SHOWING YOUR MOVIES

[Ken Wilson]

Coincidentaly, this forum has recently been discussing how to get your films
seen by an audience. It so happened that a couple of weeks ago PHASE 4 had
our second "open" premiere night and we had a full house. The premiere nights
have always existed, but used to involve only the handfull of people involved
in the making of the latest film. With the expansion of the group, involving
lots of local theatre actors, it obviously meant that if we had a premiere
night we would need a venue other than our lounge. So in 2001, we hired the
mini cinema of our local video/cine group. (We are not members of their club.)
This was just for the actual film-makers and actors. Last year I decided
to open it out to local video clubs and family and friends of those involved.
We had 49 attend this event. A buffet was included as well as wine and soft
drinks. We had to make a small charge for this to cover costs. The event
was so successful that we did it again on Saturday 18th Oct. This time we
had a full house of 60. We had most of the actors, plus their friends and
some family members.
Involving actors will get you your audience and as theatre groups tend to
have many younger people within their ranks, you also get your films seen
by those who would not normally dream of coming to an "amateur" film show.
Sadly, programmes such as "You`ve Been Framed" give the general public a
bad image of what we do. I have found that once people are persuaded to come
and see the films, they are surprised by what they see and tell us they will
come again next time.
Our audience has therefore been built up and expanded. Problem is, we are
now at capacity at the present venue, so do we stick with that or try to
expand? Expansion means increased costs and more work for the few who are
willing to help.
However, this is one idea to get your movies seen. Difficult I know for documentary
film makers and even more so for Albert with his animations. Perhaps he could
ask a whole tin of paper clips to his show?
As mentioned before on this forum, a film is seen by more people generally,
when it is more successful. Also if you travel around to groups/ clubs giving
shows as we do. Yes there may only be 20 or 30 people at the show, but over
time this adds up to a few hundred.
I recently worked our that one of last years films has been seen by about
1000 people so far.
Another idea; why don`t the writers on this forum organise a festival???
The distance between us would seem to be the biggest obstacle to this idea,
but any comments?
Ken.

[AN]

"Ken Wilson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

I recently worked our that one of last years films has been seen by about
1000 people so far.

But if we could persuade TV companies to take an interest???...I was going
to say,
"more interest" but that assumes they have some interest to start with, which
they don't! If we could, then that 1000 of yours, which must have been
reached painfully,
50 here, 20 there etc etc, then that 1000 would shoot up to 100,000s even
if the films were given a very late night TV slot sandwiched, as they would
be, between the pornography, which seems to permeate late night TV these
days.

But HOW to persuade TV to take on board our films? No doubt there would
be union problems from equity and the tech unions too. Maybe we could organise
one of our best films from each of us and send it to all the TV execs....bombard
them with excellence!!

Another idea; why don`t the writers on this forum organise a festival???

Again Ken, that would be another small peanut...unless you have the Odeon
Leicester Sq in mind as the venue!!

The distance between us would seem to be the biggest obstacle to this idea,
but any comments?
Ken.

Yes, as example, Brian is down south, Mal is up north, Dave is way out west,
(well he always was 'way out' ! , and I'm just piggy in the middle.


Albert...a bit of a pig.

[Michael Slowe]

