Reading Film and Video Makers

This is for all of us born before 1940

We were born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, videos, frisbees and the Pill. We lived before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens. Before dishwashers, tumble driers, electric blankets, air conditioning, drip dry clothes and long before man walked upon the moon.

We got married and then lived together - how quaint we were!

We thought fast food was what you ate in Lent. A Big Mac was an oversized raincoat and crumpet was hot and buttered for tea. We existed before house husbands, computer dating and dual careers. We lived when a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins and sheltered accommodation was where people waited for a bus.

We were here before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies (diapers for the US readers!). We had yet to hear of FM radio, tape decks, electric typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors, yoghurt and see young men wearing earrings. For us time-sharing was time together, a chip was a piece of wood or a fried potato. Hardware meant nuts and bolts and software wasn't a word.

In 1940 'Made in Japan' meant junk. The term 'making out' referred to how you did in your exams. A stud was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and going all the way was staying on the double decker bus until it reached its depot. Pizza Hut, McDonalds and instant coffee were unknown. In our day, smoking was fashionable. Grass was mown and not smoked.
Coke was kept in the coal cellar and not drunk, a joint was a piece of meat you had on Sundays and a pot was the container it was cooked in. Rock music was grandmother's lullaby at the cradle and El Dorado was an ice cream. A gay person was the life and soul of the party and nothing more and Aids was a beauty treatment or help for someone in trouble.

Those of us born before 1940 can't have been so stupid however when you think how we have had to adjust in our everchanging world. But no wonder we are sometimes confused, and there is a Generation Gap. But we have survived!

A linguistics professor was lecturing to his class one day. " In English" he said, " A double negative forms a positive". "In some languages though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative". "However there is no language wherein a double positive can form a negative"

There was a slight pause and then a voice from the back of the room piped up " yeah, right"

Directing on Camera

Space does not allow an extract of the excellent book 'Director on Camera' by Harris Watts this time. Members who do own a copy know it's a little gem. For those of you who have not read it, do go and get a copy [ISBN-0-9507582-2-1] it's the film / video maker's 'Bible'.

Originally written for the BBC internal film / video production courses, it is a mine of helpful advice on how to do things better

For Sale

Sony raincover

Never been used. Will fit most camcorders. Cost new £44.99 - but looking for £25 ono.
Contact Jane Smart 01491 576539

Things you learn from the movies

* It does not matter if you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts. Your enemies will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around in a threatening manner until you have knocked out their predecessors. * Honest and hard working policemen are traditionally gunned down three days before their retirement.

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