BMM Club meeting 20 March 2025 - Real and Unreal video techniques

Acting President Glenn opened our meeting at 7.33 pm on Thursday 20 March, welcoming 13 members. Apologies from Damian and Pamela.

Glenn informed members that the committee had officially received the resignation of President Jenn. He also noted that long term member and former club President Stewart G had advised he would no longer be able to attend club meetings because of health concerns. Glenn and the club members wished Stewart good health and expressed deep appreciation for his contribution and commitment to BMM and its predecessor Queensland Movie Makers.

Special General Meeting Following advice distributed by email and on the Club’s website, Club members were asked to vote on three resolutions relating to the club’s use of the Indooroopilly Activity Hub following correspondence with the IAH about our membership and participation in Hub activities.

Members voted unanimously by show of hands to NOT seek another venue.

Members voted unanimously in favour of a modest increase in BMM's membership fees that would contribute towards the hire of IndroHall.

A 3rd resolution was made redundant by the outcome of the second.

On completion of voting, the Special General meeting closed at 7.38pm and the Club General meeting commenced.

Film Bite: Nigel showed a clip from a movie called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.  Based on a computer game in 2001, it was the first photo realism computer animated feature film. Work on it started in 1997, it took four years to make it, involved 200 staff, 960 computers, each of the 141,964 frames (but who’s counting) took 90 minutes to render (they created  60,000 hairs on the female lead each separately and fully animated and rendered), cost $137 million to make but it failed to make money because it was style over substance, as Nigel pointed out, because the photorealism came at the expense of being unable to show real human facial expressions and flaws. However it introduced landmark automation paving the way for realism in animation and CGI such that it became the norm. It was so novel that it was not bettered until Avatar in 2009.  To demonstrate just how far we have now come from 2001 to 2025, Nigel showed how he used free open source technology on his computer at home to ‘face swap’ Stallone and Statham with ‘faces’ of  Glenn and Nigel taken from Expend4bles. It took just three hours of render time and a powerful NVIDIA video graphics card.  Nigel also showed a ‘behind the scenes” clip of the 2009 Fast and Furious movie which used the same technology.  That’s how far movie making technology has come.

Scenic drone trip – what to do on a lazy Sunday. Glenn and Murray took their drones to the Schonell Bridge on the Brisbane river at Dutton Park to practice and experiment with how the drone can be safely used to do things such as ‘follow’ an object and keep it in the frame, and fly safely along the shoreline under a bridge.

Interclub competition update – Paul advised that the first of the competitions being proposed by the NSW and Victorian clubs is for the NSW Federation of Camera Clubs “Top Shot” competition in June with a deadline for submitting entries on 31 May. The theme is “Broom” which, Paul advised, was very wide ranging and could be as direct as featuring brooms or as vague as just mentioning or referencing a broom. (see “Competitions” on the club’s website) . N.B. UPDATE The committee has since been advised by Sydney Video Makers that in further discussions with FCC they do not want video to be part of their Top Shot ‘competition’, but to have it as an ‘exhibition’. That’s a bit like having an exhibition sport at the Olympics. That’s regrettable but still gives us an opportunity to show stills and other video clubs what we can do.

Professional film shoot: Neil advised that a film company is shooting a film over about five days in early April around Keperra area if anyone is interested in seeing how a professional film company operates on set.

Together. Peter advised that the premiere of his much anticipated movie had to be postponed as the cinema was closed because of Cyclone Alfred. It is now re-scheduled for April 26th.   The movie as ‘sold out’ with 246 people coming and eleven on the waiting list. If anyone wants to go on the wait list you can go to the web site and click on wait list.

The Green Room – Peter also advised that he is having a film studio which he calls ‘the green room because it going to be painted green’ built at his house which he is willing to offer some Saturday morning for experiences such as interviewing, editing, lighting, sound, script writing. It is expected to be up and running by the end of May. Just contact Peter if there’s anything you want to do.

Shooting and editing on a smart device – Glenn. The best camera is the one you have with you, and just abut everyone carries a mobile phone which can take video as well as making phone calls which means if you need to make movies ‘on the fly’ you have a camera with you wherever you are. If you are going for a bushwalk you don’t want to be carrying a DSLR any great distance but a mobile phone or ‘Osmo Pocket 3’ camera and gimble (such as a DJI) are lightweight, portable and effective. Glenn demonstrated video he shot earlier walking around the club using the motion control of the gimble and its slow motion capacity, and how it can also be used to shoot time lapse on a tripod or hyperlapse. Glenn demonstrated its versatility with a movie shot on his mobile phone at Twin Falls in Springbook National Park. He also demonstrated how the mobile phone app such as Apple’s iMovie can be used to edit your vision, select shots, add still photos, incorporate split frame, add music and record voiceover, raise or lower sound, add titles with text and colour background, correct mistakes by using the undo button, save and export your movie to photo files.

Nigel demonstrated a free app by Black Magic (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play). which is ideal for purists who want to control elements on your mobile phone in the same way that you would do on a DSLR/video camera such as white balance, sound setting, shutter speed, lighting, focus.

Sarina going shopping Hermann showed a movie that he made 18 years ago. It was a fun movie about taking his dog Sarina and his grandson shopping in a trailer on the bike of his bike. Unfortunately Sarina had to wait outside the shop while they did the shopping but was clearly very pleased to go for the ride. Hermann still rides the bike everywhere, his then-baby grandson has now graduated from university but Sarina is in doggie heaven). Such a simple concept, but such a lovely movie.

Plans/ideas for the future – Glenn has been liaising with members about plans and ideas to make the club more exciting, innovative and immersive.

• Interclub collaboration. The “broom” theme (as per above) is an opportunity top make movies in conjunction with other clubs, as well as share blogs, film bites, movie links and videos of special guests to provide content ideas to each other’s clubs.

• “Quit talking and begin doing”, as Walt Disney famously said. Movie projects such as Pamela’s movie. It is moving forward, currently exploring a location to film the rain scene.

• David’s Movies: Smoke and Mirrors project. He wants to do a first script.

• Peter’s short stories: Peter has been running a story telling club for about 20 years. Looking at how some of those could be converted to a short film.

• Promotional video: such as single use plastics. Using the ‘broom’ theme, “we need to put a broom through current mindset on single use plastics.

• Outdoor events: drone introduction. We could advertise on Facebook for an introduction to the drone experience. Glenn and Murray are already proficient in doing this and have run several exercises.

• Casting reel: advertise for actors to propose a casting reel in StarNow. Neil cautioned that we could be swamped with applicants. Murray said applicants should bring their own script and pay for the opportunity. Possible source of revenue for the club.

• Peter’s studio: – see the earlier reference to The Green Room.

• Real estate videos:  someone with a larger property who would like a real estate video done. Opportunity for drone and gimble experience.

• Oral histories and/or promotional videos: work with sports clubs, not for profit organisations, special interest groups such as men’s sheds or history groups etc.

• Skills demonstrations: Theoretical and hands on practical demonstrations at future club meetings of DSLR or mobile techniques, lighting, sound editing etc and technology such as Black Magic app and ‘face swapping’.

• Club image: Neil suggested the movies we upload to our website need to be quality videos so that we present and promote ourselves externally as a relevant quality video club especially to educate people using mobile phones how to also make good quality videos.

• Club promotion: we need to inform the public who we are and how we can provide information and training for people working in the new age of the medium, and demonstrate that BMM is a club that teaches you how to make movies.

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Wow, what a huge entertaining night… no surprise that the meeting ran overtime ending at 9.45pm.

Next meeting Thursday 3rd April - see club website for program details.