The weather is glorius. What am I doing here!

[stingman]

Dear all,
The subject says it all but I have just experienced a fantastic event.

As most of you all know, I am a keen Motorcyclist and I ride my motorcycle when I can. Everyday! Anyway......

Every year, my Island holds an event for Scooterists. Not the kiddie one`s, but all things Vespa`s. It is staged at Ryde where I live. Ryde is a seaside town at the NE of my Island.
I took my wife to church (on the bike, as she cannot drive her car due to her operation last year. 12 months have to pass). I took a detour home and went along the front (seafront) and there are thousands of scooterists, as well as holiday makers and the locals. There is hardly any trouble and I saw only one Police car! (That`s all the Isle of Wight Police then )
I rode my motorcycle and you just get engulfed with the smell of Petrol and Oil! (The good old days. I`d sooner smell this then the exhaulst of these horible modern cars with there cats. Gosh they stink of eggs and far worse. I thought my old 250 had cault fire! The oil smell is everywhere. The type of people the scooterists are are very friendly buntch considering the amout of them. There is hardly any trouble. We get more trouble in the town from the chavie kids (Don`t get me started )

Two years ago, my video club did a scooter documentary. It was about 25 minutes long. It was quite good and we gave a copy to the Scooter Organiser. We sold quite a few copies of the DVD.

This event happens EVERY year without fail on this bankholiday weekend. My point is that it is a very good filming opotunity for anyone who likes this sort of thing or whats to go on holiday and film something or just expience something a bit different! Or considering every Vespa scooter and it`s rider are kitted out in Mod gear and have Union Jacks EVERYWHERE, This event is truely British. If you are from a different country then you could make a film on How together the British are or how mental we are!


I just wanted to let you all know!
PS. Happy Birthday to Me!!

See you all soon.

[Dave Watterson]

Happy Birthday, Ian. Sorry I only got to look at the posting after midnight, so I'm a bit late!

One of your other interests - beside film making - is motor-cycling. I wonder what everyone else has as important hobbies / pastimes / obsessions in their loves beyond movie making ...

I'll admit to having loved the little bit of SCUBA diving I did in the past.
I used to be a motor-cyclist - and indeed a motor-scooterist, albeit with a Zundapp Bella 250cc "scooter" which was more of a poorly balanced motor-cyle in a fancy jacket.
I love reading science fiction.
Computing / internet etc are also occasional obsessions of mine.

Over to everyone else ...

Dave

[Brian Saberton]

My main interests other than amateur movies are: photography, cinema, TV, reading (fiction/non fiction), gardening, theatre, writing, walking, audio visual, travel.....

I suppose I've always been a bit of a one for hobbys etc and I've come to the conclusion that there would be a lot less stress in the world if everyone took up an interest of some kind. (that and not constantly "bracing themselves" for some forthcoming catastrophe as suggested by the news media!).

[Stephen]

hi peeps

ooooeerrrr.. who mentioned motorcicling?.....

going through a bad case of cabin fever here as my beloved BMW R100RS has recently been sold and I'm motorcicleless for the 1st time in 35 years..... argghhhh..... the pain... the agony....... but......
the Sennheiser mikes and Nikon DSLR from the proceeds have made up for it a little !!!!

Apart from photography both DV filmaking and a passion for 35mm, me is into........ keeping Crested Geckos, producing Stained Glass panels etc , Computers, Music and finding pubs that have real ale....

so much to do so little time.....


and remember ... you can't take a fish back just because it looks miserable

[ned c]

In my youth, rock climbing and mountaineering, film; "The Climbers", in my middle years sailing, in my dotage canyon/hill walking, film; "South by South West" and racing a radio controlled model yacht, film; "Dry Feet Sailors".

Film/video making since giving up smoking in the 60's. How time flies when we're having fun!!

Motorcycling was a necessity in my youth, how I longed for a car to get out of the rain and the tram lines.

ned c

[Willy]

Dear all,
The subject says it all but I have just experienced a fantastic event.

As most of you all know, I am a keen Motorcyclist and I ride my motorcycle when I can. Everyday! Anyway......

Or considering every Vespa scooter and it`s rider are kitted out in Mod gear and have Union Jacks EVERYWHERE, This event is truely British. If you are from a different country then you could make a film on How together the British are or how mental we are!


I just wanted to let you all know!
PS. Happy Birthday to Me!!

See you all soon.

Happy birthday, old man !
Is the event truly British ? I don't think so. Yes, the day before
yesterday I saw many Scottish men on their heavy motorbikes touring round Flanders. They were also at the inauguration of a Scottish monument for the fallen soldiers in World War I. I was asked to film the ceremony. The motorbike riders had a Sottish flag on their bikes : a yellow flag with red lion or a blue one with a cross through it. I wonder what's the difference ? Why do the Scottish have two different flags ?

On the continent there are also large groups of motorbike riders who attend meetings everywhere. Our vice-president Yves is such one. He is a Harley Davidson fan. He feels fantastic each time when he hears the sound of such a motorbike.

What hobbies do I have ? This forum is one of them. Writing articles or messages in a foreign language and having chats with real British people like you, Ian.

Every day I try to ride on my bicycle for about 8 kilometres. That's about 5 miles. It's not a long distance, but it's good to keep fit.

Reading my newspaper and magazines is an other one. I'm very interested in politics. Perhaps you know that I was a professional politician for about 6 years, but luckily I could escape and I could go back to eduction on a higher level. I was too soft for politics.

Now I know some very important politicians personally and I always want to know what they think and what they do. At this moment some of them are trying to form a new coalition in Belgium.

