Kent Film Festival 2015

Posted on August 12, 2015November 16, 2019 by Lee Relph

KENT FILM FESTIVAL 2015

The annual Kent Film Festival will soon be upon us, taking place on Saturday 26th September 2015 at Canterbury Christ Church University, with doors opening at 10:30am.

OVFM has had a far amount of success at the KFF over the years, our last big win occurring in 2013 while we had a good showing last year, so as ever, this is a great opportunity to not only support OVFM on the day but to maybe also if you’ve entered a film, you could be contributing directly to whatever success we may achieve.

Tickets are on sale from Ian Menage (you know where to find his contact details) – £5.00 for advance bookings/ £7.50 on the door (£3 for students) – while all additional info you need, such as directions to the venue etc. can be found on the KFF website HERE.

Good luck to all who have entered a film on behalf of OVFM.

OVFM Newsreel 2015

Posted on June 3, 2015May 14, 2022 by Lee Relph

Attention club members!

We are once again asking for your contributions to the annual OVFM showreel!

Quite simply, if there is a major event happening in your area – including Orpington, Petts Wood, Bromley, Sidcup, etc. – and you are available to attend, we hope you will grab your cameras and head on down to said event to capture the moment of film, which we will then share with the rest of the community as part of our Spring film show in 2016!

As before, we ask that the raw footage be passed on to the newsreel editor (yet to be assigned) who will take charge of the material from then on UNLESS you have a specific idea for the narration or construction, in which case you will need to discuss this with the editor.

Thank you in advance for your co-operation in this matter and happy filming!

OVFM Spring Show 2015

Posted on January 29, 2015August 6, 2020 by Lee Relph

OVFM Spring Show 2015

The year has gone so quickly, it is hard to believe that OVFM is once again holding its annual Spring film Show!

Now the days are getting brighter, the weather (hopefully) is getting warmer and the colour is returning to the leaves on the trees, we will be to marking this occasion by sharing with everyone the best of the many films made by our club members over the past twelve months along with a few delights unearthed from our extensive archive. And the local events of 2014 will be revisited in the annual Newsreel!

As ever refreshments will be on hand as well as our raffle where great prizes can be won!

The 2015 Spring Show will take place on FRIDAY 27th March at 7.30 pm

VENUE – Methodist Church, 19 Sevenoaks Road, Orpington BR6 9JH

DIRECTIONS – GOOGLE MAP

WEBSITE – http://www.orpingtonmethodist.org.uk/welcome.htm

Club members get in free but for others the tickets are £5 – which includes refreshments – and are available from our secretary Freddy Beard on 01689 813616 .

A poster for the event can be downloaded (for best printing results) from HERE (right click on the image then select “Save Image As”) so please print a copy off and spread the word around your neighbourhood!

For an entertaining and sociable evening of drama, comedy, documentary, music, travelogue and more get your tickets a.s.a.p. and bring along your friends and family!

See you then!

North vs South 2014 Report

Posted on December 10, 2014July 27, 2016 by Lee Relph

2014 NORTH v SOUTH GRAND FINAL REPORT

An audience of 62 people represented by 12 different clubs turned up at Farnborough Village Hall for the 2014 North v South Grand Final.

We were especially pleased to welcome members from Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers and Lowestoft Movie Makers who made the several hours journey to be with us. Also present was Romy Van Kreiken from Holland, a familiar face at IAC events.

An entertaining programme of 25 films were shown with a good mix of genres including Drama, Documentary, Comedy, Animation and One-Minute entries.

Our judges for the Final were Peter and Mary Rouillard from Guernsey who kindly stepped in at the last minute. The standard of entries was high this year and they had a difficult task in choosing a winner.

As usual, we ran our popular Audience Vote competition where they were asked to match the judge’s decision. Although the judges were asked to put the top 10 films in order of merit we asked the audience to only match the top 3, to give them a fighting chance. Nobody managed to do that but the person who got closest to the judge’s decision was Derek Hopcroft of Tonbridge Film Makers.

There was no ‘Guess the Theme’ competition this year. Instead, there was an audience poll to find out whether entrants would prefer the North v South to remain a ‘Set Theme’ competition or to be an ‘Open Subject’ competition. This followed suggestions by some clubs that they would prefer it to change to the latter. The results will be published in due course.

