BIAFF - the Festival

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Michael Slowe
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Michael Slowe »

The Romanians experience of other film festivals is in no way unique. There are hundreds of these throughout the world and very, very few of them provide any information whatsoever concerning the performance of a film unless it is selected for exhibition or wins an award. BIAFF stands alone in this respect, although there are some in America that will provide a critique but only on payment of a large quantity of dollars!

Reverting for a moment to this years BIAFF films, in an earlier post I asked whether anyone could enlighten me as to what The Question was about. Bob Lorrimer mentions it but doesn't seem to know, is there anyone out there who does? It did get five stars so presumably at least one judge understood it, could he / she kindly help?
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John Roberts
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by John Roberts »

Michael Slowe wrote: Reverting for a moment to this years BIAFF films, in an earlier post I asked whether anyone could enlighten me as to what The Question was about. Bob Lorrimer mentions it but doesn't seem to know, is there anyone out there who does? It did get five stars so presumably at least one judge understood it, could he / she kindly help?
Interesting question, Michael :wink:

I enjoyed The Question and thought the idea for the short could easily have been a section from a much longer film - It's the kind of film that could withstand multiple explanations. At first glance I read it as a kind of 'The Prisoner-esque' statement about blindly following orders without actually questioning them or thinking about them. The fact that the two remaining candidates did it TWICE (they failed again to read the rest of the page when they slid the instructions out of the envelope) just shows how thick some people can be, especially when the first candidate already proved that success was obtained by reading and analysing everything.

Or did he...?

Technically the first candidate got it wrong because he didn't properly follow the instructions. He himself quoted that he was "told very specifically to follow all the instructions on the page" as the girl was also told in the opening scene. But, a page is a page, not a sheet, so when the first candidate read the reverse of the sheet of paper containing additional instructions to do nothing, he actually failed in the task. The two remaining candidates did follow the instructions on the page properly (more or less - they would've managed to get out if they hadn't spent so much time arguing) as to have actually completed the task successfully.

Maybe that's just how my mind works :lol: but I would've argued the technicality with the guy in the suit.
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fraught
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by fraught »

I wish you could "thumbs up" comments... i would certainly have hit 'Like' for that break down John. :)
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Dave Watterson »

Isn't it just a typical student anxiety about failing to read the rubric of an exam properly?
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by TimStannard »

I think John and Dave are both right although I think there's more than a hint of a student's fear that the setters are deliberately trying to catch them out.
But I really like John's "Or are they?" Interpretation. The pedant inside me tells me John is absolutely correct but I have a strong suspicion that the makers meant sheet. So perhaps they weren't as clever as they thought they were. I hope this didn't cost them marks in their exam :)
Tim
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Jill Lampert
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Jill Lampert »

I can't resist a question about The Question.
If you tear a page out of a book isn't it a whole sheet of paper? :?
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by TimStannard »

Jill Lampert wrote:I can't resist a question about The Question.
If you tear a page out of a book isn't it a whole sheet of paper? :?
A good point, Jill. Arguably it is impossible to tear a page out of a book, an even number of pages being the only option.

This isn't the only problem associated with pages and books. Who can forget the self disproving "This page left intentionally blank"?
Tim
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Dave Watterson »

I received this message from the Daily Mail winner and thought you would all like to see it:

Image
To my disappointment I could not attend the festival but I'm absolutely thrilled to have had the honour of Copy That receiving a Diamond Award, The Best British Entry Award and the Daily Mail Challenge Trophy for best film.

I couldn't believe it!

Being fairly early on in my film work I find it a real encouragement to continue making films and hopefully forge a career out of it. The feedback that I've had from judges and contact made by audience members has been brilliant and I'm immensely appreciative to the IAC and BIAFF. I hope to be able to attend next year's festival.

I'm currently working as a freelance third assistant director in television, and continuing to make my own short films as much as possible in my free time.

My films can be seen on my vimeo site at this link: http://www.vimeo.com/khoskins1.
Mark Anthony Games
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Mark Anthony Games »

'MARK ANTHONY GAMES deserves a word for his energetic Presentation of the young peoples films......(he also deserves an award for 'rear of the year' in DARK HORSE.......a diffusion

Thank You Bob!

