THE (HISTORIC) ART OF FILM + COMPS. FESTIVALS &C

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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Lee Prescott
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Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2010 9:20 pm

THE (HISTORIC) ART OF FILM + COMPS. FESTIVALS &C

Post by Lee Prescott »

8)

Hi Alls,

I have just had a think (or was it a thunk!)? It seems to me these days that quite a number of folks are having their "ancient" Std.8mm and S8mm. 16mm. cine films transferred to Digital formats! So..... my thoughts have turned to these 'cos I (very) quite successfully transferred a movie from 1963 which has now been seen by many in UK and abroad including none film makers. Result was that they all thought it quite good -
as a film too!

As far as I can find out none of the comps. or festivals accept entries of what is possibly "ancient" vintage". Most I observe have a requirement of from around 2 to 8 years
"old"! So.....OK BUT -

Why not have a "category" or whatever you like to call it in Comps. and Festivals just
for these???? Knowing the expertise of a great many of our IAC members and no doubt others, I think that the take up could be quite good and also, perhaps importantly, with the chance to re edit and re do the sound in PP much of "historic" interest would again see the "light of day"! After all, one of the great things about film making - of all sorts - is the record of times past!

Lee. (Ex Cotswold International). :P
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FILM THURSO
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Location: Thurso
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Re: THE (HISTORIC) ART OF FILM + COMPS. FESTIVALS &C

Post by FILM THURSO »

The Thorsaa Film Festival is like many others, looking for newer material but I can see the point here. I have always advocated the continued use of 'old' film where approriate. Our studio uses lots of old things for the purposes of film production and presentation and part of our local topical work is with old films. We have never as such shown an old narrative picture, just home-movie footage edited into a topical feature. We have one in works at the moment. We also have an old 1920s silent movie which is in early stages of restoration for re-release. It was a professionally made film but we've never been given amateur narrative films before. If we ever get one we would certainly look at preparing it for screening.
In our own work we have early VHS recordings of locally produced plays and have some tentative plans for restoration and new screenings.
It would certainly be worth festivals including a section for old films but why not start a festival specifically for old films in the same way as classic mainstream films.
It's an odd thing that many amateurs want their work to survive and be remembered but they do nothing to preserve and re show their works. Some years ago we made a short film on super 8 and it was then completed using video editing from single ccd transfer. The results were reasonably good but technology has advanced and the potential to get a better version of our film exists so we will be re-capturing all the original picture and sound elements for a restoration. It is definately worth the effort to review your old films to see if there is any way in which your current film making fasilities can bring more out of your original work. Restored films get re-release to cinemas and in the same way a restored amateur film should be eligable for entry to competitions and festivals because they are the result of new work having been done to make them.
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