Orpington Video and Film Makers
Amateur Film Makers since 1958 Based in Orpington, Kent, UK
I know for a fact that Jane has never been to Canada, so how on earth can she pull off an evening with this title?
Well, when dignitaries from Canada came to England, and more specifically to the London Borough of Bromley, some OVFM members were privileged to follow their every move (well almost) and so went on an ‘adventure’ with them to some interesting places. Much of their visit was filmed….
Hear more about it this coming Tuesday night!
There’s been a slight break since our last Film To A Theme project to allow for the Top Ten competition and various practical evenings but that doesn’t mean we’ve given up on them.
As you can see, the theme for the next project is Poem.
Everyone likes a good rhyme, whether it is a witty limerick, an emotive haiku or a profound sonnet, and whilst it might not always be so obvious, the lyricism and inventive use of language found in a well written verse lends itself to any number of visual interpretations, which is where YOU come in.
We are asking that you get your cameras out and make a short film set to a poem, like you would with a film set to music but one that illustrates or interprets the text. Whether it is Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Yeats, Hughes, Plath, Coleridge, Lear or Milligan we are spoiled for choice when it comes to picking the right title to bring to life, so spread your nets wide and let your imaginations run wild, and of course don’t forget you are welcome to hire a voiceover artist or actor friend to read the poem too!
Of course, your films can come in any style – live action, animation, photo slideshow, with or without music, whatever you can come up with will to provide us with an entertaining evening of films, all we ask that you adhere to the FIVE-MINUTE MAXIMUM time limit .
The deadline for this project is the screening date which is set for Tuesday August 13th so you have a bit of time to put something together, and we look forward to see what you have for us then!
OVFM members are invited to join Spring Park Film Makers for a screening of their film The Dewer Mystery on Thursday July 4th at the Griffiths-Jones Hall, Emmanuel Church, West Wickham, BR4 9JL.
This is the latest film from prolific Spring Park member Gerald Pecksen, but like its title implies, what it is about is a mystery. Such is the buzz about this film, Spring Park have arranged this extra club meeting to accommodate the premiere of its screening, along with a selection of films from their catalogue.
Therefore it is an honour that OVFM has been invited to share this special occasion with Spring Park, even if it does mean seeing the film that is likely to overshadow ours at future film competitions.
If anyone is interested in attending this event, please make this known by either replying to this post below or via e-mail to our Chair Jane Oliver.
When Hugh first told me that Christine Green was an incredible speaker and her subject was fascinating, I didn’t believe that she would be that good. Was I in for a surprise. Wow, what a presentation.
With a packed house, including 8 or so from Spring Park, she painted a picture of her background. She is the daughter of graphic designer parents and he wider family has photographers, painters, printmakers, wedding photographer and so at an early age she decided she wanted to join the BBC and be creative. She thought every house had a Rostrum Camera sitting on the landing, like the one her father used, as she described in detail HERE.
And so Christine joined the BBC and began designing and creating amazing title sequences which words alone cannot describe.
To see one her most amazing title sequences search Our Friends in The North.’ To have the vision to dissect a picture of four faces in this way, using unusual shapes with bevelled edges, then introducing other pictures coming through in the background all being held together with an appropriate soundtrack. was beyond my comprehension.
Christine covered four or five tables with props, images, pamphlets, art work, needle stitching, lettering etc. Hugh was busy ‘snapping’ away so the next Viewfinder will give those who missed this event some idea of her talent. Many took the opportunity to ask her questioned during the break. The practicalities of animating her work before there was access to the digital processes we know today, was a huge operation often with equipment specially designed and built for that particular title sequence with many operators to make the effect possible.
Christine also handstitched the BBC buttons onto the original 27 Pudsey Bears and here she is with her original Pudsey (see above photo).
The evening flew by and we could have stayed beyond midnight and still want more. So a very special thanks to a very special and talented Christine Green and thanks to Hugh for ‘talent spotting’ her and inviting her along.
Jane Oliver
For this week’s meeting we get to take the weight of our feet and lt someone else do all the hard work as we welcome another guest speaker to our humble club. This time we shall be hearing from artists and graphic designer Christine Green.
Christine was born into a family of artists, ranging from graphic design to photography, so this naturally became a major focus of her life too, in a career that has seen her create many titles and graphics for the BBC, as well as contributing in other areas such as costume and set design and even directing educational programmes on the arts. Nowadays, Christine concentrates on her work with textiles but it is her time as a title designer for the BBC that will be the main point of her presentation, when she drops by this Tuesday evening, with many stories to tell, advice to give and an impressive showreel in hand I am sure.
To learn more about Christine, visit her website – https://christinegreencrafts.co.uk/
See you then!