Cornwall Film Festival

This weekend I have been doing voluntary work for the 9th Annual Cornwall Film Festival. My role has included working on 3 screenings and providing general help to visitors.
Saturday
My first screening was '3D: An in depth look'. The workshop which included a preview of two 3D films, one on elephants and another fiction, and then a talk at the end. I found this really interesting as I have a personal interest into wildlife so found that 3D can turn it into an experience as if you are there watching these animals. It was also interesting to hear how they manage budgets and the process of filming for 3D. The second 3D preview I was not as impressed with as the storyline was very confusing and as a viewer 3D made me feel very disorientated.
The second was screening for students work which I found rather simple, didnt seem to have a storyline and basic shots.
I was very lucky because I was volunteering I not only got a free T-shirt but got a free pass for the day so when I had finished my shift I was able to watch a feature film called Restrepo from Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger. This documentary follows a troop of soldiers into Afghanistan for a year, showing their battle for everyday life. This was very touching as throughout the film you are shown recent interviews of the soldiers reflecting on their time and how it has been so emotional. I think the editing is very effective and really helps tell the story.


Sunday
I was very lucky to be able to take part in a workshop run through the Cornwall Film Festival.  The workshop was 'An introduction to directing' and gave me the opportunity to work along side real life actors and learn from an experienced director and crew. I found the morning as a great insight into the world of production and afew key tips when working with actors. The main tip for a director was 'do it your way but communicate it in a different way'.  We were given a section of a script and could interrupt it in any way we wanted. In pairs we then had a chance to work with the director of photography and the actors to produce afew shots.

What I found really helpful is that after the workshop we were invited to attend the talk by the director on his latest feature film, 'A Weekend Retreat'. The talk went into every stage of directing and producing a feature length film and the positives and negatives.
Finally I had my last screening of the feature film, 'The Girl who kicked the Hornets Nest'. When it first appeared in a different language with English subtitles I was dreading 3 hours of reading! But after about 20 minutes you get used to it and don't think about it. This film was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone.