The front cover shows this year's shooting night extravaganza written,
produced and directed by Bernard Bareham. As usual his unique brand
of comedy and the truly wonderful props that he produces (all crafted
by hand - none of your computer stuff) provided us with a fun evening
and an opportunity to get some real filming done.
It was wonderfully attended and it was good to see some younger people
amongst us old fogies. In fact had there been any more people I doubt
if we'd have got them in. Perhaps next year we should start to think
of hiring the main hall for the night to give room to move?
Bernard's skill, attention to detail, draughtsmanship and craftsmanship,
are always impressive, similarly his imagination and sense of fun.
Some might regard this year's theme of alien immigrants from Planet
Zod trying to get into the UK because it's a soft touch, as being
a tad politically incorrect. But Bernard is not put off by such sensitivities.
Most - if not all - of Bernard's excellent animation productions seem
to have a sex angle to them - and why not??
This year's Asylum Seekers was no exception. No less than five heavily
pregnant women in the cast and all with remarkably small boobs! Anyway
it created great amusement.
Of particular note was the excellence of the acting by the two actors
from the Progress Theatre. Not only had they learnt their lines but
also, they put heart and soul into their performances. Clearly there
is great advantage to us using Progress Theatre members in future
production. In fact there is merit in trying to build stronger links
between the two organisations.
Our Chris Booth's skills as a makeup artist were sorely tried as
he tried vainly to make believable beauties out of the club members
who had been 'volunteered' for the parts. It just goes to show that
you cannot make silk purses out of sow's ears! How they all managed
to become pregnant is a total mystery. It does not say much for the
women left behind on Zod!
It really is amazing how with a few props Bernard can totally change
the ball into something, which looks authentic. It is also good to
see the cameras out in full and members working together in pairs.
In fact everybody had a hilarious time. So thank you Bernard for all
the hard work.
However now perhaps I may be permitted to be a little controversial?
It might even stir some of you to write in to the magazine to take
umbrage with me! I think that we may have not made the best of all
Bernard's hard work. I know it's dangerous to stick my neck out. Especially
as - at the time of writing - I have not seen the results of the filming.
But from what I saw on the night and on other nights I think there
is much we can all learn. I am including myself in this.
The other evening five club members went along to Reading University
to see the third year productions from the film/drama students. All
of us were impressed. You may or not like the subject of the films
but they all had a certain quality about them. It took time for it
to sink in why there is a difference between the student's films and
our average club member's films. Both are using the same sort of cameras
and editing software. The students have less knowledge and experience
than many of our members.
So what is the difference? Well all the students' films had a 'filmic'
quality about them although all shot on video. They were mostly fictional
stories rather than documentaries. All were in black and white. For
our generation this might be hard to understand. Colour was a tremendous
revolution for us, but for today's generation colour is taken for
granted. You might be surprised to learn that many brides today ask
for their wedding photographs and even their video to be in black
and white. They feel it's more romantic and stylish.
Besides being in b/w, sound played an extremely important role. Sometimes
there was just the sound and no picture, just a black screen! Camera
angles were varied and positioned for maximum effect. Editing was
fluid, imaginative and effective. Not always the conventional pattern
that we are used to. They tried different approaches. All in all,
the one thing, which stood out in my mind, was the fact that they
all had a feeling of 'theatre' about them. You knew you were watching
'a film'. You were involved in the story even if the
story did not appeal to you. The acting was believable too. So what
is the difference between what we see at our club and most other clubs
for that matter? Because there is a difference make no mistake!
It's not just between the students and us, but also between British
amateurs and those of foreign filmmakers who win all our international
prizes!!
In my opinion it's a little like the difference between the photographs
taken by millions of ordinary people and those of the photographic
artist. Cameras today - both still and video - are fully capable of
producing well-exposed, sharp good quality pictures with little or
no help from their owner. It's what you do with it that counts!
By the time most of us can afford to buy an expensive camera we are
already set in our ways. We have become conventional, perhaps even
a little rigid? We have read the all books, the magazines, and we
have watched and learned from the more skilled amongst us. By working
hard we have learnt how to be the same as the others. We stick our
camera on a tripod at a convenient height to avoid bending down and
then wait for the action to come to us. Is it a wonder that the footage
we produce is clear, well exposed and sharp (well most of the time)
but distant, static and lifeless? The audience receives the same impression
same as you - the silent spectator watching from a safe distance.
We are not involved we are not in the action. We are
passive viewers. Consequently we don't care about the story or what
happens to the characters very much.
Lets return to Bernard's Asylum Seekers. I noticed that every single
camera was set on a tripod around 5 feet off the floor. Convenient
for looking through the viewfinder but it meant that the fixed position
meant the audience would always be looking down on the actors
all the time. Definitely a spectator viewpoint. If you want to get
involved with the action you need to be at their height!
If you want to make the customs man look powerful and dominant you
need to look UP to him and not DOWN on him. Also the high position
meant that there is also a very good chance of roof structures being
in shot above the props. Thus destroying the illusion of it being
in a Customs building.
Okay I hear you cry there was not enough room to move about. Yes
that is true it was cramped. There are always difficulties
but the point I am making is that if you are making a 'film' you need
to create the illusion that you are in a Customs Office and not a
part of a church hall. After all Bernard did his bit!
In 'Hi de HI' the holiday camp TV sitcom, Ted Bovis the camp
comedian used to keep telling his assistant Spike that the first rule
of comedy was reality. We too have to make it real otherwise
what do we end up with after all Bernard's and the actor's hard work?
A nicely exposed video record of some people in a sketch. NOT a film!!
So in conclusion what are we to learn from the students?
-
Get to know your camera intimately. How many members
leave everything on automatic and have no idea how to lock an
exposure or set the white balance. Using your camera should be
second nature.
-
Get your camera into the action, don't stand
at the back and watch from a safe distance. Be brave!!
-
Loosen up. Throw off all those 'this is the way
it has to be done' ideas. Try something new. Have a look through
the menu of opportunities that the new editing systems provide
you with - try them, experiment, have fun!
-
Develop a very hard skin against any club members
who goes 'tut tut' and who look down their noses at 'gimmicks'.
Transitions and effects can be overdone, but they can be underdone
too!
-
Today's technology has given us the ability to
do almost anything we can think of, so use your imagination!
In our passion for quality I am as guilty as the next
person of being seduced by technical supremacy. Let none of us forget
that a well-thumbed tatty paperback is always better than a beautifully
produced and illustrated coffee table book. It's the story that counts!
So let me encourage all members to try something different. Lets
try and get more 'theatre' into our productions, and let's make more
daring and 'filmic' quality films and videos. Make it exicting and
fun!!
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