How about an introduction?

[billyfromConsett]

It's still January the 1st of a New Year. Let's have an intro.

How about posting an introduction about yourself - new kid on the block, or old timers like me!

Here's mine :-

Hi Everyone
I'm Billy, born in Newcastle upon Tyne -Tyneside, in the North East of England. A diehard Toon fan for past sins - football.

I am looking forward to 2009 for amongst other things my new acquision in film-making any day now, a Sony HVR-Z5 camcorder. This replaces a VX2100 I have just introduced to ebay.

Not being a proper professional videographer, it's a learning curve at times with this modern kit, but I've just ordered Adobe CS4 Production Suite, and I will try to make some use of After Effects, as well as the others in there.

Being a critical care nurse, I don't film at work, but do so creatively away from work, and get kicks from entering competitions against anybody and everybody in the amateur scene. I've a few movies on youtube under my 'billyfromconsett' name.

So that's me, a 1960's baby, finding this board great.

If you post me, call me Billy. Up here it works.

[Dave Watterson]

I'm Dave Watterson - who has mucked about with film and video but made nothing worth showing at a competition ... yet!

As I grew up in a small Scottish village a friend's father gave me his old copies of Amateur Photographer magazine and though I enjoyed the articles about still photography and A-V it was their movie notes which interested me more. Inspired by those articles I joined IAC in my student years

I was a teacher for a few years but my main leisure interest was commercial movies, especially art-house ones. I was closely involved with the British Federation of Film Societies (film appreciation groups) and became their full-time General Secretary for a decade. At that time I was invited to help judge for both IAC and the Moviemaker Ten Best. After that I was regularly asked to be a judge at club, regional and national level.

I became a freelance technical author working in the computer and IT world. I also got more involved in IAC and judging ... eventually joining IAC Council for three years and doing film jury work in various European countries. I took over the IAC website when its founder, Mike Donlan, resigned. I built it up and handed it on to Atta Chui who did a super re-design. Now my wife, Jan, is webmaster and I am called upon to help now and again.

I have kept involved with website work and am currently developing the AMPS website (http://www.ampsvideo.com).

Dave

[Willy]

I'm Dave Watterson - who has mucked about with film and video but made nothing worth showing at a competition ... yet!
Dave

Peter Paul Rubens died in Antwerp in 1640, but I was born there on St. Patrick's Day in 1946. It was baby boom time. My daddy had fought in World War II and he still had some minution left ...

Just like Billy I a a football fan. Newcastle ? No, yes ... only when our Belgian player Philippe Albert was the best defender of the magpie team. Thanks to Prince Albert Newcastle was one of the best teams in the world. In fact I am a Manchester United fan. I still remember the air crash in Munich in 1955. My sympathy for the Mat Busby Babes started at that time.

Perhaps you know that I used to be a teacher and a free lance journalist. My favourite subjects are/were English, Dutch and history. I became a politician. Some people thought that I was born to become a Minister or Member of Parliament just like my predecessors, but I didn't have a hide like a rhinoceros. I was too weak. I escaped politics and became an educational adviser at the European School in Brussels. I was in my element. I felt like a fish in clear water.

About 30 years ago I wrote texts for films made by Florent Van Opstal, the one who won a diamond award with his nature film "The Insect Man". I was also his narrator. One day Florent hung a piece of fatty bacon on a tree in my garden, this to attract blue tits. But suddenly he dropped me because he had found a better voice for his films. He was right. Hundreds of blue tits and other colourful songbirds visited my garden, but the filmmaker himself stayed away.

More and more filmmakers asked me to write and read texts for their documentaries. Maybe because I was very cheap. I didn't ask money for it.

About 20 years ago I bought my first camera. I remember it was a canon 8 mm. I went to Cornwall and made my first film. I love Britain, but my favourite country is Scotland. I read stories about Bonnie Prince Charles and the Butcher of Cumberland. At that time my favourite button on my camera was the one to zoom in and to zoom out. Magical ! Wonderful ! ... No, it was awful ! I enjoyed my own film, but the judges did not. They were right. The following year I went to the Scilly Isles. My film was already much better.

