Author: Lee Relph

OVFM Newsreel 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

newsreel

Per Lady Annabelle of Lancaster:

Hello everybody

This year’s newsreel really should reflect the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations. Looking around the following events will take place in and around the Orpington area and hope that they can be well covered by a variety of club members. If you think there are others who should be told please do pass on the information

Also, be sure to record anything else you might know of, even if they take place a bit further afield, so long as they are of general interest.

 

Sat. June  4th            Green St Green Wild West Fair – 11am – 4pm

John Bunce has already kindly offered to go along.

 

Sat. June 11th           Chelsfield Street Party organised by the Five Bells Pub Start time – 1pm. 

There will be a craft table for children to make Queen’s Crown.

 

Sat. June 11th         Chislehurst Queen’s Tea Party 2pm – 6pm

Over 1,000 people are expected to enjoy the vintage-style tea party which takes place on Chislehurst Top Common. All tickets are now sold so perhaps some advance planning might be a good idea.

 

Sat. June 11th           St Giles Summer Fete at The Rectory Gardens, High Street, Farnborough between 11.30am and 3.00pm.

A full day of events including a treasure hunt, musical acts, BBQ, cream teas, bouncy castles, karate displays and much more as well as a celebration for the Queen’s birthday. Tickets £1 for adults.

 

Sunday June 12th    Orpington High Street Queen’s Birthday Street Party

The high street will be closed from 12pm-5pm from War Memorial to Knoll Rise to host a Street Party and entertainment.

 

Sunday June 12th      Pratts Bottom Picnic on the Green.

Runs from 2:00pm – 5:00pm

 

Sat. 2nd July              Big O Festival in Priory Gardens   11am – 9pm

Included are a parade of classic cars, scooters, vintage prams and bikes through Orpington High Street to the gardens. There were also be a classic British tea room, Film London’s Cinema Van and the popular vintage and retro market.

 

There’s an entry charge for some of these events so you might have to ‘talk your way in’ and promise not to eat anything!

It would be a help if you could let Annabelle Lancaster know what you might cover so that we can see if there are any gaps.

Many thanks for your support.

Annabelle

OVFM CLUB MEETING – TUESDAY MAY 24th 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

ovfm_workshop

 

Apologies in advance for the vagueness of this preview but while the theme of the next club meeting is a Workshop evening, where one of our knowledgeable members shares their expertise in a certain area of film making or post-production, I have little else to add to that.

I can tell you that our archivist and head projectionist Andy “Elementary My Dear” Watson will be demonstrating editing with Serif Movie Maker but I cannot share any specific details with you as Andy has sloped off on holiday and won’t be back until just before the meeting! I can only assume that Andy will take us through the basic set-up, explore a few features of the editor and share a few tricks with us he has learned but other than that, the content of his presentation is a mystery.

By the same token that makes the evening a little more enticing and gives it a sense of danger since we don’t know exactly what to expect!

Can you handle the tension until Tuesday?

OVFM CLUB MEETING – Tuesday May 10th 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

project_EX

 

That’s right folks, the time has come for our club members who accepted this special challenge – first announced back in March – to show us the fruits of their labours in editing the supplied raw footage provided by our vice-chairman Sam “Choo Choo” Brown.

For the rest of us, the contents of that footage will remain a mystery, making the outcome even more exciting. With so many creative individuals in the club we are assured a number of unique interpretations and stories, making for another entertaining night.

As ever if you are bringing a film PLEASE let us know by replying to this post in the comments section below, listing the format, run time and picture ratio. This is crucial in helping us to plan the evening time wise and to ensure we have sufficient material for the whole session, so your co-operation is very much appreciated.

And if you haven’t done so already, be sure to speak to Pat Palmer about getting involved in the History Of Orpington club film project.

See you on Tuesday!

Club film Project – History Of Orpington

Posted on by Lee Relph

club_film

 

OVFM will be making a Club film featuring History of Orpington and hope that every member will contribute in some way.

 

Stage 1 is to gather all footage and information that currently exists and Project Co-ordinator David Laker is appealing for:

 

(a) Any clips in member’s films (possibly on other  topics) that may relate to our past

 

(b) If anyone knows an artist who could draw an impression of the area in Anglo Saxon times (the lathe of Helmestrei later named Rokesley consisting of the parishes of Chyselherst, Heyes, Ockolte, Cilesfield, Orpyngtone, St.Mary Cray, St.Pauls Cray, Footscraye, Bexley and parts of Hever and Chiddingstone).

 

(c) suggestions for mini projects to be included in the archive film

 

(d) volunteers to go out capturing current stories  relating to historical documents and stake a claim to whatever topic is of particular interest to you.

