19 November, 2013

Artworks Première 2013

This Thursday, 21 November, Southport MovieMakers is pleased to present an evening of films produced by Artworks Pictures. Artworks Pictures are the films made by the highly-experienced film-maker and long-standing member of Southport MovieMakers, Paul Bagshaw. 

The programme for the evening is as follows:


‘Southport, A Classic Resort’ is on show as guests arrive


Artworks Picture Gallery
Extracts from Past Productions 

In Cambridge
Camera Interviews with visitors to the City 

This short documentary is one of three productions shot on a hand-held camera, the others being Broken and On the Streets.  It differs from most ‘holiday’ films in that it contains one-minute interviews with people chosen at random to explain why they had come to the City.  Surprisingly, no-one refused to speak to camera. 

Broken
Jake Bugg’s song with the back streets of Liverpool 

Broken is a music video that features a song of the same name, written and performed by 19-year-old Jake Bugg, a young musician who is now becoming increasingly popular.  The visuals are filmed in the back streets of the Liverpool city centre using a moving camera with a fish-eye lens. 

Changing the (Avant) Garde
Remember that all art was modern once 

The first section of this visual art documentary deals with the concepts of multiple viewpoint and hierarchy of scale, as seen in Egyptian art, in maps and in the drawings of children.  The second part focuses upon so-called ‘modern art’, and the reasons why it has been so frequently rejected by the majority of people, despite the fact that nearly all art was modern once.  It also addresses the anomaly that abstract visual art puzzles most people, whereas classical music, which is also abstract, does not.     

On the Streets
Liverpool, Southport, Oxford, Cambridge & London 

Street entertainers are now a more common part of urban living, and are not so often ‘moved on’ by the police as they used to be.  This film contains a wide variety of musical and other performances from thirty-four individuals and groups in London, Liverpool, Southport, Oxford and Cambridge.


Lost Opportunities
Youth Unemployment explained by those who experience it 

This film looks at one of society’s current problems of the number of unemployed young people in this country, as well as abroad.  There are some people who assume that, if you don’t work, it is because you don’t want to, but those in this film dispute this belief.   The film addresses the issue with contributions from five young people who want to work but have discovered that the finding of jobs, particularly in the North, is frustratingly difficult. Dr John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat MP for Southport, answers some of their questions.    


Artworks Films planned for 2014
Artworks Films has more films planned for the coming year. See the trailers and hear more about productions that are in the pipeline.


Main Feature
Fork in the Road

The main feature of the evening is a film entitled Fork in the Road. This film film deals with how a 16-year-old copes with transferring from a bicycle to a wheelchair after undergoing a road accident, and what affect it has upon his state of mind and the action he takes.

Meet the Film-maker
Come to the Artworks Première 2013 hosted by Southport MovieMakers this Thursday. See the films and meet the film-maker himself and other members of Southport MovieMakers.



Artworks Première 2013
Hosted by Southport MovieMakers

Day: Thursday 21 November
Time: 7.45 for 8 pm – 10.00 pm
Location: St James' Church Hall,
Lulworth Road, Southport, PR8 2BQ.


30 October, 2013

Listen to Our Podcasts

Periodically at Southport MovieMakers, we conduct audio interviews with our film-makers and to date, these files have been downloadable as podcasts only. However, we recognise that the requirement to download a file can be off-putting to some site users. Therefore, we have installed an MP3 audio player, so that you can hear the audio directly from the site, without downloading the file. So far, we have two items on the site.
                                              

Interview with the cast of  Free Meal
                                         
Interview with Young Film-maker Andy Harrison

Let us know what you think

We are preparing more.




25 October, 2013

Films from Harrow

Recently, we did an exchange with Harrow Cine & Video Society and as a result we have a selection of films from their catalogue to screen at our next meeting. At this same meeting, we expect to be screening some of our members' very recent project productions. Therefore, limits on time may mean that only some of the following films may be screened:

The Squirrel
We show how a squirrel survives in the garden, feeding on the peanuts
specially supplied, and sadly each spring, on the tulip bulbs which were not
intended as his lunch.

Stopatome
A budget holiday.

Mysterious Island
Far away on the edge of the Arctic Circle is an island very different from
our own. Lying at the point where two continental plates meet, the constant
movement of the earth's crust creates an unusual and ever-changing
landscape.

