WORCESTER FILM MAKERS CLUB
Comments by Chris and Avril
Great Swiss Train Journeys
Avril: Nice picturesque scenery, but hampered, at times, by reflections as the shots were taken through the train windows. The overuse of dialogue, i.e. ‘this is a river’, ‘here are some mountains’ and ‘time to take our seats’ over shots of a river, mountains and a seat, may have been intentional. If not, do remember that pictures often tell the story better with a minimum amount of narration. I’m afraid the narration sometimes reminded me of a sequence in the satirical programme ‘That Was the Week that Was’, illustrating the words ‘Lord Privy Seal’ by a shot of a cross, a lavatory pan and a performing seal with a ball on its nose! If it was intentional I’m sorry but I found it rather irritating and it got in the way of admiring the scenery.
Chris: As someone with a great love of railways who has been on a holiday to Switzerland by train, I really feel that you cannot make a film about Swiss trains without seeing some shots of trains – even if they are stationary in stations, although some passing shots would be nice. I was very much aware that everything was handheld and while this is a good idea when shooting from a moving train because the human body can absorb some of the motion, I really felt that the exteriors we saw of some of the places should have been shot using a tripod or at least on a very wide angle zoom setting to minimise camera shake.
Salty Water
Avril: Nice atmospheric piece, nicely shot. I felt that the surfers sequence went on too long when it was balanced against the film as a whole and, given the music chosen for it, should have been edited in a more exciting manner. Liked the narration.
Chris: As someone who would be terrified to surf, I had always assumed that surfing should be exciting. Sadly the film makers weren’t in luck as none of the surfers were doing anything spectacular and this, coupled with the necessity of shooting from dry land, precluding closer shots made the sequence less interesting than the boating ones.
Coeur de Pierre
Avril and Chris: Gripping story, well acted and with an interesting twist at the end. Like Alan we felt the blood was overdone and very obviously Kensington Gore, or this may have been intentional to give a further surreal twist to the story.
Mr Welby’s Cross
Avril: On a personal note I found the subject matter distasteful, but that is of course subjective. I thought the storyline wasn’t clear. The camera angles didn’t seem to have been well-enough thought out with edits which crossed the line for no apparent reason hampering the smooth telling of the narrative.
Chris: I felt very uneasy watching this film. Either the producers didn’t realise that the present Archbishop of Canterbury worked in the commercial world before being ordained – which was most unfortunate. Maybe they did know in which case the title and subject-matter were, in my opinion, in very poor taste.
Another Penny for your thoughts
Avril: It was a neat story and well-acted and the film makers undoubtedly had a great time making it. However the documentary surrounding it could have been a film in itself. The film makers seemed to be more interested in the mechanics of making a film and the overall impression I was left with was that it was a film about how to make a film, i.e information about film production software and storyboarding the intended shots. The sound seemed to wander in and out on occasion.
A general point and not just related to this film is that it isn’t always necessary to fade to black between sequences.
Chris: Presumably the modern film was made in order to make the documentary comparing the two versions and highlighting the similarities and differences. Most of the time this worked very well but I was very surprised to see all the fades to black in the modern version. I would have thought this was a style of editing more appropriate to the silent black and white films of the 1920s than a modern remake of an earlier amateur film. Or was it just that it’s easier to fade to black with modern computer editing than it was when sticking bits of standard 8 together with film cement? I think more could have been made of the difference in the shape of the frame between the two versions – the aspect ratio - the widescreen format being much more modern. Sadly, when we retreated to a split screen of the two cars, the lefthand image of the car from the earlier version was stretched to be 16:9.
Ireland 1963
Avril: Very imaginative idea, well put together. A really interesting film which evoked the period well.
Chris: I found this fascinating. It was really interesting to see the country as it was fifty years ago. Not only was the loading of the vehicles on to the boat by crane incongruous to those of us used to modern ro-ro ferries but the vehicles themselves were very much vintage even in 1963. As a camera is credited on the programme I’m assuming that the film makers copied the film themselves rather than use a professional transfer house and the copying was impressively done. Obviously Standard 8 in 1963 would have been mute. Indeed one of the main differences between amateur film-making then and now is that with modern video cameras you get sync sound ‘free’. Given the mute shooting the soundtrack was well put together apart from some awkward fades and transitions.
