind AV presentations are not films!

Howard-Smith
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Dave Watterson
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

You have my vote!
- Dave
Brian Saberton
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Brian Saberton »

Speaking as someone with a foot in both camps (I make films and AV sequences) I like to see the AV's on the Friday night and I thought that this year the programme was particularly good with some excellent sequences. Obviously AV is a different descipline to film but I find that some subjects lend themselves more to the AV side than the movie side and vice versa which is why I enjoy doing both. Having said that I have no particular problem with an alternative film show on the Friday night though the net outcome would inevitably be a smaller audience in each case.
Brian Saberton
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Dave Watterson
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

Perhaps I was a bit too terse ...

I always feel sorry for the makers of long films. BIAFF is one of the few competitions which accepts them and yet when they are shown the audiences are tiny. People naturally prefer to hedge their bets by attending a cinema with several shorter films.

I do like the AV shows - this years was very good - but I also recognise that many people do not. By offering them the long films as an alternative, we may encourage a decent audience for those works and still leave plenty of people enjoying the AV show.

- Dave
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Willy
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Willy »

Dave Watterson wrote:Perhaps I was a bit too terse ...
People naturally prefer to hedge their bets by attending a cinema with several shorter films.

I do like the AV shows - this years was very good - but I also recognise that many people do not.
- Dave
Film or slides
This year I didn't attend BIAFF. So I don't know if the AV-show was good. However, I remember some previous ones. Each time I arrive in the late afternoon after a long trip (car-Brussels-ferry-Calais-Dover-car-Dover-Harrogate ...). On arrival some IAC-friends already encourage me to attend the AV-show. To be honest I am always too tired to watch the slide shows and I prefer to have a drink at the bar of the hotel or have a chat when sitting in an armchair.

There is a second reason. I always enjoy beautiful photographs or slides, but there is "no life" in them. It is art ! Please, do not misunderstand me ! I always appreciate the atmosphere and the emotion that is radiated. But I feel that making a photograph is not such a challenge.

Every year I attend the opening of a show organised by our local club of photographers. Most photographs are not photographs anymore. You can see that most pictures are "manipulated". I know we can also do this with film as well. But I guess that most filmmakers do not do that so often. Saying this may be very provocative. My apologies then, Brian and other AV-friends.

I already told you that I have the intention to stop making films. I have told you why. A good alternative would be making photographs. You don't need so much energy for it and it is not so nerve racking (see previous message). In a film there are 200-300 shots. Actually they are all photographs, but you can create some "schwung" in your film by moving with your camera. A photograph is too static. Please, "attack me" or even "kill me" if you do not agree with me." That is what a forum is for. Having (friendly !) discussions. I will be stabbed to the heart ! But I am ready to die for the passion of film.

Long films on Friday night
Yes, that would be a good idea. I have seen that there were some very long films in the winners' show this year. "Vicious Culture", winner of the Daily Mail Trophy, is a long one I thought. And so is "Letters from the Front". I have already seen this one. Maybe it is longer than half an hour. Ron Prosser calls it an "epic". Every year I make an "epic". But Ron's ... I enjoyed his "Letters from the Front" from the first till the last minute. Making such a film must be a "tour de force". Mind : this does not mean that long films deserve a better score ! Not having seen the diamond films I do not have the right to pass a judgment, but having seen "Letters from the Front" ... Wow ! The standard of the films must have been very high this year. Of course ... long diamond films cannot be shown on Friday night. But knowing that everybody prefers to see lots of short films on Saturday ... Long films will be more appreciated when they are not shown when preceded or followed by very short entertaining ones.
Willy Van der Linden
Brian Saberton
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Re: 2010 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION RESULTS

Post by Brian Saberton »

Willie makes an interesting point about the heavy manipulation of some still photographs these days, and it is something that is generating considerable debate in photographic clubs, with some competitions now adopting seperate categories for such images. I think what this all comes down to is that whatever you do, be it produce films, create audio visual sequences or work purely on creating still images it is all, in one way or another, a means of creative and artistic expression.

The advent of digital photography and availability of affordable editing software for AV has already blurred some of the distinctions between AV and film in the expressionistic and documentary genres, and it was interesting to see that the author of one of the AV's in the Friday evening show had attempted to tell a short story.

With digital SLR, and some compact cameras, increasingly having the facility to shoot HD video as well as stills it will be interesting to see what happens next and where all this will lead. (Hopefully more people making movies!) Either way, AV sequences employ music which all requires copyright clearance and I think that there is a big opportunity for the IAC to recruit new members via this route as it is very popular around camera clubs at the moment. The other aspect we need to consider is what kind of club will the enthusiast with a hybrid stills/movie camera join? I suspect it may be the camera club rather than the camcorder club that will win out here although I wonder if we'll eventually see hybrid clubs springing up to cater for both AV and film makers. It's something that I think the camcorder clubs will need to keep an eye on for the future.
Brian Saberton
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