Scotland has had a vibrant and important community cinema movement
since the early days of cinema, with over 100 volunteer groups now
screening films in locations all over the country. This is due in part to the rich
history of film culture and community spirit in Scotland, but also reflects the
need for film screenings in rural and isolated areas. This Scottish edition of
the Cinema For All Starter Pack recognises and celebrates the diversity of
film exhibition that exists in Scotland, whilst focusing on the specific
legislation, licences and legal issues relevant to Scotland.
1.
- all the basics on how to start showing films in the
community, with a particular focus on Scottish legal requirements and venue licensing.
2.
- 3 case studies exploring 3 different types of community exhibitors
operating in different ways throughout Scotland.
3.
- we take a look at what your equipment needs
might be and what could work best for you. You’ll also find recommendations from Cinema For All
members and top tips from Cinema For All Scotland on making any venue cinematic.
The Cinema For All Starter Pack – Scottish Edition is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI Film
Audience Network and we thank them for their support. Read more about Film Hub Scotland later on in
this document.
Cinema For All (formerly known as the British Federation of Film Societies) is the national support and
development organisation for community cinema and film societies in the UK. We exist to support all forms
of volunteer-led cinema – providing help both as you start up and in long term as you maintain your
activities and become sustainable. We offer a range of member services and resources, in addition to
offering much of our advice and support free of charge. To find out more about our wide range of helpful
member benefits, go to: http://cinemaforall.org.uk/membership/
Cinema For All is at the heart of UK community exhibition, meaning that we can help you share your
experiences, bring you together with others in the same situation and with the same goals, and maintain a
network of support that strengthens communities all around the country.
Our national office is based in Sheffield, but a dedicated team of volunteers, Cinema For All Scotland, are
able to deliver advice, support and occasional preview screenings, much closer to home. You can read more
about Cinema For All Scotland later on in this document.
We recommend you start your journey by visiting our website and browsing our many online resources,
case studies and recommendations: http://cinemaforall.org.uk/advice/ . As you go through the
information, make notes of anything you’re unsure about or would like further information on, then give us
a call on 0114 2210314 or email [email protected] for more bespoke advice and support.
: Scottish exhibitors were historically
‘A significant number of our members
among the first to embrace the term ‘community
live alone and have said they love going
cinema’ to describe volunteer-led screenings. These
to see films but would not go to the
organisations play an important role in their
cinema alone. At Colinsburgh however
communities by bringing people together socially and
they are guaranteed to meet friends.’
recreationally. They offer excellent places to meet
Peter Marshall, Colinsburgh Community
new people and learn about new things.
Cinema
Community cinemas offer the possibility of
bringing world cinema, classics and new releases to
audiences. As well as engaging with local filmmaking
and Scottish heritage they also engage with audience choice by offering the opportunity for the
audience to have a say in what is shown.
Some community cinemas operate in cities and towns, where many types of films
are readily available, whilst others operate in rural areas. 42 % of community exhibitors in the UK
operate in rural areas, compared to only 3% of commercial screens. In these areas of the country,
going to a volunteer-led cinema is the only way to see film with an audience.
When starting to screen films publicly, there are a number of licences that you’ll need to have in place:
Scottish exhibitors will need to take
into consideration the Cinemas Act 1985 (which no longer
applies in England and Wales). Under this act any venue
showing films will need to apply for an annual Cinemas
Licence, which you can obtain from your local council. The
act originates from the Cinematograph Act 1909, which
was put in place to ensure fire safety in venues when
showing films due to the inflammable nature of celluloid.
The current Cinemas Act 1985 has developed over the
years to target issues of censorship and certification. It can
be read in full here:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/13.
Scotland is home to the incomparable
Screen Machine – Britain’s only mobile
cinema – which serves the Highlands
and Islands. The Screen Machine is a
state of the art digital cinema inside a
35 tonne articulated lorry. It tours
more than 30 communities in the
Highlands and Western Islands offering
people the chance to see current
cinema releases together as a
community.
The price and conditions of this licence vary depending on
your local council. There are a few exemptions, including running as a not-for-profit group, as long as your
organisation is judged to be ‘giving films to the public’. You may also be exempt if you show less than 6
films throughout the year. We recommend speaking to your local licencing officer in all cases.