Incongruity of railways
Avril: I’m afraid I thought this a self-indulgent film drawn out of a very slight, rather juvenile joke. A shot of skeletal feet would have been appropriate.
Chris: The subtitle on the programme, ‘A comedic conative impulse reflective of a current problem’ worried me. I have to say the film lived up to this and was not for me. Sorry.
One Man’s Dream
Avril: Nicely shot and effective music, edited at a leisurely pace. It was also informative but for me it was too long.
Chris: I found this a well shot and informative film which told me a lot about somewhere I have never visited. I have to say it could have done with some slight tightening in places. Some shots were held rather too long and although close-ups of flowers are essential and necessary in a film of this kind, there were too many of them without commentary. The shots and the flowers were beautiful but I wanted to know something about them. Enjoyable and very watchable but I did find it ended rather suddenly.
Tulips in Amsterdam
Avril: Having been to the Kirkenhof Gardens – although in freezing weather – I found this documentary very well shot and edited and with a nice narrative. It captured the essence of the place very well and was well structured. One small thought – it would have been nice to have seen a shot of a ‘whisper boat’, but obviously there wasn’t one when filming was taking place! A very informative and interesting documentary – makes me want to go back!
Chris: Very well shot and edited apart from one jump cut. What stood out was the confident, well-written and delivered narration, giving interesting information. I really enjoyed watching this and have seen a lot worse made by professionals on television.
The Indian’s Faith
Avril and Chris: It was nicely shot and could have gone on longer. Sadly it was let down, not by the poem itself, but by the delivery. Very few people can read poetry well and this includes a lot of professional actors. It’s a shame the producer didn’t audition a number of readers before editing the film. The right reader would have made it a superb film.
Harry & Mildred
Avril: Having not heard the gag before, it came over as fresh and inventive. I wasn’t convinced by the acting I’m afraid but felt the film as a whole enjoyable with a neat twist at the end.
Chris: Like Avril, I hadn’t heard the joke before and enjoyed a good chuckle at the end. Apart from the acting, two things could have made a good film better. Firstly there was no ‘air’ in it whatsoever. The dialogue was virtually constant from beginning to end with no action – we didn’t even see the lady drive away. Also it would have been much nicer to have had some of the dialogue overlaid on shots of the other person. Often the reaction is more interesting than the delivery.
Great Swiss Train Journeys
Very picturesque scenery, which always helps make a good film.
There were several shots from within the moving train (some spoiled a little by prominent reflections from the windows) but, surprisingly, no exteriors of trains. They needn’t have been the actual trains that the producer was travelling in, but something would have been welcome.
Camera-work was generally good, with several interesting angles, but bits were very unsteady, and it would have been better to omit these.
The ‘talking to camera’ scene was amusing, but perhaps a bit out-of-place.
Narration was informative, well spoken, and humorous; it seemed to be delivered in an almost ‘self-mocking’ style at times.
The film would have benefited from having more of a story.
Overall, a very watchable account of a train enthusiast’s trip to a beautiful part of the world.
Alan Atkinso
Salty Water
This was essentially two films tacked together – the surfing and the boating.
The surfing part consisted mainly of shots taken from a similar angle – no doubt because this was the only available filming position. Unfortunately, not many of the surfers managed to climb onto their boards but, again, it’s recognised that the film maker can only work with what he’s got. If this sequence had been edited much faster – and perhaps cut to the very lively music track – it would have brought it to life.
The boating section was a good account enjoying oneself of the water, in a more leisurely manner. A little more information in the narration would have been welcome.
Overall, a pleasant and rather up-market holiday film.
Alan Atkinson
Coeur de Pierre
This was a very enjoyable film, based on an imaginative story, with a clever ending, and played by good actors. I have, in fact, seen it before (at BIAFF / UNICA?), but knowing the ending did not detract in any way.
Camera-work was good, and imaginative. There were a few times when framing was a bit out, and we wondered if it had been filmed in a ‘squarer’ format and then trimmed to cinemascope 2.6 :1 aspect ratio.
The pace of editing matched the action, giving a film of just the right length.
The only, minor criticism was the blood; it didn’t look very realistic, and there was too much of it.
This was definitely one of those films that I wish I had made myself.
We hope to see much more from these producers.
Alan Atkinson
Mr Wellby’s Cross
This was a good story, with a surprising ending, that I did not guess.
