The Magazine

A forum for sharing views on the art of film, video and AV sequence making as well as on competitions, judging and festivals.
Michael Slowe
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The Magazine

Post by Michael Slowe »

Who is the old geezer featured on the front page of the new issue?
Ken Wilson
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Ken Wilson »

Well Michael, thanks for your kind words! And I thought you loved and admired me?
But of course, I have always by far preferred being behind the camera rather than in front of it, but Mike Whyman insisted that I had to be on the cover as part of his series of profiles of contributors. I sent him a few images to choose from, from the thousands that Carol took of me to get something half decent. Mike couldn`t wait until I had had my facelift so he had to go with what he had. As I haven`t got my issue this month yet, I haven`t seen it, so I guess he hasn`t had me airbrushed as I had hoped???
But I hope you liked reading about my life (in brief) anyway. It could be your turn soon!
Michael Slowe
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Michael Slowe »

Ken, I much enjoy reading your material, well, we have to put up with your face as well now, never mind. I'm decades older than you, my turn may have long passed!
Ken Wilson
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Ken Wilson »

You are a very experienced and respected film maker Michael, so I can forgive you anything. I enjoy our little chats at BIAFF events and I hope you are asked for your own contribution of an autobiography for a future issue of FVM.

On other content within the latest FVM magazine:
I really must raise the subject of the letters page and the short letter which has been published from Paula Webster. I am really shocked by her attack on Willy van de Linden and the unpleasant tone of her comments. Willy is a long standing IAC member and award winning, respected film maker. We did help him once with a film when he required a commentary and my wife Carol recorded one for him. He kindly rewarded her with some chocolates which he gave us at one of the BIAFF weekends. He is a very enthusiastic about the UK and a keen supporter of the IAC.I don`t think that such a gentleman deserves such a vicious attack by Paula Webster or anyone else. We may not always agree with each other about our films, film making techniques or our contributions to the magazine, but there is no place for insults and downright nastiness which came across in this letter. We do what we do for "no financial reward" as the IAC tells us and in fact we write for the FVM magazine for free to exchange ideas and keep in touch with each other and to offer our experiences to other film makers. I hope that Paula Webster will offer an apology on this forum and in the next issue of the magazine.
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Howard-Smith
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Howard-Smith »

I have to agree with Ken’s comments 100%. That letter was totally out of order and thoroughly reprehensible. It shows amazing disrespect to a fellow film-maker. I enjoyed Willy’s series on the making of ‘Hop Around The Weald” and I imagine he’s now feeling hopping mad about the letter. Yes, an apology is called for by Ken, by me and I suspect by many others.
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TimStannard
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Re: The Magazine

Post by TimStannard »

I, too, was appalled. Paula may have a point to make about the magazine but whatever it is will be overshadowed by the sheer bloody rudeness of the letter. I suspect this may have been a letter to the editor as comment on the content of the magazine and not intended for publication, in which case Paula should have made that clear (and in the interests of diplomacy, the editor should have checked with Paula that this was intended for publication - which may well have happened. I have no knowledge).

We all have opinions that we might share with one or two others which we would not wish to broadcast. I know I do.

Whatever the reason, an apology is required.

At the same time I wouldn't wish to throw the baby out with the bath water. I am in no way suggesting we cannot criticise films or the magazine (or anything else the IAC does on our behalf.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
ned c
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Re: The Magazine

Post by ned c »

Have received the February issue; was there a January issue? If so mine seems to have got lost somewhere over the Atlantic.

I enjoy Willy's contributions to the magazine and I have seen a number of his films so know he is a skilled and interesting film maker so the attack by Paula Webster is both unkind and strangely out of place. I await Paula's savaging my contributions with interested anticipation.

Is this the same Paula of Paula's Pointers? I suggest that the websites she recommends be listed on the IAC website or here in the Forum as I suspect not many of us are going to type in the addresses she recommends; a one click solution would be appreciated.

Thanks to Ken and Howard for sharing your lives in film; good reading.

ned c
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Howard-Smith
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Howard-Smith »

I’m glad you enjoyed my article Ned, thanks. It was originally commissioned for the CEMRIAC magazine, when I was asked to report on my filmmaking activities during 2020. I felt honoured when it was passed on for publication in FVM as part of the series ‘A Life In Film’.
You probably haven’t missed an issue - FVM is published every two months, not monthly.
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Howard-Smith
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Howard-Smith »