Fearless Fred
A visitor to the garden enjoys a little sunshine.

Salesman
From a comedy sketch by Victoria Wood and filmed with her kind permission.

Code Breakers
The story of the breaking of the war time Enigma code at Bletchley Park.

Amiens & Notre Dame Cathedral
Amiens is one of the largest northern cities in the Somme province of
France.

The Art of Richard MacDonald
Warm, silvery and rare, the platinum patina of this distinctive series by
the artist creates a play of light; it's a limited edition. Got a spare $25,000?

Autumn
Film around Bentley Priory and cut to a musical accompaniment.

Sharm el Sheik
A video shot around the exotic location in the Sinia.

Cruising Down the Rhine
A brief look at the activities and scenery while travelling down the River,
set to a popular tune.

The Nearest We got to the Olympics
Our member went to see the Olympic flame leave Headstone Manor and travel
through the streets of Harrow. This would be the closest they got to the
Olympics.


Day: Thursday 31 October
Time: 8 pm – 10.00 pm
Location: St James' Church Hall,
Lulworth Road, Southport, PR8 2BQ.

02 September, 2013

New Year Starting 5 September

Southport MovieMakers is pleased to announce that the new year (2013/14) is starting this week on Thursday 5 September.

For all the details of the forthcoming year, go to:



07 July, 2013

What are the Roles of Film Production People?

On 4 July, we enjoyed a very interesting talk on what the roles are of the various people involved in producing a film from pre-production, actual shooting and through to post-production. If you'd like to find out more about this subject, please visit our:

28 June, 2013

Mighty FM: Southport Arts Show – Sunday 30th June

Mighty FM is Southport’s newest Community Radio Station. It currently broadcasts online but from 1 July will be broadcasting on 87.7 FM.

This coming Sunday 30th June, Club member Paul Bagshaw will be interviewed as a guest on Mighty FM’s Southport Arts Show. Paul will be interviewed about the world of film-making in and around Southport, including Southport MovieMakers. Paul is a long-standing member of Southport MovieMakers and is an accomplished film-maker.

Paul will be interviewed by the well-known local actor David Lonsdale. David Lonsdale is best known for his 15 years playing the hapless David Stockwell in ITV’s long running and hugely popular ‘Heartbeat’.

More recently David has returned to the stage and has completed national tours of ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’ and ‘You’re Only Young Twice’ with Melvyn Hayes. He has recently reappeared on ‘The Street’ as Kirsty Soames' violent Father Edwin.

David is a regular pantomime performer and an accomplished singer, and has appeared at the Albert Hall for three years running as a headliner in the TV Times' ‘Carols with the Stars’.

Always keen for a new challenge and a great lover of his home town – David is thrilled to be making his debut as a radio presenter with Mighty FM.


Tune in and listen to David Lonsdale interview 
Paul Bagshaw about film-making in Southport


Sunday 30th June
10.20 – 10.40 a.m.


10 June, 2013

Blowing the Dust Off


This week, we are blowing the dust off are archives. Ashby Ball selects examples of the Society's work from the 64 years of our existence, including dramas and documentaries:

The evening's selection starts with the second film that Southport MovieMakers made, way back in 1950.  Titled “In the Bag”, it features a forger and his assistant, who are producing fake banknotes.  When the forger’s girlfriend accidentally leaves her handbag in the forger’s flat, there are unexpected consequences.

We were offered the script for “A Walk in the Park”, and initially thought it was not our cup of tea. A year on two later we had second thoughts and put it into production.  Vercoe the clown, with one of his unicycles, appears in this film, set in Southport’s Botanic Gardens, with many children taking part.

“One MoreTrophy” is the story of the late Wilf Blundell, proprietor of a large coach holiday firm, whose hobby was stock car racing.  He competed in events all over the country, with his team of followers.

“Beginner’s Luck” was said to be recommended viewing for all members of film-making clubs.  A beginner hopes to get advice on how to use his camera, but a sequence of disappointing events follows.

“Taking the Plunge” deals with that point in any romance when the boyfriend has to meet the girl’s parents.  Here things do not go smoothly.

“Southport” is a promotional film for the town, made by our Society, with a voice-over by BBC newsreader Alvar Liddell,  released in 1958.