Many community venues will already have a Premises Licence (sometimes known as
an Entertainment Licence). If not, you may apply for one from your local council. In many cases a premises
licence may be free for not-for-profit organisations, however it is still vital that you have one in place.
Applications will need to include: a detailed plan of the premises, a planning certificate, building standards
certificate, and, if food is to be sold, a food hygiene certificate and an operating plan. The fees are
dependent on the rateable value of the premises. Failure to have a Premises Licence can result in
prosecution.
No matter what kind of film screening organisation you plan to run, if you are going to
show a film to an audience you must have a licence from the distributor who owns the rights to show the
film. In practice this means hiring a copy of the film from the distributor, or their agent, on terms that
include payment for the licence. Films can be hired this way on DCP (digital cinema), DVD, Blu-ray and
occasionally on 35mm film. Downloads may be available in the near future.
In general, community cinemas have the choice of two ways of screening films:
a non-commercial single title licence allows members of the screening organisation only to attend
the film screening. Usually this licence does not allow tickets to be paid for in advance or on the
door, or permit any advertising of the film screening outside of the membership scheme.
OR
a commercial single title licence allows members and the general public to attend the film
screening. Payment can either be taken in advance of the screening or on the door. This licence
allows you to freely advertise films screened under it.
Non-commercial licences may be funded by audience member subscriptions collected at the start of each
season or year. Films are hired on a flat rate basis (around £85-£120), and less paperwork is involved as
there is no need to file box office returns.
Commercial licences are paid for by a percentage (usually 35%) of the total ticket income OR a minimum
amount - the ‘minimum guarantee’ (ranging from £85-£120 for DVD hire) - whichever is the greater. The
amount paid is dependent on the size of the audience. After a screening using this licence type you will be
required to complete a ‘return’ to the distributor that reports how many people attended and ticket
income generated.
Cinema For All strongly recommends that you book and confirm your films from the rights-holders before
you begin to publicise them. This will require a bit of preparation, but is much preferable to being stuck
without a film at the last minute due to lack of availability. Remember, not all films will be available and
sometimes you’ll need to do some research to track down the films you wish to screen. For more
information on sourcing films and how to contact rightholders, go to:
http://cinemaforall.org.uk/advice/programming/.
Does your venue have a performing rights licence to cover music? A PRS
licence is needed when showing films to cover the copyright of the soundtrack of the film (this is in addition
to the film licence). In Scotland, advice and information is available from the MCPS Scotland Office. Contact
Duncan McCrone [email protected], 0141 333 1158, 3 St George's Studios, 93-97 St
George's Road, Glasgow, G3 6JA.
In the initial stages of setting up your community cinema, your biggest expense will certainly be your
equipment. To find out more about what sort of equipment you’ll need, as well as some top tips, take a
look at the equipment document in this starter pack. To begin with, it is a good idea to look into borrowing
equipment – either from an existing nearby group, a helpful local business, or by contacting Cinema For All
Scotland (see below). However, if you are planning on screening on a fairly regular basis it is important to
make fundraising an early priority, so that you can buy your own equipment, or hire better quality kit.
Fundraising will also help to cover upcoming marketing and publicity costs, and you may also wish to raise
funds towards projects aimed at specific groups within your community, or to put on special events or
festivals.
1. Check whether the BFI or Film Hub
Shortly after receiving a commendation in the Best
Scotland are operating any funding
New Film Society category at the 2011 Film Society of
schemes that you may be able to apply
the Year Awards, Moorflix Community Cinema in
Moorfoot received funding from several different
to. See below for more information on
avenues. These included Awards For All Scotland, the
Film Hub Scotland. Organisations that
Royal Bank of Scotland, the Scottish Community
have been running for 6 months may be
Foundation and their local community council. This
eligible for the upcoming BFI
funding allowed them not only to purchase their own
equipment, but also an extra back up set which they
Neighbourhood Cinema Equipment
used to extend the breadth of their activities across
Fund.
the community.
2. Look into Creative Scotland’s funding for
public engagement and arts.
