I once tried to film the 1967 British
Open Golf Champion's swing in slow motion. Unfortunately the sprockets
did not engage and my camera emitted a loud 'whine' just as Gary Player
was taking his shot. Oh dear, a slice followed. Even worse his caddy
glared and spun round to look for me! I am really sorry Gary!
I started film/video making in 1980 and I heard about the RFVM through
Phil Bryant at the Burghfield Camera Club. It's 3 years now since
I joined, and I really enjoy the club. It's helped me improve. There
are such a good variety of important issues [Tom & Gerry!!] Mind
you the clubroom could do with some updating, and whilst the members
are a great crowd, I could do without some of the adverse comments
to award winning videos from other clubs.
My equipment consists of a Sony DCR SC11E. I have got a couple of
cameras and they are ideal for my needs so even if I had loads of
money I would not want anything else. All my videos are either travelogue
or underwater shots, and they are all taken in far Eastern destinations.
Great locations and great subject matter e.g. filming a new marine
species, but it can be a little hairy at times! My plane nearly crashed
in the Philippnes last year, and I twice narrowly missed being kidnapped
in Sipadan and Iriam Jaya!!
Still you have to laugh because if you look obliquely at life there
is funny things all around you. Just listen to me on the telephone
to the Inland Revenue - that's really a laugh a minute!!
I don't have a partner to worry about any more. I did have once, but
she was totally disinterested so I divorced her. She then got a Court
Order for my videos!! True!!
I don't have any particular ambitions for film making, although I
would like time to do some editing. I have some great footage; all
I need is the time to pull it together.
However I would say to anyone who is interested on flimmaking, come
along to the RFVM. They are a great crowd of people, and they are
always ready and prepared to help you get the best out of your video
work.
Francis
Crossley
I am a very new member of the Reading Film and Video Makers. About a
yea ago I decided to buy a video camera and - knowing my friend Laurie
Joyce is heavily into flimmaking - I decided to join the club to find
out more about the subject.
The club could not be more convenient for me because it's only about
5 minutes walk away. The members too, have such a surprising wide
cross-section of interests and experience that you can always be assured
there is something to be learned from watching other people's work,
and chatting with members over a cup of coffee. In fact if I were
asked to think of something I dislike about the club, the answer would
have to be absolutely nothing!
As I said earlier I only bought my first video camera a year ago.
It's a Sony PC1 digital camera. I am very pleased with it and the
pictures are really excellent. If money were no object the only things!
would like to buy are a film crewand an editing crew!!
At the moment my filming might be best described as eclectic. I capture
whatever catches my imagination. This includes travel, days out, Henley
river events family and other people's weddings. So far the highlight
of my flimmaking career has been - against all odds - getting some
film of the recent eclipse whilst being visited by a double-glazing
salesman!!
Mind you I have had some near misses too. For example on a recent
cruise we were due to pass Cape Horn early in the morning. I switched
on the cabin TV, which showed that Cape Horn was already receding
into the distance behind the ship! I panicked and shot up on deck
only to realize that the ship would shortly be turning 180 degrees
to pass Cape Horn again. This manoeuvre is called "doubling the
Horn" and ensures that all passengers who have not yet got up
on deck cannot fail to see it unless they are asleep - at least that's
my theory.
One of the advantages of my very small camera is that it enables me
to get close-up pictures of unsuspecting subjects. For example two
expectant mothers comparing bumps at a wedding [Neither of them was
the bride!]
My wife is very supportive of my video interests, which is just as
well considering the cost of equipment etc. My next planned step is
to try and get my head around the business of editing. At some stage
I may well get into the computer editing, which I have seen demonstrated
at the club. Computer editing is clearly the way forward, but for
the moment I need to learn "steam editing" which I believe
is called linear editing!
I think that being a member of the RFVM is both enjoyable and extremely
helpful in opening your eyes to the creative potential of modern video
cameras. Prospective club members I think would gain greatly from
hearing about our National Lottery Grant, seeing videos such as The
National Lottery, Caversham Remembered, The Girl Who Wasn't There
and the various other award-winning films. I would also strongly recommend
that they come as a visitor a couple of times to see what goes on,
whether or not they are thinking of joining. The club might also consider
inviting one selected guest and partner free to a particular evening
- e.g. the annual awards.
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