What is New?

[Frank Maxwell]

It's like climbing a mountain. You get to the top and it is a long way down. What do people want to write in this forum?. Where is the drawn in the film or video media for people to come on this forum or have ever heard of the IAC. I think we have debated this topic before.

Even belonging to a video club I find from the few older members to alter things is a slow process from the younger members.

I have reached the mountain and finding getting down a struggle as so many new things are thrown at us in the form of video art. Even computer companies think we need every two years new editing software and god knows how many plug in to call our work a "MASTERPIECE".

For me it is a hobby to enjoy and get old gracefully and watch the younger folks who think they've got what it takes to make an epic video. With all the wonderful channels we can watch at least 70% of junk work.

The one element that is missing? basic skill of how, why and when to shoot.

[col lamb]

Well said

[Michael Slowe]

At the risk of this becoming an 'old fogey' thread (I know Col Lamb is actually a young man!), I have to agree that new is not necessarily better. The cameras certainly are but that's about it. All the fancy software is a distraction from the real art. I was staying last week with a very prominent TV show producer and I expressed this view, he was surprised. He loves all the graphics that his people can front a show with. I agree that it's all very clever, costs a fortune and does get the viewer's attention. I'm making carefully crafted documentaries and don't want all that stuff. Is this the flavour of future film making? The youngsters seem to think so.

[Frank Maxwell]

There is no risk of this becoming a fogey thread. It depends on who corresponds or is willing to voice a different outlook. Most of us only speak from experience and how we see things in this video format art world.
The only time i feel old is when the doctor gives me a health check or rather an M.O.T. in my fogey language.
The younger generation are in a world of there own in this video media, and it is nice to see the Steven Spielberg in them.
I'm still in the same situation as they are but looking in. Because i cant keep up with the technology or the cost.

[TimStannard]

In response to Michaels comment, I think you've highlighted the difference by using the language you've used: fancy graphics fronting a show (where you need to grab an audience's attention - I'm thinking of X Factor, Strictly or game shows) and carefully crafted documentaries where an audience expects to learn something - so you need to grab their attention in a totally different way (by giving them something of interest with a promise of more interest/greater understanding).

The only comment in favour of the "show" that I would make is that I suspect every graphic artist producing titles/links is also "carefully crafting" those - a different sort of crafting, for a different sort of audience. Just because it's done on a computer does not mean it's easy.

[col lamb]

?

[col lamb]

Thanks Michael about the young man compliment, but in fact I am only a couple of years short of becoming an OAP.

A person is as young as they feel and inside there is still a 25 year old, tis just the body thats falling apart, and presently I have been hobbling about with a walking stick after throwing the back out switching off my tablet after charging it.

So for the last week I have been on the PC far more than usual looking at available kit, not once have I looked at new camcorders, yet tablets, ipad's, mobile phones, DSLR's have kept me busy as have looking at kit to enable me to update my guide to a PC spec sticky.

My task next week is to educate a friend who has been into movie making for about 10 years yet he has never edited any of his footage and at 72 he certainly does not consider himself old nor not capable of learning

As you guys and gals have learned about me over the years but I am a bit of a techie geek, I am an advocate of people learning as much as they can about editing software and everything else that goes with it for one simple reason, the more a person knows their way around the intricacies of their chosen editing software the easier it will be for them to create their movie to the standard they want to achieve.

Struggle with the software and the movie will suffer.

New is not necessarily better, it's the quality of the Cinematology that matters not the quality of the camcorder. Last season I won the holiday competition at PMM with footage that was shot on my first video8 camcorder in 1992, twenty years to edit, that must be some kind of record!

[Lee Prescott]

Hi Guys, (by the way were are all la femmes on here)?

Or from one "old fogey", (I don't think), to all others!!!!

Art never changes - only improves...so, if there's one thing that niggles me it is all that graphic clap trap that "modern"
interpolators use, some of it "clever" but I find most of it boring producing exclamations of "CHeez not agin" or, "for God's sake get on with it", then to find that what follows is sometimes even worse!

The maxim "have computer MUST play" seems to now be part and parcel of producing. There's so much "Technobabble" floating around and in the IAC it is at the expense of losing Artistic Content, well in my view anyway.

SO:-

According to the powers that be, particularly the recent diatribe on energy from yuppie Ed Miliband, it's likely to prove to be fact that Electrical Supplies will fail and that'll make the deceased Ted Heath's 4 day working week look most attractive.

