IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

We sometimes forget that criticising is not a synonym for complaining or moaning.

What do you think about the way the results are published on the IAC website ? Fantastic, don't you think so ? Congratultions, webmaster !

The trouble with judges` opinions is that they are just opinions. Just that!
I think that judges are influenced by a lot of factors such as: do they know the entrant? Are they familiar with his/her work?
That is just human nature -- after all when we go to the cinema we are influenced by who the director is, and who is in the picture!!!
Has the IAC ever thought of having professional film-makers to judge? I think professional criteria are likely to be different from amateur ones!
It is a pity that work has to be judged at all! -- most film-makers (I guess) want an audience, and make films for audiences, not for judges!

Has the IAC ever thought of having professional film-makers to judge?

Yes - and it is often a disaster.

Within the industry people point out any mistakes bluntly - after all everyone there is supposed to be a professional at their job and any delays can be very expensive. Professional judges tend to talk to and write comments on amateur films in the same way.

Most amateur judges have learned to phrase their remarks in a gentler way. Competition officers ask them to remember that we are trying to encourage people not put them off for life.

There are exceptions - but not many. We invite them when we can. The final panel for IAC/BIAFF often includes someone from the industry:

2008 Werner Van den Bulck was one such judge ... but he is a professional who also makes amateur movies and is involved with a club.
2007 David Andrew was a final judge but he has often worked with amateurs.
2006 Romy Van Krieken - a Dutch film journalist was there. But she has attended several amateur festivals and knows many amateur film makers.

Such people do bring a different perspective which is interesting but it is vital to find ones who will not destroy the confidence of competition entrants with their remarks.

You are, of course, right that most film makers simply want an audience ... though some also get into the competitive spirit and want to win.

Dave

That`s fair enough. One trouble is that there are too many entries these days -- Years ago when home film-making was fairly crude but costly, no doubt entries were fewer and judging was less exhausting!
Perhaps we should take up golf -- at least there is a 50% chance of winning!

Ray Williamson wrote:The trouble with judges` opinions is that they are just opinions. Just that!
I think that judges are influenced by a lot of factors such as: do they know the entrant? Are they familiar with his/her work?
That is just human nature -- after all when we go to the cinema we are influenced by who the director is, and who is in the picture!!!

Cathy still loves me !
I agree with this, Ray. It's not pleasant to judge films made by friends. I have already told you a few times : My daughter Cathy still says that I was unfair when I was her teacher for two years. I judged her more harshly than her classmates ... For instance for a composition she got 7, but I must admit that maybe she deserved 8. I didn't want her classmates to blame me for preferential treatment. Luckily Cathy still loves me. She gave me a hug yesterday. A fantastic feeling.

Discussion about music
For my films I also prefer judges who don't know me and who don't know my films. It doesn't mean that I am for professional filmmakers as judges. As Dave said : the British IAC-friends know how to write judges'comments. They always think of encouraging hobbyists... This year it is only the first time in twelve years that I am disappointed because of some evident inacurracies. By the way : an other thing that was bad in "Will Ye Go to Flanders" : "One of the judges found the choice of music all too obvious but another felt that , whilst not particularly orignal, the choice was very appropriate." I used live-music. It was played in the Ypres Cloth Hall. I was standing with my camera on the scene next to a singer. It was a show about some Irish young men who decided to go to the front in Flanders Fields.

A pseudonym or someone else's name
Maybe that's a good solution : using a pseudonym. I have already chosen one for my next film. In Guernsey I will also use the name of my son-in-law.

Too many films
Yes, Ray, it's also my fault that there are so many films in BIAFF. I always ask my Belgian friends - also the ones who are mcuh better than I - to take part in the IAC-festival. it means that I am not jealous when one of them has a very good result. On the contrary even ! Indeed, we make films for an audience, but also because we are in some way competitive. There is nothing wrong with it, unless you are sickly competitive.

Anyway. I have decided to make less films for competitions ands they will also be very short.

Talking about judgeing......

How does one become a judge for The IAC?
If the number of films are going up, then surely it would be a good idea to get more! If there is a process, then could I be considered to be one?
I have been `into` filming since 1987, and have a very critical eye for detail.

Be good.

Stingman

Come on peeps !!!... only 10 returned a vote to date ????!!!!



get those votes in ...