3. Make an application to the Big Lottery
Fund, or Awards for All Scotland.
4. Speak to your local council to find whether there are any local/civic funds to which you can apply.
5. Keep your eye out for the re-opening of The Scottish Government’s People and Communities Fund,
which aims to help develop local communities and improve standards of living. Community
Cinemas that have expressly set up with social regeneration aims are advised to consider this fund.
6. Look to local businesses for sponsorship – could you run an advert before your film screenings, or
run some promotions via social media?
When making a funding application, preparation is key. Putting together
a business plan, or having a constitution can make a big difference in terms of which funds you can apply
for. If you don’t have a constitution, contact Cinema For All and we will send you a suggested template. Be
sure to collect evidence of all your activities - survey your potential audience, take pictures of your
screenings, put together budgets, collate audience testimonials and audience reaction scores. A little work
here will go a long way.
There are several different ways of approaching programming, and each community cinema will have their
own way of working. Generally, final decisions are often made by a small committee but there are ways of
taking a more collaborative approach with your audience, such as taking film suggestions, or allowing your
audience to take a vote on certain selections. Read more about Programming and Audience Development.
In order to be fully equipped to programme a whole diverse season there are several resources in Scotland
that you, your committee and your audience can use in order to broaden and develop your programme.
There are many exciting and innovative film festivals that screen films throughout Scotland.
Attending a festival is a fantastic experience for a programmer, though cost and location may sometimes
make this difficult. Alternatively, many festivals have extensive websites which can help you to see what
has been programmed – a very useful resource. Some may even allow you to request a paper catalogue,
which may include filmmaker contact details and other useful information.
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is an internationally renowned film festival known for
its strong programme and exclusive previews, including Little Miss Sunshine in 2006 and 35 Shots of
Rum in 2009. 2014’s festival included a variety of different strands delving into various areas of
world cinema alongside strands of experimental film.
Glasgow Film Festival hosts several UK premieres and takes place at Glasgow Film Theatre. In a
similar style to EIFF, the festival programmes via strands, which in 2014 included FrightFest,
Eurovisions and Great Scots. Glasgow Film Festival also co-curates the Youth Film Festival which is
programmed by 15-17 year olds.
Other film festivals in Scotland include Cromarty Film Festival, the artist’s film festival Alchemy Film
and Moving Image Festival, the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema and the Africa in Motion Film
Festival.
: Showing short films before a feature
Heartland Film Society in Aberfeldy supports the
can add context and diversity to your programme.
Palme Dewar short film competition as part of
Again, festival websites and brochures are a helpful
the Aberfeldy Film Festival. The competition has
been running since 2008 and is a platform for
resource, but many community cinemas are
local Scottish filmmakers.
increasingly sourcing short films through Vimeo and
social media, which allows you to approach
filmmakers directly. Cinema For All also offers a
selection of award-winning shorts. For more information go to:
http://cinemaforall.org.uk/advice/programming/short-films/
Archive material can be a great addition to your programme, adding a sense of local interest
and community. It also offers a great way of introducing film education into your programming.
The Scottish Screen Archive is Scotland’s collection of over 100 years of recorded film history. The
archive was recently used to make A Century in Film: From Scotland with Love, by Virginia Heath
(recently shown on the BBC). To enquire about the use of archive collections contact
[email protected] or phone 0845 366 4600.
In 2013 a brand new BFI Mediatheque was launched in Glasgow at the Bridgeton Library. The
Mediatheque is a free resource allowing visitors to view a selection of films from the BFI National
Archive. The Mediatheque houses material ranging from archive footage of Scottish streets, to
political television drama and big screen classics such as Ealing comedy Whisky Galore!, The Wicker
Man and Danny Boyle’s first film Shallow Grave.
The Cinema For All Booking Scheme is a film distribution
and licence service designed specifically for the needs of film societies and community cinemas.
Our catalogue of over 850 titles from more than 40 distributors, producers and filmmakers is made
up of an eclectic mix of world cinema, classic films, independent and crossover titles spanning from
the beginning of cinema right up to the latest releases.
