"Michael Slowe" <
michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:
Dave, Glory maybe if everything works and you produce what you saw in your
imagination but none of the others.
"Dave Watterson" <
david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:
If you go to the trouble, time and expense of making a movie ...
what are you buying when you pay to put it into a competition?
Are you shelling out for some critical comment - written or spoken?
Or are you shelling out on the chance of winning a medal / trophy / cash
prize / glory?
I think it was Michael who told me in Bedford that he heard an airplane in
my latest film while my friend was singing a folksong. Film : "Until You
Smile". I am happier with such a remark than people saying : "It was a good
film, Willy ! I enjoyed it". Next time I will do my best to avoid the sound
of airplanes, cars, trains, etc... in my film. That's an example of spoken
feedback.
Indeed, Michael, festivals give you the opportunity to show your films to
a large audience, but they should also give the opportunity of hearing your
fellow filmmakers' opinion of your films ... in particular the things you
could have done better if ...
Glory ? Every day I watch football matches on TV (World Cup), sometimes to
Vera's great annoyance. My wife only wants to see the Dutch, Brasilian and
English teams ... or players. I always hope that the matches are not boring.
Imagine that Beckham can raise the world cup in a few weeks. That's a moment
of glory. I'm not against it. It's like that in filmmaking. It's a moment
of glory for Beckham and for anybody else. The team that has deserved it,
must get the cup. I remember that Dave (not Beckham, but Watterson) stayed
up all night to see the presentation of the oscars in Hollywood, but I think
he did it to know what films he should watch or should have watched. A medal
or diploma is a form of appreciation, but there must also be spoken or written
feedback. If you are a filmmaker who only thinks of winning money and other
prizes then it's not good. It's not good when a filmmaker gets mad of glory.
I'm not against boycotting festivals that don't give any feedback. Boycotting
means "not taking part in ...". Perhaps I will be killed when I say the following
thing : I take part in the Cotswold Festival only because I respect the efforts
done by the organizers and by Lee Prescott in particular. Also because Lee
has helped me quite a lot with my Cotswolds film. A film is always the result
of teamwork, you know ! There is written feedback in the Cotswolds Festival,
but it is rather poor. The door of the Subscription Room was opened at 7.30
pm. The show started at 8 pm. Just after the show the door was closed. Luckily
there was one English filmmaker I could have a chat with at the bar of the
hotel. Maybe it has changed in the mean time. I've already posted my entry
to Lee for his next festival. So, please do... The British festival with
the less feedback is still much better that the Belgian national festival
! Attending the festival in Stroud this year it is not possible because of
personal reasons, but perhaps next year I'll be back again in that beautiful
part of England, "the most beautiful place in the world" the other Lee said,
I mean Laurie Lee.