Can clubs look outwards?

[Dave Watterson]

For many individuals their video club is enough to satisfy their needs for watching and talking about movie making. That's fine. But I keep thinking there are also club members who would enjoy going beyond the boundaries of their club.

Attending a regional event - whether a training day or a festival - might be one option. Making up a group to attend commercial equipment exhibitions might be another. Going to festivals in the UK and overseas might be a third.

Orpington Club are celebrating their 40th anniversary by going en masse to the Guernsey Lily Festival this year. Some of them are already outward looking people but for others it may be a happy surprise.

It is hard to explain quite why making a change from the same friendly faces and routines can be stimulating and exciting. Of course you see different techniques, meet new people with the same interest in movie making, discover different ways of doing things ... but it is more than that.

Can anyone help explain it?

Dave

[Willy]

Orpington Club are celebrating their 40th anniversary by going en masse to the Guernsey Lily Festival this year. Some of them are already outward looking people but for others it may be a happy surprise.

It is hard to explain quite why making a change from the same friendly faces and routines can be stimulating and exciting.
Can anyone help explain it?

Dave

I agree, Dave, but in your reflection I can feel that you are a judge rather than a filmmaker. Indeed, it's good to change the wallpaper after some years. It's also good to see new people and new films at festivals and other events, but ... Isn't it good that a filmmaker does not take part or does not attend a festival one or two years ? Maybe skipping a festival can be useful.

There he is again !
After some time you may think about a regular : "Oh, there he is again !". After an absence of one or two years you may say to him : "Oh, John I missed you so much!" Of course this is good for people who enjoy being given an ego-boost. It's a good idea for politicans. After a period of absence they can celebrate a fantastic come back.

Appreciation
Anyway there is one other important thing. After some time you recognize the style of some omnipresent and productive filmmakers and their films. The danger is that after some time their films are not appreciated to the same extent. Please, do not think that I think that my films are not appreciated anymore ! On the contrary ! I also try to create diversity. I take risks by saying this because I make films one after the other.

Danger
However, I think of some other friends and their productions. For instance I think of one particular filmmaker. Last year he received a diamond award (=international award). This year again with a wonderful film full of British humour. Imagine that next year he produces a similar film of high quality... What may happen then ? I also think of a very good friend and regular who makes fiction films. Good that the IAC-judges are not the same year after year. In Belgium always the same names appear in judging panels at a regional or national level.

[stingman]

Don`t be silly Dave! Our club doesn`t meet outside hours! Too British to show emotion and get on in an outside event!

We have just had one member leave because he felt he has learn`t all that there is to know for what he wants to do. That is to edit his grandchildren and make films about them that are watchable. Filmmaking is in my roots and flowing in my blood. In somepeoples, it isn`t!

Be good.......

Stingman

[ned c]

The question is what do people want? I started my film making in the 60s attending packed courses at Wansfell run by Sidney Mannaseh, Ron Wing etc. Many years later I attended a course at Wansfell on NLE and very good it was. But these seem to have died off. Traditional clubs continue to decline, read this forum for the sad news.

In my view the future lies in two directions, the Internet, here we are communicating via it and YouTube with its thousands of amateur movies and with small "film units" that make movies and need an audience thus although clubs decline the demand for Festivals stays with us.

The whole world of media is in a state of change and we are a tiny part of that. So, go with the flow, the days of clubs are drawing to a close, organisiations like the IAC need strengthening to represent and distribute the products of n-c film makers and continue to run the Festival. The Regions only have a role if they run local Festivals and instructional courses.

The biggest issue I see is that of distribution of n-c productions so that they can be seen by a wider audience.

Get off your hobby horse NC!!!!

ned c

[Brian Saberton]

The trouble is, as suggested by stingman's last posting, that some people look upon a club as a class, rather than a group of like minded enthusiasts working together in a sociable environment for mutual benefit and enjoyment. It is difficult to know what people want, but personally I remain convinced that there will always be a place for well run video clubs and groups. Human beings are just not designed to work in isolation in their own little silos and in whatever walk of life any activity is much more enjoyable when shared with other people.

