The World Premiere Of.........

[Cinema For Thurso Group]

Well with all this talk of getting amateur films seen why haven't any film
makers taken the bull by the udders (think about it) and become an exhibitors
as well as makers.
That's the bottom line folks because on the reality check, the only way
the public is going to see our work is if we stopping asking others to show
our films and simply get out to the comminity centre and do it ourselves.

So you've ploughed several hundred pounds of the wife's "money for I've-nothing-to-wear"
fund into your latest epic. Why not grab the grocery money too, have a word
with the hall-keeper and the picture opens to honoured guests on Friday night
with general release the next day!
Think about it folks- as amateurs we should be showing as well as making.
Have any of you got a local arts group that is set up to promote the arts
in all aspects of creative work. In my nick of the woods I am a director
of such a company and we hold regular showcase events to promote all fields
of interest from poetry to rock music, drama to film- yes some of my own
stuff has been shown! Self help folks, don't wait for planet Earth, it goes
too slow but the show must go on!

[Michael Slowe]

"Cinema For Thurso Group" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Well with all this talk of getting amateur films seen why haven't any film
makers taken the bull by the udders (think about it) and become an exhibitors
as well as makers.
That's the bottom line folks because on the reality check, the only way
the public is going to see our work is if we stopping asking others to show
our films and simply get out to the comminity centre and do it ourselves.

So you've ploughed several hundred pounds of the wife's "money for I've-nothing-to-wear"
fund into your latest epic. Why not grab the grocery money too, have a word
with the hall-keeper and the picture opens to honoured guests on Friday
night
with general release the next day!
Think about it folks- as amateurs we should be showing as well as making.
Have any of you got a local arts group that is set up to promote the arts
in all aspects of creative work. In my nick of the woods I am a director
of such a company and we hold regular showcase events to promote all fields
of interest from poetry to rock music, drama to film- yes some of my own
stuff has been shown! Self help folks, don't wait for planet Earth, it goes
too slow but the show must go on!

Absolutely right, this is what we should be doing, and to be fair most clubs
do. The problem is though, to be brutally frank, the standard of most of
the films! I have the greatest difficulty in getting my friends and family
to see my own productions, and they seem to be fairly well received within
our own IAC world.

Having said that there are occasions when I get specifically asked by local
art groups to show a film if it is on an art related subject. We have to
be selective in our choice of audience in order to avoid the usual public
disdain of "amateur" films and, more particularly now, videos.

Michael Slowe.

[AN]

"Michael Slowe" <michael.slowe@btinternet.com> wrote:

"Cinema For Thurso Group" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Well with all this talk of getting amateur films seen why haven't any film
makers taken the bull by the udders (think about it) and become an exhibitors
as well as makers.
That's the bottom line folks because on the reality check, the only way
the public is going to see our work is if we stopping asking others to
show
our films and simply get out to the comminity centre and do it ourselves.

So you've ploughed several hundred pounds of the wife's "money for I've-nothing-to-wear"
fund into your latest epic. Why not grab the grocery money too, have a
word
with the hall-keeper and the picture opens to honoured guests on Friday
night
with general release the next day!
Think about it folks- as amateurs we should be showing as well as making.
Have any of you got a local arts group that is set up to promote the arts
in all aspects of creative work. In my nick of the woods I am a director
of such a company and we hold regular showcase events to promote all fields
of interest from poetry to rock music, drama to film- yes some of my own
stuff has been shown! Self help folks, don't wait for planet Earth, it
goes
too slow but the show must go on!

Absolutely right, this is what we should be doing, and to be fair most clubs
do. The problem is though, to be brutally frank, the standard of most of
the films! I have the greatest difficulty in getting my friends and family
to see my own productions, and they seem to be fairly well received within
our own IAC world.

Having said that there are occasions when I get specifically asked by local
art groups to show a film if it is on an art related subject. We have to
be selective in our choice of audience in order to avoid the usual public
disdain of "amateur" films and, more particularly now, videos.

Michael Slowe.

I get known in the distict and many associations/clubs/womens-mens societies
approach me to give a film show, (sometimes with a talk thrown in).
Get yourself known and you will find audiences, normally 15-40 in number.
Only last week I gave a show to the local tory ladies club (I'm not fussy,
next week it may be the labourites!!). About 40 turned up to be glued to
their seats for 3/4 hour. So go out and seek, and ye shall find.
Albert...playing hide and seek.
>

[Cinema For Thurso Group]

That's the spirit folks, like Nike- just do it!

