Film in an Evening 2022
The Film in an Evening was held in August 2022. (Actually, Film in a Month!)
There were 2 entries:
“Diplomatic Immunity” by The Oddbods
“Raring to Go” by The Weyfarers
'Diplomatic Immunity' by The OddBods
Both of their two films were shown on the night.
Diplomatic Immunity by the Oddbods
An interview with the senior British diplomat, April Powers, who recounts stories from her past.
She reveals the real origin of the name ‘Iron Lady’ given to the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and reminisces about the time she dated the Argentinian General Galtieri.
Her interview is captured by the ‘Personal History Channel’, and interviewed by Gillian Gatland.
Oddbods 2022 - The 'Making of...'
The Making of... by the Oddbods
The ‘Making of… captures the background story, including how we coped with neither of the two stars being available to record their sessions at the same time!
Also, neither had to learn their script, thanks to the use of voice recognition teleprompt software, which meant that they could focus more on the delivery of their lines.
I’ve always thought that real life is a rich source of material for humour, and I’ve not been disappointed.
Jo’s character was based on a real life Diplomat who met with Saddam Hussein to discuss the border dispute between Iraq and Kuwait in 1990. It was later suggested that as a result of her apparently indicating that America wouldn’t intervene, that she had inadvertently given Saddam a ‘green light’ for his subsequent invasion of Kuwait. April’s role was re-imagined and applied to the Falklands war.
The document entitled ‘Middle East Information Centre – Telephone Handbook’, subtitled ‘How to Lie Convincingly’ was released it as part of the State National Archive in 2021.
Apparently it had been created at the time of the First Gulf War by anonymous department of Foreign Affairs officials, and I couldn’t resist using it in my video.
The touch at the end probably indicates that April lives on in foreign offices around the world today.
Jim Reed
'Raring to Go' by the WeyFarers
Raring to Go by The Weyfarers
Meeting in a pub in the hope of planning a filming event does not work out too well.
The story centered round the planning meeting at our usual location for such things, the Horse & Groom pub, and the humorous contrast between the rather serious reasons for absence was hugely helped by the flow of pub customers in and out of the toilets.
The whole thing was shot in just 25 minutes using three iPhones set at different angles, a recorder on the table and available light. Brian edited our rambling into something worth watching and it raised some laughs.
Peter Frost