A New Video Magazine??!!

[Mike Shaw]

If that is all true, why, then, are there so many (in comparison) Still/Digital camera magazines. I even saw three camera magazines with almost identical names, which must be extremely confusing for their readers. Do they get more involved in the hobby rather than just 'shoot the grandchildren'? More - If you look at the vast range of speciality and highly focused interest magazines on the racks of a large W.H. Smiths, I think the argument against a magazine for video/film making falls apart.

Whoever uses a camcorder - whether it's the film making hobbyist or the babes-on-the-lawn shooting parents/grandparents - there are two major aspects of movie making that a magazine can cover in depth and with great variety - quite apart from detailing new equipment - namely shooting techniques, and editing. I would have thought there is plenty of scope for a healthy variety of articles under those two subjects alone, and that, I would have thought, would be what potential readers would be looking for. Even - how to film with your smartphone - far more convenient than carrying a camcorder and these days, with HD results.

Will DFM meet those needs? We shall have to see - at the moment, from the one issue I have seen, it is debatable.

[col lamb]

I have my Private Pilots License which sadly is now long expired and when I was flying I used to get a couple of mags, Pilot and Flyer

15 years later they are both still on the shelves at WHS

Now the PPL fraternity is certainly a very limited market but longevity is proven

A look at the PC shelves and nearly all are gone to be replaced by Android User, iPad this, Tablet that

Times and tastes change

Now where's me Beano

Col

[ned c]

Here in the USA we have a monthly magazine "Videomaker" (one must use that word with care as they claim ownership and if you use the word in a publication you get a "cease and desist" letter from their lawyers; so we have to say video maker). Almost everything in it is either product reviews or generic instructional articles plus a "Buyers Guide" listing of products such as tripods; microphones etc. There is the occasional article that deals with real people in real situations. It has increasingly moved towards the low end professional which is clear by the advertising it carries. Most recently Zeiss cinema lenses (not exactly low end!!!); JVC GY-HM70, Black Magic Design, AJA 4K, etc. The cover price is $5.99 and in my opinion a waste of money. The product tests are strange; timid as they are in most American magazines as one suspects that advertisers must not be offended. There are weird comments e.g re Corel Video Studio Edit software - at best a mid level software with a review weakness described as "Simplified features may frustrate advanced editors" who are obviously not the target users.

Do we need a print magazine? Almost every professional video/film magazine is now on the net and available as a download for computer or tablet; OK tricky to read in the bath but no forests are destroyed, no mailing or distribution costs, yes we can keep/copy/print articles.

What do I want in terms of information from a magazine? Real product evaluations in both the laboratory and the world of use preferably from multi-reviewers/users; "how we made it" with the whole story warts and all; specialized techniques that I may or may not use but need to understand. Reviews of films we can view on the FVI website; I mean real reviews perhaps have to get the OK from the film maker but let's see how the judges see our work. There is no room for rudeness but there must be room for vigorous exchanges and analysis.

Let me wander a little further; still camera magazines serve a special market; still cameras are essentially "male jewelry" and one suspects that there is a deal of narcissism involved there. Film making (movies, videos whatever you prefer) is not about cameras they are just a part of the tool set and are not very impressive in themselves. Film making is a complex; difficult process; it is not easy even to make a bad film as many professional results will attest.

ned c

[Willy]

Do we still need a print magazine? Yes, we do. I am always happy when the postman drops "Film and Video Magazine" in my letterbox.
It's just like my newspaper. "The Daily Mail", "The Daily Telegraph", 'The Independent", "The Guardian"... When I go to the UK I always buy one of these. They are part of my holidays. Reading them on ther ferry, in my B&B... I love it. At home I prefer the printed newspaper too. Not the ones on internet. You must feel the paper I think. In the printed versions you can read more. It's the same with magazines about filmmaking.
FVM also reflects life in the regions and even abroad (articles Gerard Mee), but maybe not everybody is interested in things that happen in other countries.

