Aberdeen film festival

I went to the Aberdeen Film Festival last night, and it was certainly an interesting night...it had all the trappings of a great "small scene happening", energy, vibrancy, local chat about projects, ideas and films, a great wee social circle (of which I felt on the outside, I don't know any of the film makers, bar Mark van Hugten, last years winner of "best film" (and audience award))..but needless to say, I felt a part of the night.

The films varied in "quality". Most (if not all) were badly acted, it's amazing to see how a bad actor, or someone who has never truly acted, can detract from a story. It's interesting to see low budget projects that each have a weakness but still have redeeming qualities about them. All brilliant in that all the people involved actually got off their backsides and went out and "just did it"...as I've parped on : you have to create to critique!

the Down sides of the films were, naivety, bad scripts, bad acting, bad lighting, bad sound, bad editing, bad shots, gross characterisations, trying too hard, trying to be clever...when presented with low budget film, you have to expect a low fi vibe, some often have that as a saving grace, you can forgive the film and think of it as charming, some were so poor that you couldn't forgive them. I treated the bad ones as thinking that someone said "I can make a film"...(like someone saying they are an artist because "they dabble" (make shit watercolours).

The good side of the films were, energy, ideas, good use of the camera (shots), editing, humour and a celebration of "locality". It was interesting to note that the best films of the night were the funny ones. I just didn't think that the "serious" actors cut the mustard, in believability.

My favourite film was "invisible City", for its inventiveness (a city full of invisible people), excellent camera work, great visual (or non, as the case may be) jokes of invisible people In compromising situations. I think the reason I liked it, was because it didn't have bad actors, messing up the dialogue. There were vocal actors in it (voice over), but they carried off the script with aplomb. all in all an excellent short film. "One trick pony" was one of the comments I heard on the night, true, but a bloody good trick for a cheap as chips pony!

I'd like to think that in a few years time, we'd hear of at least one of these local film makers, making it "big", the next Danny Boyle...one could hope.

listening to : oneida - happy new year : kyuss - and the circus leaves town : Paul miller (aka Dj Spooky) - interviews on cut up / mix ideologies