Here then are the results:-

Audience Result

1^st Imbuvable Feu – Altrincham Moviemakers (North)

2^nd The Decision – Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers (South)

3^rd Moving Oleta – Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers (South)

Official Result

1^st Imbuvable Feu – Altrincham Moviemakers (North)

2^nd Moving Oleta – Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers (South)

3^rd If Only – Staines Video Makers (South)

4^th All A Bit Iffy – Tynemouth Video Group (North)

5^thThe Decision – Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers (South)

6^thMeals Would Be Provided – Nuneaton Moviemakers (South)

7^th1066 – Spring Park Film Makers (South)

8^thIf Dreams Are Nothing More Than Wishes – Chesterfield Film Makers (North)

9^thDecision Time – Coast Video Club (North)

10^thKlaatu Borada Nikto – Chesterfield Film Makers (North)

Congratulations to Altrincham Moviemakers for winning the John Wright Trophy and to Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers for winning the Harry Adams Trophy as runners-up. This being the 40^th Anniversary of the competition, brings the total number of wins to 21 for the North and 19 for the South.

May I thank all the clubs who entered and attended for their support. We hope to see you again next year when the competition will be held on Sunday 6^th December.

Mike Coad, Competition Officer, OVFM.

Free Film Making Coaching Sessions

Posted on October 15, 2014January 5, 2022 by Lee Relph

Free Coaching Sessions

OVFM will be running FREE Coaching Sessions in the New Year to show you how to get the most of your film material. This offer is not limited to those using a camcorder but also includes anyone filming on an SLR camera or smart phone. It also includes anyone who takes only still pictures but would like to know how they can put these together into a short ‘film’ by adding pan & zoom effects and adding music. These sessions are completely free and without any obligation.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

Why are we offering these free sessions?

Most families probably only have a couple of faded photographs of grandparents or perhaps great grandparents and these will be passed to the next generation as family heirlooms. Our hope is that in years to come what is being filmed today will be regarded as similar family heirlooms by future generations.

You can’t fail to notice the boom in people using their smart phones or SLR cameras to film moving images nowadays, in addition to those using camcorders. Sometimes they are filming an important family event such as a wedding, sometimes it’s children or grandchildren, sometimes it’s a holiday scene or maybe it’s just something that has caught their eye. Some of those moving images should also become family heirlooms but too often they are deleted after a couple of viewings, in part because when watched the quality is disappointing.

Our members enjoy film making but do get frustrated when they see films that could have been so much better if a little more care had been taken with how the material was filmed and how it was edited. In the club we give feedback on members’ films to help them improve, and with these free sessions we are keen to pass on what we have learnt to the wider public.

We also want to show people who only take still pictures how they can put the images together using effects such as pan and zoom and adding music to create short ‘films’.

For the club we hope that when people meet us through these sessions, and see what the club has to offer, some will decide to join OVFM. However there is absolutely no obligation to join.

How can the sessions help you?

We can help you if you are not completely happy with the material you have filmed or what you do with it after filming. For example:

If what you filmed doesn’t look as good as you had hoped when you play it back.
If you don’t know how to edit out the parts you don’t want and move clips around to turn it into a memorable film that is worth preserving.
If you only take still pictures but would like to know how to arrange them in a show with pan and zoom effects and added music
If you want advice on cameras, software or any of the special effects you can create in your films.
If you don’t know how best to produce and store films for the long-term or how to convert old 8mm or 16mm films or VHS tape.

What will the sessions cover?

We will finalise the content when we have heard what people want to have covered. We will cover topics such as:

how to plan what you will film,

how to build a story with your film,

how to film without excessive camera movement, which spoils many films,

how to edit your film to cut out the unwanted parts and move clips around,

how to make a film from still pictures

how to store your film for longer-term viewing.

When and where will they be held?

Fortnightly from 8 to 10 on alternative Tuesday evenings in the New Year at our club meeting room in St. Augustine’s Church Hall in Southborough Lane, Bromley Common. Precise dates and further details will be provided when we know how many are likely to attend.

If you are interested in taking part or have any further queries please email us at info@ovfm.org.uk

OVFM Autumn Show 2014

Posted on September 7, 2014August 26, 2015 by Lee Relph

OVFM Autumn Show 2014

One of the most important dates in the OVFM calendar is our annual Autumn Show where we share the fruits of our labours from a year of busy filmmaking, along with some gems from our archive with the public. As the nights are getting darker and colder you’ll need something to brighten them up so why not join us for another evening of films from the very best local amatuer filmmaking talent.

We are pleased to announce that the film Cakes and Onions about the Homesdale Road Allotments charity event for St Christopher’s Bromley (formerly Harris HospisCare) will be screened as a part of this show, after we regretfully were unable to screen it back in March.

There will also be a very special announcement made at this show regarding a new initiative from OVFM for anyone who wishes to improve their filmmaking skills.

This year’s event will take place on FRIDAY 24th OCTOBER at 7:00 for 7.30 pm

VENUE – Methodist Church, 19 Sevenoaks Road, Orpington BR6 9JH

DIRECTIONS – GOOGLE MAP

WEBSITE – http://www.orpingtonmethodist.org.uk/welcome.htm

Club members get in free but for guests and non-members the tickets are £5 – which includes refreshments – and are available from our secretary Freddy Beard on 01689 813616 or by e-mail at beardfreddy@gmail.com Don’t leave it too late as they tend to get snapped up very quickly!