Stephen wrote:Come on peeps !!!... only 10 returned a vote to date ????!!!!



get those votes in ...

I think that we on this Forum have only 10 main posters that contribute on all the subjects! It`s always the same people who commit their time in replying and starting threads.

I didn`t even get any comments about offering my services as wanting to be a judge! You just cannot give away your freetime nowadays!!!

Be good..........

Stingman

About your offer to judge: -- A wonderful gesture. However, I think that most of us would not want to encourage masochism or self-harm! (Just joking)!
Many writers here probably did not enter BIAFF. It was a bit expensive for some of us, and with so many entries there is only a small chance of being screened -- unfortunately!

I think you are correct Ray. Also, some of us are still picking ourselves up after being kicked in the goolies !
I`ve made a few films in the last year, but non are of a quality that I would pay for to enter a competition. To some of us `That perfect Film` doesn`t come along much to be so good to enter in a national competition. They are only good enougth for local club level. They are made just to support our film club!

Be good..........

Stingman

I think it is more important to record our own local history -- never mind competitions -- because history is not just something you read about in dusty books (as it was when I was at school!): history is being made now!
There is plenty of opportunity to make films for local charities and voluntary organisations. This is great, because they want your film and you have a guaranteed appreciative audience.
It might get shown on TV.
Of course, you sometimes have to persuade them that they need a film, and persuade them to co-operate (eg sometimes you just need footage of people walking down the street -- as a transition or carrier for narration), but then that is part of the challenge.
And the best part is -- what judges think does not matter: it is not made for them!!!
Best of luck in all your efforts!

I was not in Harrogate. Unfortunately ! Many friends told me that "Life's Little Gaps", the American film, was the best one. Maybe they are right. However, I've been told that it was made by a filmschool !

One creature makes films for money. He sells them. Awards at international festivals stimulate the sale. Many hobbyists are discouraged by his behaviour. Also the ones in his "entourage".

Conclusion : A real hobbyist has won the "Daily Mail Trophy". That's positive ! Very positive ! Don't you think so ? Maybe his film was not the best one. I don't know. I have not seen it yet. But BIAFF stimulates real hobbyists. Well done, judges !

If BIAFF would only promote filmschools and moneymakers then I would give up making films for this prestigious festival.

Just a small point: Life's Little Gaps was made by someone who had been to film school. He now works as a grip (pulling cables and moving lights) in the film industry from time to time. You can read about his production in a lot of detail on the main website.

It has puzzled me why IAC set its face against film student entries. In theory if Spielberg made a film for fun and not for profit he could enter it in our competition, but a first term film school student could not!

But Willy's main point remains valid. In countries where some of the amateur film makers can have their work regularly bought by television it must dishearten the others.

There are other related issues but I will take them up on another thread.

Dave

Dear Willy!!

Life's Little Gaps was made by a group from Oklahoma Movie Makers and if you read your AMPS newsletter you would know how thay are constituted. Scott Hillhouse the writer/director of the film went to film school and gets occasional jobs in the industry (I went to film school and for twenty years ran my own small studio and was once camerman on a shoot in Hollywood - would you like me to leave now?). Films made for fun and no reward are truly non-commercial films. We are honest unlike the many "amateurs" who shoot weddings, local promos etc and claim that they are not professionals. (I always imagine the conversation when they are selling their services "Well, I'm an amateur really but just do this to pay for the equipment" I don't think so!)

At last year's AMPS Festival there was a deal of comment about "Breendonk", that it was essentially a professional film with production values that seemed to far beyond those available to an amateur. One of the most concerned was a retired Hollywood director who is a great supporter of the n-c movement.

Be very careful what you wish for, if you insist that anyone entering an n-c film must have no connection or ever had any connection with any aspect of professional film making or been to film school then you will accelerate the demise of the n-c/amateur movement.

I started as an amateur, fell in love with film making and for many years earned a crust doing it, am I great film maker because of this? Obviously NO, but n-c films are the purest form of film making and I like to be around them and their makers.

The playing field betwen n-c and professional film is now almost level in terms of equipment, actually the n-c film maker has all the advantages, no commercial/time pressures and an ability to explore subjects that are seldom examined by the professionals. So, my comment to n-c film makers is stop making pale copies of what you see on TV and do something really original!!

ned c