IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Another disadvantage to movie makers who make long films is that if all
audience
can read from BIAFF's programme is:

Another Day by John Smith, Drama, 50 minutes
How many people would "take the risk" and watch the film?


(a) festival programmes should include more information,
(b) filmmakers should put posters up at the venue to "advertise" the films
(whether long or short, actually),

(c) filmmakers should talk about their films in FVM (for festival regulars/IAC
members) or on this website, IAC Online (for an even wider audience),
(d) build your own website, talk to local press, whatever...

"Atta Chui" <forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:

Another disadvantage to movie makers who make long films is that if all
audience
can read from BIAFF's programme is:

Another Day by John Smith, Drama, 50 minutes
How many people would "take the risk" and watch the film?


(a) festival programmes should include more information,
(b) filmmakers should put posters up at the venue to "advertise" the films
(whether long or short, actually),

Not long or short but more to the point,is the John Smith drama
boring or not?
I would sooner watch a none boring film lasting 50 minutes than a
shorter boring film.
All film makers are prepared to tell us how long their masterpieces
are, but never tell how boring we might find them!

(c) filmmakers should talk about their films in FVM (for festival regulars/IAC
members) or on this website, IAC Online (for an even wider audience),
(d) build your own website, talk to local press, whatever...

It isn't any good talking about them if they are not going to be seen.
So unless it's going to get an audience of some kind......
The amateur film maker has very limited chances of getting really big
audiences in the thousands and even if he wins awards the numbers
are but in the few hundreds.

The Internet, ah, now that is a very different story. From my own
recent experience in bandwidth usage indicates that over 500 screenings

of my own work has taken place in but two months, plus many views of
photographs too as a bonus.

So Atta's suggestion about building a web site is the new
and exciting outlet on offer to those willing to try it.
A new learning curve, it is true, but a curve, if climbed,
results in many more bums on seats for you!
Albert.
http://www.retinascope.co.uk/index.html

Albert, I still can't view films from your site in spite of all the advice
from Dave!
I had a boffin in to advise and even after downloading the software suggested
for my Mac it was no go. I am about to upgrade the operating system to see
if this does the trick. Many editors work on Macs and they will be one of
your key audience groups so let's hope it works. Any other Mac users having
this problem of viewing films on line?

(a) festival programmes should include more information,

(b) filmmakers should put posters up at the venue to "advertise" the films

(c) filmmakers should talk about their films

"Atta Chui" <forums@theiac.org.uk> suggested:

(a) festival programmes should include more information,

Problems:
the time it would take an already overworked competition manager to write
them
the cost of the extra pages
outraged film makers complaining the summary does not do justice to their
film ...

There was a plan to have on the noticeboard at Chesterfield a summary of
the films but I did not spot it myself.

ME? I'd go for it! I love the idea and some other festivals manage it, so
why not us?

(b) filmmakers should put posters up at the venue to "advertise" the films

If you mean at the festival venue we could have a large pinboard for each
mini-cinema on which film makers could stick such posters. I'd have all
those
boards in a central lobby area rather than outside the cinemas - though
ideally
they would be in both places. Prize for best poster perhaps?

(c) filmmakers should talk about their films

YES!! IAC tried having interviews with the makers of the main award movies
but not all are articulate and not all are present! I think it might be
possible to get a couple of minutes of video comment with each winners filmed
eeks beforehand. These could be screened after their movie's award has been
handed over. I reckon that should be a job for one of the festival organisers
as opposed to the competition manager.

Atta makes an effort to get some notes about and by the winners on the website
and Garth tries to do so for the magazine. Grabbing interviews during festival
is not easy but it should be possible to twist arms and ask winners to write
or email you. [I know Garth has interviews with Anita Georgieska, Jean-Pierre
Hue and Olga Spatova on hand - watch the next few issues of FVM.]

Building a website to show your films is great if they are are suited to
that type of showing.

BUT how about just selling DVDs or tapes of your film on a cost and postage
only basis? You would have to sort out the rights for any material whose
copyright belonged to someone else. That probably means using original music
rather than pre-recorded stuff where the sales rights can be expensive.

Am I the only loony who would fork out for amateur movies? And I have done!
In Germany there is a scheme for producing collections of work by amateur
moviemakers on video-CD and DVD. At a cost of around 15 Euros I bought a
few.

Dave

At our cinema you'll find the films easy to see- just pay your ticket, come
in and sit down. We'll do the rest at the Picture House Cinema (Skinandis
Nightclub- our favourite venue)

Skinandis...is that a Martian crater by the way, or where you all
get a Skin full on a Saturday night?

"AnimatioN" <Animation@btinternet.com> wrote:
Me? I'm teetotal.

Ah - that explains it!

An occasional glass of single malt or its equivalent in other countries
helps
bring peace and enlightenment.

glass of beer is almost a necessity.

But Albert, what tipple does soothe the Noble throat?

PS...The irony of life......During WW2 my parents and I slept
down in the London Underground every night to escape Hitler's bombs.
How safe we all felt down there, even though the platforms made
for a very hard bed! Now, times have changed and
recently became unsafe to be down there.


Also in Belgium we stood in silence for two minutes. I feel for everyone

"AnimatioN
PS...The irony of life......During WW2 my parents and I slept
down in the London Underground every night to escape Hitler's bombs.
How safe we all felt down there, even though the platforms made
for a very hard bed! Now, times have changed and
recently became unsafe to be down there.


Also in Belgium we stood in silence for two minutes. I feel for everyone
who is against terrorism, intolerance, hatred ... Peace will come !