When I was a poltician I had a special hobby : collecting autographed pictures of prime ministers, presidents and other important people in the world. I used a special trick. What was the result ? I have pictures with real signatures of Macmillan, Wilson, Callaghan, Eduard Heath, Tony Benn (who was not a prime minister), Tony Blair, Major and even ... Margareth Thatcher. It was difficult to get one from her. I had to try three times. Also the American presidents and polticians like Kissinger, Ted Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Nixon, Clinton, Ford, Reagan, etc... My biggest "catches" ? A picture of Willy Brandt who also wrote a short and friendly letter to me... and a portrait of the late King Hussein of Jordan. The protrait is in a silver frame with on top of it a little gold crown. The photograph is in a blue velvet box. I received it from the Ambassador of Jordan. Under the photo some very kind words starting with something like "My dear friend Willy Van der Linden". Amazing that he took the time to do this. He was also a friendly man, wasn't he ? I told him that his portrait would be the eyecatcher of an exhibition in Belgium. Afterwards an organisation used my autographed pictures for an international exhibition of cartoons with the theme : "politicians". They mixed the cartoons with my photographs in their exhibition hall. Luckily Nicxon and company could not see it.

Long ago I stopped with this hobby and I started making films, but in the mean time some autographed pictures have become very valuable because some politicians have already left us and they are now in Elysium or heaven, though ... I even have a photograph of the former Rumanian dictator Ceauscescu. He must be in hell now.

[stingman]

Thank you dear friends for your comments and wishes. `Old Man` indeed!!

My hobbies are Filmmaker and everything that goes with it. I`ve done a bit of sailing. I love the traveling experience and when I go anywhere or on holiday, I always look out of the window, staring. I`m into keeping Tropical Fish but..... I`ve put this on hold untill the kids grow up a bit more. I gave this up 15 years ago. Maybe lack of money or fear of one of the children pulling the tank over! Now my reason would be just in case my teenagers chuck something across the room! So may be in 4 years or so. I also love Science Fiction and enjoy, Star Trek, Battlestar Galacter, StarGate etc. Motorcycling, Video Club and Church things.
I like listening to the Progressive Rock group YES. I have autographs from Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson. Jon is our Ex Pastors brother.

I cannot think of anything else but I exspect there is.

It`s nice to know what our regulars are into.

[Brian Saberton]

Just on the autograph theme I wouldn't classify myself as an authograph hunter per se but on some trips to Hollywood I have brought back some photos personally signed for me by Virginia Mayo, Stella Stevens, Debbie Reynolds, and Connie Hinds & Alan Young (stars of Mr Ed). Maybe I should do an article on these trips for FVM.

[stingman]

You do that Brian and I`ll do one on Butlins!

This is alittle sore point with me so I hope your forgive me. It`s not aimed at you. I always hate our Holiday Competition at video club. My reason is that alot of us cannot afford to go to these far off exotic locations away. We have to stick a bit closer to home.
No at the club, it used to be the farthest someone had been usualy won! Hardly ever anybody won who stayed in this Country. But the other year, someone won who went to Devon or Cornwall! I think this shocked everyone.
The looser had shots os Sydny Opera House and Historys of this and that. The loser just told a story about there stay. It was good.
To repeat. I`m not getting at anyone, I just find that it is a time for people to brag about where they have been.

[Brian Saberton]

I suppose most clubs have holiday competitions because it is generally on holiday when members (at least those who work)have the time to actually make a film. In the early days of the hobby foreign travel would be a bit of a novelty but nowadays so many people have visited so many places that it is hard to come up with something new. We used to have a member at my own club who would spend his holidays and weekends hill walking in Scotland and he made some great films of his expeditions that did very well in our competitions not only because they were excellent films, but also because they were just that bit removed from the norm. When I say that he would go into the Cairngorms in the winter months, in the snow (we've seen shots of him digging snow holes) you will understand that these films were different! They were also quite humerous and I can recall one where he depicted the demise of his walking boots and sent them to Valhalla on a burning "raft". He preferred Super 8 and as far as I know has still not converted to video.

Personally I feel that if people only make holiday films, or rather films made on holiday, that's fine because it means they are making something, and part of the fun of the hobby is the actual process of making a movie and hopefully creating a film that enables you to share the pleasure of a good vacation with friends and family etc.

[Willy]

[quote="Brian Saberton"]
When I say that he would go into the Cairngorms in the winter months, in the snow (we've seen shots of him digging snow holes) you will understand that these films were different!
...

_____________________________________________________

Reindeer
The Cairngorms ! Oh I remember that area very well. As you know I used to organize trips to Scotland for people who are retired. The Cairngoms (near Aviemore) and the reindeer centre were always in my programme. These reindeer are also in my film 'Highland Road' I remember.

It was not easy to go to that place with my heavy tripod. The ground was very wet.

I climbed the Ben Nevis ... but without my tripod ... and I was still very young !
Last year I saw a car with a sticker on it saying : "I've climbed the Ben Nevis !". I'm proud to tell you that I have also climbed the Ben Nevis. That was exactly 42 years ago ! I was still a teenager.

Climbing is not the right word, because it was a very steep path. We stayed in the youth hostel at the foot of the Ben Nevis. I am sure I would not be able to do this again and of course not with a tripod. In the valley the sun was shining. On top of the Ben Nevis there was snow. I still have a slide with a picture of me standing on some stones on top of the Ben Nevis. I look like Hillary having climbed the Mount Everest !

Adventurous films are for younger people I think. Anyway I would not have the energy anymore to make a film about climbing the Ben Nevis. I agree with you, Brian. if you can make a holiday film a bit special then it is a good one for a general competition, but it's good that many clubmates make that kind of films as well. That's very positive.