Page 1 of 2

BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2020 11:52 pm
by Dave Watterson
So the announcement has been made. There will be no traditional BIAFF this year. It will all take place online.

The Online UNICA worked better than I feared - and some of you saw it.

We will probably all miss the personal contacts, the dash for tea-and-biscuits between shows ... the buzz of a live occasion. But will you give it a go?

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:50 am
by Howard-Smith
I’m hugely disappointed that the traditional BIAFF can’t go ahead this year. It’s been the highlight of my year every year since 2008. I’ll be there for the online event of course but I just desperately hope that it’s just a one-off and that BIAFF 2021 will back to normal.
I’m hoping that the Saturday mini cinema shows will remain available to watch for a while, which would give us the opportunity to watch more of the films than usual.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2020 7:04 pm
by TimStannard
Howard-Smith wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 8:50 am I’m hoping that the Saturday mini cinema shows will remain available to watch for a while, which would give us the opportunity to watch more of the films than usual.
I sincerely hope so too. That would be a benefit which would help offset the disappointment of no physical meeting.

One of the problems associated with being on-line at home is that we are not a captive audience. I really don't think Martine will understand that I'm not available - because I'm *just* watching films.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2020 10:21 am
by Dave Watterson
UNICA used Vimeo Showcase system to present its films this year. You needed to enroll in advance to be given the password, but once there you could watch the films at your leisure over most of a week.

I am also one of those awkward people who like to slip in and our of mini-cinemas, to avoid films I have seen elsewhere and to catch special ones in other rooms. As Howard says, it would be wonderful if we did not have to do that for this online BIAFF. They could list the films in the sequence they would have been shown at a live event ... but with no requirement that we watch them in those sequences.

We should hear soon what the organisers have in mind.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2020 1:14 am
by Willy
I agree with Howard-Smith and other friends. I hope that it is not the start of a long series of BIAFFs on line. I hope that the pandemic will be over very soon thanks to a British vaccine, a Chinese one, a Russian one, an American one or a Belgian one which will be the best in the world just like our chocolates and beers (joking of course).

I will miss the tea and biscuits, the gala-dinners, and other nice things. I still prefer a warm social contact. In twenty-one years I missed BIAFF 5 or 6 times. However, we must be honest … it is amazing that often many competitors are not present at BIAFF to receive their certificates, their awards and even their diamonds. That's a pity. It occurs that the mini-cinemas on Saturday are not successful. I remember BIAFFs at Harrogate, Buxton and other venues in the good old days. It was difficult to find a seat in the cinemas. But I also remember that the organizers had done their utmost and their mini-cinemas were almost empty. Only the man operating the projector was there and some friends. That was very sad.

But mind: the declining presence at festivals is not different in Belgium you know. It is an international trend and I fear we must accept this. Anyway BIAFF will give the opportunity now to watch as many movies as possible. That's a good thing. Do you remember the famous Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff? His most famous quote was: 'Elk nadeel heb z'n voordeel', 'Every disadvantage has its advantage'. I am looking forward to BIAFF 2020 in my sitting-room and also to BIAFF 2021 in Birmingham. My clubmate Werner who made his diamond swimming-pool said that Birmingham was a very good festival.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2020 4:39 pm
by Brian Saberton
I've registered and am looking forward to it. As I've mentioned on another post I'm going to hook up my lap top to my projector so I can view the films on my home cinema screen. At XDL films we were delighted to learn that our entry "Marvin" is being shown on the Saturday and we were invited by David Newman to film a short introduction to be shown on the day. this proved to be a challenge because here in North Lanarkshire we had just had a new edict prohibiting people from visiting other peoples homes. However with a bit of technical ingenuity we managed to put something together.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 12:20 am
by Willy
My entry "His Royal Highland Laddie" is being shown on Sunday. Me too, I was invited to film a short introduction. Maximum length: 30 seconds! It was not easy, but I did it! It is not longer than half a minute. I sent it to David Newman by WeTransfer. I called it "My Royal Laddie". The introduction will have disappeared in David's computer on 22nd September. So after 7 days. It must be a hard job for our Competition Manager to organize everything. He must download all the introductions in that short period. Hats off to you, David!