[Willy]

To avoid any misunderstanding: I myself appreciate the cross-border articles in FVM very much. Isn't the IAC not an international organisation?
When I go to England next time I will try and buy the magazine you have bought, Mike. In every town there is a W.H. Smith. By the way: two weeks ago I spent some time in Devon and Cornwall. An other adventure but it is not for this thread.

[Mike Shaw]

I can send you my copy Willy when I have finished reading it (pretty soon now!) to save you the wait - it isn't something I would keep. Private email me your address and it will be winging its merry way!

[Willy]

Many thanks, Mike. I will send you my address. A pity that I will not be able to attend "Just For You2". Then I could have met you. Two weeks ago I booked a room at "The Barn" (B&B) at Hildenborough. It is only one mile from the Tonbridge Oast Theatre, the fantastic venue for "Just For You2" on 13th July. Unfortunately I had to cancel my trip to England again. I hope the SERIAC-Festival will be successful again.

[Mike Shaw]

Sorry to hear you've had to cancel the Just For You 2 trip Willy - and hope sincerely it isn't for health reasons. perhaps we'll meet up at one of the other events throughout the year (maybe the AGM in Newcastle). In the meantime though, I'll send the 'new' magazine for you to peruse.

[Peter Copestake]

Ned says - but no forests are destroyed but I understand Google or someone had to build a power station! Don't know what it runs on but I bet it doesn't come without environmental cost.
Ned also mentioned 'tripods' under equipment reviewed. Now there's something we don't often see discussed.
I now have the use of a HEIWA with ball head so can be levelled when it's awkward to level the legs and such a smooth tilt that i'm tending to tilt too slowly. Best lightish weight one I've used though a Vivanco even lighter, which has has lost its feet, one down the drain at the top of Prague Town Hall, two replaced with a bit of wood and the rubber duck that once sat on top of a child's pencil, is still very good but really too flexible for serious use. Any ideas?

[Willy]

Hello Mike,
Many thanks for having received "Filmmaker". Me, too, I have mixed feelings, Mike. £50 is too much for a subscription, but maybe I would buy a magazine (£5) when walking around at Smith's and seeing the July issue. Apparently it is a magazine for ambitious amateur filmmakers, or friends who make non-commercial films but who would like to make successful films. I was very interested in the article "The Festival Minefield". In it filmmaker Matt Bloom reveals his tips for success on the festival circuit. He starts the article with : "Most filmmakers find themselves under-prepared for the challenges that lie ahead when the film is cut...." "The worldwide film festival circuit is a minefield... It can be expensive, time consuming and filled with rejection."

To be honest when I have finished a film I always feel it needs an audience, but I don't have the ambition to be a successful filmmaker.

Yes, it is true that quite a lot of IAC-friends only read the articles on this forum and never write things themselves. But some time ago I thought of joining them. There was some (in my opinion unjustified) criticism on one of my films and I was not able to defend my film. And saying that overseas films are overrated. I didn't feel well having read this. Three years ago one of my friends got 1 star and last year I got 2x2 stars. These films didn't deserve more. I agreed with the judges, but ... I hate minefields. I hope you understand.

7 years ago I made the film "Together with Yoda", a film about the Cotswolds. I am still very grateful to Lee. He helped me quite a lot to find the dog Yoda. We had a nice chat in a pub near Stroud... It was fantastic to meet Lee and his wife, but I didn't want to enter my film in his Cotswolds International Film Festival. A Cotswolds film at the Cotswolds Festival ?

I will tell you more about "Filmmaker" later on. I am a bit in a hurry now. I am preparing a new film at the moment. 30th July is the big day. I am a bit stressful now. But one more thing about the magazine: I love the "lay out", the design I mean, the photographs. Also young people are encouraged to read it. "Film and Video Magazine" is a fantastic magazine for the members of a family, the family of the IAC.