The acting by the lead character was very convincing, but the others, while not bad, did not quite achieve the same standard. The director conveyed the violence without being unnecessarily explicit, but the ‘victim’ could have appeared to have suffered a bit more from being beaten-up.
The locations were well chosen and created the desired, menacing atmosphere. I thought that the lighting was very good, capturing the intended atmosphere again, but my colleagues thought it a little dark. (The recent TV series, “Wolf Hall,” opted for much lower-key lighting, and attracted similarly divergent opinions).
Sound was generally good, and appropriate to the setting, but the reverberance left some speech a little muffled.
The pace of editing suited the plot.
Overall, a very well made film.
Alan Atkinson
Another Penny for Your Thoughts
The producer combined three different films into one – the original cine production, its modern re-make and an account of how the latter was made. For general audiences it may have been better to keep them separate.
Regarding the recent film, the story was fairly good, if a little unbelievable. I wanted to understand rather better about the ‘alien device’, why it was there, what it wanted, etc? Also, it was hard to believe that the wife would just dash off, leaving her dead husband on the floor.
Photography was generally good, and the special effects were convincing.
Acting was also OK.
Sound was clearly recorded and mixed.
Regarding the ‘postscript’, we learnt something about how the team had gone about the production. It would have been nice to also be told how the special effects were done.
I am expecting to see many more ‘drone’ shots in films, now that prices are falling. I understand, however, that the authorities are getting much tighter about where they can be flown, by whom, training, licensing, insurance, etc. Make the best of it while you can.
Overall, an enjoyable film and I would like to see many more from this team.
Alan Atkinson
Ireland 1963
This was from a 50 year old ‘Standard-8’ original. It was a good reminder of how much things have improved technically over the years. The digitisation had been accomplished very well, without strobing or any of the other artefacts that can spoil transfer from cine film.
The original film gave an interesting insight into life half a century ago, especially the old cars being lifted onto the boat by cranes, and the working lives of rural Irish farmers, with their ancient machinery. The shots of the pigs being lifted by their ears and tails were priceless.
Some scenes could have been shorter; there were perhaps too many cars being loaded and the shot from the behind the driver went on rather too long.
The producer generally did a good job with adding sound effects (Foley) but some jarred a little and started and stopped abruptly. Narration was well written and delivered but, once or twice, it seemed that sentences had been cut in ‘mid-stream’.
Overall, a very nice reminder of times past.
Alan Atkinson
Incongruity of Dreams
Juxtaposition of various shots to give a surreal effect.
This may be classed as an experimental film. With films like these, it can be very difficult to fully convey the ideas in the producer’s mind to a general audience. Does the film have a particular meaning? Does it have to have one? Is it just supposed to be visually interesting, without any specific message?
There were some imaginative shots, edited together creatively. It was, however, rather slow, with many shots being held on screen for too long. Faster cutting, perhaps in time with music, may have given the film broader appeal.
I’m a great fan of imagination, even if it runs ahead of audiences’ ability to follow, so please keep it up.
Alan Atkinson
One Man’s Dream
This was a competent account of the Eden Project and how it has developed over the years.
Photography was good, with all the big close-ups needed for a film focussing on flowers. Steady camerawork, with some imaginative angles.
Editing could have been a bit faster, but the length of the film was just about right for its content.
The narration was well written (but sometimes rather ‘guide book’ in wording). It was convincingly spoken and there was just about the right amount. The contrast between the two visits worked well.
It might have been better without the personal references (“having a cup of coffee”, etc), as this kept it in the realm of holiday films, rather than documentaries for general audiences.
I’ve never been to the Eden Project, but now I want to go.
Alan Atkinson
Tulips from Amsterdam
Good photography, well composed shots, with plenty of big close-ups and interesting angles.
Editing was sometimes a bit slow, but the film was about the right length for the subject matter.
The narration was well written and informative, giving some background about off-site activities. It was also well spoken.
The film did not attempt to be much more that a straightforward depiction of the location but was, nevertheless, most enjoyable.
Alan Atkinson
The Indians’ Faith
A short and snappy film.
There were some very nicely filmed, well-composed and steady shots to accompany the poetic narration.
I do feel, however, that poetry of this type needs to be spoken by someone with substantial acting talent. It may even need a rather ‘over-the-top’ delivery. Perhaps someone from a local theatre could help.