BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

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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Howard-Smith
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Howard-Smith »

Criteria for awarding 1 star at BIAFF:

"One Star means...
​Work at this level shows little understanding of the basics of film-making. It may for example have unsteady photography or problems with exposure, obvious distortions of sound or unattractive abrupt changes. It may lack understanding of the conventions of editing. The film may typically lack effective story or structure and fail to engage the viewer."

How much of this applies to the Michael Slowe film that got 1 star, EYE ON THE BALCONY?
Just asking...
tom hardwick
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by tom hardwick »

A very good ask, Howard. I really enjoyed the film when I asked Michael to send me the Vimeo link. It's a fascinating look at people as they go about their lives - in one day out of thousands. I sent him my unofficial 'judgement', because I was somewhat gob-smacked to read his One Star BIAFF write-up.
Michael Slowe
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Michael Slowe »

Now now boys, I don't want to appear a moaner, I never query judges and certainly not in public, but I have to say I was puzzled. I'm quite proud though to now have a 'full house', One Star all the way up to Diamond, a record I would venture to suggest.
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Howard-Smith
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Howard-Smith »

One week to go before BIAFF 2021 launches at 5.00 pm on 16th April!
Hopefully the full results will appear online any day now.
My friend Martin Evans from Aberystwyth, who joined the IAC about 3 years ago on my recommendation, is busy working on the online interactive programme. I thought he did a brilliant job of it last year. Martin makes lots of distinctive, original films which usually get between 2 and 4 stars but he had 5 star success two years ago with the hilarious BITE OFF.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

Jan and I are also itching to get the results online ... David Newman is running extremely late this time round, but he should be checking the listings now ...
tom hardwick
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by tom hardwick »

I'm guessing David and Mike Whyman are up2here in getting the multiple centre pages of the next FVM together, listing the BIAFF placings. Checking and double-checking the results must take many days.
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by TimStannard »

Howard-Smith wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 10:07 am My friend Martin Evans from Aberystwyth, who joined the IAC about 3 years ago on my recommendation, is busy working on the online interactive programme.
Yes, it was superb although one or two people didn't find the link icons that obvious. Hopefully they'll have learned by this year.
Tim
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

A LONG LAST THE BIAFF 2021 RESULTS ARE ONLINE

Start here: https://www.biaff.org.uk/2021.html

The timetable for the festival will be online so soon as Jan gets the details of the Saturday shows, which will be in two separate online cinemas.
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John Simpson
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by John Simpson »

9 five Stars this year, 22 last year
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Howard-Smith
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Howard-Smith »

Yes John, this means of course that only 17 of the 168 entries this year were deemed to be worthy of 5 stars (obviously with 8 of them being upgraded to Diamonds). It makes me wonder whether we judges are sometimes too hesitant, too cautious, about nudging more of the 4 star films into the 5 star category. Just asking. What do you think?
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John Simpson
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by John Simpson »

If one feels strongly I think it is important to push for a unanimous 5.

Glad to see UK student film "I bit the Lemon" was entered and got a 5, I look forward to seeing that. But there again I look forward to seeing them all.
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by TimStannard »

Good point made by Howard about the number of diamonds being fixed.
This means 30 films were 5 star (with 8 being upgraded to diamonds) last year and 17 this year.
Or 17/168 = 10.12%
and 30/288 = 10.42%

So basically pretty much the same proportion of films were five star.

In the words of Capt. Mainwaring "Don't panic, Mr Simpson!"
Tim
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Dave Watterson »

Jan and I have long thought that BIAFF is a little too miserly with 5-star awards. When you have seen what's on offer at BIAFF 2021, perhaps we can discuss that more.
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Howard-Smith
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by Howard-Smith »

Tim says: “Good point made by Howard about the number of diamonds being fixed.” I wasn’t actually making any point about the fixed number of Diamonds. I totally approve of giving Diamond Awards to the “top 8 films of the whole festival” regardless of how many entries there are.
Tim has demonstrated via his impressive mathematical skill that the proportion of 5 star + Diamonds has remained at just over 10% of the total number of entries this year. I still wonder whether this could, indeed should, be higher, and this is a view now endorsed by Dave & Jan. It might perhaps be a talking point ahead of next year’s judging. We certainly don’t want to devalue the 5 star awards by being over-generous with them, but when we watch the 4 star films over the BIAFF weekend we might ask ourselves regarding a few of them, “should this have been a 5 star film rather than 4?” There’s a particular filmmaker I have in mind who has three 4 star award winning films this year, all of which I’ve seen (but I wasn’t involved in judging any of them), and I’m just surprised that not one of them was deemed worthy of 5 stars.
This is an opportunity for people either to agree with what I say or to argue the case that we’ve just about got it right with the 10% figure and that it should remain roughly the same in future years.
Last edited by Howard-Smith on Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:51 pm, edited 3 times in total.
tom hardwick
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Re: BIAFF 2021 RESULTS

Post by tom hardwick »

Good points guys. I've often found myself outnumbered by the other two judges when it comes to pushing to the next Star level, so I applaud Dave and Jan's thoughts that we're being too 'mean' and too 'safe' in our Star ratings. At least I push for the judge who rated the film highest to write it up, ever mindful of David Newman's warning that too much praise will have the filmmaker wondering why on earth he didn't get placed higher.
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