"Dave Watterson" <
david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:
I ought to have said in the previous message "save the competition manager
a lot of work" - sorry.
I'm surprised that Belgian moviemakers can be persuaded to pay for travel
to their festival - and presumably also to pay for food and drink at "tourist"
prices - just to get back a few Euros worth of cassettes or discs. Not that
I mind it if that helps encourage people to attend the festival.
You're right, Dave. A DVD is not expensive, but 4-5 years ago there were
not DVD's, only mini-DV-cassettes and at that time they were rather expensive.
Time passes very quickly and so does technology. An other thing : at the
national competition in Belgium you are obliged to give the operator(s) mini-DV-cassettes.
DVD's are not accepted. That's one of the rules. Reason : they fear to have
difficulties with DVD's. Not all DVD-players accept all types of discs. I've
just had such a problem at home. My player accepts DVD's-R, but no DVD's
+R, though it's a rather expensive player. Perhaps I've done something wrong
while copying my film. I always burn my DVD's in my casablanca prestige.
At BIAFF there is no problem. It's a selection system. The films are not
screened only once in a festivity hall for an audience. The judges take the
films home. If they have technical problems behind closed doors they can
try to fix the problems without any agitation. As you know in Belgium more
than 12O are screened in public one after an other and the organizers don't
want to lose time and to take any risks.
On Tuesday I attended a regional meeting. Again all presidents asked to change
the system, but it was to no purpose. I referred to the BIAFF, Guernsey and
Cotswolds systems. The "Board of Directors" at our regional level don't have
the energy anymore to fight for it on our national level. They admitted it
at the meeting. Urbain Appeltans is the only regional chairman who dares,
but he's called a rebel ! Today I received "Film and Video Maker". Introduction
: "The Chairman's Chat". This time it's Linda Gough's turn, but I also remember
Reg Lancaster, John Gibbs, Eric Granshaw and others. In Belgium : once you
are a chairman you are a chairman for life and nowadays it's even difficult
to get rid of that job ! Some years ago I was asked to become a new regional
chairman, but I refused, thank God ! But to be honest it's not their fault.
It's not fair to level all charges at our regional and national chairmen.
Some years ago our new Minister of Cultural Affairs had a bright idea. He
created some new and well-paid jobs. These people run the co-ordinating institute
for all filmclubs and photoclubs now. Let's say the Belgian IAC. Our filmleaders
of the past can hardly take new decisions. Sorry, that I'm saying these things
now. The theme of this discussion is "BIAFF fees". I forgot.
Willy