[Chrisbitz]

Orpington Club are celebrating their 40th anniversary by going en masse to the Guernsey Lily Festival this year. Some of them are already outward looking people but for others it may be a happy surprise.

Dave

Ahem...

50th Anniversary!

[Dave Watterson]

Ahem...
50th Anniversary!

Apologies - the Orpington lot always look so young and have such a high proportion of active, lively people - I got it wrong.
Dave

[Willy]

Personally I remain convinced that there will always be a place for well run video clubs and groups. Human beings are just not designed to work in isolation in their own little silos and in whatever walk of life any activity is much more enjoyable when shared with other people.

Most amateur music bands do not exist anymore ... Are we the next ?
I don't know, Brian. Ned is right. Clubs for n-c filmmakers are all in decline. Everywhere ! And not only filmclubs. In the seventies I was a teacher in a nightschool to earn some extra money. I was in my twenties. My headmaster was president of a music band and he asked me to become his secretary. I could not refuse, but oh my god, ... when he introduced me I saw about 30 musicians. Some were shaking of old age ...

Fought a losing battle
They enjoyed playing music, but for some of them it was hard to blow on their trumpets and trombones. I tried and tried to get younger musicians. Alas, after three years I gave it up and I resigned. I had fought a losing battle.

Five years later there was not a music band anymore. But where had all the young musicians been ? They played in a professional band to earn a living or to earn some extra money.

In 5 or 10 years ...
It's a bit like that in filmmaking today. As you already know my club has been dissolved because of a political game, but guess that we could go on for an other 5 or 10 years ... We must be realistic. I am sure that Emile, the treasurer of my club, is happy that he didn't have to resign because of his age. Look at the photograph on the front page of the latest issue of "Film and Video Maker". The audience at the winners show in Harrogate. They are all young people ... who are retired.

Our club activities
What did we do as a club ?
1. We invited other clubs and filmmakers. They showed their films and we had a friendly chat about their productions.
2. We visited other clubs.
3. We showed our films that were not finished and asked our friends what we could do to improve them. Not very easy for some of my friends who could not stand that their films were critized. Anyway that was always very useful.
4. Our national umbrella organisation has a list with names of filmmakers who are willing to teach filmmaking. Every year we invited three of them.
5. We had a gala dinner in our clubhouse or in a restaurant every year.
6. We attended regional and national film festivals, though it was difficult to motivate our members. I think it was because of the atmosphere at these festivals.
7. We visited a town or tourist attraction at the end of the season.
8. Once we went to a nature reserve. We formed groups of three members. They filmed in the nature reserve. At home they made a short nature film together. These films were shown in the club. Once we also went to a market and we did a similar thing.
10. I gave the members some scenarios for one minute movies. We talked about these scenarios. Some members made a short film.
11. And last but not least : we helped each other when making films. Holding the microphone. Watching the monitor. Assisting the director as script boy or girl. Looking for objects to create the right atmosphere in the film.Looking for the best locations. Etc. Etc.

Friends of Focus
Now, as we don't have a clubhouse anymore, we decided to come together in a pub or anywhere else only once a month. Most of us will have joined an other club in September as you already know, but we have formed a group "Friends of Focus".

We will take the high road to ... Scotland !
All the money we had saved to buy new machines like a new HD-projector will be spent on gala dinners and short trips. Last night one member suggested : why not attending a film festival in Britain ? For instance a festival in Scotland one said. Willy can show us the way. All former members get a reduction of 25 % a a trip to Scotland. I must admit : I felt excited though I know that there are no n-c festivals in Scotland apart from the Thurso festival in the North, the Big Gig. Suddenly I didn't feel unhappy anymore ! Maybe we could visit our friends in Fettys Road, Edinburgh. Brian, ... here we come !