Available to Cinema For All Members and Associates, the Booking Scheme offers the cheapest film
licences around, at just £85 per screening, with no VAT or postal charges. Our full catalogue of films
can be found at: http://cinemaforall.org.uk/booking-scheme/.
Part of the BFI’s Film
Filmed in Glasgow,
Audience Network, Film Hub Scotland is one of
Deathwatch (1981) takes place in a near future
nine Hubs set up across the UK to extend film
society where dramatic improvements in medicine
choice, increase and broaden film audiences, and
have cured nearly all fatal diseases. The rarity of
enhance opportunities for audiences to engage
terminal illness makes Katherine's diagnosis with a
with and learn about film. It is free to join and
fatal disease a subject of mass interest. A TV exec,
hub members are provided with a range of
who argues that her death is in ‘the national
funding opportunities, screening programmes,
interest', convinces a cameraman (Harvey Keitel) to
training and networking events and audience
undergo a procedure to insert cameras in his eyes
so that he can film Katherine without her
research, thereby helping Scotland’s exhibitors
knowledge. Deathwatch is available from the
reach as many new and existing audiences as
Cinema For All Booking Scheme and was
possible. Find out more about how to become a
programmed as part of the BFI Sci-Fi season.
member here:
www.filmhubscotland.com
Cinema For All
Scotland is run by a team of volunteers who
either run, or have in the past ran their own
community cinema. They are able to provide on the ground advice and support and can give
recommendations based on their many collective years of experience. They may, in some limited
cases, be able to offer equipment loans, but this is based on availability and location.
Regional Screen Scotland is the national agency for the
development of cinema infrastructure across Scotland - in particular under-provided areas. It
operates at various levels providing information, advice and assistance; it is responsive and can
refer clients to specialist sources of advice; it collects and provides information and statistics and it
advocates at all levels about cinema provision and areas of need. Get in touch with them at
http://www.regionalscreenscotland.org/
Starting your own community cinema or film society can be an exciting and rewarding experience. We wish
you the best of luck - with the right preparation and support you are sure to join the many others who have
set up and sustained a successful community cinema in Scotland and the rest of the UK. Please read
through our other start up documents and resources at www.cinemaforall.org.uk and remember that
Cinema For All is here to support you all the way through your life as a film society or community cinema,
so don’t hesitate to get in touch by phone: 0114 2210314 or by email: [email protected]
Equipment can often seem like the biggest obstacle when it comes to
showing films in your local community, with issues such as cost, knowing
what you need and knowing how to operate it being some of the first things
you’ll need to consider. In this part of the Cinema For All Starter Pack –
Scottish Edition, we look at all the basics you’ll need to get started,
including a list of what you’ll need, how to deal with unexpected issues on
the day, what tools you’ll need and where you can buy/ hire from. We’ve
also included some advice on how to make a venue cinematic from Neil
Chue Hong, Chair of Cinema For All Scotland, as well recommendations from some of our Scottish
members.
For full advice on where to start when thinking about equipment please refer to the Cinema for All
equipment start up pack.
Equipment can be an expensive and overwhelming element of showing films in your local community.
However, in order to ensure audience satisfaction and consistency of projection it’s important to have
reliable equipment that will screen films to a cinematic standard. Whether you are high or low on funds
there are some items you should always make sure you have.
When showing films in a community cinema or film society, there are 6 essential pieces of equipment you
will need:
1. PROJECTOR: Most projectors are now digital. Almost all projectors can work in most circumstances,
however if operating in a particularly bright environment a higher brightness level (lumens) can
help.
2. PLAYER: Sometimes referred to as film transport. Most community cinemas and film societies
currently use a DVD/ Blu-ray player or use a computer. Some groups are able to screen using 35mm
or have upgraded to DCP projection, however this can be very expensive if your venue doesn’t
already have these facilities.
3. SCREEN: In more permanent venues this can be mounted. Screens average in size between 12’ and
16’ (measured diagonally). Standard screens are usually white, but you can also get glass and
silvered. Silvered screens are required for most 3D systems.
4. SOUND SYSTEM: A sound system contains a processor and an amplifier. In many cases these will be
combined and most venues are likely to have a sound system in place, however if not many home
cinema processors are sufficient for small venues.