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:09 pm
by Michael Slowe
I too was asked by David to send a video intro to a film that is being shown but, quite honestly, he gave so little time for this that I ignored the request. Such a hassle to revive camera and batteries after a long lay off, set up, film, download, edit, export file, compress to H264 for transmission via We Transfer. Too busy watching football now they've re started and everything being televised!

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:00 am
by Willy
I understand Michael, our fierce Arsenal-fan. Last weekend his team could win the derby with 2 goals to one. I wish you a very successful season, Michael! Making that introduction for my Scottish film was very stressful. I filmed a scene on my balcony, but a dog was barking all the time. I got nervous. When the Hound of Baskervilles had shut its mouth one airoplane after another flew over our flat. Brussels Airport is not far from us. Maybe thousands of covid-19-tourists were coming back from Spain. The sound in my film was very bad and the image quality was awful because of the blazing sun. I only had two days to get the job done and I was eager to see the Tour de France on TV. I sent my disappointing film with a feeling of annoyance to David. After a good night's sleep I decided to film the introduction again but this time in our living-room. That was much better. However, I needed 7 or 8 takes. I shortened my text a few times because I felt the introduction would last more than 30 seconds. Each time I started my ultra short speech by taking off my face cap and by finishing it with a wee dram. Just in front of me I had put a bottle of delicious Bunnahabdhain on the table, also to make some clandestine advertising for this magic potion. "Bunna" is made on the Scottish Isle of Islay. After these 7 or 8 takes it was almost empty. I felt as drunk as a skunk. Now I fear that David will take the Hound of Baskervilles-version instead of the stinking one. Yes, you are right, Michael... Even making such a short film can be very demanding and stressful. To be honest after each take I poured some Earl Grey Lipton tea into my Bunnahabdain glass. Cheers!

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2020 3:46 pm
by TimStannard
Willy wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 11:00 am Even making such a short film can be very demanding and stressful
And yet there is a whole new generation who've been brought up making selfies and vlogs on their smartphones who have developed the ability just to rattle somethig like this off in the 30 seconds it will take to show it! It may not be great, but it will certainly be good enough. I know there are far more who can't, but I'm envious of those who manage it so effortessly.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:22 pm
by Dave Watterson
[youtube]SH-_bKTvG_U&feature=emb_logo[/youtube]

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:17 pm
by TimStannard
Dave Watterson wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:22 pm [youtube]SH-_bKTvG_U&feature=emb_logo[/youtube]
Well, that didn't work as expected!

[Dave: oops, thought I had deleted that. I was trying to resurrect the system which allowed us to embed movies on these posts. None of the versions I have tried seem to work now.]

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:48 pm
by Jon Pegg
Michael Slowe wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:09 pm I too was asked by David to send a video intro to a film that is being shown but, quite honestly, he gave so little time for this that I ignored the request. Such a hassle to revive camera and batteries after a long lay off, set up, film, download, edit, export file, compress to H264 for transmission via We Transfer. Too busy watching football now they've re started and everything being televised!
I just did one on my phone and got my daughter to send it wether it works or not i have no idea lol but thats all I did.

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:19 pm
by Dave Watterson
So this is Saturday night and we have had two days of Online BIAFF: the AV Show and the Saturday mini-cinemas.

How was it for you?

Re: BIAFF ONLINE ...

Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:11 pm
by TimStannard
Worked fine for me. Obviously lacking in atmosphere and (in my case) not as good sound, but on the other hand I could pause if needed and can now watch films from other sessions.
On the other hand, very difficult not to be distracted at home (when there are people around who are not interested in watching)
Simon and the team did a fantastic job getting this up and running. It was a shame so many people struggled with the tech - even though the hosts were exceptionally patient, having to repeat intructions time and again to different people. I suspect we lost out on some audience because of it.

This doesn't explain in totality why the total numbers attending were a bit disappointing - especially from the youngsters and the film makers themselves whom one would have expected to attend.

Nevertheless - a fantastic BIAFF in very difficult circumstamces.
Excellent films - and the best just keep getting better. I'm just glad I wasn't a final round judge.