BIAFF 2017 Results

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TimStannard
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BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by TimStannard »

Bagged another four star. This was bound to be disappointing having reached the giddy heights of five last year, but is what I'd expected. Judges comments were very good this year. Reading between the lines, at least one of the judges found the ending confusing - this is in line with one or two people in other audiences to whom I have shown the film although I maintain there are very clear signposts.
The comments were full of praise and indeed by the time I'd read three quarters I was wondering why the film hadn't been awarded a diamond! Then there was a criticism of one of the close-ups (not really sure what they were getting at here) and a couple of (legitimate) criticisms of continuity in two cuts from wide angle to close-up.
So, detailed and constructive criticism, thanks.
Tim
Proud to be an amateur film maker - I do it for the love of it
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Howard-Smith
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Howard-Smith »

Congratulations Tim on your 4 stars. I know how you feel about not achieving a higher award. I submitted four entries, two of which I had high hopes for with regard to 5-star awards and maybe even Diamond. I've ended up with one 3-star and three 4-star awards with nothing being shown on Sunday. After a couple of recent 5 star films it all feels like something of a letdown, but still, I should feel happy that three of my films are being shown on the Saturday. And, hey, "there's always next year"...
Last edited by Howard-Smith on Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Brian Saberton
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Brian Saberton »

Congratulations gents. I'm still waiting to hear about my own film and our XDL Films entry
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John Roberts
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by John Roberts »

Congratulations to everyone so far on their results :)

I should be overjoyed that my sole entry this year managed to bag 5-stars, Best Animation and Best 60-Second Entry; a nice tribute to my brother and co-founder/conspirator at Dizdoz Purple Productions who sadly passed away a couple of days ago. He would've been very pleased with the result as a lot of the artwork was drawn by him, and was commended in the detailed critique received from the two judging panels.

I'm looking forward to reading about more results as and when they filter through and meeting up with friends old and new at Market Harborough for the Festival Weekend next month :)
Michael Slowe
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Michael Slowe »

Well, I'm not always surprised but I was this year!

I forecast a Four Star and a Three Star for my two entries and that's exactly what I got. But, in the wrong order from my forecast. I never criticise judges and I won't but the '4' is so inferior to the '3' that I do wonder. In fact, someone who's seen both, commented that he though that the one awarded a '3' was one of the best I'd made! Some statement bearing in mind that I've had three 'Diamonds' (or equivalent), and a few 5's, I daren't tell him what has happened.
Jill Lampert
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Jill Lampert »

Congratulations to everyone for all those good results. And especially congratulations to John! I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. But how BRILLIANT that you've done so well with your little film.

I'm feeling very happy too! My club - Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers - will have FIVE films shown at BIAFF. I think that's more than we've ever had. One member got Five Stars for his film. We have two Four Star films (one of them mine) and a clutch of Three stars, two of which will be shown, and one Two Stars which won't be shown. A couple of these three star films are the first films the makers have ever made. Another one that got three stars had over twenty members involved in the making of it. So it's really a great boost to all of us that we've got such good results. Let's hope it spurs us into making lots more even better films.

The judges' comments are mostly extremely well written, and pick up well on the strengths and weaknesses of the films. It's clear that the writers have taken a lot of trouble to get it right and to look for the good as well as the things that could be better. So Thank You to all BIAFF judges!
:D
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TimStannard
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by TimStannard »

Congrats to all (and what mixed feelings you must have John).
Whilst the usual candidates are adding their results and commenting, I'm particularly encouraged by the number of submissions from Sutton Coldfield. The West Midlands seems to be a hot bed of creativity. Well done! This success can only help increase the interest in our hobby/life/obsession and membership of Jill's club. Let's see what we can do to get some of that to rub off on the many clubs that are struggling.

PS Anyone got an idea for a film?
Tim
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Willy
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Willy »

I forecast a Four Star and a Three Star for my two entries and that's exactly what I got. But, in the wrong order from my forecast. I never criticize judges and I won't, but the 4* is so inferior to the 3* (In our club competition the 4* got bronze, the 3* got gold). In fact most friends who have seen both commented that they thought that the one awarded a 3* was one of the best I'd ever made. Some statement bearing in mind that I've had two Diamonds (or equivalent), some gold (seal) awards and a few 5*'s. I daren't tell them what has happened. I feel embarrassed because some fantastic English filmmakers have helped me quite a lot. Actually, again it is an Anglo-Belgian production. It's about the Weald, a region that I love so well. The Country of Kent is my "home region" in England. My 3* will not be screened at BIAFF! If anyone would like a free copy of "Hop around the Weald", do not hesitate to contact me. This time it is really my last film for a competition. 2013 was an "annus horribilis". Now I feel better. See you at BIAFF some time.

Michael, I feel with you. Cheers!
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Michael Slowe
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Michael Slowe »

Oh dear Willy, don't take it too hard, judging film is a very subjective matter. I suspect that both our films were a trifle too long and, when viewed together with shorter more snappy productions, they tend to get marked down. We also have to move with the times. Both of us have been making films for many years (over 50 years in my case), and maybe we have fallen behind in terms of style and film language. Let's watch the youngsters and try and adapt, we'll talk at BIAFF I hope.
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Willy
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Willy »

The words in my previous message are your words, Michael. It is not wrong to express our disappointment.