 

 

For the purpose of this film the boundary of “Orpington” can be fairly flexible but a guide would be the Urban District Council created in 1934 from parts of Bromley and Chislehurst Rural DC which included all of Chelsfield, Cudham and Knockholt, plus most of Farnborough, St.Mary Cray, St.Paul’s Cray, Keston, West Wickham and Biggin Hill.

 

The Committee will be allocating an evening in the next programme to implement Stage 2 when groups of members can plan a variety of projects to research and film involving everyone – in front or behind the camera –  so please be sure to refer back to this page for all future updates.

 

Thank you!

Top Ten Competition 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

top_ten_16

As 2016 rolls on we are just a few months away from the start of the annual Top Ten competition!

As ever the names of all OVFM club members have been put into the hat belonging to our competitions organiser Brenda Wheatley and drawn in random to make up the participants for each of the qualifying rounds that will take place between now and the end of the year, leading to the final in January 2016.

Remember that each film has a 20 minute time limit but can be on any subject and in any style. If you have a film from the past which has undergone a significant revamp (perhaps a new soundtrack, remixed sound, improved titling, tighter editing, extended or redacted cut etc. you are also welcome to re-submit these as your official entry.

And you can team up with your fellow club members if you need help on the technical or casting front, it will be the author of the script/concept who gets the entry credit.

This year there are just four rounds and the selected members for each date is thus:

 

Round 1 – To take place August 2nd

John Alford

Hugh Darrington

Mike Graham

Andy & Marian Watson

Patrick Campbell

Jo Coad

Reg Lancaster

Walter McKenna,

Alan Smith

Bob Wyeth

Jenny Tucker

 

Round 2 – To take place September 13th

Madeline & Annie Ffitch

Mike Shaw

Sam Brown

Simon Earwicker

Jane Oliver

Ian Menage

Bob Vine

Anna Littler

Tony Keable

Pat Palmer

Cherie Hamlet-Smith

 

Round 3 – To take place October 11th

Jim Morton Robertson

John Bunce

Kuldip Kaur

Barbara Darby

Brian Pfeiffer

Richard & Jess Pugh

Ann & John Epton

Peter Mitchell

Barbara Walker

Annabelle Lancaster

Roger & Brenda Wheatley

 

Round 4 – To take place November 22nd

Charlie & Nellie Caseley

David Laker

Malcolm Goodwin

Basil Doody

Freddy Beard

Harold & Maisie Trill

Colin Jones

Lee Relph

John & Sylvia Greengrass

Peggy Parmenter

 

To see the current results please click HERE!

 

To see the complete results of last year’s competition  click HERE

OVFM CLUB MEETING TUESDAY APRIL 26th 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

project

 

It’s time ladies and gentlemen for you to reveal to the club how hard you have been working in fulfilling the project theme of “Spring”, as originally announced HERE.

Project evenings are a fun way to flex one’s creative muscles and it never ceases to amaze how many different interpretations we get on a single topic and we are sure this project will be no different.

As always could we ask that you PLEASE reply to this post in the comments section below if you are bringing a film, listing the format, run time and picture ratio. This is crucial in helping us to plan the evening time wise and to ensure we have sufficient material for the whole session, so your co-operation is very much appreciated.

And a reminder for anyone who wants to taken part in the editing project we have currently running to speak to Ian Menage about claiming a copy of the raw footage.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing your “Spring” related films this Tuesday!

 

OVFM CLUB MEETING TUESDAY APRIL 12th 2016 – THE AGM

Posted on by Lee Relph

ovfm_agm_16

While we have a lot of fun across the calendar year we do sometimes have to get serious here at OVFM and that means our annual AGM has come around again.

This is the one night of the year where club members get to air their grievances, their concerns, their fears or ask that all important question they’ve been a bit shy about asking. Once the minutes from last year’s meeting have been approved and the annual reports have been read, we turn the floor over to YOU, so please don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

Also at the AGM we elect our Committee. Every year they work tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure there are the club keep running, projects are conceived, outings and events are organised and all of the perks and treats you get to enjoy on a regular basis are taken care of.

Every seat on the Committee is temporarily vacated – including the position of Chairman – so anyone can who has been nominated or has decided to stand can find themselves as the newest member. While we appreciate everything they do for us, like anything an injection of fresh blood can make all the difference, which is why this opportunity is there for the taking.

 

The current committee as it stands is as follows:

 

Chairman – Simon Earwicker

Vice Chairman – Sam Brown

Treasurer – David Laker

Secretary – Freddy Beard

Competitions Officer – Brenda Wheatley

 

Ordinary Members:

Reg Lancaster (Club President)

Annabelle Lancaster

Ian Menage

Andy Watson

Roger Wheatley

 

The club is also looking for a full time Press Officer. If you think you’d like to take up this position and help get the club notices, events and other stories into the local press and across social media on the Internet then please make your intention known at this meeting or speak to a Committee member.

