|
The May meeting of the Surrey Border Film & Video makers was packed with a variety of stimulating new movies and events. The evening started with a call for groups to compete in a film-making competition. Some long-established groups chose to stay together, but unattached members eagerly started forming new groups to meet the challenge. While this was going on, the projectionist was having a minor panic with a missing power lead, which was resolved in the nick of time by a quickly-fetched replacement. The films came in two main sections: the first were competition entries and the second were two film premieres. Four competition films were viewed, made as a result of a challenge to members three months previously on the basis of a tape holding an hour of various, unrelated film clips. The challenge was to make an entertaining short film using visual material only from the original but with added sound as deemed appropriate. This year fewer members responded than previously, as many had found the supplied material too daunting. The four who rose to the challenge had come up with some of the most brilliant ‘interpretations’ imaginable. The films were surprisingly varied. Two had themes based on aliens, but that was the only similarity. One was an emergency report from two aliens back to their home planet reporting unrest on earth against ‘the federation’ and requesting permission to intervene. The other started with a radio ham intercepting a message from outer space reporting that aliens were on their way. A search for the alien landing site revealed some rather odd human behaviour. When, at the end, the aliens reported back to their home planet that they had found no intelligent life on the planet the audience could see why! Of the two other entries the first showed a weather forecast, interrupted by a beautifully scripted news flash. The second called Holiday Time and it won the competition by a clear majority of votes. It was outstanding in terms of its narration in verse. Clearly a great deal of talent, skill and effort had gone into this film with perfectly matched verse and visual. This film is certain to go on to win other competitions in the future. The packed evening finished with the premiere of two superb new movies. The first by long standing member, David Longley, with a drama production called Isabel. Its plot was centred on a detective trying to solve a crime from many years previously. The main characters were a mother and daughter and a detective. The daughter appeared only as a ghost for the mother to see and talk to. Although this film was new to the club, it was actually a winner of last year’s South East region competition involving 70 entries. It is not surprising, therefore, that the club was enthralled and gave the film a rapturous applause. The finale for the evening was a film by the club chairman, Bryan Harrison, who had taken his camcorder to the London rally against the Iraq war. Bryan set himself the challenge to edit his work in just two days. Well, what a superb result, with a well balanced selection of interviews, bits of speeches and audience reactions put together with comments from Bryan himself. The film lasted 8 minutes and will surely be another prize-winner at forthcoming national competitions. |