Imagine NO PCs, NO Editing, NO "Tablets", NO mobile 'phones. NO battery charging. NO Telly Vision, NO calculators, 350 plus yards queues at "Tescoasdasanesbugsliddlealdi" ---

By the way, A note to fellow "old fogeys", do you not realise that working in our "hobby" occupies the brain in such ways that it's the "enemy" of the onset of Alzheimer's etc.

(((Keep smiling - it's gonna happen!(((

Cheers: LEE.

P.S: To support my above comments: Monday of this week, that is on the 30th. September, 2013, the branch of NATWEST in Gloucester City Centre LOST all telecommunications, all its landlines collapsed so - umaaah - they were forced to close the bank, post staff outside to allay customers fears of a bankers bonus take over etc., stick up notices as all their computers ceased to work!!!

[Michael Slowe]

My word, something's gone wrong, I am in complete agreement with Lee!

I remember the wonderful days of editing film. All done by hand. Cut up the footage into selected clips, hang them up on numbered pins suspended over a linen lined bin, write descriptions of each number, likewise with audio on magnetic tape (configured as 16mm film), hand wind clips through a viewer (synced with the mag) - oh happy days! No operating system (save me), no 'updates', lovely relationship with my favourite film lab and the gentle clatter of the projector when finally you can exhibit the latest production.

Oh dear, this might increase the clamour to banish any film maker over the age of 70.

[Dave Watterson]

Somehow this has turned into a nostalgia session ....

But those who love the old days might like to know that the recent final of the Eurofilmers Festival, organised by the European Film Makers Circle, included 16mm projection ... though I am told it did not look good by comparison with HD video projection.

[Michael Slowe]

You're right Dave, but it probably is only these last 12 months when good HD video projection has caught up with the best 16mm film - by that I mean good prints from Eastman Color negative stock. How much better do we need? As I have written, 4 & 8K are really only for the commercial cinema with their huge screens.

[Frank Maxwell]

As one can see with this subject started nothing is filtering through regards other members putting information on here.
So I ask those people who browse on here how about some feedback????????.

[Lee Prescott]

Hi 1 and ALL,

Agreement: Wow Michael - that's twice in 12 months, yippee!!!

....and Dave, what's wrong with a bit of nostra-dalgia on here, after all it's in keeping
with our "large" membership - BUT -- although I've posted the following elsewhere on here
I thought it perhaps fitted herein also!

SO:-

Just thought I'd add the following to this thread.

Quote from Barry Norman CBE our esteemed Patron!

“TOO MANY FILMS ARE MADE FOR A GENERATION
WITH THE ATTENTION SPAN OF FRUIT FLIES” !

Surely he's not referring to our Yoof ?

Cheers: LEE.

[col lamb]

If you want to bring new members and a younger age group into the IAC just: -

keep continually going on about the old days

keep poking fun at the very modern tech the target prospective membership uses

extole the virtues of that old antiquated poor quality medium that was 8mm film

rubbish the audience that goes to see a modern cinema released movie

Then sit back and wait and see precisely how many new members join the IAC

I would think that you could count them on one hand.

Or would you rather bury your heads in the sand and watch the IAC dwindle further?

[Lee Prescott]

Well, hell Col - in many ways your comments are no doubt correct - BUT - I don't think anyone was exactly extolling the "virtues" of times past at the expense of today's technology as such. Instance: The point I was trying to make is that surely Artistic Merit outweighs and comes before technology? So much time is spent on the latter and it seems to me, very little on the former. I think that is wrong. Anyone can learn to push buttons et al even, as in my area, 90+ year olds courtesy of the local council!

The use and application of graphics should be part and parcel of the Artistic Element, to enhance it, not just for technicalities sake on its own?

As for your reference to the poor quality of 8mm cine film it's not so long ago that the extremely poor quality of VHS video
was compared to the better quality 8mm cine. So OK, times have moved on as obviously nothing in human endeavour stands still!

With regard to "rubbishing", sorry chum, I have never met that (yet) except for the qualities involved in the Artistic element!

Here in our new UNIT the involvement of Young People is to the fore and we do not "lecture" or touch on the past unless specifically asked. So, with respect; I myself do not need any "lectures" either!

Finally, as far as I can find out! Generally - you can, in any case, count the number of people and young people interested in joining the IAC on "less than one hand"! I have found that there are several reasons for that.

However: keep smiling Cheers: LEE.