A Bunch of Amateurs

[Ken Wilson]

Hi All; I thought I would let you all know that the film I told everyone about in FVM, A Bunch of Amateurs, the feature length documentary about the Bradford Movie Makers club is to be shown on TV next week. I heard about this today as I have links to the club and individual members via Facebook, although I am not a member as some people seem to think. But it appears that I have become an unofficial publicity officer (unelected) taking on the role without being asked to. This film is well worth seeing and I know a few IAC members have seen it in the cinema. It was the film where I was filmed giving my opinions and judgements for their annual competition but didn`t make the final cut. perhaps a good thing.

So checking on the BBC website, I see it is to be broadcast next Tuesday, December 13th at 10.00pm on BBC 4. I know that everyone in the IAC will be very interested in seeing it, so spread the word.

Ken

[Dave Watterson]

Thanks for the tip-off, Ken. At this time of year it was not always easy to get out to the few cinemas that were showing the film.
Hope you and Carol have a very happy Christmas and a merry New Year!

[Howard-Smith]

Thanks for telling us, Ken. I’m really looking forward to seeing it. Regarding Bradford Movie Makers’ ‘Oklahoma’ film, as featured in ‘A Bunch of Amateurs’, I was one of the first round BIAFF judges for it a couple of years ago!

[Ken Wilson]

Hi Dave and Howard. For some reason, the Bradford club post regular messages to local clubs and individuals and they are on Facebook most days, but almost never seem to promote themselves beyond the local region, hence why I did this to let people know. I will be watching again as it all flew by at the premiere and I had no idea what to expect. I was concerned that like most other professional takes on what "amateurs" get up to in their film-making activities, it would be another put down/ mickey take. But it is not like that. Yes there is a lot of humour but it just stays on the right side of laughing with them not at them.

Happy Christmas to you Dave and Jan and of course also Howard and anyone else who might be reading this.

[Howard-Smith]

Many thanks Ken and happy Christmas to you too.

[Willy]

Hi all, At this moment I am in Goudhurst (The Garden of England, South East). Vera and I made a daytrip to London last week. Today we were in Windsor. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

[TimStannard]

Yes, thanks Ken. I look forward to seeing the actual quote about Oklahoma's film in context!

[John Simpson]

What an amazing group of people!

To me the theme was the passing of time and the human condition. By that I mean the film showed how members of the club experienced being human. The dreams, excitements and challenges.

Thank-you Bradford Movie Makers for letting the BBC4 film company document the activities of your club.

[TimStannard]

Controversial perhaps: I think the film will do untold damage to struggling clubs - at least in terms of recruitment. The few people who will watch it (apart from existing members of clubs) are potential members and this will have killed them off. Few will watch past the very slow first few minutes which only serve to reinforce the idea that clubs (not just film clubs) are failing due to the fact that no one wants to join - and no-one wants to join because they see so-one else wants to join.

What is left, sadly, is aging people who are heroic in their endeavours, but whose ambition now exceeds their declining ability, and people who need (deserve?) some sort of emotional support. It was really heartwarming to see how these people who can bicker and swear at each other still support and care for each other - just like a family (as is said in the film).

Nevertheless If I was a 40 something person dabbling in a bit of film making and wanting to take it a bit further, this would have me running in the opposite direction.

Whilst Harry's Oklahoma was probably fairly represented (I was on the panel with Howard and it was I who wrote it up for BIAFF) I thought Ian Simpsons two Walthamstow films didn't come across nearly as professional and highly stylised as they do on a proper screen - they were made to look very hammy.

A Bunch of Amateurs was never meant to be a recruitment film, so I can't blame the makers for painting a different picture than we might want.

It does have a positive message of mutual support (not of improving one's skills), but few will stick to the end to see this. I don't think the film sets out to be a mickey take, but it paints a dire picture of clubs being a place for aging or otherwise encumbered people to potter about!

The story of the film/dance night which "would attract 60 people a time" attracting precisely none (not even people who'd paid in advance bothered to turn up) simply suggests that such clubs are completely out of touch with what people want.

I just hope the more succesful clubs can ride this out.

Merry Christmas!

[John Simpson]

The film was an eye opener for me because I did not know people like that existed. I think the film was representitive of most of the Amateur Film Clubs in the UK, and I think most of them will close. Most of the serious filmmaking starts at universities and then graduates go on to work for TV companies or freelance - YouTube set up studios in capital cities all over the world to help top youtubers make films. This was called "YouTube Space"; but most of them have not opened after the pandemic.
Does all this this matter? Lets just say it was good whilst it lasted, and now things move on.

