How would you start a local club

[john ingham]

How would you go about starting a local club..
i do have one at teignmouth, which is 22 miles away but this is no good for me as they meet monday evenings between 7-10pm

any ideas how to go about this ?

[TimStannard]

22 miles isn't that far as IAC affilliated clubs go, if you look at the directory. And even with the clubs so few and far between most seem to struggle to gain a membership so it's hard to see how you might generate interest ...

.. that is, if you were to form a club along the lines of existing clubs (ie old men bemoaning the fact than no youngsters join, and no youngsters joining because the clubs are run by old men).

OK I exaggerate.

But you have an opportunity to start a new breed of younger, more digital media savvy, videomakers without any entrenchment in the past.

So, you ask how would I go about it.

Set up a Facebook group for settig up a local videomaking club.
Set yourself up with a Twitter account specifically for this venture and every day post something - anything about the "club" (even stuff like "posted a notice about the possible new cub on xyz forum today") - that will show people you're keeping the thing alive.
Join all the video making forums you can and put a notice on there asking if anyone is interested in helping form a club in your area. Point them to the Facebook Group and Twitter feed.
Join all the local forums (ie our town has one) and put the same notice there.

Once you've got some interest (it need only be three or four people) get together and plan a bigger open meeting for all interested parties. But work with these original people to create a set of objetives and an agenda for the meeting. You'll disseminate this information via the Facbook group, twitter "tweets" and posters at local libraries and other council notice boards. Get the local press involved.

Go to your local council and express your intentions. Ask them if they can provide a venue FOC or very cheap for an initial meeting. Also ask if any funding is available to help get the club off the ground.

You will need to consider funding, both capital (projection equipment - although you may be able to borrow this initially) and ongoing (hire of a venue), how frequently people will want to meet, a venue, somewhere to store equipment.

Once you're clear this is going to be a going concern you'll also need to deal with tedious things like insurance (both for equipment and public liability), but I'm sure the IAC can help you out here.

A critical thing you will need to do at the initial meeting is work out what the potential members want from the club. Many clubs, our own included, seem to exist as much fro the social side as for film making. When I joined Staines, I couldn't believe we had evenings that were nothing at all to do with film making (and I'm not talking about the odd Christmas dinner). Fortunately our previous chairman changed all that, but nevertheless, more than half our members are not film makers (though they might get roped in to acting or holding a prop every now and then).

Typically the clubs with a social aspect meet weekly throughout September to May.

There are other clubs who are more "film making groups". They meet less frequently, maybe once a month, as a club but in between work on projects as individuals or groups.

Trawl the internet for clubs' programmes and present them to potential members . See what they (and you) like/dislike.

You'll need to establish from your initial big meeting which type of club you'll most likely want to resemble. Loads of people will no doubt come up with ideas, but no-one will volunteer. I'd suggest you try to grab hold of another three or four people to compliment your initial three or four and start planning - act as a temporary committee. If you're not careful, you'll end up doing all the work yourself and not only will you never find time to film and edit again, but also your new found hobby will suddenly become a chore.

The best thing that you have going for you is no "baggage". Like Cromwell, you could create the "New Model Video Club"

This sounds really exciting and I wish I was down your way and could get involved.

[john ingham]

thanks again Tim, i wished you lived down this way a true star , and I know you would help
I have spoken with the local am dram tonight, there seems to be a lot of potential actors who are will ing to get involved

ile keep you all posted

[FredD]

Hi John,

You might want to check out the next 'Shooters in the Pub' monthly meet at the Picture House in Exeter, for potential interested film makers. The Exeter meet is the nearest 'Shooters' meet to you, but you will probably find people there who live closer to you, and who would be interested in 'teaming up' for future Production and Post Production collaborations.

http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/E ... n_The_Pub/

The old 'IAC club type model' is dead, and IMO a waste of time pursuing if you are interested in making films !

Kind regards,
Fred D

[ned c]

There may be some ideas here www.tsbtc.org

ned c

[Graham]

Hi John

I, for one, would be very interested in learning the aims you have in mind for a new club.

Exmouth is more than 22 miles away from me, but not as far as Teign where I have been a member involving a 100 mile round trip. Where I live, I am bang in the middle of 4 clubs, all more than 45 miles away.

Distance would not be an issue (on my part) just so long as the primary activity was one of film making, preferably of a more ambitious kind, and not film watching and chatting about holidays over a cup of tea.

[john ingham]

Fred..you are a star sir , ile be checking that one out, thanks mate
ned that was an interesting read, with many good ideas..food for thought as they say, thank you that man

Graham .... How can i put this without offending anyone.... you seem to be on the same wave length as i am thinking...

The club would be aimed at digital video..with the greatest respect to anyone who was brought up with film and want to sit down and talk about this..then the club would not be for those people (sorry)
the main objection would be to make films, write scripts, and learn from one and other

I want to get hold of people who want to make films..

I want people who would say..Ive got an idea...

i want people who know what they are talking about to set little tasks, so the newcomers will have something to practice and learn (just look at the lessons you guys have given me)

I want people who will work together on projects, this will mean having trips out

I don't want a once a month, monday evening club (I hate sounding harsh)

We could run a lot of this via a website..keeping down the price of meetings just for chit chat..we could also show the members films on there..

this whole thing would be aimed at...Making films...... and!!!!!! I can't see why we couldn't expand the forum membership to people outside the area especially when it comes to tutorials ,
if they ever wanted to get involved and actually travel to be part of the filming..then fine..why not

let me make it clear, my aim is to take nothing away from this site , this site covers a lot of political aswell as nationwide issues that don't need to be on the new club site.


