IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Oh dear. My "hopefully more lighthearted" thread is search for a word that describes what I am, as I'm not an amateur, seems to have gone off in a couple of tangents and become anything but lighthearted.

Dave, I hoped my introductory post made it clear that I had accepted I will never win over the great unwashed's opinion about what "Amateur" means and I had hoped people would infer what you said in the opening of your response.

I was not looking to solve the "what shall we call the IAC" issue, although if we manage to come up with a German style portmaneau word that suits (as suggested by Mike) then maybe incoporating that might be a possibility.

Given the vastness of the English language, it seems incredible to me, though it is clearly the case, that we do not have an adjective which means "done for the love/joy/pleasure/satisfaction of it"

(And I was certainly not expecting this thread to be the one wher John felt forced to share what should remain private)

So - if not amateur, then what can I label myself?

So - if not amateur, then what can I label myself?...... Top Bloke will do Tim you were the one who told me to be a little bit modest...

if we really want to get rid of the A word..then why not concentrate on the bottom line " the film and video institute" or maybe The Home of Independent video and film makers

Actually I think I told you to be a bit less modest!
The Film & Video Institute is not a bad name. Why don't we just change the "official" name to what we've been calling it for years. And FVI could be put into the same diamond shaped logo.

And I could simply be a "film and video maker" with no need to specify levels of ability or professionalism.

Try typing into your browser http://www.fvi.org.uk/ ...

yes Tim you are right..i was having a bit of a bad day yesterday

Dave Watterson wrote:Try typing into your browser http://www.fvi.org.uk/ ...

I note the domain was regisstered in 1999. The NEC is not rushing to change the formal name then!

Why the need for labels? I'm neither a professional or an amateur. I'm just a film-maker, like everyone else in my peergroup.

The only distinction I'd like to make, is that I'd rather be considered a story teller, rather than a videographer (someone who operates filmmaking equipment).

Also, for balance, following Ian Woodward's shocking outburst earlier, I'm not a paid member of the IAC either, yet I still ask and answer questions purely to support this forum, as I believe in it. There are much bigger and vastly more knowledgeable FREE forums elsewhere, but many of us non members choose to hang out here. If it was made members only, you'd only get about 3 posts a month!

Chrisbitz wrote:Why the need for labels? I'm neither a professional or an amateur. I'm just a film-maker, like everyone else in my peergroup.

Isn't that what i just described myself as?

I agree labels aren't essential and I certainly would not want people to be pigeon-holed by labels (I see a distinction between the two).

Yet labels can be a very useful shorthand:

1. The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers (before the corruption of the word) avoided naming the organisation "The Institute of Cinematographers who make non-commercial films for the love of it"

2. When a group of us are filming in the street, more often than not "We're making a film about xyz for the local amateur filmaking club" is enough to satisfy the curious and avoids the need to go into all the spiel about not being professionals and not making money and no we're not going to pay you for inadvertantly getting a bit of your topiary in the background behind our actors. Fine if you have the time and inclination to chat, but normally we're all keen to get on with filming before the light/traffic/season changes. Flashing a card withthe word "amateur" on it seems to add some sort of official sanction to what we're doing as well.

3. Whilst we are both filmmakers, what I do is a world away fom what Spielberg does and it is sometimes useful to have a "label" that distinguishes what I do from what he does.

I can certainly agree and identify with all that - flashing the membership card has solved potential problems for me on a number of occasions - in particular at open museums, on University campuses and on one occasion in a high church with a jobs-worth warden. Strangely, the card doesn't say 'Amateur' - I had to spell that out as being the interpretation of the 'A' in IAC: isn't that diabolical? The 'public' out there accept someone as being 'a serious amateur film-maker' (serious enough to be a member of an 'Institute'), whilst the members themselves don't and get all uptight at the thought of the word amateur, and the thought of being in an institution. (Been said a million times - misinterpretation of words by the oversensitive!).

The membership card can even get you into advantageous shooting places - and past closed barriers - where the general hoi poloi public are barred and are forced to wave their camcorders high over their heads in hope.

The membership card may seem insignificant and not mean much to non-members - but it can be like a grease gun at times and is one of the underrated benefits of membership - more so, I'd wager, than the potential music clearance that is well promoted.

Well said, Mike.