"Ken Wilson" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Coincidentaly, this forum has recently been discussing how to get your films
seen by an audience. It so happened that a couple of weeks ago PHASE 4 had
our second "open" premiere night and we had a full house. The premiere nights
have always existed, but used to involve only the handfull of people involved
in the making of the latest film. With the expansion of the group, involving
lots of local theatre actors, it obviously meant that if we had a premiere
night we would need a venue other than our lounge. So in 2001, we hired
the
mini cinema of our local video/cine group. (We are not members of their
club.)
This was just for the actual film-makers and actors. Last year I decided
to open it out to local video clubs and family and friends of those involved.
We had 49 attend this event. A buffet was included as well as wine and soft
drinks. We had to make a small charge for this to cover costs. The event
was so successful that we did it again on Saturday 18th Oct. This time we
had a full house of 60. We had most of the actors, plus their friends and
some family members.
Involving actors will get you your audience and as theatre groups tend to
have many younger people within their ranks, you also get your films seen
by those who would not normally dream of coming to an "amateur" film show.
Sadly, programmes such as "You`ve Been Framed" give the general public a
bad image of what we do. I have found that once people are persuaded to
come
and see the films, they are surprised by what they see and tell us they
will
come again next time.
Our audience has therefore been built up and expanded. Problem is, we are
now at capacity at the present venue, so do we stick with that or try to
expand? Expansion means increased costs and more work for the few who are
willing to help.
However, this is one idea to get your movies seen. Difficult I know for
documentary
film makers and even more so for Albert with his animations. Perhaps he
could
ask a whole tin of paper clips to his show?
As mentioned before on this forum, a film is seen by more people generally,
when it is more successful. Also if you travel around to groups/ clubs giving
shows as we do. Yes there may only be 20 or 30 people at the show, but over
time this adds up to a few hundred.
I recently worked our that one of last years films has been seen by about
1000 people so far.
Another idea; why don`t the writers on this forum organise a festival???
The distance between us would seem to be the biggest obstacle to this idea,
but any comments?
Ken.

Ken, you certainly are on the right track. I have used "mini" cinemas myself
in the past and the film which I have been asked to direct early next year
for a club will almost certainly "premier" in a local cinema since that was
one of the conditions attached to the script competition which provided our
script. The cinema was one of the promoters of the competition.

On a personal note I have just finished a film on an arts related subject
and have been inundated by requests for copies by those that have either
seen or been told of it. The pity is that the copies have to be on dreadful
VHS since DVD"s are still not readily accepted. Roll on the day when they
are standard practice.

Audiences are, as has been pointed out, small for individual projections,
but as Ken points out it all adds up.

Now TV would be a different matter altogether, maybe Albert's reference to
pornography will encourage some enterprising soul to produce a real eye opener!!
I am connected with some senior TV execs. I will float the idea of amateur
films and test the re action.

Michael Slowe.

[AN]

"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:

I am connected with some senior TV execs. I will float the idea of amateur
films and test the re action.

The re action will be, "Is there any?" and the reaction
will be a great frown!!
Albert.....a chemical reaction.

[Ned C]

But if we could persuade TV companies to take an interest???...I was going
to say, "more interest" but that assumes they have some interest to start
with, which
they don't! if the films were given a very late night TV slot sandwiched,
as they would
be, between the pornography, which seems to permeate late night TV these
days. But HOW to persuade TV to take on board our films? No doubt there
would
be union problems from equity and the tech unions too. Maybe we could organise
one of our best films from each of us and send it to all the TV execs....bombard
them with excellence!!

What would be on offer to the TV companies? Amateur narrative films, with
the best will in the world, cannot compete with professional narratibve films.
Documentaries? Experimental films? These would have a better chance but would
have to break some very original ground to get anyone's attention. You only
have to go on the "shooting people" sites to read of a mass of docs desperate
for support. TV companies are only interested in amateur productions that
are truly "amateurish". If you even want to get a reply from a TV company
you have to be an "Independent", not an amateur. There is also the question
about your amateur status if you get paid for a showing on TV - but that's
a road we have been down before. So, I suppose the bottom line is forget
TV, particularly in the UK where the public access channels seem to have
disappeared. I did read somewhere of "Hospital TV" sort of hospital radio
with CCTV. Anyone else heard of this or am I imagining it?

Another idea; why don`t the writers on this forum organise a festival???

This is a good idea (I am far enough away not be available for the organisation)
but there is a huge amount of work involved and more than a little expense.
So my view is that Ken has the best answer so far for getting to audiences,
what we used to cause "bicycling it around", provided the copyright/releases
are clear you could sell copies at the venues - but there goes your amateur
status!