In 1998 I made a film called "Land of Hope and Glory". The end of this documentary was the Open Air Concert in Leeds Castle. That was a film to win the "Daily Mail Trophy" with, I thought ! I received a gold seal award. Stupid of me .... the narration was still in Dutch ... otherwise (nonsense, of course). But I will never forget that morning when my film was shown at the Buxton Hotel. The audience started to sing "Land of Hope and Glory". That was a glorious moment. From then onwards I translated and subtitled my films.

I did not only make documentaries, but also one minute movies and fiction films. In a few year I will be 65. Time to retire. Making dramatized documentaries and travelogues is very demanding. That is for people who are more energetic than I am. Physically, I mean. In fact I am very lzazy. Maybe after Guernsey, the Belgian Ardennes and the Yorkshire Dales I will put away my camera and enjoy films as a judge at local, regional and other festivals. I would like to judge Dave Watterson's films in the future !

[henry]

Billy

I hope that you are a member of the RCN and even an activist.

[billyfromConsett]

Billy

I hope that you are a member of the RCN and even an activist.

I greatly respect the RCN- how many other organisations can get 1000's of people to give them stacks of their hard-earned money every month, then give nothing in return.

I wish people would send me their cash every month for zip all.

[stingman]

My film/video/tv/tape/audio, basicly everything to do with this sort of stuff started when I was seven years old. My grandad gave me a tape recorder, and i used to audiotape EVERYTHING! But i mostly liked to tape the radio and tv theme tunes! As i got older the first betamax recorders came on sale and i dreamed of owning one and just thought how cleaver they were and magical!

In 1986, I got my own seperate videocamera and recorder (joined by a wire) i had two of these before I got my Panasonic M10! This looked sexy took full size vhs, and gave extreamly good stereo audio which I havn`t heard and seen on any camera upto this point. This was brought with a bank loan and i payed for this by doing weddings etc.

6 years ago I joined my local videoclub and won my first competition with my first ever film. That year and the next year I won my clubs videomaker of the year (most points for wins etc)
This was all done because I made people laugh and my films were totally different to theirs.

I was my club secretery for 6 months (long story, for which I havn`t recovered!) and I was THIS FORUMS moderator for so long.

I enjoy making films but I like to be different. I get my ideas from watching films and alot of TV! While i watch, i look for ways on how they did certain shots and things. I look at continuaty and how I COULD inproove THIER film or tv show (How I would have done it!

Thats me, the clown on here who gets into trouble with EVERYONE... but I still love you all!

Goodnight and Godbless....................

Ian (Stingman) Gardner

[Pqtrick]

Taking up Billy's challenge, I'll pitch in from this far flung corner of Sarko's France. I am originally from Nuneaton - who has heard of Nuneaton? Birthplace of Ken Loach, George Eliot and Larry Grayson - what an act to follow! - I now live in Villeurbanne which is part of the Lyon conurbation in France.

My first documentary film was made on super8 in 1978, so that dates me. Although I did not join, what was then Nuneaton Cine Circle until some years later. I still remain an overseas member of Nuneaton Moviemakers.

I have joined a moviemaking group here in Lyon called Cineal. It is a challenge with the language and my wife Christine, who is French, comes as along as well to aid and abet my efforts. Documentaries with a cause are my forte, but I have also attempted a couple of dramatic shorts while still in the UK. My first editing device was an Avio which I will not deride as it gave me that leg up in the days of S-VHS. I had always used a computer for working as a designer using AutoCAD, so moving onto Premier was a natural progression.

I can't see my self upgrading my camera -yet- It is a Panasonic DVC-30E which I find and excellent bit of kit.

What of 2009? I have many ideas; Lyon is the birthplace of the cinema, silk weaving, and many old and historic buildings. It is situated on three rivers, le Rhone, la Soane and le Beaujolais. So there is much here to fire ones imagination.

