On 21 July, members of Southport MovieMakers met to celebrate the birthday of its oldest member, Jim Morris.
He entertained the audience comprised of a room full of members, past and present, with lots of memories of film-making. No nerves of standing up and speaking – the confidence of old age. If you didn’t know it already, you wouldn’t guess his age. Part of his youthfulness comes from a lifetime of making films. Of course, when Jim started, it was very much a matter of handling physical film. However, his lifelong learning has taken him into the world of digital video production.
Although Jim’s preferred genre is documentary-making, his repertoire encompasses a quite considerable range including comedy and plasticine animation, in the case of the latter, one finished film was entitled “Lunar Tics Down to Earth” which features aliens from outer space. His range also extends to what can only be described as hypnotically psychedelic. Remember, Jim’s been making films since the 60s.
Where have the ideas come for his films? One source has been proverbs resulting in one of his earlier films “Makes Jack a Dull Boy” – a silent film! Another source has been spontaneous conversations from the real world, witnessing something and applying the film-makers creativity by putting a “spin” on it.
Reflecting upon all of his experience, Jim commented that digital video is “a piece of cake” compared with overcoming the challenges of working with Standard 8 and other physical formats. Like any success in life, perseverance pays off and Jim is no exception. He has persevered over the years to become an accomplished well-rounded film-maker.
Happy 90th, Jim Morris.
Jim Morris (left) receives a specially-made 90th Birthday card from Paul Bagshaw, on behalf of the Club.