I have been fortunate to work with many talented actors over the years and one of the most talented was Simon Hawkins. In my article in the magazine there’s a small picture of Simon with Ruth Cattell in my film CONRAD.
A really great guy and a terrific actor.
I received the devastating news this afternoon that he took his own life yesterday morning. I’m really upset about this. I had no idea he was having personal problems regarding mental health.
He did many films for me:
DARK HORSE (murder victim)
AVOIDANCE (Russian army recruit)
THE TIFF (shouty lover)
LIKE A BULLET (car thief)
LOOSE CANNON (ex army man)
ROSALINE (monk)
WHERE THE GUILT LIES (blackmailer)
CONRAD (troubled dad)
OFF THE CLIFF (single father)
BLUE LADY (revengeful husband at the end)
He was also involved with a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the RSC at Stratford directed by Mike Whyman’s daughter Erica Whyman.
He will be very sadly missed.
RIP Simon Hawkins
Last edited by Howard-Smith on Wed Jan 20, 2021 11:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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TimStannard
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Re: The Magazine

Post by TimStannard »

How tragic. So sad,
Tim
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ned c
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Re: The Magazine

Post by ned c »

I don't know who reads the posts here but a couple of comments re the letters in the recent issue of the magazine.

I read Chris Taylor's complaint about his 2015 version of Premiere Elements with astonishment; welcome to the world of software. I used FCP all the way from V2 to V7 Suite only to be abandoned by Apple when they introduced FCX with no compatibility. What about all the users of Premiere Pro when it went into the subscription cloud? There is also the problem that eventually operating systems develop to the point where they no longer support older software. The subscription approach is very attractive to the suppliers; good cash flow; reduced piracy; users locked-in; OK for the end user if they have an income stream to match the cost.

I tried the link in Paula Webster's article but could not connect; anyone successful?

ned c
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Howard-Smith
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Howard-Smith »

Ned, re: the link in Paula Webster’s article: it worked for me. Here’s a more direct link to the film in question:
https://vimeo.com/364824491
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Willy
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Willy »

Many thanks for all those kind words. I told Michael Whyman that I thought of saying something on the Forum and in the magazine about Paula's letter. But I changed my mind because it would cool down. In life there are pleasant things and unpleasant things. That's something we must accept.

I don't read the Forum every day. I read it once or twice a week. Today I have read your messages and now I feel that I must say something about Paula's letter. Of course I was shocked. Upset. Very sad. The first thing I did was writing a letter to Michael. He replied: "I was aware that you might found it a little upsetting, but I felt the magazine had to reflect a wide range of views." But Michael apologized! Actually I feel embarrassed because I am sure that he always works very hard for the IAC. Do not forget that he often belongs to the British contingent at international festivals. Two years ago I met him at UNICA in Zeist (the Netherlands) and four years ago in Dortmund (Germany). And I realize it is not easy to be the editor of a magazine like FVM. The ones who don't do anything, don't anything wrong. By the way, didn't he play an important role at organizing BIAFF online last year?

Also Paula Webster apologized. Tim found her letter appalling. Ken, Howard, Michael said something similar. The words from Mary and Peter Rouillard, my very close friends from Guernsey: "This has to be one of the most rude and nasty missives we have ever read"... And there are other friends. To be honest it was heart-warming to read them after Paula's attack. I was very shocked by the following words: "At last I thought, now we can have a rest from Willy Van der Linden. Imagine my horror when I find him grinning at me on the front cover!" But Tim is right. She may have a point to make about the magazine.

Indeed, she has a point. In her letter of apology she wrote: "For a long time I have been urging the IAC to take a modern approach, to jazz up the magazine to attract new members, to stop focusing on the past in order to be more up to date. I want the IAC to carry on being a success and not appear in its own Obituary Column... One of my bugbears is the continual showing of antique, outdated equipment in the magazine. There is also a preponderance of elderly white men... I'm afraid the choice of the front cover was the last straw." Afterwards she said extremely bad things about the cover on the issue February 2021. She was furious.

Then she continued her apology as follows: "It rent to my rant which was actually aimed at the editor and you were unfortunately caught in the crossfire. He should help contributors to write in a snappy, engaging style and also choose visually exciting front covers." I didn't feel easy when reading this. You know that Dutch is my mother-tongue... On the other hand for the articles "Hop Around the Weald" I asked Mary Rouillard from Guernsey to correct my mistakes - she is a professional corrector - and Michael Whyman to help me. He improved my style in some places. For my biography I appealed to my new neighbour who lived in the arms of a former RAF-pilot in England for 35 years and who studied languages at the university. I felt confident enough. I am almost sure that Paula didn't not read my articles, but I can accept it. I don't read all articles in the magazine either.

Paula herself contributed to FVM February 2021 with "Sons of the Savanna". I must admit that I enjoyed her writing style and I told her that I found it excellent. "Thank you for your kind comments on my articles", was her reply. If I had been in your position I would not have been so magnanimous. Again, apologies for my outburst, the product of a simmering frustration, which was not aimed at you, but rather at the magazine."

