Programme Review

As I look through the programme for the coming season it appears to me that it is taking on something of a regular pattern. What we have on offer will be familiar to you all by now but I hope that with the addition of the odd item here and there we can keep everybody interested. We now have six individual competitions which will be taking up four of the sixteen winter meetings at the hall. OCTOBER 24th 1min, 5 min and Theme Competitions. NOVEMBER 28th Travelogue Competition. JANUARY 9th Holiday Competition. FEBRUARY 13th Non-Holiday Competition. Over the past few years I have been very happy with the amount of entries overall but I would like to see a little bit more from our newer members. All I can say to them is, do not be afraid to make mistakes as this is the only way to get yourself to improve on your techniques. Speaking for myself, I often cringe at some of my own camera work and promise to do better next time. If you are not into competitions come and show us something on Members Film Evening on SEPTEMBER 12th. As for sorting out those technical problems, we don't really have any evenings devoted to that side but we do still have those extra curricular informal meetings at my house (usually a Tuesday morning immediately following a club meeting) where we do manage to talk them through and come up with some answers. The big problem looming on the horizon for the club as a whole is the advent of High Definition and all that entails. After a casual browse through a display cabinet at the local Comet warehouse recently I was somewhat startled to note that nearly all of the cheap end cameras nowadays are sporting the High Definition specification. I know several of us are quite wary of the new format, knowing that one needs tiptop equipment such as computers, editing software and not the least a High Definition television to benefit from it. Well perhaps our old mate Ray Liffen will be able to shed a little light on the subject when he visits us on September 26th. It appears that several interested parties will be away on holidays on that particular evening so we will have to see what we can do about making a record of the talk. OCTOBER 10th Film Appreciation; if you remember, this event was particularly well supported last season. It has gradually gained momentum over recent years as members have realized the potential for this kind of evening. Some very entertaining compilations and lovingly captured insights and observations of favourite movie clips have been shared with members over the time we have been running this event. Be sure to contact me so that I can make space for your contribution this season. On NOVEMBER 14th we will be visited by an ambassador of the IAC to talk about the advantages of joining that organization. We have been promised a half hour promotional film and perhaps the possibility of some films borrowed from the organization's library. The Institute of Amateur Cinematographers as it is called was formed many years ago as a sort of umbrella to support the interests of amateur movie makers in all kinds of formats and gauges. I think their major achievement was to secure the right to use copyrighted music under special licenses in amateur productions. They also run all kinds of regional, national and international competitions as well as producing a house magazine with regional news inserts. So come along and get your arm twisted! DECEMBER 12th is the time for jollifications when it is the Christmas Party. We will be coming around sometime beforehand to find out what your particular culinary delectations will be.