5. SPEAKERS: A 3 speaker set-up - a centre speaker and identical left and right speakers – is usually
fine for most venues. Larger venues may require more, or you may wish to consider surround
sound if you plan to show a lot of action films or films with a lot of sound effects. Speakers used for
music/discos are usually just as appropriate for film screenings, however, be wary of mini speakers
and speakers designed for home cinemas.
6. CABLES: You will need cables for power, video, audio and network. When budgeting, remember to
bear in mind that good cables will cost around 10% of the overall cost of equipment, and are
essential. It’s also important to think about the distance between your equipment and that the
longer cables are the more difficult they are to manage. Don’t forget to label both ends of a cable,
as it might not always be the same person setting up. If there are quite a lot of cables running
through the venue having thicker, well insulated cables can reduce interference.
The lighting in your venue can greatly affect the quality of your presentation. By
making sure that there is darkness at the front once the film starts, you will improve the projection.
Keeping the area around the screen dark will also make it easier to focus on the image. You can do this with
masking (cotton masking is fine as long as it is fireproofed by your local fire services). To generally increase
darkness in your venue it may also be worth investing in some light cancelling blinds for any windows that
let light in. Bear this in mind when choosing your venue – a room with lots of large windows will present a
challenge on light summer evenings.
- Having control of the lights in the room can also be useful. A
light on the screen and light on the audience before the screening can help create a cinematic feel. Lights
that can be dimmed are also useful here.
Making an effort to not show the DVD menus will make a big difference. To
do this you can either use the projector’s blanking function, the player’s pausing function or even by just
putting a piece of cardboard in front of the projector. If you invest in a computer, you can switch between
sources more seamlessly. If you have a dedicated switcher box this will allow you to play music and have
images on screen before the film starts. Think about advertising upcoming films, local businesses or other
similar events.
- When considering your venue, accessibility is very important. Is there enough room in the
aisles and are the seats comfortable? Can people get to the exit/toilet without disrupting the screening?
Have you thought about access for people with disabilities? It’s very important to make sure your audience
is both comfortable and safe.
Things to remember and ask yourself before the screening:
How does the screen look to the audience? Try to make sure the DVD menu is hidden.
How does the film start? When does sound/image come in? When is the first speech? Make sure
you know these points so you can check the sound levels.
If showing a foreign language film do you know where the subtitles appear? Are they on screen,
visible to everyone, or have they slipped off the bottom?
When should the house lights be on/dimmed/off/raised?
What order are you playing pre-film material/ shorts? Make a running order for your projectionist.
Do you have announcements to make before the film? Does your projectionist know?
Keep in communication with your staff/volunteers. Make sure everyone knows where to be and
what to do.
If there is a technical problem during a screening try to keep calm and:
Try to remember the last thing you did
Work backwards from end output
Try one thing at a time, swap one thing at a time
Most things do not catastrophically fail, apart from bulbs and fuses
Other things will have failed for a reason
Wear and tear on cables
Accidentally pulling something out / switching something off
Things to keep to hand in case something goes wrong:
Gaffer tape
Spare projector bulb
Spare fuses
A ‘kettle lead’ power cable and a ‘figure 8’ power cable and an extension lead
Three phono / RCA cables + a couple of couplers
A headphone to twin RCA cable
A craft knife
A Phillips screwdriver
Air in a can / airblower
Spare batteries for remotes
When starting out most groups look into borrowing a set of equipment for their initial screenings. This can
either be done through Cinema For All’s equipment hire scheme, finding other local groups who will share
their equipment with you, or borrowing from a local audio-visual equipment seller or hire firm. As well as
learning what you need from your own test screenings, finding out about other people’s experiences with
sellers and equipment in these situations can be invaluable. With that in mind, below are some top tips
from our members in Scotland:
Neil Chue Hong: ‘My current picks for projectors include the Sanyo PLC XT series which are 3 chip LC. They
have good lens options and are very robust and good for temporary venue projection. However, they have
poorer blacks and contrast than DLP projectors, and are only available second hand now. Another popular
series right now is the Panasonic PT-D series. These are DLP projectors which have a good lens options, a
good range to suit different budgets and what’s more a great warranty.’
