IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

One of my pet hates in our hobby are those endless prize-giving photos on websites, in newsletters or magazines. One identikit balding bloke hands a trophy to a similar identikit balding bloke. Just occasionally a woman will appear as giver or receiver. But the images are always dull, dull, dull.

Of course the winners of our competitions deserve to be applauded and recognised for their success, but a handshake at the front of the room is not much of a celebration and a photo of it is uninteresting to 99% of viewers.

At this time of year I watch many of the televised award programmes and wish we could do so well as they do. A genial host warms up the audience with a few jokes. They usually show a clip from each of the films in contention, then announce the winner and bring the film maker to a stage where everyone can see her or him. They allow the winner a chance to say a few words to everyone, then on to the next prize.

The formula is simple: whay can we not do likewise at a club, at a regional event and certainly at BIAFF?

I do not know what special plans CEMRIAC may have for this year, but usually we are in that vast, flat hall in the Chesterfield Hotel. Anyone half way back or more can scarcely see the heads of the winners as they are called forward. (A couple of regions have used video to show close-ups of the presentation on screen, which helps.) It has been many years since we invited winners to speak.

The whole feeling is "Let's head off home now..." rather than "Let's cheer the best of our peers."

Oh I so agree! I absolutely loathe and detest those posed-for photos of awards being handed over - and have refused point blank to use/include such photos when doing Southern Script. I am sure it is not beyond the wit of a photographer to at LEAST come up with a different pose to that of the inevitable handshake as trophy/certificate are passed from important person to winner. The only people interested in such photos are the awards winners themselves - and even then, so what! If it were the Queen handing over the prize, or Spelberg, one might be able to say - look who gave it to me ... but otherwise. Even worse, when on the (very) odd occasions I have been the (proud) recipient of something, I find I am forced to stand there grinning sheepishly while the photographer has the difficult task of framing the picture and pressing the button. If I pull a face at the crucial moment (which I am prone to do out of hatred for this type of photo) then I have to suffer the whole sequence again, so even that divertisement is out.

I think one photo - all the prizewinners holding their trophies etc - should be enough for any club/festival to have to sit through. But the endless sitting and watching as grinning winners receive their undoubtedly well-earned rewards is a punishment which shouldn't be part of the proceedings. At BIAFF, the films have just been seen (during the day) in most instances and so showing excerpts at the 'rewarding point' isn't really warranted. Yes - winners should be allowed to go up and collect their trophy to a round of applause and sighs of admiration at such talent - and sit down. Afterwards - take the photo of them all maybe.

I thought I was totally alone in thinking all this ... judging from the perpetual, non-stop string of hand-me-the-trophy photos in club magazines everywhere.

Two against the world Dave.

Unless ... ???

Methinks that you have thrown down the gauntlet

Lets hope that it works and the prizegiving is going to be a celebration.

You know what I mean, I'd like to thank Tom the inspiration of the story, my partner for all their support and endless cups of very strong tea, Panasonic for producing a great camcorder with all the gizmos, Adobe for giving me wrinkles with years of crashing programmes, Microsoft for producing an operating system that a schoolkid can screw up, my club for all their activities and help in making this movie such a success, it is not my success it is aso theirs, for their tireless work in helping iron out the flaws in the screenplay, especially to Dick for producing the excellent storyboard and also to Harry......sob.......I'm getting quite emotional now....I have never won anything before..............(choke, cough) for his lighting, to Ted for opening and closing our hall and setting up all the gear whilst everyone else legs it home as soon as we have finished and also thanks to the IAC for staging and producing such an excellent competition and also a big thanks to XXXXXX region for all their hard work in hosting, and also to Mary in the hotel for cleaning up our room after the slight accident with the bowl of hot chilli. Thank you to the judges for getting the choice of winners right.....oh sorry should I be blowing my own trumpet....................[10 minutes later] thank you all.

That said my pet hate is the mag write up article on BIAFF and the endless listing and pages and pages of results and images........come on its the 21st centuray and all that information is on the web site why do we have to have it in the mag as well?

Good luck with the campaign!!!!!!

In reality I think that you have as much chance as changing the system as the Pope resigning

I wish we had a "like" button, Col.

... on the other hand, Col's tongue in cheek vision of the endless ' ... and thanks to the midwife who helped deliver me....' speeches makes me want to take up my favourite fence-sitting position. I like neither approach, but have to admit, the regimental photo-shoot can be over quicker.

I have to tell you, the grass isn't very green on either side of the fence. Remove the grass altogether. Or sod it.

Again I find myself at one with Mike. When I read Dave's initial post my thought was "nooooooooo!" It's bad enough for the audience sitting through endless handshakes and photos without adding to that endless speeches by people who don't know how to speak in public, so wonderfully lampooned by Col.

If only two or there prizes are to be awarded, then maybe, just maybe it would be possible to to have the celebration of achievement that Dave suggests but the sinple fact is that most prizegivings are for at least a dozen trophies/certificates/medals, if only to ensure enough "bums on seats".

I'm tempted to say let's cut the grass.

On the other hand, it is all very well for those of us on here, most of whom, let's face it, have won several awards even if only at club level, to moan about the endlesss photos, but what about the people who might win only one or two awards in their lifetime? Are they to be denied their one photo in a regional newsletter? Arguably their "moment of fame" should be celebrated and publicised moreso than the "regulars".

