We kick off the month of March (already? Can you believe it?) by handing over the reigns of the club meeting to one of our long standing members, Jim Morton-Robertson!
Jim, one quarter of the Kemsing Mafia, has been making films for over fifty years – or half a century in old money – thus has accumulated quite a body of work. For our delectation he will be dipping into this extensive catalogue of his to bring us a selection of films he best feels represents the scope of his work.
Beginning with his first ever 8mm shot film from 1962 , Jim will share with us examples of the wide variety of styles he has tackled over the years including animation, comedies and features, while regaling us with tales about their making or the history that surrounds each film.
It’s always fascinating for both the club and the filmmaker themselves to look back over their work so be sure to be present as we delve into Jim’s personal archive on Tuesday!
This week’s meeting will see another screening of films that come from outside our club but the standard will just as high, as the IAC logo above might have already indicated to you.
The governing body of all amateur film clubs across the UK is involved in many film competitions across the country and even overseas, one of which is the prestigious BIAFF (British International Amateur Film Festival). Each year films from all over the country are submitted for judging and rated from 1 to 5 stars with eight exceptional entries awarded a Diamond Award, making this a high contested competition indeed.
For our delectation a selection of films of recent BIAFF entries will be shown on Tuesday night, all of which were rewarded at least 3 or 4 stars in competition, so none of your rubbish here! There will be room for brief critical discussion after each film in what promises to be an entertaining and busy evening.
Due to circumstances beyond our control the meeting will take place at All Saints Church in Bark Hart Road, Orpington (where we have held previous meetings including last year’s AGM). If you need a reminder of how to get there please consult this map:
One evening, two teams, a brace of video cameras, a heap of props, and a bunch of ideas.
Your challenge, should you accept it, is to…make a short film!
The Lad with the Lamp!Fear Stalks OVFM
With a maximum of two hours available and the clock already ticking the pressure was on and there was no time for the normal club niceties…except who wants tea and who wants coffee? And oh yes should we open another packet of custard creams or will the rich teas, jammy dodgers and chocolate digestives suffice? A point of order was raised on the unsuitabilty of custard creams as a dunking biscuit. A heated debate ensued but after twenty minutes it was agreed by a small majority that the packet would be opened but the dunkers in the party were welcome to select an alternative biscuit for their own needs. Phew! With that delicate matter resolved it was down to business.
Reg Loves A Red HeadMisery Thy Name Is Waiting Room
With little over ninety minutes remaining the pressure was REALLY on now (it’s exciting isn’t it!) and doubts were raised on the wisdom of the challenge by a rogue group of dissenters. ‘Not enough time’ they chorused (in four part harmony and with surprizing tunefulness. Mmm, me thinks, perhaps at long last the time has come to form the OVFM Choral Ensemble and realize my ambition of having the only world class singing amateur film making club in the South East. Oh how I’ve dreamed of that moment!
‘Where Did You Get Those Hats where did you get those hats?’
Where was I? Oh yes time is ticking. And with the dissenters put in a sound proof room with nothing but a piano, a stack of sheet music and a pot noodle for company it was on with the challenge.
‘And This is how you do the Mashed Potato’Give Us A Hand!
First to the brainstorming and after an intense session involving flip charts and Powerpoint it was decided that the first team would be called A and the second B. Some voices were heard to mumble that this archaic nomeclature smacked of inequality, and suggested both teams be known as A, but they were silenced on threat of being thrown to the choir, that soon shut them up! And so it was Team A and Team B were formed and dispersed to their respective studios.
Are YOU the Stig?
With sixty solid minutes of hard graft under their belts everyone was gagging for a brew so we took a refreshment break, during which the conversation naturally turned to how nice it was to belong to a club that really does things.
Moving Pictures! What will they think of next?
Thirty minutes later we all got down to business, again, and a good seven minutes of full on film making took place, including six minutes discussion on exactly who should direct and whether Alfred Hitchcock appeared in ALL his movies or only some. Before the question could be resolved or a re-take staged, proceedings had to be reluctantly brought to a conclusion as time was sadly up and the mountain of unused props and equipment had to be packed away.
As the weary gaggle of club members wended their way home there was a palpable air of satisfaction for a job well done and a highly productive evening.
‘I do believe’ I heard one say ‘We must have at least 17 seconds of footage in the can. That must surely be a record.’
And what of these “films”? Well as Chairman I make a solemn vow that they will be banished to the OVFM vault where they will forever remain locked away from view…or maybe they’ll get shown at the next meeting, whatever!