It is a question of just letting the ambience wash over you and see what I can conjure up. We are planning to come over to BIAFF this year, so we can add more faces to names. BONNE ANNEE 2009

[Brian Saberton]

This really dates me, but I bought my first cine camera, a Kodak Standard 8mm Brownie, in 1965 not long after I started working. Since then I've worked my way through Super 8, Super 8 Single system sound, Hi8 video and now digital mini DV. However! My interest in movies is more from an artistic than a technical point of view as I believe that what really counts is what appears on the screen in terms of story, content, structure etc. rather than what equipment was used. I have a life long interest in the Cinema and am also a keen film collector with interests ranging from the silent era through classic Hollywood movies to modern blockbusters, animation and good foreign language films such as "The Lives of Others". I'm a member of the IAC, the Scottish Association of Movemakers and XDL Films. I was a member of Dalziel (pronounced DL) Camcorder Club for many years until it folded in 2008. My own films tend to be in the documentary/holiday genre but I've been involved in producing many fiction films with Dalziel, and now XDL, and enjoy writing scripts. I firmly believe that the way to get the most out of amateur film making is to get involved, attend festivals if possible and see plenty of other peoples films.

[ned c]

1968 gave up smoking and bought a Quarz 5 Russian Standard 8 camera. Cost of Kodachrome eliminated any chance of smoking again. Made a film at work and then the Company bought 16 mm Beaulieu, Nagra 3 and box of lights. Worked with an extremely creative and frequently drunk Irishman, he wrote and directed I shot and edited, made connection with Samulesons moved up to Arri 16BL. Joined Epping Forest Cine club, great fun as they had four "film units" within the club (we were Gamma Group), made lots of 8 mm and Super 8mm films. Traded in the Quarz for a Beaulieu 4008. Went to summer film school at Salford University, learnt a lot, more fun. Video arrived, U-matic, Beta SP, three machine edits, nightmare scenario. Digital world emerged, glad I lived this long, having fun again. Have always loved the n-c world where freedom rules, member AMPS and the IAC, huge admiration for both.

ned c

[Suziedave]

Hi Introduction It is

My name is Suzie, married to Dave, Both Retired,(Early) We are renovating the house next to the one we live in in the hope of joining them together one day. ( started to film it but keep forgetting - lots of stills tho that I can insert)

I have been a member of a Movie making club since I was 3yrs of age, (48yrs ago) Starting As a family member, leading to my own Cine camera at the age of 18yrs, On digital mini dv now. Won quite a few comps in our own club, and one IAC Blue Seal award, not Edited many movies recently, House takes up a lot of time, but newyear resolution was to complete at least one this year.

My ambition is to be as good a film maker as my Late Father. (who would have been fascinated by Lap top Editing, His editing took up a whole bedroom).

Lost track of how long ago I joined the IAC, but try to attend all the Regional Meetings & Events.

[billyfromConsett]

The intros are great people. It's like getting news from our extended family. And Suzie, I hope that you knock out a little something soon to keep your film-making alive. If you will make a movie that can stand alongside of one of your dad's, you've gotta make at least one a year. Good luck with your house plans.

Billy

[fraught]

Ok... my turn.

Born in Bethnal Green, London, moved down to Basingstoke when i was 3. Been here ever since.

I started making films from roughly the age of 6. My Dad used to show me his Cine films, but it was the one he called Fairies that caught my imagination. I persuaded my dad to buy some film and we made our own Stop Motion effort called 'Monsters on Earth' which starred my Star Wars figures.

From then on i was hooked, making around another 20 Silent Super8 Cine films with my friends and my Dad's Camera. The Cine era ended for me in 1986 when i made my first 400ft effort called 'Alien III' as a school project. My school then trusted me to borrow the their video camera. The video age was born.

It took me ages to get used to now having to write a script as well as a story... an issue i still suffer with to this day!

After a couple of year of using the School Camera, i then decided to buy my own. Obviously my pocket money couldn't stretch, so me and my Dad broke our piggy banks and bought our first video camera... the Sony CCD V7 8Afe... and it was a beauty.

So in the Summer of 1988 Fraught Productions was born, I also joined the IAC in the same year.

I made a high volume of films over the next 5-6 years, winning a number of Bronze & Silver Seal Awards at the IAC's London International Film & Video Festivals. I also contributed to the Youth column of Amateur Film & Video Maker.

I went on to study TV & Video production at Farnborough Tech College, and then went on to do some work for a Video company. It was great experience, but the industry was in a low at the time and i ended up being made redundant.

