THE BIAFF WEEKEND

A forum for sharing views on the art of film, video and AV sequence making as well as on competitions, judging and festivals.
Jill Lampert
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by Jill Lampert »

I'm not sure that IMDB estimates should be relied on 100%.
I just looked up a film made by someone who was briefly a member of Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers. It has an estimated budged of $25,000,000.
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John Simpson
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by John Simpson »

I think limiting amateur filming to good-will and guerrilla filming for film sets. And not feeling able to set a budget for costume hire is again limiting. Some of the sketches we see on TV such as "the Mitchell and Webb look" would not be very special without the costumes and setting. I suppose what needs to be decided is: are we doing the same thing as films such as "Sobre la Muerte", or are we doing something different?
Last edited by John Simpson on Tue May 11, 2021 9:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
tom hardwick
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by tom hardwick »

£17.65m sure sounds like a 'budged estimate' Jill. Good typo.
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TimStannard
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by TimStannard »

The Sherlock Holmes in me decided to establish which film Howard was talking about. It was hardly difficult. I picked one of the festivals at random - one where it won the audience award.
But actually - it didn't. It won one of SIX audience awards - this one specifically for "Best Short Narrative"
And I counted about (my accuracy guage gave out after 50 films) 83 awards at this festival in total.
One wonders if you receive laurels just for entering (indeed many laurels are for "selection")
Whilst I can see what Howard was suggesting as weaknesses, if that's one star, that leaves no grade for me to award to some of the films I've seen!
Tim
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Howard-Smith
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by Howard-Smith »

The 1 star award for the film in question was a unanimous decision. I’m confident we got it right. I only scratched the surface regarding what was wrong with it in my brief references on this forum.
I was surprised that it was even accepted, “officially selected”, by so many festivals. I’ve spent a small fortune on Film Freeway during the past 12 months and my films get rejected about 80% of the time including 5 star ‘Sean’ and Diamond ‘Conrad’. I remember Michael Slowe commenting more than once that other festivals frequently reject films that have been very successful at BIAFF... but the festivals retain the entry fees and there’s nothing to show for it. Yet this 1 star film gets accepted and acclaimed at numerous festivals...
Answers on a postcard.
tom hardwick
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by tom hardwick »

It would take a skip-full of postcards, Howard. But wouldn't it be enlightening to get some feedback from one or some of these film festivals. As to how they operate, how they're financed, who watches the films, how much of a film is watched, if certain requirements must be met that most filmmakers are totally unaware of.

How can we get some much needed insider information? Paying film freeway copious amounts of money 'blind' in this way is akin to buying insurance in the hope that they'll not wiggle too much when you make your claim.

I think we at BIAFF can feel justly proud that we not only acknowledge every film entered, we charge peanuts and thoroughly analyse the film, giving considered write-ups and publishing a magazine where they can see their names in print. It's all beautifully open and above board, and long may we continue doing this.
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TimStannard
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by TimStannard »

Howard-Smith wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 12:29 am The 1 star award for the film in question was a unanimous decision. I’m confident we got it right. I only scratched the surface regarding what was wrong with it in my brief references on this forum.
I don't doubt it Howard. It's just I've seen far worse (as I'm sure you have)
Howard-Smith wrote: Thu May 13, 2021 12:29 am I was surprised that it was even accepted, “officially selected”, by so many festivals.
(...etc)
Yes, very strange, but I am no longer surprised.
Tim
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John Simpson
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by John Simpson »

When you see a "short" with lots of laurels on the thumbnail it gives the feeling that the makers are serious about their efforts. Of course part of their crowdfunding budget has been for entering their film at festivals, I think some of the entry fees can be quite high.
It actually puts me off when I see a film plastered with laurels. If feels to me like vulgar showing off. I wonder if anyone else feels that way?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they don't deserve praise and recognition, but just stick one or two on the film and list others in comments/iMDB

I think I disagree. I am wondering if your dislike of a whole load of Laurels is the "English Reserve". I'm not keen on the English Reserve and if I ever spent a lot of time making a good quality film which I was happy with I would be very pleased to smother the thumbnail with laurels. (I would be pleased to see Miracle on the Mantelpiece with lots of laurels.) For me just getting my head together to enter films into BIAFF is quite an achievment, let alone all those other strange festivals. No if you win awards revel in it, forget the English Reserve, go wild!
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TimStannard
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by TimStannard »

John Simpson wrote: Tue May 18, 2021 8:58 pm I am wondering if your dislike of a whole load of Laurels is the "English Reserve".
I'm sure it is - or a variation thereof. The biggest compliment my father ever paid was "that's not bad" - but my friends learned to recognise that as praise. So I guess it comes from there. I love dishing out praise (where deserved), but I don't take compliments very well (although I certainly enjoy them privately). I therefore do not like drawing attention to any I've received. I'm also a massive fan of understatement.