No one said anything to me at all about the presentation (including Dave) so thought I had screwed it up or embarrassed myself. I also wondered if I had said something out of turn as conversation was very lacking from the organizers to myself. I know I lack a filter sometimes but did not say anything as a deliberate insult.

Mr Watterson. You Tube is far more usable and accessible than Vimeo? Professionals use Vimeo, the working class use You Tube, ha ha :-)

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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Dave Watterson »

Mark - if I had been able to go to BIAFF I would have been at the Young People's Show and would surely have enjoyed your presentation - I was much impressed by your positive attitude and enthusiasm during the judging weekend. Alas a detached retina the Thursday before BIAFF meant an emergency operation followed by a week "posturing" - that is sitting with my head tilted to the left at 45 degrees for 50 minutes of every hour, night and day, for a week. So Jan and I could not come to Sittingbourne.

Why the comment about YouTube and Vimeo? I also use DailyMotion sometimes.

Thanks to Bob Lorrimer I learned how to create a Vimeo channel for all the Vimeo films that were in BIAFF. On YouTube the only channel I seem to be able to create is with films I have uploaded myself. Is that what prompted your remark?

Given the glacial pace at which many regular websites respond to simple queries, I find the ability of all the video hosting sites to send working video down the lines as amazing.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Dave Watterson »

Ah - I have just read your article and realise why the comment on YouTube ...

Jan Watterson is the webmaster, I am merely her humble assistant who does some of the chores ...
Mark Anthony Games
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Mark Anthony Games »

Dave Watterson wrote:Ah - I have just read your article and realise why the comment on YouTube ...

Jan Watterson is the webmaster, I am merely her humble assistant who does some of the chores ...

Simply that You Tube is more accessible and communal. I have been on Vimeo for about 100 years and got one comment (My Brother). You tube is accessed far more frequently, by far more people and one video I have 300 comments!

If we want to promote BIAFF and the films, I would strongly recommend getting on there. I am happy to create a channel and organise if given the correct permission

I do not blame you for not attending, I understand. I woudl not have gone in your condition either. You work as hard as anyone Mr Watterson and your efforts are greatly appreciated. You are a good face and a good voice for BIAFF :-)
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by TimStannard »

Mark Anthony Games wrote: Simply that You Tube is more accessible and communal. I have been on Vimeo for about 100 years and got one comment (My Brother). You tube is accessed far more frequently, by far more people and one video I have 300 comments!
I have argued the same. To the public "YouTube" is where you go to see films and that is enough reason for films being posted there. However I would also agree with those who say comments posted on YouTube are mostly "noise" whereas those posted on Vimeo tend to be from fellow film makers or enthusiasts and are thus more constructive.

I think the problem that Dave W is alluding to with an IAC (or a BIAFF) YouTube channel is that it would require the videos to be uploaded to that channel. I, for one, would not be happy to do that for the simple reason that I will no longer know how many views on of my films has got (one hit on my channel and one hit on the BIAFF channel could be two different people or the same person watching it twice). For this reason I put my films on YT or Vimeo but never both.

As I understand it the Vimeo mechanism is simply a means of grouping together videos that are uploaded on individuals' accounts.
Tim
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Mark Anthony Games
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by Mark Anthony Games »

As I understand it the Vimeo mechanism is simply a means of grouping together videos that are uploaded on individuals' accounts.
No you do not need to upload them, you create a playlist. On my channel I have a playlist of film that inspired me. The films remain on the channel of the film-maker. it just sort of creates a slideshow but is accessible via my channel! You simply go to your Video Manager, click create playlist, and then whack in the link of the films and job done. The films need to be on You Tube so it would exclude any Vimeo. The majority of films seem o be on You Tube though. This is why I say it helps promote the film-makers as it directs traffic to both BIAFF and the film-makers.
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF - the Festival

Post by TimStannard »

So it would seem logical to create a "BIAFF" channel with playlists for each BIAFF, or perhaps playlists for 2015 Diamonds, 2015 Five Stars etc. It would perhaps mirror what Jan and Dave maintain, but I'd guess it would potentially be easier to manage and more versatile ... what do you reckon Dave?
Tim
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