Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers

History

Sutton Coldfield Movie Makers attracts members from all over Birmingham. It began way back in 1937 as The Vesey Amateur Cine Society.

It was founded by a group of film makers who wanted to benefit from each others ideas and enthusiasm.

Back then Movie cameras were rare and expensive and the process of film making was very different from today. When you'd shot your film you had to post it off to the Lab and wait anxiously for its return to see if you'd got everything in focus and exposed correctly.

Editing however was much simpler than it is now, In fact you could do with a manicure set!

The members of SCMM today are just like the founders, a group of film makers who want to benefit from each others ideas and enthusiasm.

Would you like to join us?

What's happening today?

Film, the stuff you can hold up to the light and see the pictures, has virtually disappeared. Everything is video now, although the we still call the videos we make..."Films".

Technological advances have made a bewildering range of creative technology available to the film maker...

Digital Video, SD card camcorders, HD cameras, Phone cameras, Digital SLRs, Video projectors, DVD, Blue ray, Non linear editing software, animation software and YouTube are all used to make and show the "Films" that our members and others amateurs make.

This wide range of technologies can be daunting but members swop knowledge and help each other through the technical minefields.

If you are a film maker, or want to be one, and you are struggling to understand the technical stuff, come and join us.

If you've just acquired a camera and shot some video, but don't know how to edit your material, or present it on screen, come and join us.

We can help.

Film making is not all about technology, it's a storytelling art, and it's still possible to make interesting and amusing films with the simplest of equipment.

If you have written a script but don't know how to get your film made why not join us and we'll help you to get in on the screen.

You could even enter your script in one of our club script competitions and we might make it as a club film.

Did I mention competitions?

If you take a look at our programme of events you will see that we hold club competitions throughout the year. The club also enters national competitions, and some of our members enter these individually. Competition is a good way to hone your film-making skills but members also show their own films in a non competitive way, just to see how well they work in front of an audience, or simply for fun.

Not all our members make films, or have equipment, or even write scripts Some simply enjoy seeing what others can do.

Members take part in each others films and club films, they help each other out during shooting and lend and borrow each others equipment and expertise.

Club films can be enormous fun and we hope to do more of these.

Club members provide all the skills needed by a film crew.

Camera operators, sound recordists, lighting, continuity, props, location finding, transport.

Would you like to be part of this crew?

Members have a wide range of abilities and we all realise that we were all beginners once.

With the help and encouragement available, new members soon learn to create more satisfying productions, and are soon competing in club and outside competitions.

If you want to know more e-mail me on gordon.hunt1@virginmedia.com.

or ring our Membership Secretary on 0121 449 7763.

Hoping to see you at one of our meetings.

Watch this space for useful news for Movie Makers in the Birmingham area and beyond