IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

I suspect Dave is enjoying being a little provocative here but I know what he means. I cringe sometimes when I see the most elaborate logo and opening titles that I know won't be appropriate to the film that follows. Generally I suspect this merely (unfairly?) from the name of the producer but Sting...

Willy, I tend to agree with Peter on this one, it would be a boring film. I am always seeking new documentary subjects and I find that you have to take great care to get something different and, if possible, eccentric! Audiences get bored very easily and following a student round Cambridge would bor...

I am baffled by Thurso's last post. Why on earth is it necessary to get permission to film or photograph in the Scottish towns he mentions? Do the press get such permission? Do the press have any problem when they photograph people without their permission (indeed often ignoring requests to desist).

I have not read the forum for a while and all sorts of odd things have been written! Firstly Tom, if tape formats (digital) are all the same quality why did Sony go to the trouble with DVCAM and why did I struggle all those years with a damn great heavy DSR 300? I know the information is the same bu...

I have just remembered that I was 'arrested' by police way back in about 1965 on Wormwood Scrubs at night! I wanted a shot of the perimiter wall and lights for a film about a fraudster going to prison and escaping and it was just after the real life escape of the spy Blake. I protested that I had re...

Peter, you make a joke (I hope!) but recently I heard of a filmmaker getting pulled up by the Police for filming ladies (don't know if young or old) in Trafalgar Square. Apparently they accused him of 'voyeurism'. Any legal beavor amongst us who knows the law on this? They told him it was in new leg...

As I look for interesting documentary subjects I have been to some difficult places to access. I spent nine months (a few days each week) inside Arsenal Football Stadium (Highbury) having access to all parts and then a night club in London's Leicester Square at one o'clock in the morning for "M...

Since we got very much off topic I have opened a new one but merely to say that I never mentioned archiving to DVD, heaven forbid. I archive finished productions firstly to HDCAM (or DVCPRO) in uncompressed HD Tape. I also make DVCAM copies and Mini DV for showing apart from the DVD's that I use if ...

Firstly let me support all those who don't want to go to the trouble of changing cameras. Many of the best films I have seen over the years were shot on the simplest kit, once again stupid, IT'S THE FILM MAKER NOT THE KIT. I merely answered the question about my ideal camera from what's currently po...

I agree that there are issues with the new XDCAM system but there will be plenty of options for storing your raw camera material. Personally, when I have finished a film I don't keep the camera originals anyway, I only keep master tapes (HD as well as DVCAM) of the final production. My point about t...

Whilst repeating Ned's worthwhile reminder that it's the film and filmmaker that makes the difference I would warn everyone not to make any purchase until they review the new Sony trend to tapeless (solid state Express card) cameras. They have had the big expensive (£15,000) disc recording XDCAM HD ...

Ian, that must be rubbish! All the filter does is reduce the light coming in so you can open up the iris and control the exposure, they are used universally in all photography. I have never noticed any picture degradation in HD, indeed it generally improves it because you are using the best section ...

I joined in about 1973 for the same reasons as others have stated plus the fact that at the time they ran the second most important film competition. I think that the Ten Best was probably the main one because of its international appeal and better publicity for the winners (National Film Theatre, T...

Although the LCD screens are improving all the time (especially when viewing HD) I still prefer the Plasma screens. They seem to give a far warmer more natural image, as Dave says, but of course they are more expensive and probably have a shorter life span. Yesterday I was in someone's 'home cinema'...

Willy, I disagree with your position on amateur / professional. We might be 'hobbyists' as you put it but that doesn't mean we shouldn't aspire to being as good as the pros (or better if we are particularly inspired by a subject). I have always welcomed the presence of film school students (yes and ...