President Jenn welcomed 18 members and special guest Jonathan to the club meeting on 7 November and opened the meeting at 7.35pm.
It began with a Film Bite by Stewart G which he called “my fun little movie and more…”, and it certainly was a lot of fun. Stewart had bought a picture book of Thomas the Tank Engine for his three year old great grandson’s 3rd birthday and, as an avid and inventive videographer, thought he could bring it to life in another way. Using a screen recorder program called Snap, he was able to capture images from the book, enhance it with photographs and vision of real life locomotives, then add sound effects and dialogue. Stewart went into considerable detail of the software and hardware used to brilliantly bring the story of Thomas the Tank Engine to life in a novel and clever way.
Stewart had a second Film Bite which took video editing to a stratospheric level. It was a YouTube video of film editor Eddie Hamilton ACE explaining how he edited the two hour movie Top Gun Maverick. It was edited on Avid Media Composer and shows the entire timeline of all the vision used in the film. He explains the techniques he used to manage the massive amount of footage that made its way through his editing suite, with the help of about 100 of his best friends. Not surprisingly, the credits alone run at least ten minutes.
Peter W, our profound and prolific video maker, is in the final stages of his latest mega production – a follow up to Together - You Are Not Alone which was completed in June. Peter explained the latest production is a series of seven films and four vignettes about how people have found happiness in life through connections after experiencing profound sadness and depression. Six of the seven films and three of the four vignettes have been completed. He hopes to have the remainder finalised by Christmas and the project completed early next year. Peter gave us a taste of what’s to come with trailers for the completed videos which highlighted happy connections through laughter, music, companionship, wellbeing group; the RSL; film making for people with disabilities, meeting your life partner and a community coffee shop.
We also saw a ‘behind the scenes’ movie” shot at the Albert Street Uniting Church by David W of the making of one of Peter’s Together movies “Let It Be – the Lady Beetles”. It was a great insight into the making of the movie, but one outstanding comment summed up the philosophy of the whole project “true friendship is like music - it can’t be seen but it can be felt”. Very moving. Can’t wait to see the finished project.
Jenn updated members on pre-production for the movie Momentum, specifically how to make and film ‘fake rain’. Freddie has been consulting with his colleagues from around the world on how to light a night time set to realistically portray rain. They pointed him to a YouTube video called (appropriately) How to Fake Rain in Filmmaking by Valentina Lee of Apurture. A real eye opener on the tricks, trials and tribulations of lighting. Noel has also been experimenting with ways of making fake rain i.e. with various sprinkler and water tower devices. One of the biggest problems encountered so far is getting enough water pressure to simulate a good downpour of rain. But he’s working on it.
Coincidentally, Jenn who is directing Momentum, may have found a professional actor to play the lead female role. Of all places to find ‘talent’ it was among 5,500 people taking part in Spencer Tunick’s nude photo shoot on the Story Bridge last month (Jenn said she was grateful she didn’t run into anyone she knew, or knew her). The actor in question is performing in the play Strictly Ballroom and expressed strong interest in Momentum.
David W foreshadowed an advancement on the Eleven Tomorrow project with four films inter connected theme which he is working on with Freddie. More details when it starts coming together. David has also started playing with his new camera a Sony Cinema Line FX30 camera which claims to ‘push the cinematic journey to new heights’. High end camera at a not-too-exorbitant price.
Nigel showed a trailer from the Tom Hanks movie Here, a story of multiple generations of couples and families who inhabit the same home over the course of a century. Apart from the amazing AI transformation of actors including Tom Hanks morphing from youth to old age, Nigel pointed out that the movie was shot in one room, with one camera and one camera angle. As well, the AI morphing done in real time so that the actors could see themselves on the off-set monitors as they were appearing through the passages of time. Scary, but amazing.
And to round out the night, Murray announced he had made a 32 minute film Kimberley West Coast Adventure, his recent 10 day boat trip from Broome to Darwin. Great opportunity to see parts and perspectives of Australia few of us will ever get to experience. Thanks to Murray’s efforts (all hand held but very well shot, scripted and narrated) we get to experience it through his eyes and lens.
And at 9.40pm, the meeting film drew to a close. A very entertaining and information evening.
Next meeting 21 November at 7.30pm. Keep an eye on the club’s website for updates of the treats ahead.
Comments