Surrey Border Film and Video Makers press report for July 2008

Each year Surrey Border Film & Video Makers runs a challenge for its members, which is known as 'Film in an Evening'. This fun occasion manages to combine training, discipline and teamwork. In March we are given the theme, which this year was 'Be Prepared'. Film making groups are formed and meet socially several times to come up with a storyline, nominate crew and fix rehearsal times.

With just two hours to make a 2-3 minute film, the script has to be lean, the camera angles worked out, the actors prepped and the props on hand. Sometimes the film of the rehearsal turns out to be better than the one done on the night for all sorts of reasons such as, perhaps it's raining, the microphone was not switched on, or there is a camera or tape fault, in which case, after the premier, the rehearsal tape may be shown so members can see what it was 'meant' to be like.

All four groups made it to the club house in time for the premiers at 9.30. This year four groups were formed, with each making a film. 'Old Habits Die Hard' by The Crondykes featured an ex Boy Scout on his bike having fun poked at him by some youths and finished with his reaction to them. The Eastern Fringe group, with members from the Woking area, showed their film 'Blonde Fancy' about a man choosing dates from an internet dating site which ended with a neat twist. 'Heaven Sent' by the Write Angle group had two monks, in genuine habits borrowed from the Abbey near Alton, fussing over 'be prepared' which finally turned out to be an illustrated B from a manuscript. The Odd Bods film, 'Just In Case' was about a hen pecked husband and his constantly nagging wife. He had organized the holiday, she didn't believe he could do it properly but unknown to her he had a little surprise something in the boot of the car just for himself.