Ned C
>

[AN]

"Ned C" <glue@fred.tv> wrote:

But if we could persuade TV companies to take an interest???...I was going
to say, "more interest" but that assumes they have some interest to start
with, which
they don't! if the films were given a very late night TV slot sandwiched,
as they would
be, between the pornography, which seems to permeate late night TV these
days. But HOW to persuade TV to take on board our films? No doubt there
would
be union problems from equity and the tech unions too. Maybe we could
organise
one of our best films from each of us and send it to all the TV execs....bombard
them with excellence!!

What would be on offer to the TV companies? Amateur narrative films, with
the best will in the world, cannot compete with professional narratibve
films.
Documentaries? Experimental films? These would have a better chance but
would
have to break some very original ground to get anyone's attention. You only
have to go on the "shooting people" sites to read of a mass of docs desperate
for support. TV companies are only interested in amateur productions that
are truly "amateurish". If you even want to get a reply from a TV company
you have to be an "Independent", not an amateur. There is also the question
about your amateur status if you get paid for a showing on TV - but that's
a road we have been down before. So, I suppose the bottom line is forget
TV, particularly in the UK where the public access channels seem to have
disappeared. I did read somewhere of "Hospital TV" sort of hospital radio
with CCTV. Anyone else heard of this or am I imagining it?

BBC1 and 2 are paid for by WE, the public. We should therefore have 100%
input as to what is shown. He who pays the puppet master calls the tune.
So, WE, the public should be able to have some input. Something
about democracy ain't it? As far as payment is concerned,
I bet very few of us would insist on payment if given an audience of
100,000s. All payments could go to charity. TV companies are not God.
They should change their views. As far as amateur film standards are
concerned, I have seen in the last year or so, at least 6 amateur films
which would be a worthy addition to any TV, although it is true that many
would not be. So the bottom 625 line(!) is that some amateur films
could and should be shown. The obsticle is attitude and unions.
Albert..line flyback.

[Ned C]

We have two TV channels here that show uninterrupted short and independent
films, Independent Film Channel and Sundance Channel. I have been watching
these for two years (no, not continuously) and they are both still showing
films I saw two years ago. I have written to them both asking why this is
so in view of the huge number of short and independent films produced each
year and still await and answer. As for imagining that because you pay a
licence fee to the BBC you will have any input as an independent or amateur
film maker then I must conclude you are no longer in the real world. TV is
run by and for 20 to 30 year old kids and morons, you only have to look at
popular programming to realise the truth of this. "Reality" TV is cheap,
pulls in the punters and creates lots of spin offs as the participants demonstrate
all the worst traits of the human race. During my recent visit to the UK
I saw that British TV still has some intelligent content which cannot be
said of American network TV which quite unashamedly goes for the lowest common
denominater and the maximum advertising dollar. We have to find our audiences
somewhere other than TV.

Having a clear out we have two Canon Super8 XLS1214 cameras for sale, one
has never been used, any one interested? Or shouldn't I be saying that here?

Ned C

[Dave Watterson]

I ought not to continue a discussion of tv shows ... and I hear what Ned is
saying, but among the dross from the USA come dramas like "Six Feet Under",
"West Wing" (on a mainstream channel!), "Buffy" and others with a touch of
class.

As to BBC ... I reckon it spent way, way too much money on developing its
news coverage and on business consultancies from the Birt era onwards, leaving
relatively little cash for making programmes. Reality tv is cheap.

The Beeb also Thatcherised its operation, splitting itself into little business
which all notionally sold services to one another. They hived off much of
the technical and studio staff and gear so they do not have the resources
to do a lot now. They have certainly lost the great reservoir of talented
people before and behind camera who used to take pride not only in their
own work but in the BBC itself. A similar story haunts the once great Granada
ITV company.

For us ... amateur movies may be better than a lot of cable "access" programming
but that does not say much. If our output had more young interest it might
make a cult tv channel. Imagine the Mark Jackson slot on a regular digital
channel?!?!?!

Is there enough of an audience for well-made, amiable documentaries, holiday
movies and dramas? There is apparently an audience for the low-budget and
dated comedies like "Dad's Army" so maybe there is.

Dave McGoggle-boxed Watterson