2015-2016 NEWSLETTER
04/05/2016 A good turnout for the AGM. The traditional business involved a report from Karen and Roger, re-election of committee members willing to stand again plus new members to replace David who has left the area. Ideas for summer projects and next season's programme were suggested. Results of the trailer and macro/close-up practicals were screened followed by A Big Umbrella which was partly made in Wokingham Theatre a while back, and finally finished.
27/04/2016 As Chris could not attend the premiere dinner, he was presented with the YouTube Trophy by Karen. David explained how he needed help filming the Woodley Carnival on 11th June; Chas asked for two male actors for his project also on 11th June; Audrey mentioned she had been asked to write a further sequel to Oh No Mother; and Mark was asked if he could complete what he started last summer. Several old summer project films were screened to give new members ideas of what had been previously achieved.
23/04/2016 Members and guests enjoyed the traditional premiere dinner and films and trophy presentations last night. The Golf Club staff did a grand job delaying the meal to wait for several attendees arriving late due to an accident on the M4 and the rain which made Reading and Sonning traffic gridlocked.
20/04/2016 Mark introduced the evening with an explanation about Blocking as used by film directors and a tutorial film was screened. Further tutorial films were screened and supplemmented by Dave's camera connected to the projector. All very technical. Krzys, Chas and Dave then demonstrated various steadycams including a DIY one made by Chas, suggested by Frugal Filmmaker. One of Dave's was in use at the meeting last week - see below right. As Chris was present, he was presented with the mini shield for winning the YouTube Competition.
13/04/2016 Four groups experimented with cameras and close-up filming. Hopefully the edited results will be ready for screening at the AGM. Others chatted and watched the fun.
06/04/2016 Nine entries were screened for the Bournes Cup competition. As most of the films had been screened in previous competitions, no Stan Olman gurus were appointed. Summary stills are available. Karen explained the fun she had making Iron Heart. Tony explained his making experiience of the Guernsey Girls at the end, and Anne announced that her Them and Us film was being screened on TV. The YouTube competition results were announced but Chris was not present to receive his mini shield.
30/03/2016 Laurie and Brian gave an interesting presentation about therir business partnership and screened relevant films which explained their latest involvement with Augmented Reality. Audrey was presented with a certificate for the winning film at the Penny Cup competition. The judges comments were read out which made Audrey a lot happier after the disappointing result at the Staines competition. After tea Karen screened some films about motorbikes including the Reading Toy Run. Harry brought in a 3D TV and set up a slide show of 3D photos with relevant glasses during the tea break.
 |
16/03/2016 Four entries for the fiction competition were screened and discussed as there was time before tea. The discussion meant that the comments from the Stan Olman judges Brian and David Purves contained some repetition, Two films were nominated for the award. The audience voting produced a tie for first place, so another mini shield will be needed and the winners will have to share the main trophy till this time next season. The resulting film from the Mapledurham shoot was among the entries. Summary stills are now available. Three other general films were screen to fill the remaining time.
12/03/2016 Brian, Laurie and Tony attended the Staines Interclub competition last night. Our entry OH NO MOTHER! was not liked by the two judges, unlike down at Weymouth where it won the Penny Cup on Wednesday night. The judges comments were videoed at Staines and have been uploaded to YouTube.
09/03/2016 Three teams captured shots for their planned trailers involving various tea making scenarios, using cameras on manual settings.
02/03/2016 After watching some tutorials about making trailers, members were put into teams to plan their trailers and experiment with camera settings. Filming will continue next week.
24/02/2016 As Pete and his crew were filming some more scenes for the Mapledurham film at Henry's house, the attendance at the lighting event was rather low. Five tutorials were screened before Leon used his camera to experiment with the various light equipment which had been brought in. Tony was also present, so he was presented with the Gear mini shield.
17/02/2016 Ten entries for the documentary competition, which made it a full evening timewise. Geoff and Brian were the Stan Olman judges and gave a critique of each film, and nominated Guernsey Girls. which was also the audience choice of the winner. Tony Wells was not present, so hopefully the mini shield can be presented to him next week. Summary stills are available.
10/02/2016 Laurie and Brian gave an interesting historical account of how they started in videography and screened various clips from the last 30 years.
03/02/2016 Members had fun filming and acting out a script with lots of dead bodies in Mapledurham House. Makeup was impressive.
01/02/2016 David and Tony filmed the Reading School Year 7 concert on Friday under difficult lighting conditions. Earlier on 15/01/2016 David, David Gregory, Mark and Tony filmed the Twyford pantomime The Wizard of Oz and the editing has progressed to the DVD production stage.
 |
20/01/2016 A good crowd of members and their wives attended Brian's wife's celebration of life at Easthampstead Park crematorium and at the conference centre afterwards. In the evening there was sadly only one entry for the novice competition, but a worthy winner nonetheless. 10 entries for the 1-minute competition. David Purves and David Gregory were the Stan Olman gurus and gave an informative critique of each film, but decided none merited a nomination. Some summary stills are now available. Anne mentioned that her film was runner-up in a national 1-min nature competition. David demonstrated a gymbol and 4K cam. One more YouTube inspirational film was screened to fill the time.
13/01/2016 A satisfactory planning evening for the Mapledurham shoot. 3 cameramen volunteered to film 2 scripts which it was decided could be combined into one to avoid clashes on location usage, A director was appointed, boom operator, lighting, props and actors were agreed. Anne's photos were projected to help understand the location better. After tea 4 advert films were screened, and then several more YouTube inspirational films to fill the time.
