"Dave Watterson" <
forums@theiac.org.uk> wrote:
Of course there are poor judges in our amateur world, but there are many
fine ones. The best are not limited to appreciating only the type of movies
they are expert at.
In a previous message he wrote : The Unica jurors are all terrifying distinguished,
well-qualified, famous, serious ... and then there's me. My biog note is
much less flash. Maybe they'll think it is "typical British humour".
Oh, yes Dave, I thought it's typical British humour. (sorry, I'm joking)
No, Dave, I don't agree with you. I agree with Albert ! He said : "A person
can be far more distinguished than most others by character. Modesty, humour,
intelligence, judgement ... and I would also like to add the word 'honesty'
to this list. I'm not impressed by university and other qualifications.
Autodidacts or self-taught men are often better than those who have had an
academic Oxford or Cambridge education. You have written in your c.v. : "I
am a film watcher, not a film maker ... I discovered the Edinburgh Film Festival
and became addicted... I enjoy computer editing ... I have done just enough
film making to appreciate how difficult it is to do well"... Yes, I was
surprised. Before having read this I thought you were a real professor of
cinematography ! In our club we even discuss about the following question
: Should judges be (former) film makers ? I don't think so. The best football
players are not always the best coaches afterwards. A good judge should be
able to distinguish a powerful story from a weak one, no matter what kind
of film it is, a story film, a documentary etc. ... and he should be able
to see the technical qualities and defects in a film (length and necessity
of shots, etc...). Maybe he has learnt it by watching many, many films
like you, Dave. A good judge enjoys watching films and he enjoys analyzing
them. He should also have some cultural background in my opinion. He can
acquire this by reading books and newspapers, by watching the news on TV,
etc... (It doesn't mean that he always needs his cultural background to understand
a film.) He doesn't have to go to university for it. Above all he should
be able to write reports giving good hints to film makers and trying to
enthuse them to go on in the same way or to improve their films. A bit of
common sense and a diploma of the primary school may be sufficient. To avoid
any misunderstanding : I am not against the Belgian judge you know ! On the
contrary even ! Julien is one of the best former presidents of the Belgian
Federation of Filmmakers we ever had! He always looks very serious and academic,
but he is a very warm-hearted person. I'm very happy that he's been chosen
to be our Flemish judge. Once Kenneth Seeger wrote in "Video Maker" that
I am a serious film maker... Perhaps sometimes, yes ...
Hopefully Unica will be not too academic. Our national competitions are
a bit like that. I can already see it in my imagination. The VIP's and judges
enter the festivity hall of the casino to the strains of music : an inaugural
serenade after being announced... I haven't said it will be like that, but
in Belgium 4 or 5 VIP's often enter the room seperately. They are given a
hearty welcome and the audience start applauding. It always makes my flesh
creep... I sometimes feel the atmosphere of an important political meeting.
I prefer festivals with VIP's in casual wear (read article about Guernsey
Festival on website) and yes, why not, ... with ladies in evening gowns and
gentlemen with bow ties at Gala Dinners. To be honest : I love wearing a
bow tie. I do it only once a year : at the BIAFF Gala Dinner. I remember
the very first time in Buxton. It was about eight years ago. IAC-VIP's were
wearing heavy chains with impressive IAC-lockets. They looked like English
mayors. When entering the room the master of ceremonies called the name of
my wife Vera and also mine. We had to pray for and to give a toast to the
queen and the IAC. Perhaps you don't realize it, but if we, in Belgium, would
ask people to pray for and toast to our King Albert II - who is really a
very beloved person - then nobody would do it. No, really, I always enjoy
having a chat and a drink (but not too many) at the bar of a festival, but
I also love a bit of English pomp and circumstance. Hopefully the BIAFF-atmosphere
will not change in the future. For this I'm conservative. Some years ago
I saw a regional VIP wearing a black suit, but also a pair of plimsolls at
the Gala dinner... It was strange. I didn't like that. Of course, after all,
these things are less important than the films we can enjoy at festivals.
I will keep my fingers crossed for the British film makers at Unica !