AV News 180 - May 2010
The Panel was composed of experts in the field of Audio Visual, unlike
recent assessment days which have been dominated (I do not mean
numerically), by non-specialists with a single-issue agenda, i.e. the
quality of the photography and especially the presence of burnt-out
highlights. Many Panel members feel that the members of the DAB
(Distinctions Advisory Board) who have been imposed on the Panel have
had an influence out of all proportion to their qualifications to judge Audio
Visual presentations. At least one is on record as having been dismissive
in their criticism of AV as a medium.
Audio Visual is much more than just good photography. Each image has
to interact with the preceding and succeeding ones. AV involves skills in
recording, mixing and creating soundtracks. To be successful it also has
to communicate ideas, messages and/or emotions to an audience. A
typical 20-minute Audio Visual Fellowship submission might have 300
images, many of which will have been created specifically for the
presentation. Compared with submitting 20 prints it is clearly much
harder to achieve success on these grounds alone.
Applicants were advised to use their own equipment wherever possible.
Potential applicants are unlikely to want to present their work on a small
screen, with inadequate projected image quality and substandard sound.
If the RPS management are really serious about encouraging people to apply
for distinctions in AV, these are some of the issues that need to be addressed.
9e Biennale de Meyrin
L e n D e e le y
Dave Gillow and I were delighted to hear from Gerald Hoiler in November last
year that we had won 2nd and 3rd place respectively in the 9th Biennal
International AV Festival at Meyrin, with medals and prize money of CHf500
and CHf300. However, it is sad to say that we are even now (29th January)
still waiting to receive the award money.
When I queried this in December I was advised that they are having some
difficulty in making the payment, or to be more precise "Celà va venir, la
Suisse est au centre de l'Europe mais pas dans l'Europe d'où la difficulté
d'envoyer l'argent. Amitié Gérald" . Dave has also been chasing this and I
have even emailed Lorenzo De Francesco AV-BFI, Director of AV Service
FIAP who has said he would "try to interlock with Meyrin organization".
While we do not enter competitions for the money, we find it unbelievable
that Meyrin should find it difficult to do funds transfers between Switzerland
and UK. I would like this to get a mention in the RPS AV News as it would
appear that such offers of prize money may not be readily received if it is from
a UK entrant.
3rd February - We finally received our cheques in sterling today.
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