People are interested in people

A forum for sharing views on the art of film, video and AV sequence making as well as on competitions, judging and festivals.
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Dave Watterson
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People are interested in people

Post by Dave Watterson »

So why do we so often make films about inanimate objects: canals, railways, rivers, cars, squirrels, birds etc?

Are we turning our backs on audiences?

Dave
Mike Shaw

Re: People are interested in people

Post by Mike Shaw »

Canals, railways, rivers, cars, squirrels, birds don't have to act, that just have to be themselves. People (feel they) have to act, and that isn't easy! Even harder when there are 'lines' to say! That could be part of the reason I think?

Or is that an excuse more than a reason?
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Willy
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Re: People are interested in people

Post by Willy »

Dave Watterson wrote:So why do we so often make films about inanimate objects: canals, railways, rivers, cars, squirrels, birds etc?

Are we turning our backs on audiences?

Dave
So, let's make films about people then. Next year my club celebrates its 50th anniversary. Now we've decided to make a clubfilm for 2010. We already have a scenario. We still need an end.
All members of my club must play a role.
Introduction : 7 or 8 or ... men are having a drink in a pub. They're talking about their wives. At the same moment 7 or 8 women are having tea with a piece of cake. They're talking about their husbands.
Middle Scene 1 : One man says : "Last night I came back home from work and ..."In the living-room there is a mess. Books, papers, magazines everywhere ! A bottle is broken. The dog is eating a sausage etc. He goes to his bedroom. His wife is lying in bed. She's reading a magazine. He asks her : "What has happened here ?". She says : "Every day you ask me what I have done. Well, today I haven't done anything !".
Scene 2 : A lady says : "Yesterday I asked my husband to prepare dinner because he is never happy with my cookery. So he wanted to fry on egg..." So He took an egg. He wanted to break the eggshell on a cupo and to catch the yolk. Alas ... He tried 7 times ...
Scene 3 : ...

So everybody tells a story. Something that happened at home or anywhere else.
Could anyone suggest an ending for this clubfilm ?
Willy Van der Linden
Mike Shaw

Re: People are interested in people

Post by Mike Shaw »

After all the stories ...

The women are together after comparing notes, and one says "You know what? I bet those layabouts think this is a good idea for a film..."

Or

All the men are gathered together comparing notes regarding events, and one says
"You know what? This would make a good movie!"

Or ...

Show both endings simultaneously on a split screen - except th man doesn't actually speak, just holds his finger up and shows facially that he has just had a good idea

Or...

I'm out of anything to follow the 'or's' right now. Just as well perhaps ...
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Willy
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Location: Antwerp Belgium

Re: People are interested in people

Post by Willy »

Mike Shaw wrote:After all the stories ...

The women are together after comparing notes, and one says "You know what? I bet those layabouts think this is a good idea for a film..."

Or

All the men are gathered together comparing notes regarding events, and one says
"You know what? This would make a good movie!"

Or ...

Show both endings simultaneously on a split screen - except th man doesn't actually speak, just holds his finger up and shows facially that he has just had a good idea

Or...

I'm out of anything to follow the 'or's' right now. Just as well perhaps ...
Sorry that I could not reply earlier, Mike. Yesterday I was in Holland. I was a member of a judging panel. Also on Sunday. Life is very hectic. I'm exaggerating and my blood pressure is too high now. I should calm down. But your ideas are fantastic ! Tomorrow evening it's clubnight and I will tell my clubmates. I am sure they will be very pleased with your suggestions.

Last week one of them also had a good story for a clubfilm, but I told him that wde could make that one as well but only under his name. So, it's also about people and all members can play a role in it.


The theme is : "A Good Intention".
The story : Calendar : "26th December, 27th December, 28th December" ... A man is a "heavyweight". He drinks heavily. He devours sweets, cakes, tarts. He is not fit. His hammock is his favourite place. On 29th December he goes to the doctor because he has difficulties in breathing. He is ailing. The doctor warns him. He must change his life style. Better today than tomorrow. The doctor gives him good advice : drink water, keep fit, eat fruit, ... In the film you can see him drinking mineral water, doing exercises in a keep fit centre, eating an apple (in black and white ?) If he doesn't change his life style then he will have a heart attack very soon, the doctor says. So he promises the doctor, but also his wife who is very worried, to change his behaviour from 1st January onwards. The New Year means the start of his new intentions. However, his wife had organized a surprise party together with some friends. They're drinking champagne and beers, eating delicious tarts. Our man is jealous. His friends look "exhausted" after some time. They're lying on a sofa and they fall asleep. But our man is still alive !

I think that my friend's story is also a good one, but I told him that this is his scenario and that we will help him.
Willy Van der Linden
Mike Shaw

Re: People are interested in people

Post by Mike Shaw »

Looking forward to seeing both movies!!
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Willy
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Re: People are interested in people

Post by Willy »

Mike Shaw wrote:Looking forward to seeing both movies!!
We spent some evenings on making the scenario of both films together. It was an interesting club activity. We also found Mike's suggestion to end the film very good.

Yes, making films about people is fascinating. Last week I wrote a scenario/script about a lady who celebrates her 80th birthday in loneliness. Every day she sits in an armchair looking through the open window. Her husband died some years ago. Her children don't visit her very often. They want her to go to a home of rest and sell her house. The money would be for them. Her cat died some weeks ago. She goes to an animal home to buy a new one, but she doesn 't do it, because the new pussy might survive her and it would also feel lonesome. The only thing she can talk to are her geraniums on the windowsill. Etc... etc... However, there is a happy end in the film.

I think you can find enough ideas in every day life.

An other theme : Since November my wife and I live in a new block of flats. It was built in parsonage style. It's not a scyscraper. Twice six appartments. A caretaker made some rules : similar curtains in every flat, no posters on the windows, no pets ... "An appartment with standing determines its value", he said. Everybody agreed. We all received a report of the meeting.

12 out of 10 families are in their fifties, sixties and seventies. One lady is 35. She is divorced and has three noisy children. They don't behave. They don't obey their mother. They play in the communal garden and pull up new plants. The twelfth family moved in last week. A young couple. They apologized for having a dog and a new born baby. The dog is barking all day. What a noise ! One of my neighbours already protested against having a dog, not against having a baby of course. "Dogs are not allowed in these appartments", she said in her firm voice. But the two young families : the divorced lady and the young couple tried to form a front against all those "elderly" people.

So this really what happened the last weeks. Interesting theme for a film, isn't it. A film about living together : old and young. A film about people. Of course, then we should find a happy end for this story.

Yes, indeed, we should talk/discuss more about making films rather than new cameras, new projectors, etc... I also have members in my club who always talk about their newest machines, but unfortunately they don't make any films.
Willy Van der Linden
Brian Saberton
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Re: People are interested in people

Post by Brian Saberton »

Willie. That sounds like a very good idea for a film. I used to live in a downstairs flat which was in a block of four built in the 1930's and lacking in sound proofing so you that you could hear things that it was better not to hear. It became a living nightmare after a very noisy family moved in upstairs. As for multi storey flats, a wise Glaswegian once called them "filing cabinets for people" which is a very apt description I think. I'm sure you could make a wonderful film about the problems of living in a flat in the context of the lack of consideration for other people and general selfishness that is now all too common.
Brian Saberton
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Dave Watterson
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Re: People are interested in people

Post by Dave Watterson »

Watch out for "Nebenan" ("Next Door") at BIAFF !

Dave
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