Entering Competitions

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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Dave Watterson
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Entering Competitions

Post by Dave Watterson »

Congratulations to Tynemouth Video Club for making the winning entry in this year's North v South Competition: Grant Aid.

I'm told the movie had the feeling of David Peffer's humour.

So the North win this year, well done.

It was also striking that many of the films in this competition are not seen in BIAFF, Cotswold and Guernsey Lily, AMPS Festivals ... why not?

Of course it is not cheap to submit movies to festivals in the UK and USA - European countries often manage without an entry fee - but having gone to all the hard work of making a movie, surely it is worth getting it seen everywhere you can?

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Ray Williamson
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Post by Ray Williamson »

Yes indeed!
However, it does seem to be pity that, for many (most?) amateur films, competitions and festivals provide the ONLY audience for them.
Do others agree?
What can we do about it?
Ray Williamson, East Sussex.
ned c
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Post by ned c »

One of the problems many face is the cost of entering competitions. BIAFF GBP14 plus 2 for non members. Guernsey GBP 10 for a short film. I am not suggesting that these charges are unfair as the costs of awards and organisation have been ever increasing but they do act as something of a deterrent, particularly to multiple entries.

What to do about seeing what is out there?

We make a compliation of the AMPS winners who give us permission to do so and circulate free of charge to members of AMPS, this year a 4 DVD set! This is included in the membership fees of AMPS. We have sent a set to the UK for circulation to members there, foreign membership costs GBP10 per annum and includes the Newsletter, reduced entry fees for the AMPS annual Festival and awards specially for AMPS members. www.ampsvideo.com end of commercial (apologies to the forum managers).

ned c
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stingman
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Post by stingman »

AMPS seems the best value thing since sliced bread was 50pee.
.... and you get a 4 DVD set thrown in for good measure. The films are good. The AMPS dvd`s that I have seen have always been good. Because were from a different country, it`s good to see them because it is a different culture `over there`. The styles are different. In the past, i`ve also been sent DVD`s from other clubs in Canada. These have been a real eye opener. They go in for alot of short storys.

As for price of entry to competitions and membership subs. People know my views on that subject. Yes, it`s not to much over the year, but it`s alot to pay straight away. For competitions, if the price was alot lower then people would put in more films.

Say la vie...........

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Ray Williamson
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Post by Ray Williamson »

Another problem is that if competitions are free to enter (like many overseas) you get 800 entries.
The problem then is that you cannot judge 800 entries!
I notice that a lot of these free-to enter festivals ask on the entry form if you are attending.
So, I guess, that if you don`t go you don`t get judged!!
(well you might if you are a "famous name")!
Sad, but, I think, inevitable!
Ray Williamson, East Sussex.
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stingman
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Post by stingman »

I think you can judge 800 films. You bring in more judges. You invite more of the local club judges to help out. You send them the tapes. They watch and then send in the results. You also hire an extra hall to show them in or your extra hall could include the local video clubs hall. That way you involve the local club as well.

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Post by Ray Williamson »

You are right!
But of course, costs go up --- so then you can`t have free entry after all.
So perhaps the problem is self-limiting!
Still, some festivals overseas (no names mentioned) do have free entry, and do get hundreds of entries -- so I am still a little bit suspicious!!
They often do say there is more chance of your film being screened if you attend, so ..... hmmm!
Ray Williamson, East Sussex.
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Dave Watterson
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Post by Dave Watterson »

Ray said:
I notice that a lot of these free-to enter festivals ask on the entry form if you are attending.
So, I guess, that if you don`t go you don`t get judged!!
I can't speak for other festivals but I do know about the Festival of Nations in Ebensee, Austria. That has free entry and gets hundreds of entries. And they are ALL judged.

ALL are watched by a team of experienced festival enthusiasts. They sift out the ones which do not reach the standard for a major festival. That usually leaves around 200 which are all regarded as being "selected". Those are listed in the festival brochure and all get a diploma.

BUT there is not time in a week to see and discuss that many films so how do you choose which to show - without asking the pre-selection team to get into grading them which can be controversial and leaves the final jury little to do? That festival's answer is to give priority to showing films where the film maker or someone from the team is present. That way they are involved in the discussion and hear what jury and audience say about their work. (Like most European festivals there are no written crits - if you want more than the certificate/prize you need to be there to hear what is said.)

A very small number of films is marked by the pre-selectors as "must show" for a variety of reasons and those are screened whether or not the maker is present. If your film is "selected" and you cannot be there it may be screened but that depends on what time is available in each block of films. If you are there it will be shown.

The other way of looking at this is that it is designed to encourage attendance at the festival ... not a bad thing since having the film makers present makes the occasion much more useful and enjoyable for everyone.

In the British festivals we ask a hefty fee and more than half the entries will not be shown at the festival ... but all will get some sort of written crit. What you are paying for is the crit !


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Post by stingman »

Dave Watterson wrote: What you are paying for is the crit !

Dave
I`m doing that for free at the moment and enjoying it!

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Post by Ray Williamson »

I am glad I am not a judge.
I am sure an idle finger would occasionally be tempted to stray towards the FF button, whatever the Rules say!
Ray Williamson, East Sussex.
Peter Copestake
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Entering competitions

Post by Peter Copestake »

This year for the first time for quite a while my entry for BIAFF
will be one we made for our own interest in the subject(Documentary as usual for me) not because I was asked to do it for a particular purpose. I wonder if it will be judged to be 'of interest to a general audience' which doesn't often seem to be interested in the things I am according to judges!
Peter
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