06/01/2016 Dann gave an enthusiastic and entertaining presentation about directing before challenging 6 groups to discuss and decide on camera shots for a brief script, and take stills of a simple script situation. He will give us feedback on our efforts in due course.
16/12/2015 Members enjoyed some festive food and drink as well as some fun team games - making newspaper hats, racing contrary remote control cars, scooting round a twisty course, a quiz and some team singing.
09/12/2015 Five entries for the holiday competition. Brian and Laurie were the Stan Olman gurus and they gave a critique on each of the films but did not award a nomination. Summary stills are available.
02/12/2015 Four teams used the back room, big hall, small hall and kitchen to film their respective adverts.
25/11/2015 Harley gave an interesting talk about his carreer illustrated with clips from several of his films including Crash and Glitterball, and the inevitable Dath Vader fight with Luke Skywalker. Laurie announced the sad news that Dennis Burke, an honorary member and past chairman for several years in the 70s to 90s died that afternoon.
18/11/2015 Several films from earlier Green Screen and POV practicals were screened and the editors outlined problems and lessons learned in the making of each one. Teams were established for the advert practical in December. Various YouTube films considered inspirational were then screened.
11/11/2015 Three excelent entries for the summer project competition. As one was a sequel to last years's winning film it was shown at the start for the benefit of newcomers. Summary stills are available. Laurie and David Purves were the Stan Olman judges who gave a critique on each one and decided that none merited a nomination. Chas screened his first film about the hawk conservancy, Maggie screened her intro film and the winning film from the 4-minute competion was screened again (it did get a Stan Olman nominatiion). A couple of short films from the Haywards Heath Showreel filled in the remaining time to 10pm.
04/11/2015 Alex Leger gave a very interesting presentation illustrated with stills and clips about his experiences as a Blue Peter producer and cameraman to a well attended audience. His enthusiam for his work made the anecdotes about different parts of the world very entertaining. The sale of signed books Behind the Badge kept him busy during the tea break. Tony Wells was presented with the Currie mini shield.
28/10/2015 Three groups used different rooms to film two or three people talking from various points of view in a practical exercise. Hopefully the editing can be done for screening on 17th November.
21/10/2015 Several introduction films made by the course students were screened and then certificates were presented, with the usual photos. There were 10 entries for the Currie Cup competition with just enough time to screen them all, but no time for the voting slips to be processed for a result. Brian and Jonathan were the Stan Olman judges amd just enough time to announce the one nomination but no time for any critique other to say it was a very good edit. Results and summary stills are now availabe.
14/10/2015 Laurie continued with the course students with practical lighting while other members were entertained by our guest speaker Tim Stannard who loves to have fun while being creative with editing. He screened several of his films and described the background about their making.
Last Friday Tony and David Gregory filmed the Twyford play When We are Married with an experimental arrangement of the 'stage' on the floor with audience seating on three sides .
09/10/2015 Laurie, Anne and Tony travelled to Bourne End for the Gateway Competition. The trophy was won by Staines.
| CATEGORY | CLUB | MOVIE TITLE | BOURNE END | READING | STAINES | TOTAL |
| STORYLINE | BOURNE END | Pull (7:00mins) |
3 | 3 | 6 | |
| READING | The Strange Case of the Theatre Murder (7:40mins) |
2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| STAINES | If Only (5:54mins) |
3 | 2 | 5 | ||
| DOCUMENTARY | READING | Grizel's Story (9:21mins) |
2 | 2 | 4 | |
| STAINES | A Joy to Ring (19:17mins) |
3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| BOURNE END | The Island (7:29mins) |
2 | 3 | 5 | ||
| OPEN | STAINES | Tut Tut (4:00mins) |
3 | 3 | 6 | |
| BOURNE END | The Making of The Big One (8:24mins) |
2 | 3 | 5 | ||
| READING | Anthems (5:08mins) |
2 | 2 | 4 |
| BOURNE END | READING | STAINES | |
| STORYLINE | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| DOCUMENTARY | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| OPEN | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| TOTALS | 16 | 12 | 17 |
| JUDGES | Anne Massey Tony Colvile |
07/10/2015 A nostalgic viewing of Henry's personal film about the history of the BBC film unit. It included various clips of Alan Whicker and a young David Attenborough. Laurie continued with his course students.
05/10/2015 Several members assisted with filming the Reading Town Meal in Forbury Gardens in the afternoon. Tony and his team also filmed the Trinity Concert Band in the University Great Hall on Saturday night.
30/09/2015 An enthusiastic group for the green screen practical, filming a Star Wars script. Laurie continued with the course in the small hall. A lady came in during the tea break to give more details for the Reading town meal Forbury Gardens event on Saturday which Karen had mentioned briefly last week. Filming assistance was offered.
23/09/2015 David Goddard gave an efficient presentation about audio when filming live events to a combined audience of members and course students. After tea Brian discussed audio in video cameras and explained why other equipment is needed to get better audio than what the on-board camera mic can capture. David Gregory and Kris recorded the whole of the evening event. Mike screened his sky-dive film before tea. Brian also mentioned the TCB concert on October 3rd which Tony and his team are filming.
16/09/2015 Roger was busy checking in the numerous course students and collecting subscriptions. Laurie started the Introduction to filming course while David Gregory screened some YouTube tutorials about GreenScreen techniques. Karen then discussed practical ideas for the upcoming practical and equipment requirements. The flying tricks was a popular idea, also a Lego Star Wars scenario