I am part of a kayak fishing forum, this weekend will see me getting over 200 members getting together for one of our many meets throughout the year,we also run a lot of projects
We could run the new club/forum in the same way..this is the age of the computer we can share and work on projects together from our homes....
has this been done before ? I don't know..but i am willing to try... and who knows!!! this could also lead to more local groups forming as they have in the kayak fishing world

what is it we really want out of a club/forum..my answer would be to make films

any input would be fantastic

john

[FredD]

This is my formal application for membership to the new film making group John !
You have my email address !
Talk soon I hope ...
Kind regards
Fred D (Dorset/Hampshire border)

[john ingham]

this is what i am on about, good one Fred..

[john ingham]

Ok lads and lasses, this is what i have done.....
ive started off with a free to join forum,.............. this forum is totally about making films...No politics, any club or other issues must stay on this site where people in the know can supply those sort of answers
we will be including projects, and lessons on how to..... bla bla bla

as i have said..its 100% about Making films and showing them on here and there

the aim is to get new comers to learn to make films without getting bogged down with other issues within the hobby..have a look,

john


http://the-free-film-makers.proboards.com/index.cgi

[Dave Watterson]

John - it is a long journey from you to Basingstoke, but I do urge you to try to attend the next Red Carpet Screening on 3rd November.

Seb Hall has created there a community of local - and not so local - film makers. Selected films are shown and their makers interviewed on stage in a supportive and encouraging way. From what was apparently a blank area in the film making map he has fostered a group of amateur and would-be professional film makers by bringing them out of the woodwork and getting them together. Several film productions have emerged out of collaborations between people who met at previous Red Carpet sessions ... including a feature-length one. It is all about making films. Attendeed come from Cornwall and London as well as the local area.

To attend one of these is an uplifting and joyous occasion, whether you like the films or not ... and usually you will like them!

Details are on their Facebook page and here: http://www.theiac.org.uk/eventsnew/fest ... arpet.html

[john ingham]

Thanks Dave..basingstoke isn't a problem, my children live near Alton
ile look into this and maybe go and see the kids that week

[Graham]

Ned C

Took a look at your tsb site. You seem to have a really good thing going there! Wish I had known about you this time last year when my good lady and I were driving across your part of the world on holiday. We would have dropped in!

It is the sort of group I wish we had here in my neck of the woods. I did try to set up a small movie production group a year or two ago, but it didn't really get going - all to do with the politics surrounding funding.

Never mind. I shall have to see if I can give it another go. At least, I will be a little wiser.

In the meantime, keep up the good work and best wishes to you and your fellow members.

[ned c]

Thanks for your comments; Graham. Film making has moved to a new level with the advent of relatively low cost digital systems and the world of non-commercial (amateur) film making has changed as well. Here in SW Utah there are three elements that affect film making. The local college has a very active film department with an emphasis on digital film production; this is run by an energetic professional with several Emmys to his name. They also run an annual documentary festival; Docutah; where our colleague Michael Slowe has had a film accepted and well received. They do not differentiate between professional and n-c film makers.

The second element is a very active group of young film makers (late 20s to 30s) who make films for fun and run an annual Guerrilla Contest and show of their work. They are not a club or formal group but they get together and make movies using any talent available. They work exclusively with DSLRs and they have invited me to help with sound and lighting; even in desperation with acting.

Finally there is The Space Between; this was established by three local theatre people; two professors from the theatre department at the college and a professional actor. The mandate is to serve all the performing and visual arts and although there is an emphasis on theatre one of the professors had been a director for CBS TV and the actor had appeared in several feature films. The objective is to make experimental and “edgy” productions and to develop local talent.

The Film Unit was set up to record stage productions; auditions and to make short films from members scripts; this expanded to the annual scriptwriting contest and the Production Grants. TSB is a “not for profit” organization; rather like a UK Charity so that donations are tax deductible. We are funded by both individuals and local business. The main difference between TSB and a traditional cine/video club is that there are no regular members meetings and the only social activity is wrap parties after productions are completed. There is a board of directors who arrange the projects and manage the finances.

The three elements interact in an informal way and on a number of levels; Americans are much less formal than Brits and tend to see possibilities rather than problems.
If you are in the area drop me an e-mail and stop by for a chat!!

ned c

[Ian Woodward]

Ned refers to the fact that America’s Southern Utah International Documentary Film Festival (DOCUTAH) does not differentiate between professional and non-commercial film makers.

This was what attracted me to this particular festival from the outset and what made it all the more sweeter when my film "From Bohemia’s Woods and Fields" was chosen for screening at four venues - the Eccles Theater Main Stage, the Crescent Moon Theater, the Electric Theater and the Red Cliffs Cinema Theater - at last year’s DOCUTAH.

To be up there among the professionals, to be judged at that level, added a frisson of unimaginable excitement to what was already a proud moment for this film maker.

At BIAFF 2011 it received a 3-star award.

Ian Woodward