Future Structure of the IAC Website

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edin
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Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by edin »

The current structure of the IAC website is based on filmaking through local amateur clubs/societies. It is mainly used to
  • i)publicise information regarding local, national and international competitions for them or individual to enter
  • ii) give information on where amateur filmakers can contact a local club/society near them.
  • iii) Provide a useful and valuable resource for film making
There are many more advantages of being a member of the IAC. However the demise of many filmaking clubs begs the question is the current structure right for the future needs of the filmaking community. Many people make films, but on a much less structured basis than having to be a club member, and form ad hoc groups, via internet film making sites. These sites allows people, of many different skills, to come together to create and make films. After the film (project) is complete they disband and may then make a future film using a different pool of people.

My questions are:
  • i) Does the IAC require to set up a section of its website that would enable this function to take place.Where individuals, actors, writers, filmmakers, etc can register their skills and interests and thus allow film amking to be carried out on a collaborative basis?
  • ii) Does anyone have any experience of using the internet to develop, share and produce a film?
The above may be anathema to many club members, but it may be the direction the IAC needs to progress so that it can continue to support the amateur film makers, of all types, across the UK.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by Dave Watterson »

I don't agree that
The current structure of the IAC website is based on filmaking through local amateur clubs/societies.
- though we certainly list clubs. In fact the bulk of the website (apart from festival reports etc) deals with making films - reports from film makers on how they created award winning movies. There are also many articles for people learning film making or particular types of film making.

All that sounds overly defensive, and I don't mean it that way. (But thanks for the kind words too!) You make a great many good points which deserve a lot of thought.

You are probably aware of the Shooting People website (http://shootingpeople.org) which several IAC members have used - especially to find actors. There would be no point trying to compete with that ... but perhaps there is room to encourage co-operation among non-commercial movie makers in a similar way.

And there must be other ways we could help. Certainly IAC as a whole needs to consider how best to serve the film making community in an age when joining anything has gone out of fashion. The irony is that if people do not join IAC ...

Good forum people ... please don't worry about defending the honour of the present website (Edin is NOT attacking but helping) ... but do please come up with more ideas.

Dave

Mike Shaw

Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by Mike Shaw »

I don't know about whether the IAC (website) is serving the right purpose, but I do think it is a nightmare to find anything (in my opinion!!) . There are three sets of 'selection' menus - down the left and right hand sides - and across the top. I'm never sure where to start looking to find something - usually get there in the end by trial and error, but I do think a more simplified menuing/sub-menuing structure would be beneficial.

I'm not sure I agree with the original post though - while there are unquestionably individual film makers - and those who group together on a 'needs' basis (that's how the pro film industry works isn't it - they're nearly all freelancers who get together for specific projects), I'd suggest most 'keen' amateurs (or, "people who make films for pleasure, not profit") belong to a club - if only to have an arena to show their efforts! And I think clubs need an organisation such as the IAC as the background body.
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billyfromConsett
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by billyfromConsett »

Many would ask if the IAC will be around in 5 years, never mind the its website.

One thing I can't seem able to do is navigate to our website from this forum. Surely that is a link worth putting in.

And if our website can be invested in, to support future of the organisation, by re-designing it to be like The BBC's website, then it might help us get more interest from the outside world. Can't be sure though.
Arthur Bates
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by Arthur Bates »

As a fairly new member of this forum I must agree that it seems a little complicated. Regarding clubs, many have gone and as a result, in rural areas it may be difficult to get to a club. My nearest is over 80 miles awayand I am not so nimble now as I was once. Therefore I am dependant on The IAC and SAM for news and information. I regret the demise of the last popular video magazine particularly the review of new equipment it contained. I wonder if the IAC would consider taking on this role. I find it very difficult to obtain information about new products and a review of their function, Getting reliable reports is very much hit and miss. There must be a wealth of information among our members, I wonder if some list of new equipment could be compiled to which members could add comments from their "hands on" experience. Arthur Bates
ned c
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by ned c »

Probably another subject but I second Arthur's suggestion for an equipment review resource. Based on the experience of the IAC members this could be realistic in the assement of the value of equipment.

ned c
edin
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by edin »

It's funny how a topic gets diverted as the responses are added. My original posting was not a criticism of the existing IAC website, but how it could be develop to include an area where individuals could register their talents and skillls, such as scripwriting, acting, storyboarding, etc to enable online collaboration to take place for making of films.