This is hardly an erudite, revealing or technically educational thread but I must endorse the thoughts of all who have played this game. It's not, it seems, two against the world, but all film makers against the 'organisers'! Having been lucky enough to have faced the cameras on quite a few occasions I always find it embarrassing and awkward, trying to hold a smile and attempting to disguise a feeling of smugness. Pity the poor audience, either waiting for the next film, their tea or a rapidly darkening motorway. Mind you, 35 years ago I did have the opportunity of kissing Joan Collins on the stage of the NFT, that wasn't too bad, and there were cameras. Mind you, the next year it was Michael Winner, no kisses then!

Michael Slowe wrote: the next year it was Michael Winner,

Now that is a photo I would like to see in a regional newsletter!

Yes, me too, I prefer young lads and ladies in photographs. But I also like Joan Collins, Mike. I hate standing in the spotlights and saying "cheese" until my cheeks start to hurt. Last week a picture of me (plaster on my right leg included) appeared in a local newspaper. "At home you always have a smile on your face", my wife said (joking). "Why not in that photograph?" I think we are all vain creatures, but that feeling of vanity disappears after some years.

But I must admit. When seeing pictures of UK-friends in a magazine I always get a good feeling even if I think "(s)he is growing old" (just like me). In our national magazine you don't see any pictures of prize winning ceremonies. Most of them are ingenious pictures taken by photographers who are members of photographic clubs that also come under our national umbrella organisation.

About awards: Yesterday there was a ceremony at our club. A challenge cup was given and all partipants who were there received a "cruzer glide USB flash drive 8 GB Sandisk stick" afterwards. "You can add your next film on it", the chairman said. Good idea, isn't it? Last week I received a "data traveler 102 Kingston USB stick" in my second club. On it the discussion of the judges about my film behind closed doors at the local competition. Very interesting. Maybe also a good idea for BIAFF. No written comments anymore...! (I should have added this idea to the other thread I think).
All filmmakers who attend BIAFF receive a USB-IAC-stick. But, ... I sometimes forget that the IAC is a charitable institution which is not subsidized. Forgive me.

Oooooo you are so going to hate me I personally hate the things....yes of course its nice to have your work recognised and also to win,

I often stand on a podium when i complete a floor, I 1st thank the labourer who carried the bags of latex in and did a fantastic job mixing the liquid,
I then give acknowledgement to the sweeper upper for his great work .....

I know its a big thing in the film world, and i can see how many enjoy the lime light... but for me, if i won a competition , I would be more than happy to receive a certificate through the post
and on many occasions the real people who make the real difference only get mentioned as crew

I once had a very very famous singer /film star say to me ..."Do you know who i am " ? my reply was No ! why! do you know who I am .. Mr Phillip Collins was not impressed

I love making films and filming..i hate the razzmatazz

just my thoughts though.... as i have said so many times before..everyone should do what they enjoy

john

When I was working I used to have to attend an awards ceremony (nothing to do with films) and what they did was announce the respective winners who then went onto the platform to receive their award and have a photo taken. They weren't required to speak to the audience, but their walk to the platform and the presentation was accompanied by music and covered by video cameras with the images projected onto a big screen. Some years ago we tried something similar at my club when we were hosting a SAM event and it worked pretty well. I don't think that speeches of thanks are necessary or desirable but a little bit of of showbiz to enhance a prize giving occasion might not be a bad thing.

I like watching the film maker go up to receive his or her certificate. I'm pleased to be able to put a face to the name of the maker of the wonderful film I have just watched. I have no problem with him or her being photographed. Indeed I like to look at them later if I can. My sadness is that mostly they don't even bother to attend the awards ceremony at BIAFF.
Jill

Jill, you make a very good point about putting a face to a name. Perhaps newsletters/magazines/websites would do better to print mug shots where we can actually make out the face rather than wide shots of people shaking hands with various presidents/chairmen etc (whose mug shots are no doubt seen elsewhere in the publication).

Whilst I have some sympathy with the view that people should attend BIAFF to receive their awards, we are not all in a position of being retired and/or having another half who is interested at all in this hobby. I would dearly like to spend a weekend every year amongst film making friends watching their work, but - quite apart from the fact that we'd have to make arrangements for looking after our school age daughter (which would include two school days as well, remember) - my wife would quite rightly insist that if we're going to have a weekend away together - we do exactly that - have it together, not in darkened rooms watching films that she has only the mildest interest in.

So, if people don't attend BIAFF, please don't assume it's always because they can't be bothered.

I do understand the problem of one's other (better?) half not wanting to attend film festivals, I'm in that position. However, we spend a great deal of time and effort in making the films and if they do well that time surely can be extended to attending a 'Premiere', or, even a prizegiving? There have to be exceptions though. Two years ago I was lucky enough to win a major award but the Sunday coincided with our 50th wedding anniversary. Even I had to bow to that one!

Enjoyed reading the comments in this thread:

a few years ago at N.W. fest we started taking one photo of all the Award Winners, this saves precious time and that time can be made better use of by allowing an extra film to be shown at the festival. (personally I would love to be the one up there receiving that award:....one day.... Maybe).

With regard to "the better half" My hubby has his own hobbies and is not interested in Film Making, although he likes to watch my movies & point out faults (constructive comments, from an audience point of view), he wouldn't come to a festival. However he would never stop me from going, and as last year, we booked a cottage and turned BIAFF into a holiday location.


Suzie x