[Ken Wilson]

Very interesting that this subject should crop up just now!
Watch this space. Ken (PHASE 4)

[Dave Watterson]

"Cinema For Thurso Group" <canuimagine@btopenworld.com> wrote:

That's the spirit folks, like Nike- just do it!

Yeah for the idea!

A couple of words of warning ... check the small print on your music copyrights
- even on those so-called copyright free discs. Usually the makers put some
restrictions on their use. If you give public shows / put them on the net
you may have to pay extra.

If you do give public shows other legal issues can arise to do with public
safety etc.

Mind you for shows to private groups like your local Womens Institute, local
history society, bee-keepers etc there should be no problem.

As for the IAC library going online ... I'd love it but the library does
not even hold copyright in the movies themselves let alone the music in them.
There would be a mountain of research and legalities to wade through before
we even consider the technical issues. Don't hold your breath.

To end more positively ... it could become a future part of the deal that
films going into the library do get assigned some of the rights ...

Now who's for an open-air show ... all those whitewashed gable end walls
facing pub car-parks are just begging to be used as improvised screens ...

Dave (quiet in the 1/9ds) Watterson

[AN]

"Dave Watterson" <david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:

Now who's for an open-air show ... all those whitewashed gable end walls
facing pub car-parks are just begging to be used as improvised screens ...

Great idea....and we can show all our crappy films too as
the audience will be too drunk to notice as they come out
the pubs.

Dave (quiet in the 1/9ds) Watterson

Albert...drunk in the 9 pennies.

[Michael Slowe]

"Dave Watterson" <david.filmsocs@virgin.net> wrote:

"Cinema For Thurso Group" <canuimagine@btopenworld.com> wrote:

That's the spirit folks, like Nike- just do it!

Yeah for the idea!

A couple of words of warning ... check the small print on your music copyrights
- even on those so-called copyright free discs. Usually the makers put
some
restrictions on their use. If you give public shows / put them on the net
you may have to pay extra.

If you do give public shows other legal issues can arise to do with public
safety etc.

Mind you for shows to private groups like your local Womens Institute, local
history society, bee-keepers etc there should be no problem.

As for the IAC library going online ... I'd love it but the library does
not even hold copyright in the movies themselves let alone the music in
them.
There would be a mountain of research and legalities to wade through before
we even consider the technical issues. Don't hold your breath.

To end more positively ... it could become a future part of the deal that

I did point out the copyright problem right at the start. However that was
just as regards the net. If we all (should have) have been participating
in the IAC copyright scheme there are no problems with normal use, even a
limited number of public shows are covered I believe.

films going into the library do get assigned some of the rights ...

Now who's for an open-air show ... all those whitewashed gable end walls
facing pub car-parks are just begging to be used as improvised screens ...

Dave (quiet in the 1/9ds) Watterson

[Cinema For Thurso Group]

Those of us who have gotten as far as finishing a film or video will definately
(hopefully) be aware of copyright issues so that when we get down to showing
films we are going to make every effort to cover any additional issues.
Extra cost relating to public performance is something we should all expect
quite naturally, performing rights payments are manditory in the Highland
Region and have to be paid up front. I read recently that MCPS has not been
known to turn down contsent for public performance of recorded works under
IAC license or otherwise. (though it is prudent to check consents every time).
At the other end of the stick, if you've recorded all the sound elements
yourself from original material including music then you should not be owing
one red cent providing the artists who contributed understand that their
performance is free of charge and royalties etc. If the film is an original
work from beginning to end in every aspect it's yours to do with as you please.
Presenting in a public space will require you to be insured against personal
liability and small policies can be had to cover on-off events- think I saw
an add in FVM for that. You should also have your equipment insured as well.
The performance venue should also have it's own licenses for entertainment
but it is wise to check that their license covers your kind of entertainment.
If it does you may not require to hold the specific Cinema/Video Exhibitors
license yourself. CFT have not yet done a specific public presentation of
finished works but we will be consulting with our Area Cultural Co-ordinator
when we approach the time for premieres.
All said and done, there is a lot to think about but no more so than making
the film in the first place and if we make movies for the love of them, do
we mind paying more to have them shown?

[Cinema For Thurso Group]

MCPS? oops- Musicians Union I meant to write.