The Global Paddling Community

The UK's 2nd paddle film festival was held at the Scottish Paddlesport exhibition last weekend (19 Oct. 2002). Read on to find out who won in each category and discover the 8 (yep, 8 as in eight!) video clips highlighting the entries of the festival.

The UK's 2nd paddle film festival was held at the Scottish Paddlesport exhibition last weekend, 19 Oct. The remit of the festival was to especially encourage newcomers to videoing, to submit a programme, and get their efforts seen by a wider audience. Additionally, there was the competitive side, for both newcomers and established programme makers, in 3 categories.

The event was sponsored by KOGG, Lendal and Pyranha • all of whom in the past have encouraged programme makers by commisioning programmes.

The organisers, and judges, were Roger Huyton [2 descents of the Everest Dudh Kosi as well as 2 TV films - Taming of the Lion (R. Indus) and Kites and Kayaks (Dudh Kosi]; Richard Bell - programme maker to Depeche Mode and Shaun Baker's films; and Andy Watt, the local organiser, who did the Pyranha Video catalogue.

There was a broad range of entries, from good films of sea kayaking, to intense whitewater and a couple of programmes that were a little more reflective. The judges were keen that programme makers showed that they had put some effort in planning the video and putting across ideas. The simple addition of music to a series of shots of whitewater action (as often happens with kayaking videos) was definetly not viewed sympathetically by the judges.

Amateur category

The newcomers in the amateur section attracted films of WW action from local paddlers Aberdeen Uni; and video with a striking start from Andy (Scot) Jackson on 'Fear'; the latter also had good interviews on the subject of fear, and thus won the category, sponsored by KOGG. The result read out, in time-honoured fashion, by KOGG's Cam Allan.

• Winner: 'Fear' by Andy Jackson - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 1 min 47 s, 3.2 Mb)
• Are U completely crazy by Allan Semple - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 1 min 29 s, 2.9 Mb)

Paddlesport (non-whitewater) category

The non-whitewater paddlesport category had 3 high quality entries. Justine Curgenven has obviously had a busy year, both with paddling, and filming then editing. She submitted 2 films - 1 of Nigel Dennis kayaks, one of the gurus of sea kayaking, and boatmaker. the interviews covered a range of experienced paddlers in many arenas, from circumnavigators to UK-Mediterranean journeys. Justines other film was of the Lendal story which is really a story worth telling - 2 Olympic sprinter kayakers who went on to make one of the world's most famous paddles, and who are still innovating. Justine provided a great range of interviewees, of different perspectives of sea kayaking and a good range of shots. She made the judges realise that sea kayaking can be filmed well. The winner was a story of an expedition round part of the Antarctic - with a good story line and great shots; this was done by Graham Charles, a NewZealander who, for some reason, couldn't be there to receive his prize from the sponsors of this category, Alistair Wilson of Lendal.

• Winner: 'Colder than Ice' by Graham Charles - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 1 min 42 s, 3.4 Mb).
• 'Nigel Dennis Kayaks' by Justine Curgenven - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 1 min 45 s, 3.6 Mb).
• 'The Lendal Story' by Justine Curvengen - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 2 min 24 s, 5.1 Mb).

UK Pro

Best UK Pro category was started off by Simon Westgarth's 1st big production • with a good opener of a helicopter starting a kayak trip, set to quiet music. He had a range of well known acheivers in WW kayaking and showed them in action at many locations. Simon's next videos will be in the instruction line, some on DVD, and we look forward to seeing them. PeakUK consistently produce their 'Idiot1c' 'yearbook' of their kayaking trips - these guys get up to a lot!, and have laughs as well, reflected in their entertaining film. The winner was Dave Kwant and Alex Nicks' story of paragliding and paddling in Nepal 'Flying Fish' - a well presented programme with good shots, good personalities and good inerviews on riding the airwaves as well as water waves. Pyranha were there to read out the winnner - who was also unaccountably unable to be there, the rivers of Nepal proving more attractive to him!

• Winner: 'Flying Fish' by Dave Kwant and Alex Nicks - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 2 min 55 s, 6 Mb)
• 'Adventures in Loonerland' by Simon Westgarth - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 2 min 13 s, 4.5 Mb)
• 'Idiotic go boating' by Peak UK - Click here for the video extract (Quicktime format, 1 min 59 s, 3.9 Mb)

Next year's PFF will again seek to encourage newcomers to film making to submit their efforts - preferably in 5-10 min length! Anything made after Jan 2002 is eligible - and there are articles written by the judges to give you an idea how to go about it . The PFF is done under a spirit of encouraging people to make programmes. There will always be programmes that don't fully fit the categories we set out; it is difficult to legislate for all potential issues that arise from the vast array of potential programmes, and we can't issue pages of rules and regulations to cover all eventualities. What we want to do is show your films to a wider audience - so send 'em in! Once again thanks to the sponsors of the event: KOGG, Lendal and Pyranha.

Article by Andy Watt Roger Huyton and Richard Bell for PLAYAK.COM, October 21 2002.

--- Editor Note ---

The videos files are quite big. If you connection is quite slow, save the files to your filespace (right-click -> save target as ...) to your filespace before viewing.

You need the Quicktime plugin to watch the videos. You can get it for free from the Apple website.