Competition Rules Variation No.3

Entrant's Contribution

In the paragraph headed "Entrant's Contribution" the figure of "10%" to be replaced by "20%"

Tips for Filmmakers

Avoid too many head-high shots - work from different angles and points of view.

Do NOT use the zoom - unless absolutely necessary

Do not pan (swing camera horizontally) on static images unless there is no alternative

Do not overuse one shot -   shoot  long shot, medium, close-up

Whenever possible use a tripod  -  leave the camera on the tripod

Never shoot a scene longer than 20 seconds unless there is something vital happening at the time

Look at the viewfinder so that -  you see, you perceive,you observe everything that is going on.  Viewers have eyes like hawks!



"A film-maker isn't supposed to say things.  He's supposed to show things"  -  Alfred Hitchcock


Murray

Tivo A review by Andrew

I recently purchased a Tivo, as Telecom offered their home line customers a very special deal ! Psst …. see below for the special deal I got !

What is Tivo ???

Tivo is a very clever Freeview box with an internal hard drive which connects to your UHF aerial and Broadband internet feed. This gives you the freeview terrestial stations plus access to a large variety of free and pay for, programs via their Caspa service. The machine can record two programs at once while you view another.

When the machine is not busy recording programs you have requested, it will record the last half hour of the last channel you watched, so if you missed the start of a program on that channel say the news, you can still go back in time.

As well Tivo will record programs from various channels that it thinks you may like !

It eventually learns all your tastes because you tell it via a thumbs up/down button what you think of a program.

My one has learned not to record cooking programs so far !

Of course I could use the freeview facility of what is known as a “Seasons pass” and tell it to record say every TV3 late news or episodes of whatever.

The download Caspa service is amazing – you set up a wallet and order a program and after a few minutes it starts downloading and you can begin to watch it while the download continues. (thats providing your broadband speed is reasonable)

Any downloads by Telecom customers are treated as unmetered broadband usage.

Also if you have a Home Network system you can call up programs from the Tivo to your computer or a home network capable Television set in another room !

The special Telecom deal I got was $350 at $10 a month for 3 years, which is added to your monthly phone bill. You then own the machine. Normally $499 !

Stop Press: The American Tivo system is licenced to Australia's Network 7 (67%) & NZ TVNZ (33%) - Australia Network 7 is bailing out and it is rumoured another high flying company will take over the licence.

Competition Rules Variation No.2

Entrant's Contribution

In the paragraph headed "Entrant's Contribution" in two places replace "must" with "should".

The following to be added:-

Short Films
In film competitions where the maximum time is less than five minutes, the credits will not be taken into account in determining the time.

Competition Rules Variation No.1

You may have noted the sentence in the Competition Rules which reads:-

"In addition the sources of any audio must be acknowledged including the title and composer."

The Competition Committee has intimated that this will come into effect from 1 January 2011.

Otago Amateur Movie Makers Inc. (OAMM) Competition Rules

Otago Amateur Movie Makers Inc. (OAMM)

Competition Rules

These rules are broken into several sections. The first section consists of General Rules that apply to all competitions run by the OAMM unless overruled in the Specific Rules for that competition.

General Rules

Unless otherwise specified the competitions are only open to financial and Life Members of the OAMM.

To be considered in a competition, the film including the title and end credits must keep within the time limits set out in the Specific Rules.

All entries to be labelled with the Competition entered into, the name of the Film and the Filmmaker, and the Running time.

Judging is to be carried out as detailed under the Specific Rules.

An Entrant may only submit one film per competition per night.

Where entries are accepted on the night the films should be handed to the Competition Secretary not later than 7.25pm on the Club Night.

Where there is audience voting, a draw will decide the order of screening in each competition.

Copyright issues regarding music and other matters are the sole responsibility of the entrant.

Copyright of the film remains with the filmmaker.

Entrant’s Contribution

Where any movie submitted for competition contains material not taken by the entrant or under his/her supervision, that material shall not occupy more than 10 percent of the movie including Title and End Credits but shall not be taken into account by the judges. The sources must be acknowledged in the credits. Examples of such material include clips from TV, films by other  filmmakers and photographs not taken by the entrant. This is not an exclusive list.

