IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

I have to say, there are still loads of film festivals around the country showing great short films.

BIAFF aside, I recommend Exit 6 Film Festival in Basingstoke, as well as festivals like The Box in Newbury. My students are putting on a film festival this year in Andover called the Homebrew Film Festival. If you are in to making Horror films, then I highly recommend festivals like the Horror-On-Sea film festival in Southend, and the Romford Film Festival.
I love going to these events to catch as many independent short films and feature films, with an appreciative audience.

Film festivals are alive and well!

That's really interesting to hear. All the Festivals that I receive invitations from are with FilmFreeway and are quite expensive to enter and very few seem to feature convenient screenings. How do the Festivals that you mention publicise their event?

Here is the link to festival that my students are running - https://filmfreeway.com/Homebrewfilmfest
They are keeping the entry fee's low, as well as holding the event as a big screen affair.

From what I see, festivals tend to advertise predominantly on social media, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This is how my students are doing it. They also go and post invites in various groups on Facebook, etc. It seems to be working quite well.

Well this year's results are a bit of a backwards step for me, which is disappointing obviously.

Mustn't argue with the referees of course, but I did feel that for one film they didn't quite "get it" ( down to me as the maker I guess!) and the comments for the other felt a bit like being told off by the Headmaster!

Anyway, I hope that you guys got decent results - it's tough out there!

Roger Fowles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:39 pm Mustn't argue with the referees of course, but I did feel that for one film they didn't quite "get it" ( down to me as the maker I guess!)

This is a potential problem with any viewer, not just judges. I could bore you with tales of a film I made several years ago with a pair of twins and at the end half the audience didn't figure our which twin was which, even though the other picked up on the several signposts I'd included (like different clothes, different hairstyles). To this day, I occasionally wonder what I could have done to make this more obvious. Fortunately this wasn't totaly crucial to the effect of the film.

It's just something we have to live with.

Roger Fowles wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 1:39 pm and the comments for the other felt a bit like being told off by the Headmaster!

There's really no excuse for that, Roger. Judges are meant to be helpful and encouraging and I know that the organisers read all the comments and try to persuade judges to rephrase anything they find unnecessarily harsh.

Take a deep breath or two, ask someone not involved in the film to read the comments and see what they make of them. If you still feel the same I'd strongly encourage you to write to the organisers and explain exactly what in the comments make you feel that way. It is only by feedback that BIAFF can improve. Who knows, several others may have the same feelings and it may be one particular judge who needs a bit more guidance (or, not to be invited again).

Thanks Tim!

Maybe shouldn't have posted so soon after getting the results!

There are some things I'll take on board, and some thimgs that I wouldn't change regardless, and everyone is entitled to their opinion. As we all know, a lot of blood, sweat and tears go into making our films, and I guess I had higher hopes for mine this year - but those hopes have been dashed on the jagged rocks of reality

Back to the drawing board (literally) - and back next year!

As one who had been a BIAFF (and LIAFF)) judge for many years ... but sat this one out ...

• I do think you always need to take a week to cool down and then re-read comments.

• After that, by all means let the organisers know if you think a judgement is badly wrong.

• As for whether your film/s should be up or down a grade ... the only way to get a consistent standard would be for the same judges to see all the films. That is not practical.

• And yes, standards do change over the years, usually getting higher.

• Don't forget fashion plays a role too. Some years "drama" is in. On others "nature" is, or "documentary" or "family" ...

I did not put a film in this year, but I think one of the nice things about BIAFF is the chance to get more exposure for films. Even if they are not shown at the Festival a link can be put on the BIAFF website with the star rating.
My hope has always been that I might meet up with other film makers in the area, which has eventually happend and I am Acting in a 3 star BIAFF film "Hardy's Regrets" - perhaps I've got amateur film making out of my system now and I can move on to other things! I suppose this coincides with many film clubs closing down.

I never ever take issue with judges comments and, to be perfectly honest, take very little notice of them. I've seen enough films in my long life, both commercial and non commercial, to be able to see what's good and what's bad. I scored my two entries this year at Two Stars each and was dead right! Bad year of film making for me, but then I've been lucky enough to have ascended the heights, and sunk to the lows, having scored at every possible level. Enjoy the activity, revel in artistic endeavours and bask in the sun when it shines on you.

You are able to take a philosophical view of your films.

No John, not philosphical, merely realistic.

Surely over the years you must have thought one of your films was worth more stars than you were given? And yet you say it did not effect you emotionally. I would call that a philosopical view where you are able to seperate your emotions from a film which you have spent a lot of time and put a lot of thought into making.

At a film club I was attending, I was told I have to be prepared to "kill off my babies" implying I should be prepared to cut parts of my films which I felt were good, because someone who thought they were someone said so!

Strangely enough, being a BIAFF judge for many a year, I thought my 2015 film 'Susanna' wasn't really worthy of the 4*s it was given. I was pleased to get 4*s of course, but it did make me think there's room for a + and - system to be put in place. In other words your film can get 3*-, 3*, 3*+, 4*-, 4* and so on it would give judges more flexibility, and hopefully give filmmakers less upset.

John Simpson and Michael Slowe make good points about seeing films on the big screen at the cinema, but I've long made the observation that most of the modern multiplex presentations are awful.

Far too many 'safety' exit lights on. Centre stairwell LEDs all reflecting in the screen. Projectors not focused (yes!) and projector lamp hot-spots on stupid hi-reflectivity screens. I've had them all and had it up to here. But see Ian Morris' letter on the last page in the current FVM - it looks like some cinema managers really do care about presentation.

Tom

Tom, you've said this before about cinema screenings, very very few people would notice - you are a perfectionist remember! However, I'm sure I would prefer any film of mine to be viewed on your monster screen than in any cinema (bar maybe the Leicester Square Odeon!!!).

Whilst writing I refer to your earlier post about BIAFF judging. Yes, once I did rather think a film of mine was under rated. That was last year's Danny's Red Box which got a Four but I do know that one respected judge wanted a Five. You can't always receive justice. However that's about the only one on BIAFFs since about 1976!