SIT DOWN

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Dave Watterson
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Re: SIT DOWN

Post by Dave Watterson »

We have drifted a bit from the original topic.

From comments Willy has made here and elsewhere, it seems that in his clubs it is normal for a film maker to screen an unfinished work to receive advice and comment on it. I am not aware of this happening much in British clubs. Or is that simply my limited experience?

As for a club trying to re-assess a fairly successful film in the light of judges' comments ... has that ever happened?
Frank Maxwell
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Re: SIT DOWN

Post by Frank Maxwell »

I think any good video item would be a joy to watch on a big screen. Most clubs project videos on big screens. But little attention is payed to what gets shown when it comes to perhaps new members. The regular members accept material shown.
We are now in the situation of if you like golf,football, etc and you wish to participate you join a club. With video this is not anymore a priority like the days of cine. Many of us the moving image is in our blood and our generation of film or video makers are disappearing slowly and the gap is getting bigger in clubs. Many members have a formula of producing good class enjoyable videos time after time and many struggle to pick up tips as they know, show it once and then it goes into a filing cabinet.
Every video I make and before it gets shown I catch my wife and sit down with her and she is my best judge."She Dont Mixes Her Words" if it is good or rubbish.
Today clubs still have a place to enjoy the art of video making. But there is a lack of flexibility to adapt to this new world of making and showing, presenting videos.
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TimStannard
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Re: SIT DOWN

Post by TimStannard »

Dave Watterson wrote: From comments Willy has made here and elsewhere, it seems that in his clubs it is normal for a film maker to screen an unfinished work to receive advice and comment on it. I am not aware of this happening much in British clubs. Or is that simply my limited experience?
It certainly happens at Staines - not frequently, but often enough. Like I imagine most clubs do, we have several "members' movies" evenings per season when members can show anything they want (by agreement with me or whoever is presiding - otherwise we can - and have - end up with 15 mins of the backs of people's heads). Often the maker is after feedback - not with a view to revision, but in order to learn for future productions. But sometime people will show unedited footage, looking for suggestions as to how best to structure a work, or semi completed projects after opinions. Indeed I showed the rough cut of the first half of a film I was making as, whilst I knew it would be of interest to the people involved, I wasn't sure whether the direction I was going with the edit would work for a general audience.
Dave Watterson wrote: As for a club trying to re-assess a fairly successful film in the light of judges' comments ... has that ever happened?
Dunno about club films but I know of at least two makers of individuals' films in our club who have re-edited as a direct result of regional and national competition judges' comments - one quite dramatically (and arguably to the detriment of the film)
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
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Willy
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Re: SIT DOWN

Post by Willy »

Yes, you are right, Dave. You wrote this message on 28th June last year, but I was not able to read it. You know why. In my two clubs it is normal for a filmmaker to screen his unfinished work several times. There are clubmates who appreciate criticism. I am one of them. There are also friends who hate it. They even get furious when someone else criticizes their production. Of course we don't have to accept all suggestions. It also happens at festivals. Who says that judges think that they know it all?

My unfinished film is always screened at least five times during the last five months before our local competition. I don't accept everything, but I must admit that clubfriends who don't make good films or who don't make films at all can also give good advice. It often happens that I think: "Stupid what he has said about my film", but when I am back home I sometimes think: "Actually he was right" and I change my film. Then I am very happy.

When I was the president of my own club there were friends who invited me to come to their house in order to have their film criticized only by me, not by anybody else. They hated criticism by other friends in our club. I accepted it. Everybody has got a different character.

In my club some friends went on holiday every year. They showed their unfinished film several times. We said things like: "If I were you I would swap some images, like ...." or "Why wouldn't you shorten that image... ? In my opinion it is too long for the rhythm in your film" and "Isn't it possible to change the colour a lit bit in that part. I am not sure, but I I think it would improve your film" "etc... Every year these friends looked forward to have their film being criticized. Every two weeks they show their improved film. They can see and feel the progress. Of course there is one danger. There are may be arrogant people in your club who say things like: "That's rubbish!". But then the president of the club must play his role...
Willy Van der Linden
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TimStannard
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Re: SIT DOWN

Post by TimStannard »

Willy wrote: My unfinished film is always screened at least five times during the last five months before our local competition.
That certainly trumps anything we might do, Willy. If anyone attempts to show a film more than once in a year I doubt they'd be very popular. Once at "Members' Movies" to get feedback then once again in competition.
Willy wrote: It often happens that I think: "Stupid what he has said about my film", but when I am back home I sometimes think: "Actually he was right" and I change my film. Then I am very happy.
Sign of an open mind, Willy. I often feel the same about judges' comments - when I've got an open mind, anyway :D
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
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