I intend to continue the odd emphasis on animals from my last few posts, mainly because I'm currently despairing in the human race. Apologies, humans, but you're just not cutting it for me today. In that vein, let us backtrack to those halcyon days of Doc/Fest (ah, rose-tinted glasses, I knew you'd come in handy). You may recall that I promised you some news after Friday night, a promise that I did not fulfill. So, today's the day for catch-up. If you were one of the few present at the
Attack of the 50 Foot Reel screening, you might have caught 3 minutes of yours truely on screen and in surround sound. It was a shame that the screening was competing with the Friday Night Gala dinner for delegates' affection, but for the filmmakers at the screening the low turn-out was probably a relief since this would be the first time they saw their films.
If you don't know the format: filmmakers send in their proposals relating to a theme - on this occasion Revolution. The chosen proposal-writers are sent one reel of Super 8 film in their choice either B&W or colour. They shoot their film, editing in-camera (or, if you prefer, they only shoot what they want to be seen). Then they merrily send in their exposed reel of footage along with a soundtrack and wait with breath baited and fingers crossed until the night of the reveal.
Dylan Howitt, director, cameraman and all-round lovely guy who also tutors at DFG, entered his proposal and asked me to collaborate on a film with him about cycling in London. What I haven't mentioned in previous blog posts is how much I blooming love cycling...but Dylan knows, and he feels the same, and that was the basis for our 50 feet.
Of course, sitting in that cinema I was dreading seeing myself on screen and I think Dylan was too, but in the event we were both really pleased with the film. It's so exciting when you see it for the first time, like unwrapping a much-anticipated present. There were some interesting correlations between the visual and audio (wierd and fabulous audio mix by Dylan's mate, with bicycle sounds clattering and whirring between my musings) - some intentional, some accidental. We hope the film is a springboard to a longer film...