I worked in the RAF as a civilian Photographer for a short period (which fired my other hobby of Photography). I finally got an office job, just to keep my head above water... and thus began my office based meteoric rise to the wonderful world of IT via Farm & Asset Finance!

In 1996 i completed the film 'The Book of Joshua', which was a reasonably well received film, and it won a Silver Seal award. Sadly, and annoyingly, no film festival would show it. This kind of ended the Fraught Productions film machine... we were all dissolussioned and angry. My friends whom i made all the films with gave up and went their own ways.

I didn't make another Fraught Productions film until 2005. I bought myself a new MiniDV camera as well as some editing software for my PC. I began to re-edit some of my old films in the hope of improving them using the new power of the PC. I also edited the footage i had shot whilst trekking in Nepal, and turned it into the film 'Namaste'.

Since then, i've done a lot of re-editing of my old films. My favourite being the re-edit of Hellbent : A Hellraiser Chronicle, which has since been shown at a Film Festival in New York.

My last film Overtime has been a bit of a whirl wind, and has given me access to people i would never have met before. All i can say is Overtime 2 is going to be better than the first! And that is where i'm at now.

[henry]

Me now

I didn't start making films until 1999, and this was by a complete accident. In 1951 I was a cadet nurse at All Saints Hospital Chatham ( the town were I was born). In 1953 I did my general training at the Royal Tunbridge School of Nursing and completed my national service. In 1961 I returned to the ward where I had been a cadet as the Senior Charge Nurse.
I had a great love for the hospital

All Saints hospital started life as a workhouse and had a very interesting history it is said that Dickens was in the old workhouse refrectory and saw the orphans being fed hence Oliver Twist. When I was cadet nurse in 1951 as I went on duty the Tramps were leaving the old workhouse where they had spent the night!.In 1998 the hospital was hall marked for closure and redevelopement.

I wrote to the CEO asking if I could have access to the archives as I wanted to write a book about the hospital. He invited me to join as small group who were making a film of the history of the hospitals of the Medway Towns. They bought me a panasonic digital camera and asked me to interview members of staff from five decades.
I soon learned that pointing and recording was boring,and devised my own methods of interviewing. I also filmed the moving of the midwifery department and the Special Care Baby unit from the old hospital to the new, as I was now a trained midwife and Health Visitor it was deemed ok for me to film.

Part of the DVD was filming scenes from the Board of Governers of the Old workhouse records and a group of local actors from the local Dickens society were drafted in and I directed and filmed the sequences. Two of the actors Alan and Gwen Whippy ( who may be known to some of you) told me about Medway Camcorder Club ( now Medway Film Makers) I went along to a meeting and the rest is as they say history based on a set of coincidences. I have completed my own film that follows the hospital through its demolition and rebuilding as a housing estate, However the old Board of Guardians boardroom, in a beautifully constructed building with the crest of hop vines and the Invicta Horse of Kent remains,its oak paneled splendour now houses the community Health Visitors so it still delivers healthcare in the 21 st Century.

[Willy]

Me now

Two of the actors Alan and Gwen Whippy ( who may be known to some of you) told me about Medway Camcorder Club ( now Medway Film Makers) I went along to a meeting and the rest is as they say history based on a set of coincidences. .

Interesting story, Henry. About twelve years ago I made a film called "Land of Hope and Glory". I filmed the Dickens Parade for it in Rochester and guess who appeared in front of my camera ? Yes, Alan and Gwen Whippy in their costumes. Five, six, seven years later I recognized our two friends at BIAFF in Chesterfield of Bedford. I also made a film about Charles Dickens together with my Belgian friend Tony Jacobs. In Rochester we met a few members of the Dickens Society and they were willing to be actors in our film. Also a set of coincdences, aren't they, Henry ? I remember that once a British judge told me that he had strange feelings seeing a film about Dickens but made by foreigners. Of course Dickens is a universal author. As I was a student at a Training College to become a teacher I studied the life of Charles Dickens and now I know the County of Kent very well. The Garden of England is beautiful !

[henry]

Willy Kent is truely beautiful, I live in the east coast of Kent on the Isle of Thanet some of the most beautiful beaches of Thanet are at the bottom of my garden. I will at our meeting on Thursday next mention you to Alan and Gwen. My journey to club is 104 miles round trip but its worth the journey