 |
Scottish Association of Moviemakers
Members Competition
BUDDHISM? IT'S ELEMENTAL ... |
It 's amazing how much you learn watching amateur movies. This year's Scottish
Association of Moviemakers annual members'competition had a wealth of movies:
21 entries and almost 4 hours of video, packed with interest, amusement and
delight. In the end two vied for top place with scarcely a whisker between
them. The runner-up explained a great deal about Buddhism and especially
how monks behave, concentrating on their role in Thai society. The winner
took an old theme of illustrating the four elements and did it with style
and great inventiveness.
 |
 |
 |
The W.S. Smith Cup, top award, went to Pat Menmuir
for The Four Elements. Based on the abstract themes
of water, earth, air and fire this showed stunning images of Provence
blended with appropriate music.
|
The Lizar's Salver for the runner-up went to Ken
& Jean McRonald for The Saffron Robe. A charming,
amusing Buddhist professor talks about the role of monks in everyday
Thai life while we see their practice illustrated by a wide-range
of pictures.
|
The Loudon Salver for the best novice entry went
to William G. Hamper for St. George's Day, Luton.
A kaleidoscope of scenes taken in Luton during celebrations in the
sun - packed with great pictures of eccentric English folk.
|
Highly Commended awards went to Daphne Barbieri for A Cut Above the
Rest, Dorothy Borrie for A Woman Scorned and Angus
Allan for Pinstripe. The winners were excellent and there
was a wonderful choice on hand. The audience at the Albert Halls, Stirling,
saw a great variety of material. SAM adds the entries to their tape
library so that clubs can hire the whole programme including the movies which
time did not allow us to screen that afternoon. To give you a taste of the
range of work:
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Bridge by Drew Fleming & Frank Ramsey stars
the Forth Road Bridge talking to us on its 40th birthday about how
it is cared for.
|
Austria Old & New by Joe G. Gardiner features
narrow gauge railways which helped open up the hidden valleys of
Austria in the 19th century.
|
Gentle Giants by Daphne Barbieri features Sam and
Fergus, two Clydesdale show horses during their working season.
|
Glamis Extravagansa by William Hamper is a pot-pourri
of vintage cars, bikes, traction engines, machines, jets and people
at a transport festival.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Pinstripe is a quirky comedy by Angus Allan where
a man waiting at a station discovers a lesser-known hazard of rail
transport.
|
A Stitch in Time by Ken & Jean McRonald shows
one way for a wife to punish her errant husband. Tragedy turns to
the comedy of revenge.
|
A Woman Scorned shows the dangers of taking an assistant
for granted. Dorothy Borrie directed the Perth Club in this very
funny movie.
|
Golf is a heavenly game it seems but that's
just the good news ... Bert McCready reveals more. Groan-worthy
humour.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dorothy Borrie directs the Perth team in the tale of two crooks
fresh out of jail who are determined not to go straight. No wonder
she calls them Crackers.
|
Still in his seaside postcard style of broad comedy Bert McCready
paints a tale of terrible Mayhem resulting from a
simple golfing slice.
|
Alec Mollison intercuts shots of Arbroath Instrumental Band
playing with images of the town which match the mood of the music
perfectly.
|
Pirie & Son offer a butcher service that is A Cut Above
The Rest according to Daphne Barbieri who won their trust
and recorded the creation of their award-winning dishes.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
The last ceremonial appearance of The Royal Scots at the ceremony
of presenting The Keys of Edinburgh Castle to its
new governor. Drew Fleming & Frank Ramsey filmed it.
|
That busy man Brian Saberton only had time for A Brief Look
at Skipton but showed us the historic charms of this lovely
Yorkshire market town.
|
Tim Heilbronn makes the haggis-whistle - of a type possibly used
by Robert Burns to summon wild haggis. Pat Lawrence shows
how they are made in Gone to Pot.
|
Bannockburn 2004 is a tribute to the brave soggy
souls who demonstrated ancient weapons, played music and recreated
the battle on a very wet weekend. Edinburgh Cine & Video Society
members saw it all.
|
 |
 |
| I judged the competition in advance then presented the programme of
top movies at Stirling's Albert Halls on Sunday 3rd April 2005.
"Somehow I managed to give part of my talk from inside a bubble-wrap
bag (!) and to change ties between films in tribute to some gaudy neckware
which went through the shredder in one movie." |
Dave Watterson, FACI |
|
The Old West Kirk of Greenock is a quirky building with a fascinating
history revealed by Margaret Mackay. Bert McCready recorded her
tour.
|
When Vince Picozzi and his wife started to search for their
Italian ancestry they found the wonderful beauty of northern Italy
overwhelming in Our Italian Adventure.
|
| 
