Monday, December 05, 2005

Back from Bristol

Finally thawed out from the bitter cold that was Bristol and the Brief Encounters festival. And what an eventful few days it was too.

Got there on the Thursday all ready to go to the second screening of our film at the Imax. Cinema was only about half full, but that's no big surprise for a festival in the UK. First few films come and go, then it's us. Only it isn't. I can hear the film loud and clear but there is only a blank screen. this continues for two minutes then suddenly picture. Picture in the wrong aspect ratio, cutting off a third of the image. Then it stops and is rewound. Oh well, at least this time it will...

It will play audio over black again, this time for almost three minutes, then picture again, still in the wrong aspect ratio, and this time they just let it play. I hope everyone realises it's not supposed to be that way. Of course they do, they'll probably go the video lounge and watch it on line to see the proper thing, like I go and do. Only to discover they have the wrong the version online, it's an early rough cut, un-graded, no sound mix and old music.

Thankfully they put a note in the video lounge saying it's the wrong version, and we leave some DVD copies aorund (not that there's anywhere to watch them, but it's the thought that counts). The good news is that the BBC party that night is excellent, much free drink. A great improvement on the Film council one the next night (NOTE - when throwing a party don't a) just offer wine and b) hold it in a no smoking room, well not unless you want to make my evening miserable, which may in fact have been their intention.

Anyway, turns out the early screening of the film was fine, Shane from the Toronto film festival saw it there and liked it.

Awards ceremony is OK, not too drawn out, with the usual mix of films that are good and films that are more how the fuck did they choose that. there is no best of british award, it's the brit films vs the best from around the world, so no real surprise the award goes to a foreign film.

As for sorting out distribution for the film, I have no idea, not wanting to offend anyone (as usual) so have decided that i will give it to the first to make a definite offer to distribute it. It seems the only fair thing to do. Or maybe we can give one person the normal film and give the Bristol arty remix to the other.