If any OVFM club members or our external friends wish to help publicise this event please download a printable version of the poster HERE

And if you want sample of what to expect at our shows then please take a look at our showreel on our YouTube page HERE

For an entertaining and sociable evening do join us on October 24th and bring along your friends and family!

See you then!

OVFM In The News

Posted on August 28, 2014June 16, 2016 by Lee Relph

Our club members have been busy in between club meetings as ever covering local events for posterity and the club annual newsreel. Thanks to our press officer, Professor Mike Shaw these filming sessions have been publicised by local media.

Two recent events have been covered by a good friend of OVFM, Margot Rohan, webmaster of the Orpington Community website:

Orpington Hospital Memorial Re-dedication

Petts Wood Memorial Service

Thanks to Mike for spreading the word, to our intrepid filmmakers for their time and work in keeping the OFM name out there and to Margot at Orpington Community website for the articles.

Club Day Trip 2014

Posted on August 5, 2014June 9, 2021 by Lee Relph

This year we are taking a break from the annual club ramble to embark on something different for our summer gathering. Having considered a number of options the committee decide that the London Film Museum would make for a fascinating and fun day out for the club – we are film makers after all!

The trip is to take place on SUNDAY AUGUST 17^th to the London Film Museum in Covent Garden, and this year the museum is hosting a James Bond themed special entitled Bond In Motion in which cars, props and other production memorabilia will be on display for our perusal.

For full details of the event please visit their website HERE!

This event is open to all club members who are welcome to bring to bring spouses, family members and friends. You are welcome to bring your own food and drink although there is a coffee shop on the premises and numerous places in and around Covent Garden for you millionaires to feast at. 😛

The museum is open from 10:00am to 6:00pm with last entry granted at 5:00pm. We plan to meet up outside the venue in Wellington Street, Covent Garden at 11:00am. There is a map and directions on their website.

TICKET PRICES

Represents standard admission prices.

Full price – £12.50

Child Ticket – [5-15 years] £8.50

Concession Ticket – £8.50

[Students, 65 + and freedom pass holders]

Family Ticket – £38

Under 5 – Free

Audio Tour – £5

At the club tonight we will be asking for numbers so we have an idea of how many be attending so we can book the tickets.

So please take a look at the website and if you want to join us let us know tonight.

Thanks for reading!

OVFM Club Meeting Tuesday June 10th 2014

Posted on June 4, 2014April 26, 2015 by Lee Relph

One of the many annual traditions for OVFM is the North vs South competition where film clubs from this side of the river do (friendly) battle with film clubs from the other side. While the organising of the event in the north is handled by Altrincham Movie Makers, OVFM are responsible for the south end, mostly through the hard work of Mike Coad thus we are somewhat duty bound to have an entry every year.

Over the past two years it has befallen to David “Offshore Account” Laker to provide and oversee the OVFM entries with his films “Disastermind” and “Power Corrupts”. This year David understandably wants to step back and let someone else have a go – which brings us to this week’s club meeting.

OVFM hasn’t won the competition in a good few years now – the last time was with a film called “Attack Of The Killer Tripod” by a then 17 year old Reg “Bomber” Lancaster – so we really need to up our game for this year.

The theme is “If” which covers a multitude of possibilities. The announcement of this was made to the club after the conclusion of the 2013 final so there has been plenty of time to think of something. The purpose therefore of this meeting is to see what ideas you may have, be there a germination of a concept, a story outline, a treatment or even a full script. You may even have a film completed or in production (either as a group effort or individually; they can be entered on behalf of the club – see rule 2 via the link below) in which case bring it along and we’ll have a look at it.

Of course if no-one has any ideas or prepared scripts we can also brainstorm to see if we can’t come up with an idea or two to get the ball rolling. Then if you wish you can either set about making it in individual groups or by enlisting the help of the club as a whole (or however many are willing to help).

All the relevant information including the rules can be found HERE but I can tell you now that the entry deadline is Friday 31st October with the final to be held on Sunday December 7^th !

So get your thinking caps on and we’ll see you on Tuesday with your ideas so we can make sure OVFM has their hands raised in victory at the end of North vs South 2014!

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OVFM Member Wins Big at SERIAC 2014

Posted on April 9, 2014December 18, 2020 by Lee Relph

Congrats to our very own Professor Mike Shaw and his partners in Footprints Productions for their recent big win at this year’s SERIAC Film Festival .

The film in question was Enid Blyton – The Beckenham Years , a seven year labour of love for Mike and his collaborators from Spring Park which received a record four awards!

You can read the full story on the Orpington Community Website HERE

Once again our congratulations to Mike and everyone on the Footprints Productions team!