Bright ADV Film Festival Feb 10.-12. 2017

nev

Super Térrarist
Re: Bright ADV Film Festival Feb 10.-12.

Having been to the ATFF the past 5 years, this year was disappointing. It was definitely the first time I've said "I probably won't go next year". When a new festival like this comes along, you expect the first few to have growing pains and teething problems, but you expect that after 5 or 6 years, they should have most of those sorted out and the event should run like a well oiled machine.

Credit where credit is due. There's obviously a lot of work gone into arranging the venues, curating the movies, organising volunteers and getting everything up and running, but a film festival required films to be shown and the one thing that really hasn't improved year on year is their ability to actually screen films. Several sessions we went to had problems screening the movie because the movie kept bufferring and freezing for many seconds at a time and both times a replacement computer had to be brought in and then the movie .mp4 video file had to be copied onto the new computer from an external drive. When you charge up to $125 for a weekend pass you owe the punters a bit more reliability than a 10" netbook computer probably centrino powered.
 

glitch

Mapping the next ride...
Staff member
Re: Bright ADV Film Festival Feb 10.-12.

Note:
Thread now shifted into RideReports







Having been to the ATFF the past 5 years, this year was disappointing. It was definitely the first time I've said "I probably won't go next year". When a new festival like this comes along, you expect the first few to have growing pains and teething problems, but you expect that after 5 or 6 years, they should have most of those sorted out and the event should run like a well oiled machine.


Agreed.
OTOH, there's a certain appeal to something that runs a bit "lumpy", as long as it's obviously and overtly driven by sheer enthusiasm.
After those years though, the basics should have settled and the enthusiasm bit directed towards the content.
Loved the first couple of years!!
After that things started to "flatten out" a great deal for us. W-)
 

robbieb

Tassie Daddy
Re: Bright ADV Film Festival Feb 10.-12.

Having been to the ATFF the past 5 years, this year was disappointing. It was definitely the first time I've said "I probably won't go next year". When a new festival like this comes along, you expect the first few to have growing pains and teething problems, but you expect that after 5 or 6 years, they should have most of those sorted out and the event should run like a well oiled machine.

Credit where credit is due. There's obviously a lot of work gone into arranging the venues, curating the movies, organising volunteers and getting everything up and running, but a film festival required films to be shown and the one thing that really hasn't improved year on year is their ability to actually screen films. Several sessions we went to had problems screening the movie because the movie kept bufferring and freezing for many seconds at a time and both times a replacement computer had to be brought in and then the movie .mp4 video file had to be copied onto the new computer from an external drive. When you charge up to $125 for a weekend pass you owe the punters a bit more reliability than a 10" netbook computer probably centrino powered.

I tend to agree with you, Nev. I didn't get the feeling that I watched that many films. Looking back I saw 10, so paid nearly 10 bucks each to see them. There were a couple I would have liked to see that I didn't get to, either because other films were on or overlap, and each film was only shown twice, with a number of blank spots on the schedule

Another thing that bugged me is that on the first night they were still setting up for the starlight film in the dark, when everything should have been there ready hours beforehand and hit the go button at 9. The microphone also didn't work, so the Pillocks didn't even introduce it. If I'd known what they looked like I'd have asked them to belt out a duo rendition of "Whiskey In The Jar" but it was a bit late by the time it ended. The outdoor screen needed to be about 1m higher off the ground and everything would have been sweet view wise.

I still enjoyed the weekend, despite the heat, and as a Tasmanian I was feeling much more comfortable on Sunday when the cool change came through!

Favourite film was probably One Map for Two, then maybe Power of Dreams and Mondo Enduro (I knew of it but had never seen it)
 
Rupert wants to "going to shake things up" next year. He thinks things are getting a little staid after 6 years.
There is also consideration for a motorcycle film only festival. It may not happen but they are thinking about it.
Overall numbers were slightly down from last year but that was the organisers intention. The 140 walk up ticket purchasers last year caused overcrowding in many sessions. Surprisingly there were very few no shows from people who had pre purchased tickets although I suspect that many motorcyclists did what we did and took the car with its AC rather than their bikes.

The two movies that were highlights for us were the Seaside Donkey and Familia Cyclista. Neither were on our "must see" list but both in different ways were great movies and unexpectedly good. I'm pleased I saw One Map for Two. It is a story I have known about for years but there is almost nothing in print or on film about. If the ride had happened in the early 21st century Ducati would now be the dominant ADV bike and 175cc four stroke singles work be as ubiquitous as Bavarian bikes are presently. That may not be such a bad thing. :D
 

nev

Super Térrarist
Rupert wants to "going to shake things up" next year. He thinks things are getting a little staid after 6 years.

I think the event has outgrown the town. In the early days the HQ was at the brewery and the film venues were the marquee next to the pub, the RSL club right around the corner, the theatre on the other side of the pub, and the overflow was a 5 minute walk away. In Between sessions, people would gather at the brewery. You'd meet people you knew, and people they knew.

This year, the church was the nearest venue to the HQ at the brewery. The other 3 venues were all within a 3 min walk of the church, and all were a 5-7 min walk away from the HQ. Aside from the time I went there to check in, I only went near the brewery during the days twice, once to buy some books, and once for a walk through to see if anyone I knew was there. The place was deserted. On both occasions. It's lost it's 'festival' atmosphere. I think he ought to start looking around for new towns to host, somewhere where the required amenities are all in the same location. Having the brewery and the park there for the nighttime screening certainly are a plus, but the rest is becoming a bit of a catastrophe.

The only really saving grace this year was that the weather was dry and hot. The last couple of years have been wet and hot and most of the venues have turned into saunas that the airconditioning couldn't cope with once all of the seats had been filled.
 
Hadn't really thought of it like that but you are right.
We had a Pizza in the Brewery for lunch on Saturday and a drink in the evening before dinner and the only person I saw in there I knew was Rupert (once) and then Richard from the Philanderers was in there in the evening.
I think the size of the venues is better but the whole central feel of everything being within about a minutes walk has gone.
Maybe we will get a survey.
 
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