20 AFV Winter 2013.pub - Federation of Australian Movie Makers

5) subjects that do well are: indigenous, environmental, health and social documentaries.6) “How to” videos are best for the high school market.Andrew showed an excerpt from a work in progress on the New Zealand born film director, Cecil Homes.It was a 4 minute interview with the producer, writer and director Hayden Keenan where he tells his experiencesin meeting Cecil Homes in his small unit amidst scripts, empty bottles, cans, and un-washed plates.In the discussion of this excerpt Andrew was drawn into commenting on commercial TV aversion to‘talking heads.’ In the education market ‘talking heads’ are fine if the content is OK. Whilst if such an excerptwere intended for commercial TV then after only a few seconds of a talking head there would need tobe a cut away to footage, historical or contemporary, related to the interview.Note: “Talking Heads” is a term of Contempt in the Commercial TV IndustryAndrew then described his project, Chifley, where he collected interviews with 73 people who had storiesto tell of their association with the Bathurst born Prime Minister, Ben Chifley.The challenge was to seek out all those who had come into contact with Chifley. The successful methodwas to set up a stall at the Bathurst markets and to invite people to come along and tell their stories.Andrew’s answer to commercial TV aversion to “talking heads” lay in his experiences in making these twodocumentaries. Here through these many interviews he was able to bring out the feelings as well as thethoughts of those individual people, those “talking heads”. Also sometimes in those interviews, when theperson “re-lived” the experience they were relating in the interview, then, as Andrew said, “you get a greatmoment.” A great moment that would have been lost in a cut away on commercial TV! Andrew firmly believedthat it was the job of the interviewer to encourage the interviewee to re-live moments and to capturethese on video.FAMM MeetingWith four clubs present the 11th meeting of Southern NSW Division of FAMM became a legitimateFAMM meeting to cover the election of the FAMM executive and directors. All the state directors andFAMM President and Secretary were re-elected unopposed. Brian Leonard was elected treasurer. The outgoingtreasurer, Jim Thornton, reported that FAMM had a bank balance of $16,960 and that the 2012 Conventionhad contributed approximate $1000 to that balance. The trophies for Most Improved Videographersin 2012 were handed out to each club.Show & TellDennis showed his mark 7 steadicam support for his camcorder and discussedthe reason for its development and the changes he made along the way.Mark Tunningley spoke of his Sony Alpha camera with its translucent mirrortechnology, which allows faster shooting and focusing than traditional SLRs.No moving mirror means no blackout time when the photo is taken, amongother advantages.DennisDennis’ Mark 7 Steadicam supportSource: Wollongong Movie Makers’ NewsletterAUSTRALIAN FILM & VIDEO—VOL 20 WINTER 2013Page 37