For foreigners attending BIAFF is more expensive. And knowing that my film will not be screened and the other one in an empty room in one of the mini-cinemas on Saturday... And knowing that I crossed the Channel 7 times to do the camera work. After two years it was finished. And everybody seems to enjoy it.

And for socializing there is no time left. My film "Hop around the Weald" is 22minutes long.

One of the younger filmmakers in Belgium is one of my clubmates Last year he won the National Competition. There was an enormous gap between his movie and the one made by the runner-up. This was his entry for BIAFF 2017. He was very ambitious, but he too, must be very disappointed. We are not the only ones.

On 23rd April I will be in England together with three friends of my club. I promised an English friend to film the very first performance of his new group of Morris dancers, the "Romney Marsh Men". When I promised him last year I didn't realize that BIAFF would be a weekend later than normal. Now I realize that 15th/16th is Easter Weekend. On the other hand. A promise is a promise.
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Willy
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Willy »

Sorry, that I am here again. But I will stop after this message. One English friend who didn't contribute to the film wrote: "Well, I was quite shocked at the ranking awarded for "Hop around the Weald" and can imagine how dishearted you must feel"... etc... etc... My film is a travelogue about the beautiful Weald, one of my favourite places in England. I don't need a map or navigation system to go from one place to an other one. Twenty years ago I already made a film about the Garden of England. It was in Dutch. Now after so many years I thought why not making a new one and ask some English friends to help me? And I have more experience. "Hop around the Weald" is a story about a Woodchurch Morrris Dancer who hops from one village to an other one. From Tenterden to Goudhurst, from Goudhurst to Marden, etc... There are five or six interviews in the film: a lady who worked in the hopfields when she was a child, a lady who owns a typical Tudor Cottage in Biddenden, a man who has a cider factory, a sheep farmer, a bellringer at Smarden, ... The Morris Dancer is accompanied by his funny wooden horse, called Woody... I have done this to add an extra humouristic touch to this documentary, to avoid that it would be boring... At the end of the story the dancer and his horse visit a Vineyard at Biddenden. They are drunk and are not able to go on. Believe me or don't: the judges found Woody quite menacing! This is something I cannot accept. Children would find it funny. Judges are afraid of Woody! I have worked on it for two years. I know this is not important for judges... The film itself must be evaluated, not the work. But knowing that I did quite a lot of research and worked very hard... trying to find Kentish people that are willing to say something in my film, trying to find a Morris dancer, asking my Kentish friend to compose a song, finding an English narrator, finding friends to do the lighting and sound recording, asking a friend to create some animation for the title, etc... etc... then it is normal that I am very disappointed. It is even not fair as an Engish friend said. Maybe next year I can enter this film again but with a different title: "Woody, the menace" for instance.
Willy Van der Linden
Brian Saberton
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Brian Saberton »

I've now received my results from BIAFF. The XDL Films entry "Threads" (a new George and Doris story) has done well and received 4 stars with which we are happy, especially as the film is going to be shown on the Saturday.

As for my personal entry it's got three stars which is disappointing but at least it will be shown. Going by the critique the judges liked the film and have made some positive remarks, however one of their suggestions would have been completely impractical and turned it into a different type of film to the one I set out to make! After having reached the dizzying heights of four stars in previous BIAFF's, the last film I entered in 2015 was also awarded only three so, in spite of the considerable time, effort and care that went into both films I seem to have drifted backwards into a creative cul de sac. The new film is in a couple of other competitions at the moment so it will be interesting to see how it fares but I think, at least for the time being, I'll put off starting any new projects while I try and work out where I'm going wrong.
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Michael Slowe
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Michael Slowe »

No Brian, you're not "going wrong", you're making the film that you want to make. You mustn't take awards and comments too seriously. You can express surprise, as indeed as I have, but you have to understand that there can never be a definitive judgement on a film. Many people have many different views. For instance: the film of mine awarded three stars this year has just, this week, been accepted for showing at an 'Indie' Festival in North London, whereas it is not being shown at BIAFF - there you have a perfect example of the dilemma. By the way, time and trouble spent on a production is no guarantee of success, it's what's on the screen that matters.
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Dave Watterson
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Dave Watterson »

I have resisted commenting so far - not least because I am in the middle of lots of UNICA work - but also because I played a small part in the judging for BIAFF.

I think Michael sums it up perfectly.

This is our hobby, our obsession, our art. We do it because we must. We do it because we enjoy the process (sometimes in a masochistic way!). We do it because we like doing it. The approval of others should be of minor importance. Certainly the ratings in competitions should neither daunt us nor make our heads swell too much.

And yes, the effort and agony behind the scenes means nothing to the audience, which can only respond to what they see and hear.
Jill Lampert
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Re: BIAFF 2017 Results

Post by Jill Lampert »

I agree with what Dave has said. Except that I would add that I think it is worth looking closely at the comments the judges make and thinking about whether they are useful. If they are useless, discard them. Every judge is an independent viewer who has some distance from the film (which we, as makers, can't have) and the comments they make may give an insight into things we have done well and things we could have done better. We may not want to change the film they are commenting on, but it may help us when we're tackling our next project.
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