[Huey Walker]

DIGITAL FILM MAKER MAGAZINE

Is there anyone out there who remembers Amateur Cine World, Movie Maker, Film Making, Making Better Movies, or 8mm Magazine?

There hasn’t been a magazine dedicated to film makers for nearly 30 years. So the news that a new magazine had been published was greeted by me with great pleasure.

But what surprised me the most is that the news of a new film making magazine did not hit the pages of this magazine. Until now.

I thought that all film makers would be queuing up to write about this new magazine. But I was wrong. So here I am to fill that gap.

What can I say about this new ‘Digital Film Maker’ magazine that’s now in its eighth month.

Firstly I can say that a lot of IAC members, typical forum readers and FVM readers will not like it. It’s not really a magazine for amateurs, and it’s not really a magazine for amateur equipment, unless you regard the Canon EOS C100 at over four thousand pounds (without lenses) an amateur camera, and I have heard that a lot of amateurs do use this piece of equipment.

In fact, in the first issue of Digital Film Maker, the Canon EOS 5D Mark lll was one of the few cameras talked about. There seems to be an obsession with this camera and other DSLRs. You hear very little about Sony or Panasonic Video Cameras, and I also found an unhealthy interest in ‘throwing the background out of focus’ techniques.

For those of you, like me, who lust after wide-angle lenses and hand holding their cameras while gunning and running, then this isn’t the publication for you. I would suggest the wonderful paperback ‘Digital Film Making’ by the director Mike Figgis.

Now the latest talk is about The ‘Red’ and The ‘Arri Alexa HD,’ cameras which are definitely out of reach of most amateurs, unless you have clowns’ pockets, or as most professionals do, hire or rent the equipment instead. If you haven’t heard of these cameras, but would like to, then Digital Film Maker Magazines is definitely for you. I can guarantee that you will devour and savour every word and description.

The original title of this magazine was ‘DSLR Film Maker.’ I spoke to the editor about this and by issue 2 he had changed the name to ‘Digital Film Maker,’ which I believe is a much more accurate title.

You won‘t find any mention of standard definition filming, and according to this magazine even high definition is getting long in the tooth. You will however hear a lot about 4K shooting formats and lenses that cost, I was going to say, ‘the price of a car,’ but it would be more accurate to say, lenses that are the ‘price of a house’ in Torquay.

But you can see who this magazine is aimed at. It’s for people in their early twenties who are desperate to get into the film industry.

Having said all that, I really love this magazine. It gives you a lot of information about new products, there’s a long list of low budget independent films from new and first time directors available on DVD at the back of the magazine, and reviews of equipment, some of which even I could afford. You will also find detailed interviews with enthusiastic technicians and actors.

If there’s one thing I’d criticize, it would be the lack of articles about sound recording using digital audio recorders such as the Tascam, and hints & tips on sound mixing. Nearly everything I’ve read is about cameras, and that I feel is a great pity.

But I am sure that these articles will come around in good time.

And finally, is it just me? I hate the fact that in nearly every article, you’ll keep hearing the phrase, ‘we fixed it in post.’ Or ‘we made sure we got it right at the shooting stage because we didn’t want to spend a lot of time correcting any errors in post.’

Call me traditional and/or old-fashioned, but surely the word is post production. It might just be me, but I find the word ‘post’ on its own, a bit of an affectation, unless of course, you’re popping something into a letterbox, then that’s fine by me.

In spite of all I’ve said about this magazine. I really do love it.

We should all be grateful that after many years without Amateur Cine World, Movie Maker, Film Making, Super 8 Film Maker, we now all have a magazine that we can look forward to reading once a month.

I hope this magazine continues for a long time into the future. Please give it a try because at £4.99 for 116 pages, I can highly recommend it.

Huey Walker

www.exeterfilms.com

[Huey Walker]

Is there some reason why you are not publishing my review of 'Digital Film Making' magazine on your forum?

There is a subject heading for it. It's called 'A New Video Magazine.'

Huey Walker

www.exeterfilms.com