Ron Currie: ‘We used AVCOM when we purchased our equipment and they were really helpful. Before we
were able to buy, Cinema For All Scotland had a supply of equipment which we were able to borrow. This
really helped us get on our feet.’
:
Mark Jenkins: ‘Stromness Town Hall installed everything before my time, but I advised on the projector they
purchased: http://www.projectorcentral.com/Christie-LWU505.htm
We have been very happy with that for our purposes, and it's well advised to keep a track on lamp life (and
always have a spare which is an extra £200) and also to take out some kind of warranty with Christie. We
had a problem and they replaced the projector straight away while fixing it.
One major change in our equipment since starting has been that we stopped using the installed Blu-ray
player because the presentation was awful, seeing all the menus on screen. We purchased a laptop with a
Blu-ray drive, which included a lovely free bit of software called ‘display fusion’, which allows you to work on
your laptop window and when ready pop it over to the cinema screen, to give a seamless and menu free
presentation.’
Peter Marshall: ‘Before winning the Filmbank Audience Award at the Cinema For All Film Society of the Year
Awards 2012, we used to use a Draper Fastfold 16 ft screen. Since winning we upgraded to a Draper
Evenroll 18ft screen. As it is a permanent installation and manually operated the screen is now much easier
to set up.
For sound it is best to choose what fits your budget and needs. Surround sound in a hard hall is often a bad
idea as it causes sonic confusion and you lose dialogue. We use 5 speakers - 3 at the front and two half way
down the hall. All the speakers are angled so that the sound hits the audience. We were lent a new L1
system by Bose. It is compact and very good (however a bit expensive) but for a group starting out might be
worth checking out. They have a representative who tours Scotland.’
Ian Hyslop: ‘We did a lot of research for our kit, which is all fully portable but involved many different
retailers depending on prices. This has resulted in us having 3 easily moveable flight cases on wheels and
handles that fit our Blu-ray players, switching boxes and amplifiers all wired up with power. We have a fixed
electric screen and 2 portable screens, 5 speaker surround and subwoofer and one crate with all the cables.
It takes about 20 minutes to fully setup in a hall. Below is a list of our suppliers’:
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
Portable screens: avcom.co.uk
Projectors: Purple-Cat.co.uk
Preview Monitor: Lilliputuk.com
Speakers, Sub and Stands: dv247.com
Portable cases: Casemarket.co.uk
Case drawers and fittings: Swanflight.com
Speaker connectors: canford.co.uk
Projector Stand and Custom Cases: chaseav.co.uk
Projector Case Padded: waterproof-cases.co.uk
Amp, Blu-Ray players and various cables: amazon.co.uk
In 2012, Orkney resident Mark Jenkins was tasked with looking into
developing a film festival for locals, with support from Orkney Islands
Council and Visit Orkney. General feedback that Mark received over the next
year was that there wasn't really a local appetite for a temporary film event
- without a local core audience and local support, any film festival would
struggle to survive and ultimately fail. As a response, Mark decided to develop a permanent community
cinema as a way of building that local audience and creating an appetite for film across Orkney.
Stromness Town Hall, a converted church, had recently undergone a major refurbishment and so was
judged to be the perfect venue. An enthusiastic committee of 10 people came together under the name of
West Side Cinema (a reference to West Side Story) with the constitutional aims of enabling and
encouraging access to a broad range of film experience in Orkney and to promote understanding and
creative discourse in Orkney in relation to film, on a not for profit basis. A now slighter smaller committee
work together to facilitate all aspects of West Side Cinema’s programme.
