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!
OVFM members are invited to join Spring Park Film Makers for a screening of their film Spitfire on June 13th. Here are the details of this event from Spring Park secretary Brenda Troughton:
Spring Park are showing the film ‘Spitfire’ on 13th June which was made for the 100th anniversary of the war. It is the story of an aeroplane that was the most famous fighter plane ever made.
With breath-taking aerial footage from the world’s top aviation photographer John Dibbs and rare digitally re-mastered, archive footage from the tumultuous days of the 1940’s, when her power in the skies was unrivalled; all combined with an incredible soundscape of the famous Merlin engine, pierced with gunfire, makes this a striking and poignant film.
Shown at the cinema last year for the 100th anniversary, we are now showing this at the club on 13th June for all those who were unable to see last year.
So we are writing to invite OVFM members to join us. Perhaps you would be kind enough to let your members know – it would be good to get together for the evening.
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.
It’s time to get practical again with an old favourite, the green screen filming evening! We did a couple of these last year and they yielded some interesting responses from club members in using the clips in different settings, as well as earning some of the makers an award at this year’s OSCARS!
Whilst last time we ran with the restaurant theme, this year the reins have been loosened a bit to offer a wider scope of interpretations for the backgrounds any willing editors will wish to apply to the clips that will be based on script ideas from David Laker and Hugh Darrington – the latter bringing his own bus stop prop!
As ever we shall be looking for volunteers to fulfil both production and performance roles for this evening. I shall be bringing my clapperboard, but we’ll need camera operators, boom operator/sound recorder, actors, help in setting up the green screens, sets and pops , and additional scripts if we have time.
Please let us know how you want to contribute by leaving a comment below – the more the merrier obviously, but we’d prefer not to have 20 people with cameras and no-one to hold the boom mic!
We hope everyone can join us for what looks to be another fun and productive evening at OVFM!
Here we go again with one of OVFM’s longest running and prominent annual competitions the Top Ten!
As you know by now, the Top 10 is when we get serious with our filmmaking, as the gloves are off – there are no limitations on what the subject matter or style or genre of film is – the only stipulation is that you try and keep your film to around 20 minutes in length at maximum!
The new ruling made by the Committee to reduce the rounds to just two may sound like less opportunity for people to get their films made in time but on a practical level, when it comes to the screening evenings, we end up with only three or four films at a time; by reducing the amount of rounds, it is hoped this will see an improved number of entrants per screening for a fuller and more competitive evening.
Last year we received just 14 entries which is part of a downwards trend we’ve seen over the past few years regarding our competitions which really should be the lifeblood of our club in terms of producing the best content possible. Maybe this reduction in rounds will be galvanising enough to get those creative juices flowing again in club members?
One aspect of the Top Ten that differs from other competitions and projects is that every film is under a bit of scrutiny as the scoring is done by other club members who are asked to proffer feedback on the individual elements of the film’s production and presentation. This isn’t intended to be cruel or an opportunity to belittle new filmmakers but to offer constructive criticism and maybe address certain area that might need adjustment or improving.
Should this sound too intimidating, anybody is welcome to request to be spared from receiving feedback.
Last year Sam Brown was our Top Ten winner with Beyond The Sunset. Can he do it again or will someone else steal his crown in 2019? That is down to you!
If you have a film from the past which has undergone a significant revamp (perhaps a new soundtrack, remixed sound, improved titling, tighter editing, extended or redacted cut etc. you are also welcome to re-submit these as your official entry. And you can team up with your fellow club members if you need help on the technical or casting front, it will be the author of the script/concept who gets the entry credit. Couples can enter either individually or together.
The draw for 2019 is thus:
Round One – To be held on July 16th
Ron Williams
Graham Sinden
Andy and Marian Watson
Jim and Fran Morton-Robertson
Brenda and Roger Wheatley
Trevor Rogers
Ian Ménage
Walter McKenna
Jane Oliver
Lee Relph
Mike Graham
Hugh Darrington
Anna Littler
Laura Child
Maria Alexander
John Bunce
Harold Trill
Round Two – To be held on August 27th
Barbara Darby
John Alford
Ann and John Epton
Mike Shaw
Brian Pfeiffer
Peter Mitchell
Charley Caseley
Sam Brown
Barbara J. Darby
Colin Jones
Matt Swaby
William Child
Bob Vine
Kuldip Kaur
Barbara Walker
David Laker
Reg and Annabelle Lancaster
Horace Chan
Remember, if you have a film ready before your designated round you are welcome to submit it early but please let us know, preferably on this website, ahead of the particular session you will be entering it. This also applies if you are unable to provide a film in time for the first round and need to defer to the second round.
The final will take place on January 7th 2020 and the results will be revealed at the Oscars on March 17th 2020.
For the results of last year’s competition click HERE whilst a selection of the films entered, including the winner, can be viewed HERE (make sure you are logged in to see these films).
Members can find more details on the rules and guidelines along with a downloadable scoring form HERE.
Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone who enters a film!
The KFF is one of the longest running interclub competitions dating back to 1974 and returns for its 2019 iteration to be held on September 29th at Powell Theatre, Canterbury Christ Church University, North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QU.
OVFM has been a regular contributor to this event although we haven’t had a winning film for a couple of years now, so maybe this year we can reverse that trend. The closing dates for entry submissions is Wednesday July 24th and you can download an entry form HERE.
For further details, please visit the Kent Film Festival Website whilst please see our very own Ian Menage for tickets which will be available soon.
We realise it hasn’t been that long since we first announced this Film To A Theme project but the topic is one that not only has universal possibilities but given most people’s first foray into filmmaking is home videos of their families. therefore we are confident there is a wealth of footage in the archives of club members featuring special events, holidays or just general family memories they are happy to share with the rest of us.
Tonight is the night that we get to see what you have for us, whether it is new or old. As usual we ask a little cooperation from everyone bringing a film to the meeting to PLEASE REPLY TO THIS POST in the comments/reply section below, letting us know the film’s run time, media format (DVD, Blu-ray, USB/Memory stick), file format if using the latter (MP4, MKV, AVI, etc.) and picture ratio (4:3 or 16:9). This is a great help for us when planning the evening out and helping things run smoothly so if you could do us this courtesy it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing your films on Tuesday!