I'm certainly not salesman material - or more accurately I cannot sell myself. I doubt I'd survive as a young man nowadays.
Tim
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John Simpson
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by John Simpson »

I do know the topic of this thread is The BIAFF Weekend and I am going off topic (Is that allowed? Some people sometimes complain about it!) But "The English Reserve" is one thing I believe holds people back and another is another is that it is somehow good to be quiet and brooding, like Clint Eastwood in the Spaghetti Westerns, letting the gun do the talking. Or the archetypal Yorkshireman ending a discussion: "Father has spoken, let that be the end of it" Contrary to that is, it is good to listen and voice ones views but keep an open mind because often ones views change 180 degrees.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by Dave Watterson »

Over the years I have often remarked that British non-commercial film makers rarely tackle matters of current controversy or even current interest much. This year's BIAFF did have some films about life in lockdown and about the pandemic. So maybe we are losing our stiff upper lippery a bit.

In some ways it should be easier for us to make strong polemics because we do not have a duty to be even-handed and we do not have to be wary of offending commercial interests.
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John Simpson
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by John Simpson »

One thing is for sure, although some film clubs are struggling, there are and will be more and more films made, (are vlogs classed as films?) and some will be polemics, which is ok as long as the watchers realise that is what they are. But because of political correctness you could not make a film against the Irish, for instance, so it is more difficult. You have started me thinking, what could I get on the bandwaggon against?
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TimStannard
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Re: THE BIAFF WEEKEND

Post by TimStannard »

Dave Watterson wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 3:35 pm Over the years I have often remarked that British non-commercial film makers rarely tackle matters of current controversy or even current interest much. This year's BIAFF did have some films about life in lockdown and about the pandemic. So maybe we are losing our stiff upper lippery a bit.
I venture this is not the case at all. The situation was thrust upon film makers and the number of films recording the pandemic, while great for a bit of history for future generations, I found rather tedious. There were, of course, a few exceptions, (and we had a few at BIAFF) where film makers managed to take an interesting angle, but most were along the same theme of "Oooh, how interesting it is to see Gresham St Marymead's village streets devoid of people".

Obviously, the pandemic has been around for a while and (as stated above) has interfered with "usual" film making activities.

I suspect that the typical IAC member doesn't make films about current issues because. mostly, they don't hang around for very long and therefore the film has a very limited life. For vloggers that's fine - make a film and move on, but I get the impression most IAC members don't see themselves as current affairs/news reporters/commentators, but as people creating something with a longer shelf-life.

A film of mine was once praised (by a NTRIAC judge) for being unusual in that it tied in with current affairs. The judge in question made a point similar to Dave's that "we" rarely deal with current issues. The film in question looked at how my club's committee might have been riddled with corruption, a deliberate spoof of the current "cash for honours" scandal that was hitting parliament at the time. It was a quick and easy film and people are doing this sort of thing all the time on YouTube. However, (quite apart from the fact it didn't really have the quality), had I shown it six months later (or entered it into BIAFF) it would have been hopelessly out of date and would not have raised a smirk and some might not even have appreciated the matter it was parodying. [EDIT: of course, it wouldn't have worked anyway for anyone who did not know the personalities involved]
Dave Watterson wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 3:35 pm In some ways it should be easier for us to make strong polemics because we do not have a duty to be even-handed and we do not have to be wary of offending commercial interests.
Here I disagree big time. It's not in some ways it's in all ways!
One of the great privileges of being an amateur film maker is we are beholden to no-one except ourselves. The only reason we even have to fact check (which I highly recommend we all do) is because the moment one of our statements is disproved, the credibility of the whole film is discredited.
Tim
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