Initially, the organisers of West Side Cinema hoped to create a space in which audience members could
freely discuss their thoughts on a film and inspire each other, but it was believed this would be difficult to
do in the usual cinema set up. While traditional tiered seating may offer a comfortable viewing experience,
West Side found it to be restrictive when it came to the social side of cinema. With this in mind, the
committee settled on a cabaret style, round table, candle-lit set up - creating an intimate environment
which encourages interaction between audience members and allows easy exchange and conversation
once the film ends. Where possible, tables are also dressed with objects that have a link to the film. For
instance, the tables for Berberian Sound Studio were each decorated with a different object used by a foley
artist to create a sound. Sushi samples were made to accompany a screening of Jiro Dreams Of Sushi, but
the amount of other sushi brought in by the audience resulted in a shared feast. The organisers have found
that the sharing of food and drink encourages communication between audience members, and helps
create a convivial atmosphere. Feedback from informal conversations between audience members plays an
important part in planning for future programmes and other events. These are supplemented by the use of
West Side’s ‘ping-pong-o-meter’ – an audience reaction system in which audience members are invited to
put a ping-pong ball into one of five baskets, depending on how strongly they liked or disliked the film they
have seen. This simple act encourages further discussion (and sometimes argument!) on the night and gives
an instant impression of how particular screenings have been received.
A bold and vibrant logo was designed and is used on all print and online publicity. It is projected onto the
cinema screen before and after the trailers, and is accompanied by a jingle, which helps to instil a sense of
ownership in the audience – this is their cinema. Posters appear each fortnight in a wide range of venues,
and are put together by a designer who provides support on a voluntary basis.
To celebrate a year of operation, and to promote the autumn/winter programme, a 'best of' West Side
Cinema trailer was made to remind the audience how far the cinema has come in such a short time.
A free to use WordPress website was created, showing upcoming films, links to film festivals and previously
screened short films. A Facebook page was also created to deliver more instant and up to date news.
Screenings are also regularly mentioned on the daily BBC Radio Orkney 'What's On' feature. West Side
Cinema recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Ian Sellar film Venus Peter, which was filmed on
location in Orkney. The screening was widely publicised in the weeks leading up to the event - a half page
article appeared in The Orcadian, and an interview with director Ian Sellar featured on Radio Orkney.
When programming, West Side Cinema try to offer alternative content to the mainstream Phoenix Cinema,
the Phoenix Fringe (both 17 miles away), the Screen in the Square (30 miles away) and the Gable End
Theatre in Hoy (another island) and where possible offer complimentary content. During the
autumn/winter season films are programmed fortnightly, dropping to monthly screenings during May to
September when many other events and festivals take place in Orkney. During these spring/summer
months, an effort is made to programme in collaboration with local festivals and events.
Short films are shown with every feature film. These are largely sourced from the video hosting website
Vimeo, which allows the organisers to contact directors directly for permission to screen, which is generally
granted free-of-charge in recognition of the group’s not-for-profit aims. The short film supporting
programme has become an integral part of the cinema, and has even been occasionally extended into
whole evening programmes of only shorts, which prove to be very popular.
West Side Cinema is constantly looking for ways to extend and improve what is offered to audiences in
Orkney. Their commitment to education is influencing much of their future activities, including offering
eight participants a free two day screenwriting workshop run by director Ian Sellar. Their plans for the
future include making more connections with local film societies, hosting an archaeological film weekend,
looking into hosting a film equipment loan system, holding a short film competition and, now that Orkney
residents have a real appetite for film, looking back at that film festival idea that started it all.
Edinburgh Film Guild is one of the world’s oldest film societies, having
started screening films in 1930. The Guild continued and expanded on the
work of the first UK film society – the London Film Society - after it
disbanded in 1939, and was very important in the early development of film
societies.
Rather than focusing purely on the avant-garde, as some of the very early societies did, the Guild has
always strived to engage with the widest variety of film from different cultures and genres. EFG furthered
this engagement by establishing the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 1947 and since 2005 has
hosted the bi-annual Edinburgh International Film Audiences Conference.
For their 2012-13 season, running from late September 2012 through to April 2013, the Edinburgh Film
Guild showed over 100 films. Besides the seasonal screenings at Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day,
the films were grouped into 16 seasons. Each of these comprised six screenings of films linked by country,
time-period, genre, director, performer or theme. The 16 seasons comprised both traditional film culture,
such as Film Noir in France and the USA, or Silent Soviet Cinema, and a programme of more esoteric cult
cinema, such as British Exploitation Films of the 1970s.
Screenings take place four times per week - on Sunday afternoon and evening, and on Wednesday and
Friday evenings. Using their knowledge of film society audiences built up over the past 85 years, and taking
into account the breadth of film choice already available to Edinburgh audiences, the Guild present very
specialised films with the aim to challenge.