In addition the sources of any audio must be acknowledged including the title and composer.

“Club Subject” Competition

The video should relate significantly to the Topic. If this is not the case the judges are to reduce the marks awarded.

"Own Choice” Competitions

There is no topic restriction. Members are free to search widely for ideas and experimentation is encouraged. It is hoped exciting films will be produced by Members.

Judging

Except for the Arthur Richardson Award, films will be judged by the audience. The judges are requested to take into account the effectiveness, the audience appeal, the quality of the filming, editing, sound, the degree of difficulty and whether or not the film complies with the specified subject. More details are in Appendix ‘E’.

=========================================================================

Appendix ‘A’

Additional Rules for Specific Competitions

Arthur Richardson Award (ARA)

The ARA is the premier award of the Otago Amateur Movie Makers Inc..

When awarded the Trophy will be presented at the Club’s Award night in November of each year.

The film subject for the year 2010 and until changed is “Open”.

The film including the credits must be longer than ten minutes in length but not more than twenty minutes.

Entries must be received by the Chairperson of the Competitions Sub Committee or the President on or before the closing date 1^st October in each year.

Judging

         A panel of three Judges selected by the OAMM Committee will judge the competition.

It is recommended that two non-competing members be appointed to the Judges Panel and one non-member with recent filmmaking experience.

                             
If in the Judges opinion a film does not reach the standard of a premier award, they reserve the right to withhold the awarding of the trophy.

                                                                              

Club Subject Aggregate Cup.

The cup will be awarded annually taking all the Club Subject competitions into account.

The method of calculations is detailed in Appendix ‘B’

Club Open Aggregate Cup.

The cup will be awarded annually taking all the Club Open competitions into account.  (Excluding the Arthur Richardson Award).

The method of calculations is detailed in Appendix ‘B’

Appendix ‘B’

Method of calculation of aggregate results. (See Peter Begg)

Appendix ‘C’

Detailed Programme for 2010

Appendix ‘E’

The Judges are requested to take into account:-

The Visual Elements including camera steadiness, exposure, lighting, composition and variety of shots.

The appropriateness of the Audio including Voice Over, Dialogue, Music, Balance and Quality.

The Editing including Technique, Effectiveness, Continuity, Pace and Transitions.

The Story/Script including Originality, Approach to the Subject and the appropriateness of the Pace of the film.

Overall Effctiveness. Does the movie work? Does it Entertain, Inform, Evoke an Audience Response? Also to be taken into account is the Degree of Difficulty in what has been attempted.

Most important the degree of interest generated by the film.

The Judges are requested to write the placing (ie. 1, 2, 3, ….) against each appropriate film.

Version Final 6.0    31 July 2010.

SIMPLE STEPS TOWARDS BETTER COMMENTARIES by Ian Smith

                  
 We’ve all experienced this. The lights dim, and your video ‘magnum opus’ begins to roll.Your impressive titles hit the screen followed by your opening shots. If you have done your job well, your audience will settle back into their seats in eager anticipation of their enjoyment of the spectacle. Enjoyment, that is, until you are forced to open your mouth when your commentary begins, and the rising level of background whispers and inconsequential chatter which follows, indicates that, once-again, ‘you’ve blown it’.

 It doesn’t have to be like that and I have put  a great deal of thought into firstly, what brings about that situation, and secondly, the means of preventing it in the future.

 I’m not intending to deal with writing commentaries, a considerable obstacle in itself; simply the means of getting across to your audience in the most effective possible way,what it is you wish to communicate across the divide between the image and its audience.

 In my experience, the practical steps able to be taken, fall into three distinct categories:-

                       (1) Those matters of ‘technique’ which cost nothing.
                       (2) Minor improvements which can be made with only moderate
                             expenditure.
                       (3) The ‘full-frontal’ approach where results must be achieved in a given time-interval, and objectives met, regardless of cost.