And it is not just the Committee who can suggest ideas – this is YOUR club so YOUR ideas and suggestions are equally valid and welcome. The club needs films to survive and we thrive on having great ideas to make those films, so please have a think about ideas and themes for future project evenings or other club events.

 

To download the agenda in full for the meeting please click HERE.

To download the minutes from the 2015 AGM please click HERE.

 

Remember this is about your voice, your views, your club!

Finally, if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to collect your DVD from Ian Menage for the editing project as discussed HERE .

 

Thanks for reading and see you on Tuesday.

New OVFM Project Extra

Posted on by Lee Relph

project_EX

 

We have another project for you all but this time it comes with a twist it is an editing exercise only!

Usually a theme is chosen and club members are expected to conceive and create a film in any style or genre to accommodate that theme but the difference here is that half the work has been already been done for you. Our Vice-Chairman Sam “Choo-Choo” Brown has been out and about shooting some random footage which will now be passed on to everyone to then edit and create their own film using this “stock footage” if you will.

There are a few rules that need to be adhered to.

 

You CAN:

create your own titles

add your own music

use sound effects

use any visual effects

alter the speed of the film

use an audio commentary

 

You CANNOT:

add any extra footage

 

The deadline for this project is the club meeting on Tuesday May 10th and you can request a DVD copy of the footage from Ian Menage who will be distributing the first batch of discs at the next club meeting this coming Tuesday (March 29th).

We hope that as many club members as possible will participate in this project and that the end results will provide an interesting an varied response on the evening, in terms of how the different creative minds in the club will interpret and utilise the footage. The key objective is that we expect a different film each time but wouldn’t it be curious if two people had the same idea?

Only one way to find out and that is to join us on May 10th. Until then good luck to everyone who takes up this fascinating challenge!

OVFM CLUB MEETING TUESDAY MARCH 29th 2016

Posted on by Lee Relph

lancasters

 

When you think of the great partnerships in film, the names that usually come to mind are Laurel & Hardy, Abbott & Costello, Hope & Crosby, Lewis & Martin. But at OVFM the names at the top of our list are Reg & Annabelle Lancaster. Forever at the heart of OVFM’s activities the Lancasters have been given the opportunity to host their own club meeting.

Here’s Reg to tell us more:

 

At the committee meeting to plan the last year’s programme we had one date left to fill.

In the absence of anyone  else volunteering something for the meeting of March 29th, We offered to show four films that Annabelle and I made some years ago which have never been shown together as they were intended to be seen.

Firstly one of the 8 or 9 films that I made with Dutch filmmaker Vladimir Murtin, and  another when Dutchman Jan Schoonen joined us. On two of the Cross Channel film trips, Annabelle came along and shot film of what was going on.

The first is a comedy, Aloha and then Double Date which experiments with time. Annabelle’s are called Aloha Take 2,  and Double Take.

Our films were aimed at UNICA at a time when Britain was not a member. So they do not depend on language and represented The Netherlands successfully. Though amateurs, we tried to take a serious attitude to film making and the words “we’ll get away with that” were not to be heard.

We did have a lot of fun while being determined to try and get things “right,” so Annabelle’s films show how difficult that can sometimes be. Murphy’s Law is often close  at hand.

Above all we intend the films to show what fun there can be in a small, enthusiastic group of people can have in collaborating with like minded people to make wee films together.

We feel it should make an interesting evening.

 

I’m sure it will too.

Also, don’t forget to collect your copy of the raw footage for the latest club project, as detailed HERE while this meeting is the last formal date to get your nominations in for a place on the committee ahead of the AGM next month.

 

Hope to see you all this coming Tuesday to see “The Making of…” with The Lancasters!

NEW OVFM PROJECT – SPRING

Posted on by Lee Relph

 

project

SPRING

It’s project time once again and the subject chosen for this particular occasion is a rather appropriate one as we head into a new season – Spring! Then again “Spring” doesn’t have to reflect the change in the weather – it could refer to the tiny piece of coiled metal, or it might reference “springing” a surprise on someone, or perhaps someone athletic jumping from a “spring” board (parkour and the such).

Maybe you have a completely different interpretation which is exactly what these projects are all about. Remember they won’t be judged like a Top Ten film so the emphasis is on having fun when making your films and simply entertaining your peers. And don’t forget you can ask your fellow club members for help if you lack certain production facets or manpower, and club equipment is available on request from our chairman Simon “Snapper” Earwicker.

The closing date for this project is Tuesday April 26th  so you have a bit of time to get your thinking caps on and put something together for us.

Good luck!