Club nights are held on Wednesday, usually the first of the month (except July & August).
Meetings start promptly at 7pm and finish at 10pm.
Here are the dates for this year’s meetings – Please put them in your diary so you don’t miss out!
January 14, 2026
February 4, 2026
Run by: Steve or Ian
We’ll be shooting short vertical videos (Facebook Reels format) that act as fun “spoof ads” for the club. Come along with your camera or smartphone and plenty of creative ideas. These clips will be used to promote SMM on social media.
March 4, 2026
Run by: Chris
A hands-on training session covering CapCut on both mobile and desktop. We’ll concentrate on achieving smooth in-camera transitions and adding effects — great for taking your phone footage to the next level.
April 8, 2026
Run by: Rob
Each participant draws a constraint card (handheld, tripod, wide-angle only, etc.) and then shoots the same 30-second script under those conditions. A great exercise in how technique changes the feel of a scene.
May 6, 2026
Run by: Chris
Learn how to achieve impressive visual effects without any post-production tricks by using clever in-camera moves: whip-pans, speed-ramps, match-cuts, and more. We’ll then pull everything together in CapCut to see how far you can push it.
June 3, 2026
Run by: Rob
The club splits into two teams. Team A shoots a short narrative film; Team B shadows them and creates a behind-the-scenes documentary. Both films are screened and compared at the end of the evening.
August 5, 2026
We head out to the Old Portsmouth area and Fish Dock to capture footage for a Solent Movie Makers promotional video. Bring your camera, good footwear, and your creative eye. Full details (meeting point, timings) to follow closer to the date.
September 2, 2026
Run by: Roger
A classic club challenge: pick a memorable 30-second scene from cinema history and recreate it — same framing, same blocking, same energy. Results are screened and compared side-by-side with the original. Always a fun evening!
October 7, 2026
A guided walkthrough of DaVinci Resolve — the industry-standard colour grading and editing platform. Whether you’re a complete beginner or already familiar with Premiere or Final Cut, come along and see what Resolve can do.
November 4, 2026
An evening dedicated to pre-production skills: how to write a clear script and translate it into a storyboard your whole crew can follow.
Deadline reminder: all films to be screened at the December Open Evening must be handed in by the end of this session.
December 2, 2026
Our flagship event of the year! We open the doors to family, friends, and anyone curious about the club. The evening features a screening of the films made throughout 2026, live demonstrations, and plenty of opportunity to chat with members.
New members and guests are very welcome.
Stuart Hillier • Howard Blake • Roger Brenton (Secretary) • Rob Malbon • Ian Marriott (Treasurer)