You are right, Ken, we write for the magazine for free to exchange ideas and to keep in touch with each other and to offer our experiences to other filmmakers... Perhaps not to attract new young IAC-members. But now I am going to write an interview with Werner Haegeman who won a diamond at BIAFF in Birmingham with his "Swimming-Pool" starring some very sexy actresses and my with my other friend Werner Vandenbulck, the professional cameraman who got the opportunity to film interviews with athletes who won gold at the Olympic Games, who went to Canada together with our Belgian king, but who won two diamonds at our own BIAFF. He was even a judge in the final panel at BIAFF 2009.

Werner and Werner are two young chaps in their early sixties. Michael, our editor, agrees with it. And Paula will be happy with it.The best thing you can always do is to take revenge in a sporting way.
Willy Van der Linden
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TimStannard
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Re: The Magazine

Post by TimStannard »

I have to say, that is a very calm and well considered response, Willy. I am glad Paula has apologised. What was clearly intended as an example of a general criticism comes across as a personal attack.

I agree with much of Paula's criticism of the magazine, but I find myself coming to the defence of Michael.
From memory (which may not be 100% accurate), with Garth's removal from the post the IAC Council, put out messages saying they were seeking a new editor and invited people who were interested to apply. It was eventually announced that Mike would take over the role. I very much had the impression that no suitable applications had been received and Mike took this on rather reluctantly, simply because someone needed to do it. You can say that as a democracy we get the government we deserve, but at least those standing for election presumably want the job! (Of course I may be completely wrong about this - the workings of IAC Council are a mystery to most of us).

If we want a younger, more lively magazine, yes - a younger more lively editor might help to a limited extent - but essentially we need to submit younger, livelier articles. There is no reason that any one of us can not ask contacts (younger, livelier contacts!) if they'd consider submitting an article. We, the members can be more proactive in sourcing the sorts of articles we want to see.

Alternatively and additionally we could make suggestions to Michael about people he might approach who might be outside his radar.

One think I think we do need to do, and this extends beyond the magazine, is to be much more outward looking.I have a feeling we spend rather a lot of time navel gazing and beating ourselves up about what is wrong with the magazine, the IAC, the government, our lives - Coronavirus has only made this worse.

Willy, you have made a very positive attempt to do this by looking outside the box and inteviewing Werner and Werner. I'd love to suggest we get a photo of the sexy actress on the cover, but that might harken back to an earlier time.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
Ken Wilson
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Re: The Magazine

Post by Ken Wilson »

Well here we are once again! Bitter disputes and back biting. It`s good that Willy accepts Paula Webster`s vicious attack on him. I would not be so forgiving. But the cover of the magazine with Willy`s photo on it was fine with me. It showed he was heavily featured inside, so why shouldn't he be on the cover? Yes he held an old camera but I didn`t for a minute think it meant this was the one he was using currently for making films. Did it matter? Not to me.
Then part of what Willy has written now brings me into this pettiness. I quote:

There is also a preponderance of elderly white men... I'm afraid the choice of the front cover was the last straw." Afterwards she said extremely bad things about the cover on the issue February 2021. She was furious.

Well I feel compelled to defend myself as it is my picture on the cover of the February issue. I can`t help the fact that I am white and male. I was born that way! Elderly? Well thanks Paula Webster. We all age and if I could I would be a few years younger, but again I have no control over that. So should I have been on the cover at all then? Well Mike Whyman asked me to take photos for the cover and to write about my life in film. It was his decision as editor, not mine. He told me that he wanted featured contributors to FVM to write about their life working on/ with/ in film/ video and it was my turn next. I did mention to him that of course I have written so much about the many films and film related work that I have done over the years in around 20 years of articles (all unpaid of course) and submitted for publication if the editor of the day wants to include it.

Several times I have suggested that I stop writing for FVM. I had this discussion several times with Garth our previous editor and he asked me to continue. He told me that from his contacts, my articles were very popular and that as long as I had things to write about, I should continue. I have also been e-mailed privately and approached at BIAFF weekends by people to tell me how much they enjoy the things I write about. But you can`t please everyone. If you step forward, you are a target for abuse and personal attacks, I know that.

I will stop if readers no longer want my articles. Just let me know. So therefore did I deserve to be on the cover at all? As I wrote 3000 words for the February issue, I think it represents what is inside as it did in the previous issue with Willy on the cover. I assume with future autobiographies the author of each one will be on the cover also. I normally write around 2000 words 6 times a year and have done so regularly since around 2003 plus many articles randomly prior to that. So that`s quite a total. It`s a pity that there is always so much nastiness when we all just want to make films and enjoy the process. If such things continue, the IAC will self destruct.
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