Reading Film and Video Makers

Each year RFVM join in competition with Bourne End Cine & Video Club and Staines Cine & Video Society for the 'Gateway Trophy'. This year it was the turn of Staines to host the competition. Each club enters one film or video in each of the following categories (a) Storyline, (b) Documentary, (c) Open.

Five RFVM members attended and the three videos chosen as our entries were, 'Rat Race' and 'Newlyn and it's Fishing Industry' both by Jane Smart, for the Storyline and Documentary categories respectively, and 'Der Unterberg Adlers' by Laurie Joyce for the Open section. For judging the competition each club appoints two of it's own members and by the drawing of the short straws Brian and I were nominated.

Staines kicked off with their entry, 'Bright Sparks'. This was a club comedy set around an amateur drama group preparing the stage for a first performance. Unfortunately the lights fail and it is up to an inept pair of Irish stagehands to replace the bulb. Enough said, I think!. The acting certainly being rather too amateur.

Bourne End's 'The Card Trick' started off a bit slowly with two chaps sitting in a room and very lethargically trying to play cards until one shows the other, a rather tame card trick which does not impress his friend who in turn takes the cards and proceeds to show the first chap another. Thankfully there was a bit of a twist at the end (excuse the pun!) which just saved it. Both Brian and I agreed it gained the extra mark due to this, plus the marginally better camera work.

I was a little disappointed that our entry, Jane's 'Rat Race' did not do better as certainly the camera work and editing were far superior than the other two entries.

Boume End again came top in the documentary section with 'Power From The Wind'. A video showing the history of the windmill. This was very well done, the maker having travelled around the country to find examples of various types of mills, most of which were working. The pictures kept up with a very well researched dialogue showing exactly what was being explained, leaving few questions to be asked. Perhaps a down side to this video was some rather unsteady camera work and 'tromboning' in places.

Our Jane's 'Newlyn and it's Fishing Industry' finished a very worthy runner-up.

Staines's 'Bourne to Win' showed a regatta on the River Thames at Bourne End for a unique class of sailing boat. This video had some outstanding action shots and good closeups of the crews hard at work in their boats. However, the storyline and editing could have been better.

Bourne End's 'A Journey to the Centre of Oz'. was a holiday travelogue type video showing us the delights (?) of the Australian outback with a tour to Ayre's Rock.

Staines 'A Pack of Cards' was an interesting idea involving a chap playing patience and relating how they remind him of certain things in or about his life. This was nicely filmed, quiet and peaceful video with some delicate touches although he could have perhaps speeded up his game. Anyhow, it gained our vote and won the section.

Laurie's 'Der Unterberg Adlers' gained us our second runner's up position.

Unfortunately this year we were not to win. Bourne End took the trophy for the first time. So well done to them. We were however the strongest team to compete, as we ended holding the other teams up.!!

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