 In my quest towards better video sound, I have likely strayed across the border between categories 2 and 3 of these, once or twice; but much better commentaries are able to be achieved well within the restrictions embodied in categories 1 or 2. Most of the remedies are self-evident, if you stop to think about them.

 My first panacea for commentary problems, is the rather surprising ‘unless you have to - ‘don’t’. The types of programmes we tend to make, ‘records’ of events supplemented by explanation, make the ‘feature-film’ approach a bit elusive, so I may qualify my first piece of advice by adding ‘Don’t even attempt it, if you simply have neither the voice nor the ‘delivery’ to do it effectively. Enlist the services of someone able to ‘deliver’, instead.

 Be truthful, the first playback of your recorded voice from tape, or a digital device, was a bit of a come-down, wasn’t it? Well, that’s the way your voice sounds to others. With me, it was not the rich rather ‘raspy’ ‘Richard Burton’ delivery I so admired, my voice was thin, pitched a bit high, (and not for the reasons you are thinking), and not one I would wish to be on the ‘receiving-end’ of for too long at-a-time. Unless you are able to ‘train’ your voice to achieve the delivery you want, it makes a lot of sense to co-opt the services of someone better-at-it. No disgrace in it. It’s simply a way of ensuring that your ‘delivery’is an adequate match for those jaw-dropping visuals of yours. No one is going to worry one iota either, if it is your own voice, or not, especially those who don’t know you or have never met you in-the-flesh.

 A word about the commentary script here. Keep it simple if possible. Avoid long words and tongue-twisters, by reading through your scripts and seeing how they trip off the tongue. Be prepared to make changes. If you encounter difficulties at this point, your chances of enunciating the material in the heat of a ‘live’ recording session, are remote. Imagine that you are communicating your information to people who are a bit slow-on-the-uptake. State everything clearly, with every syllable clearly distinguishable. At the same time, do not break into a chant or ‘mantra’. Put your message across conversationally.

 Create a relaxed atmosphere in which to work. For most of us, our commentaries will be recorded in the domestic environment with other activities going-on around us. Try for a bit of ‘shush’, even if it involves sending the tribe out en-masse to buy ‘takeaways’. One feed of fish-and-chips is not going to kill them. Ensure that you have a respite from the clatter of the kitchen, that no-one is likely to flush the toilet noisily during your recording. Go next door and strangle that neighbour who is chain-sawing firewood in the backyard; do what you must, and in your own way, but ensure that your project actually has a chance of success. Stop the chiming clock in the hallway, and listen for the arrival, overhead, of the rescue-helicopter.

 Next, keep track of the state of your voice.  If you are like me, your voice will take on a ‘rough’ edge during the day, rise somewhat in pitch, and become less pleasant to listen to due to ‘raspiness’, as the day goes on.

 My solution, is to do my commentaries early in the morning; at 6am is ideal for most of the year. You will likely find yourself in ‘best’ voice at that time. Actually there is something about two or three whiskies the evening before which helps ‘delivery’ in the morning. No need to ‘push-the-boat-out’, but a convivial nip or two of spirits the evening before, seems to act as a relaxant on my throat, (That’s my story, and I’m sticking-to-it). So, suffer thebad breath it will give you with a good grace, for the sake of vocal apparatus in fine ‘concert-pitch’ when needed.

 Only it likely won’t be, even after that. As we age, two things work against the best possible ‘delivery’. Firstly the shapes of our mouths change and our teeth become less regular and lose something of their youthful perfection. It’s highly likely that some fault in the alignment of our front teeth, will cause us trouble with sibillants, (the ‘ess’ words).We will either effect a ‘lithp’, or more likely, each ‘ess-word’ will be accompanied by a little whistle from a ‘gap’ which ‘wasn’t there to start with’. As you can imagine, this may have hilariously unintended consequences, none of which will do much to enhance the gravity with which your video is received. Much of a good ‘delivery’ begins with the state of the ‘fangs’. Sad, but true.

 So, what are we aiming for? Firstly a confident and assertive ‘delivery’ which will leave our audiences gagging-for-more. Every nuance of every word, every inflection of our voices finely tuned towards communicating the intelligence of our message to the maximum effect possible.

