Judges reports

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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ned c
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Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 3:39 pm
Location: Dammeron Valley USA

Judges reports

Post by ned c »

Anyone who is involved in running a Festival will agree that it's hard work and in the world of n-c film making the rewards are in heaven!

We are finding it very difficult to find judges who are prepared to write serious and lengthy analyses of the films viewed and wonder what people's reaction is to having just the awards and a thank you to every one else? Personally I find the reports I have received from BIAFF and the Jersey Lily informative and helpful, no I don't agree with everything but accept that it is up to me to use the information wisely.

Suggestions/comments welcome.

Thanks

ned c
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Stephen
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Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 3:36 pm
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
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Re: Judges reports

Post by Stephen »

The work that judges do is invaluable in promoting our hobby.
Judges in this area of the UK (the North East of England) are pretty cool !
They are very positive and enthusiastic without being condescending.

As a competition secretary it is difficult sometimes to get judges (!) where have I heard that before (!) … but thankfully there are a few willing souls that come up to the plate.

Maybe the IAC could help here by providing a register for Club organisers to access to help in the organising of judges for club competitions? It is integral and an important catalyst at club level to provide this.

Judges comments whether they be live on the night after a show (I take my hat off to these peeps that do that !) or a postal service, they are an absolutely necessary and the minimum I would expect from entering a competition.
Stephen

Film making is not a matter of Life and Death
It's much more important than that.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: Judges reports

Post by Dave Watterson »

Would that not also involve a "black list" of people you never want to have as judges?
- Dave
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Willy
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Location: Antwerp Belgium

Re: Judges reports

Post by Willy »

Dave Watterson wrote:Would that not also involve a "black list" of people you never want to have as judges?
- Dave
That would be ridiculous. However, I prefer a mixed panel with ladies and gentlemen, with old and young people. It was possible in Guernsey. I only fear that young people, who still work very hard during the week, don't have so much time to write very detailed reports or spend a weekend in a hotel to watch and evaluate films all the time. We must accept and respect this.

Judges with bowler hats !
In Belgium the organisers sometimes ask the same judges every year. That's not good. Some of these gentlemen often carry a briefcase. They look very learned. They look like university professors. Please do not ask them what is in their briefcases. They are empty !

They don't wear bowler hats yet, but that's because bowler hats are typically English, otherwise they would do it.

However, these gentlemen have problems with the conjugation of the verb "zijn" (="to be"). This is something that you already learn in the primary school. Luckily they don't have to write long judges' comments. If you ask them about the films they have seen they are not able to give an analysis.

It already happened to me twice. I was the member of a judging panel. After the competition there was a discussion with the filmmakers. It's often like that in Belgium. Also at Unica there is a discussion which is good. My colleagues, who are frequently asked to judge films, asked me to answer all the questions of the audience, because ... A VIP who was sitting next to me even asked me : "What can I say about that film. Quick. Tell me ? Help me !" I could just whisper in his ear : "Tell the audience and the filmmaker that this reportage film is an excellent one for the local annual gala projection in a few weeks and that everybody will enjoy it. Congratrulate him." I didn't have the time to tell him more interesting things about that film in his ear. The VIP was very pleased that he could say all this.

I am not exaggerating now : Some years ago the wives of the judges were put in quarantaine during the screenings. They were not allowed to talk to the filmmakers.
That's what one of my friends told me. He was a judge at a national competition and his wife was with him.

I prefer judges with red noses, but with
some cultural background or judges who watch films all the time (professional critics) or judges who have already some good experience in making films or judges who can evaluate films in a very constructive way and write very good crits. I also like judges who don't take the names of the filmmakers or their reputation as a criterion , but the standard of their films. This is a risk when chosing the same judges every year. It's not possible to find all these qualities in one person. Black lists ... No ! Long lists with various people ... Yes !
Willy Van der Linden
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Willy
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:42 pm
Location: Antwerp Belgium

Re: Judges reports

Post by Willy »

Dave Watterson wrote:Would that not also involve a "black list" of people you never want to have as judges?
- Dave
That would be ridiculous. However, I prefer a mixed panel with ladies and gentlemen, with old and young people. It was possible in Guernsey. I only fear that young people, who still work very hard during the week, don't have so much time to write very detailed reports or spend a weekend in a hotel to watch and evaluate films all the time. We must accept and respect this.

Judges with bowler hats !
In Belgium the organisers sometimes ask the same judges every year. That's not good. Some of these gentlemen often carry a briefcase. They look very learned. They look like university professors. Please do not ask them what is in their briefcases. They are empty !

They don't wear bowler hats yet, but that's because bowler hats are typically English, otherwise they would do it.

However, these gentlemen have problems with the conjugation of the verb "zijn" (="to be"). This is something that you already learn in the primary school. Luckily they don't have to write long judges' comments. If you ask them about the films they have seen they are not able to give an analysis.

It already happened to me twice. I was the member of a judging panel. After the competition there was a discussion with the filmmakers. It's often like that in Belgium. Also at Unica there is a discussion which is good. My colleagues, who are frequently asked to judge films, asked me to answer all the questions of the audience, because ... A VIP who was sitting next to me even asked me : "What can I say about that film. Quick. Tell me ? Help me !" I could just whisper in his ear : "Tell the audience and the filmmaker that this reportage film is an excellent one for the local annual gala projection in a few weeks and that everybody will enjoy it. Congratrulate him." I didn't have the time to tell him more interesting things about that film in his ear. The VIP was very pleased that he could say all this.

I am not exaggerating now : Some years ago the wives of the judges were put in quarantaine during the screenings. They were not allowed to talk to the filmmakers.
That's what one of my friends told me. He was a judge at a national competition and his wife was with him.

I prefer judges with red noses, but with
some cultural background or judges who watch films all the time (professional critics) or judges who have already some good experience in making films or judges who can evaluate films in a very constructive way and write very good crits. I also like judges who don't take the names of the filmmakers or their reputation as a criterion , but the standard of their films. This is a risk when chosing the same judges every year. It's not possible to find all these qualities in one person. Black lists ... No ! Long lists with various people ... Yes !
Willy Van der Linden
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