Hello everybody!

[geistbahn]

Hello to everybody here.

I hope no one minds me posting this here; I'm not trying to be a nuisance!
I'm an art student at a London university working with film. I'm interesting in activities involving collecting, be it information, or something more physical.

I was wondering if anyone here would be willing to discuss their railway enthusiasm with me. For example, telling me some of the information you've built up over time and about the kinds of things you do - photographs you've taken, or any other collectables you've acquired. Just talking me through everything to do with the subject that you're interested in, really.

I would want to record this, either on film, or if you aren't comfortable with this, simply recording the sound. If you have a collection of objects relating to trains, perhaps I could simply film that as you talk, rather than yourself if you are not comfortable with appearing on film.

For the people who go train spotting, perhaps after the 'interview' I could at some point film you train spotting? I wouldn't want to get in the way, but I would be able to film from some distance. I would still be eager to talk to you with or without filming you trainspotting though, so please don't let that put you off, if you aren't interested in that bit!

If anyone thinks they might be interested, I would very much like to hear from you. Please get in touch - my email is va802dh@gold.ac.uk. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I would really appreciate your involvement!

Just to let everyone know I am also posting this on another rail forum, so I hope you don't have to see it twice.

Thanks for your time!

Dominic

 

[JustinStacey.x]

I would if I were in London but alas... Im in the other end of the country.

 

[Dai.]

I think it's nice that someone wants to use the local UK train spotting community to do something like this, it should make us look abit less like 'the weirdos in the anoraks'

May I also suggest you could have a mix of lots of rail enthusiasts in the video? not just one but show different types of people interested in the railways.

 

[Broken Viking]

I must admit that I'm interested in helping Geistbahn out with this one...The only thing though is that I'm not exactly an "Old-School" spotter (Come on, I froth over HSR plastic! ) and I'm about as far in appearance and nature from the oft-stereotyped "train-spotter" as one can get... hock:

I know that my appearance in a 'spotter project would probabally help blow the "anorak" stereotype wide open (I don't wear any form of jacket, even on freezing cold days! ) but at the same time I have a feeling that my presence in such a thing might be completely out of the intended context. :?

What do the rest of ye all think?

 

[Aussie_Rail]

Perhaps portraying train enthusiasts in a positive light, in a light that does not make them look weird, all people see is them being made to look weird, so looking at them in a differernt light might be something to consider and if you want to go global you're more than welcome to come to Australia and I'll give you an exclusive interview here.

 

[geistbahn]

Thanks for replying!

Haha I should have said - although I can travel, there's only so far I can go!

Thanks for your suggestion Dai. If I manage to get more than one person interested I would definately like to do a series of short films. I want to basically make a portrait of the individual through the film, rather than make a film about train spotting, so several different people would be much better.
So, Death, if you did want to give it a go, your appearance wouldn't be a problem. It's more about the time and interest you invest in this than anything else. Let me know what you think!

I'm glad people seem happy with me making this! I hope people will get in touch!

 

[SouthEastern-465]

I am not a big fan of being filmed but all I could recomend is get all the types of us rail fans from those who only like steam and those who only like diesals and the modern day enthusiast or like me a enthusiast who like's all aspects of today's and yesterday's railways.

Anyway When will this film be avalible I would love to see the end result.
Regards

 

[thefab444]

I hope this film does not similar to the one made by some students at Southampton University, which seemed to set out with similar aims that the OP describes, and then turned into a general jibe at enthusiasts, and ends up with the filmmakers (sp) running down a railway line in a blatant act of trespassing. I think it might be on YouTube; it was actually quite amusing and relatively well produced, but did nothing to help the cultural image of enthusiasts.

 

[geistbahn]

Southeastern-465 - the film will take about a week to make after I've filmed someone, I think. Everybody's welcome to watch it if they want! It could be quite long though.

CeliaDrummond - I'm really not trying to take advantage of anyone here. In some ways trainspotting isn't entirely relevent to the film - I've been asking people with variously different hobbies to work with me, as it is more to do with the time spent on something than the activity itself. I would let whoever is filmed watch it afterwards of course, and they would have control over anything they weren't happy about.

I can go into more detail about what exactly I'm looking at with anyone who's interested, but I am being geniunely not trying to distort anything here.