 So then, why do we invariably stuff-it-up?

 Well, there is no one simple answer to that question; for if there was, TV commentators and news-readers wouldn’t effect the frenetic gabble which they do, and news copy-writers would learn how to correctly identify the true ‘subject’ of a sentence or where singular and plural apply, and all on-screen captions would be correctly spelt. 

   Firstly, our commentaries will always sound better if their delivery is unforced. The best delivery, by far, is almost ‘conversational’, when the  projections of our voices are unforced and we are not at pains to ‘chant’, ‘preach’ or ‘recite’. This has another advantage as well. As we age, our throats clag-up to some extent. Thingees tend to rattle-around in our throats and that introduces a roughness, or hoarseness, to our speech as they are dislodged. In my experience, the time when that effect is at its least, is, again, first-thing
in the morning, so we go again, full-circle almost, to the advantages of an early start.

 Is that situation able to be cured? Well, ‘yes’ and ‘no’, but under some circumstances, it may be postponed for long enough to get a paragraph-at-a-time safely into the computer. Here, we enlist the aid of one of nature’s most enduring remedies.........honey.

 Most people are unaware of the antiseptic properties of his amazing substance. Think, for a moment, what do the best throat-lozenges claim to include? Why, ‘Lemon and Honey’ of course! How much honey do you need, and how to apply it? Simple, half a teaspoon at a time is enough, and hold it in the back of the throat, where it does the most good, for as long as you are able to manage. Even under the worst circumstances, that should be good for a longish paragraph, before another application is needed. The results should be instantly apparent. Sometime a hot drink will help, sometimes not. If you are inclined to sip water, make sure it is at room-temperature, at least. A sip of water, just above freezing point in winter, will do you no favours, and only make matters worse.

 Take an unhurried approach to reading the content of your commentary and don’t allow yourself to become agitated or flustered. The general rule is, I believe, three words per second, but one of the best  and most telling commentaries I ever heard, was by Morgan Freeman in the French film ‘March of the Penguins’, and I doubt that he reached two-words-per-second at any part of it. Reading a little more slowly has several advantages.
Firstly, your eyes may scan the text in greater detail, and approaching hazards in the way
of difficult phrases and potential ‘tongue-twisters’, may be approached in a more considered fashion. Secondly, it is possible to enunciate the words more clearly.
Thirdly, with early-warning of what is coming-up in the way of text, it is possible to adopt the more
‘conversational’ tone which our viewers expect of us, and avoid the ritualistic ‘chant’ which most speakers adopt as soon as they are aware of the tape-recorder running on them. Where you would shorten phrases by the use of such devices as employing ‘don’t’ in place of ‘do-not’ opt for the more ‘conversational’ delivery; it’s not a legal documentyou are delivering, after-all.

 Lastly, and this is vital, follow the normal day-to-day inflections of ordinary speech.Nothing sounds worse, than potentially interesting material delivered in a flat-monotone. ‘Engage’ your audience, don’t put them to sleep. I never speak directly to a microphone for recording straight into the video programme, I always record to computer or tape. Almost all of our commentaries can benefit from some ‘cleaning-up’. Once the material is in-place on a ‘track’ of our video-editor it is generally too late to do much about quality, due to the noise of your computer running in the background and picked up by the microphone, and other unavoidable noise. Record to a medium which isn’t ‘final’, be it tape, or digital. That way you may create copies and work on modifying them, if need be, knowing the parent material is still intact if things go haywire. Your deliveries are likely to be much more relaxed if you are aware that you have the capacity to go-over the material again and again until it is near-perfect, with all the polish’ you set out to achieve in the beginning.

 So, to this point, we haven’t spent a cent over and above what we would have had to spend to go entirely the wrong way about this quite difficult task, and likely ‘muffed’ it. You can, of course, spend-up quite ‘large’ if you want to, but the steps I have outlined, some of the most effective you can take to improve your commentaries, all come with no price-tag, making them the obvious first-line of defence against  commentaries of the type we have all tried, on occasions, to avoid.
Ian Smith