Audience feedback is taken both formally, via a reaction index, and informally, via post-film discussion. EFG
believe that taking a risk with an unusual season will often pay off if you pay close attention to the quality
of the actual titles you pick as part of that season.
EFG host a number of film education courses, both in conjunction with Edinburgh University’s Office of
Lifelong Learning and also independently. In the past these courses have included the Western in the
context of the Cold War; the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock; Nazi cinema; and the crime film in international
perspective. The Guild also provides extensive programme notes for each screening, all of which can be
read online.
To celebrate its 2014 season, EFG introduced a ‘New Cinema’ strand, focussing on unearthing films from
new filmmakers that are truly independent and experimental. 84 years after setting up to bring unique film
to the people of Edinburgh, the Guild continue to take programming risks and seek out the kind of films
that have long defined the film society movement. Read their passionate manifesto.
Winners of the 2013 Jim Dempster Award for Innovation, Pix in the Stix is
made up of a very special group of volunteers. Through collaboration with
nearby communities they managed to help set up and develop a new
community cinema on the island of Lismore, jointly run a film festival and
even make a documentary about it.
Pix in the Stix is a community cinema in East Linton and Tyninghame, two small villages in East Lothian.
After acquiring lottery funding they purchased fully mobile cinema equipment to enable them to bring film
to their small community. The nearest cinema is 30 miles away in Edinburgh.
The Isle of Lismore is 3-4 hours away from East Lothian by car, plus a further 45 minute ferry crossing.
There are about 790 islands in Scotland, of which 130 are inhabited, and only 62 exceed 3 square miles.
Lismore has 160 inhabitants who live on 9 square miles of land just off the west coast from Oban. They
have 11 children. A trip to their nearest cinema would involve a ferry crossing to Oban of 45 minutes. A
small group on the island were very keen to start a community cinema as there had been no film on the
island for over 40 years. Pix in the Stix’s link with Lismore came via family connections on the island. The
Lismore community, knowing how successful Pix in the Stix had been when they set up a community
cinema, asked for help to get started. The developing organisation soon became known as the ‘Lismore
Lumiere.’
A plan was formulated to have a film festival on the isle of Lismore run over a 4-day long weekend. Pix in
the Stix would bring Cinema For All equipment on loan, run workshops on setting up and using the
equipment, the joint teams would show a whole host of films and a film would be made about the whole
process. Regional Screen Scotland also offered support in the form of a grant to support the festival.
The volunteers who formed Lismore Lumiere were responsible for choosing the films for the festival,
setting up the programme and planning the film events (hall, food, drink, tickets and so on). Pix in the Stix
supported by sending 10 volunteers to the island to set up the equipment and run workshops. As the
weekend progressed, the responsibility of setting up the equipment was handed over to Lismore Lumiere.
In order to make a documentary film to record the creation of the Lismore Lumiere, Pix in the Stix called
upon the expertise of The Film Bridge Ltd, a Leeds based business run by John Edmonds and Stephen Hay,
university lecturers who also have a passion for bringing film and education together.
Together, Pix in the Stix, the Lismore Lumiere and The Film Bridge planned the documentary, which
included interviews with people from Pix in the Stix, the Lismore Lumiere and members of the Lismore
community. John and Stephen edited the film on their return to the studio and the result was a 16 minute
documentary entitled Are There Pixies on Lismore?
A total of ten films were shown during the festival (1st – 4th June 2012). The programme included
blockbusters, children’s films, classics and even a short documentary about the history of the Lismore
Sailing Smacks – an eye opener for non-islanders and a great trip down memory lane for the older
islanders.
The premiere of Are There Pixies on Lismore? was set up as a ‘red carpet’ event, with the proceeds going to
‘Sunshine & Smiles’ a group set up for children with Downs Syndrome and their families. People were
invited from local schools and businesses, community groups and others in the community. The premiere
was a chance to thank those involved and raise the profile of the new community cinema but also to
demonstrate and inspire others with the documentary.
Lismore Lumiere has continued to thrive and has shown films every month since the festival.