I gather it from the current responses that the IAC website is difficult to navigate, the IAC will not exist in five years, that online collaboration is for the professionals, we should use the Shooting People website to find actors and lamentations for the demise of the last video magazine.

Referring back to my opening posting
There are many more advantages of being a member of the IAC. However the demise of many filmaking clubs begs the question is the current structure right for the future needs of the filmaking community. Many people make films, but on a much less structured basis than having to be a club member, and form ad hoc groups, via internet film making sites. These sites allows people, of many different skills, to come together to create and make films. After the film (project) is complete they disband and may then make a future film using a different pool of people.

My questions are:

i) Does the IAC require to set up a section of its website that would enable this function to take place.Where individuals, actors, writers, filmmakers, etc can register their skills and interests and thus allow film making to be carried out on a collaborative basis?
ii) Does anyone have any experience of using the internet to develop, share and produce a film?
The use of online collaboration by professional/independant film-makers to make films is shown to work and is there to be used by the amateur, not for profit, non-commercial film maker as well.
Do we need a such a facility within the IAC website?
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billyfromConsett
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by billyfromConsett »

edin wrote:It's funny how a topic gets diverted as the responses are added.
It's typical of forums.

I feel the main purpose of a website such as ours should be to show what we are all about in an interesting way, and in doing so, attract more people to joining our movement.
Its other purpose I'd say would be as an information resource with info on it about such things as festivals and competitions, stories and guides to do things. A review section about new kit would be very useful I'm sure. I often go to Cnet ot camcorderinfo to check up on write-ups of new gear.

Your question about helping people to come together for film-making I feel is maybe beyond what it can do much of. I'm guessing, But this is where our local connections will probably achieve more results in. The members of the IAC are typically older and retired - most of us make films in small groups with low budgets, and find it difficult to get a group of people to all turn up at the same time on the same day of a shoot. Some folks have been able to find and use professional actors for their dramas and this is pretty impressive in my book.

The younger people who make movies either as a profession or for non-commercial creativity should be a high target group of this website in my opinion. With respect to designers of our website I would guess it would need financial investment to get that look. And would that be what our members want their subsciptions spent on?
Lee Prescott
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by Lee Prescott »

Hi Dave and Alls,

IAC WEB SITE? I wonder just how many, if any, Uni's / Colleges / Schools, media departments are aware of it? More, I wonder just how many are aware of The IAC even?

:)

I Googled in "Video Film Making Amateur" and up came pages of this and that with the IAC at the top of page 1....

:!: :cry:

I then did the same replacing the word Amateur with: Universities, then Colleges, then Schools and finally Students. My screen was inundated with Lines from almost every - which - where! I could not however find any references under these headings to The I A C! unless I missed out!

Now, considering every "kid on the block" and off it that I know of are computer barmy - almost - aren't we missing something here regarding The IAC web site?...'Cos anyone looking under the latter headings would, as far as I coud find - miss us!

Just some thoughts ---- Cheers, Lee.
Arthur Bates
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Re: Future Structure of the IAC Website

Post by Arthur Bates »

Hi All, I look at the IAC site most days and do not feel that any radical change is required. The IAC provides excellent services and many of these depend on the site and are available through it. However the demise of local clubs has been mentioned, many of the smaller ones have already closed. They are invaluable for film makers as they provide discussion, lectures, competitions and the opportunity for film making. My nearest club is a 3 hour journey away and I would have no chance to attend. I feel we have to modernise the concept of clubs and although a local site is necessary with a nucleus of members I see no reason why there should not be a much wider circle of members who attend on the internet. I think that the IAC through its site may well have an important part to play here. We are in a computer age as has been mentioned, and most of the younger generation are wedded to their computers, you can’t get them off the darned things. Some even work at home with their computers so why not attend clubs on them, if you can’t for one reason or another attend in person. The technology I believe is already available I am told by tame nerds. There’s a thought for Friday the 13th! Arthur Bates
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