IAC logo

The world of non-commercial film and A-V

Events Diary Search
The Film and Video Institute find us on facebook Join us on Facebook

Bookmark and Share

The making of A Bridge Too Far

To BIAFF 2009 results | To Full Making Of Index

A Bridge Too Far by Perth Film-makers Club won a 4-Stars award at BIAFF 2009 and went down well in the Sunday gala show there.

The theme was 'job done'

A scene from 'A Bridge Too Far'.At our AGM in early April we changed our name from Perth Camcorder Club to Perth Film-makers Club as we felt this was more representative of what we do. We are an active club and do a lot for the community, e.g. we gave 13 film shows within the last year to local organisations. Members make individual films and we collectively make club fictional films. In addition we make at least one film for charity each year. We are presently working on a film for the Local Access Group.

Each year we enter a film for the Strathclyde Competition which is run by SAM (The Scottish Association of Moviemakers). The theme for 2008 was "Job Done" and our entry was A Bridge Too Far. The Competition is judged by the audience and we came joint second. [Ironically the winner of that competition only got 2-Stars at BIAFF - Ed]

We have regular script meetings and it was David Cowie, one of our members, who came up with the idea of a hen-pecked husband left to do all the household chores while his wife played bridge, etc. As expected the worm turned.

A friend of David's kindly gave the use her house for filming, but because the rooms were on the small side there was only a crew of three. A wide angle lens was used most of the time. David was on the main camera and directed the film, Pat Menmuir was second camera and Jim McNeill was on sound. Both cameras were Cannon XH A1s. The two actors were a husband and wife from Crieff Drama Group. The Perth Club film the Group's productions each year and in return the actors help us out in our films

A scene from 'A Bridge Too Far'.A scene from 'A Bridge Too Far'.The mic used was a Rode NTG -2 directional microphone and was placed as close to the actors as possible, using either a boom or a stand.

The actors were given the scripts in advance together with an indication about costumes etc. They made a few suggestions about the script and possible actions which were very helpful.

The biggest problem in filming was shutting out the light in the bedroom to make it look as if it was late evening. Keeping the clock in the bedroom to the right time was also tricky considering the number of re-takes.

David edited the film on a Casablanca. At the first showing of the film, the ending seemed to confuse the audience, so it was changed for BIAFF.

- Dorothy Borrie


Share your passions.

Audience silhouette.

Share your stories.

Page updated on 04 October 2011
Contact Webmaster
Data Privacy
find us on facebook Join us on Facebook
Bookmark and Share
UNICA information UNICA member
Company Limited by Guarantee No. 00269085. Registered Charity No. 260467. Authors' views are not necessarily those of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers. Website hosted by Merula. JavaScripts by JavaScript Source. Menu by Live Web Institute. Art work by Tony Kendle.