[LEL17] Audax Film Festival

[Exit Stage Left]

An idea I ran past Danial. A competition to find a winning 2 minute or less Audax Randonee film.

I wouldn't want to be too prescriptive at this point, but ones associated with LEL would obviously be a good idea.

I tried it 10 years ago, linked to PBP 2007, and it didn't go entirely to plan, possibly it was 10 years too early for one thing.

The planned format is for people to post films to the Vimeo group. https://vimeo.com/groups/449715

As time goes on we'll decide on a final ten to be judged on the Saturday prior to LEL. The Debden campsite has been suggested as a venue, but I don't know what access is like for non-campers. A stall at the check-insight be another possibility, as is an online presentation.

I like the idea of a collaborative film process, but there are technical issues to be sorted out, not least the frame rate. This might be a good way of doing that.

[Exit Stage Left]

My mate Dave and I had a meeting about filming LEL. He likes planning, but I'm not so keen.

We decided that our strength lies in being able to predict what happens, and to structure the filming around scenic set-pieces. At the same time we're getting older, and Dave no longer has a motorbike. I had a detached retina around Christmas, and that's led to a cataract in my right eye, which means that my glasses prescription is slowly on the move.

That leaves us planning to film at a limited number of places, and to interview a wide range of participants. We'd like to have a number of threads running through the film, ideally from those filming their own rides. But we don't envisage editing hours of head-cam footage. Ideally we'd be incorporating material with a distinctive voice, shot at 25 frames per second in 16/9 and at least 720p.

We broke our own three minute rule talking about our plans.

https://vimeo.com/groups/449715/videos/215724644

[Wobbly]

Very sorry to hear about your eye problems Damon :-(

To check my understanding, you're looking for videos about people's stories on the lead up to LEL. Do they have to be about rides? Or will a 2 minute film entitled "Sir Wobbly, International man of mystery" be suitable?

[Exit Stage Left]

We decided to up the limit to three minutes. I don't mind if people find something to say about Audax without it being about rides. it would be useful to get coverage of LEL from riders, and lots of riders have GoPros and the like.

The filming we did at the start of PBP provides an example of what I'm thinking of. That included footage from a professional camcorder on a motorbike, a Sony action camera mounted on the motorbike, action camera footage from me riding a bicycle until Mortagne, and interviews at the velodrome and at controls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2f7-2i393M

I've watched lots of films that have been shot on rides, mainly with action cams, and they tend to be quite long, and from a single viewpoint. Such footage could be incorporated into sequences, but selecting that from long sequences is difficult. Different styles also tend to add interest.

If riders start to edit their best material, it would be easier to cover those sections which I will find difficult to follow, as I'd know who to look to. The films will be an interesting document in themselves, and having them in a single place will be useful.

[Exit Stage Left]

I've started shooting material, interviewing Danial at the controller's meeting in York.

We're planning our film, and at this stage the idea of a collaborative project appeals, but we won't know where anyone else's material might fit in until we see some.We are best positioned to do interviews, scenery and editing.

https://vimeo.com/groups/449715/videos/216581984