[Michael Slowe]

John,your summary of the 'club' situation is spot on, as is your plotting of the course for serious film makers.
The problem remains, how do us non commercial serious film makers proceed? Club, and even Regional, film festivals are disappearing, leaving BIAFF as our main forum. I think that I'm right in saying that the wonderful European festivals, such as the Guernsey Lily and the Malta Golden Knight (?) have also ceased, I was lucky enough to feature in both these years ago. There's UNICA but that only features films as National entries.

Then there are the huge number of semi pro festivals as featured by Film Freeway. I have have won awards at a very few of these (as has Howard),but most of the 'screenings' were confined to on line, not very rewarding for the film maker. Even cinema viewings for mainstream commercial films are declining as we lazily stay at home 'streaming'. So, gatherings of like minded people to show their films are becoming extremely rare, oh dear.

One very real compensation for the half decent film maker is the proliferation of TV channels, all seeking material, but, that's not a live screening n a cinema which is the most satisfying experience.

[ned c]

The film schools turn out many more graduates than find work in some aspect of film making/TV. The local University film department turns out 40 graduates every year! In this area there are film grads working in fast food, retail etc. who are the backbone of the local film making scene. Are they professionals, amateurs, n-c film makers? It doesn't matter; we are all just "film makers". They are not interested in clubs but form loose groups to make films and get together for screening in a local cinema. OK it takes organization and we are fortunate to have two locals who do this; but it does raise the question what happens if they give up?

How can the IAC appeal to this demographic? I promise this is the last time I will write this; a start will be a specific student section of BIAFF juried by academics and industry professionals with generous rewards. The surviving clubs/regions be supported to organize local open events designed to attract unattached film makers with screenings.

I have a granddaughter with a degree in film production who worked for a time making promotional films for a manufacturer; her life moved in a new direction and she has graduate degrees in a completely different direction but still loves making short films for fun. There are a lot like her.

I promise not to visit this topic again.

ned c

[Michael Slowe]

Ned, by all means visit this topic again, what you write is what I am trying to say. We are all film makers and the word amateur is quite meaningless, the final product is what matters and we've seen rubbish from a 'professional' and genius from an 'amateur' and vice versa. The problem is in obtaining exposure for the films and enjoyment and satisfaction for the producers.

[Ken Wilson]

As I said in the magazine when I first mentioned the film ABOA, we know the Bradford club well. We have given many film shows/ talks there over the past 20 years or more. We have used their premises as a location (for "Writer`s Block") and we have used their members as extras for a new film ("Legacy"). Harry was even given a line to speak in this and that was before his recent "fame". We have judged for them several times too for their annual competitions.

I am not and never have been a member of any club, though some people think I am. I have always preferred to have our own little group and actors are recruited as and when required. Many have appeared time and time again over the years. But we know the club scene as we have travelled around the country giving many film shows to many clubs and Bradford are not unique. We have visited many run down premises like community halls, back rooms in clubs, church halls and so on, showing films to less than 10 people on many occasions. Many members are mainly focused on rigidly sticking to the ritual of having their tea break alongside a few soft Rich Tea biscuits at a very specific time. If the films running times don`t fit in with their regular tea break slot, the films running times should change to suit. Sadly, a few of their members have never made films, seem to have little interest in film making, the IAC or us. I have many stories to back this up. But we continue and sometimes get great responses and have a very enthusiastic audience. Some clubs have asked us time and time again and these venues we love to visit. But in many cases, the former has been more usually the norm and new members will not join such a group.

The Bradford club members are a quirky group (as most of us film makers are) but are very enthusiastic, meet weekly, make new films and soldier on regardless of all the difficulties. They are to be admired. The film ABOA does reflect their situation quite accurately.

There are still some clubs and groups who are surviving and perhaps a few are thriving, but I think the future will lie in film making groups who gather people together from time to time to make their films, much as we have always done it and rather sadly, the screenings will be largely on sites such as YouTube. It is not the same as a large screen presentation, but that seems to be the way it is all going.

[Howard-Smith]

I’m glad to see that the forum is still being supported.
A few points from me on this subject.
Michael, one of the film festivals you mentioned is still going strong: The Golden Knight Malta International Short Film Festival. https://filmfreeway.com/GoldenKnightMal ... lmFestival
I submitted ‘Distraction’ for this recently for around $25 but unfortunately the film was not selected which means there’s nothing at all to show for the money.
I too have never joined a club, preferring to remain independent, but I’m occasionally invited to events hosted by Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers as a guest. SCMM must be THE most successful group with its diverse age range, its prolific film output and the evident enthusiasm of its members.
I enjoyed A Bunch of Amateurs as a human interest story. You’d think that few people would be encouraged to join such a group after seeing this film, but I did hear in one news report that Bradford Movie Makers have been contacted from lots of people showing interest in joining.