Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Lottery funds mobile cinema plan

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 03-08-2004, 06:16 AM:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3542181.stm

Lottery funds mobile cinema plan

Mobile cinemas increase access for rural communities
Film fans in rural areas will be able to see the latest releases thanks to a new scheme to fund hundreds of mobile cinemas with National Lottery money.
The Lottery fund has given £500,000 to the initiative. Successful applicants will receive up to £5,000 to spend on portable digital film equipment.

"The quality is as good as you would get in the Odeon Leicester Square," said a UK Film Council spokesman.

There are already more than 200 film clubs and societies in the UK.

The equipment includes surround sound - all the clubs will need is a bare wall to project the film against , said the spokesman.

The Film Council wants the initiative to lead to more film clubs.

Choice

"Film is a uniquely powerful medium which informs, entertains and inspires, and we want to ensure that the widest range of cinema is accessible to all sections of the community," said Pete Buckingham, head of distribution and exhibition for the UK Film Council.

"Film clubs, societies and mobile cinemas often provide audiences with much-needed film choice, particularly in rural areas where there might not be an accessible local cinema," he added.

Mr Buckingham said the fund recognised how important such groups were in ensuring that films are accessible to all.

The largest number of cinema admissions last year came from London, with 43.8 million visits to the cinema last year.

In contrast, Cumbria and southern Scotland had just 1.6 million, and northern Scotland 3.4 million.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-08-2004, 09:34 AM:

quote:
The Lottery fund has given £500,000 to the initiative. Successful applicants will receive up to £5,000 to spend on portable digital film equipment.

"The quality is as good as you would get in the Odeon Leicester Square," said a UK Film Council spokesman.

Forget Martha Stewart, who is paying these Film Council people off, how much and how do I get some?

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 03-08-2004, 02:32 PM:

I for one and getting rather tired of hearing this line from thenm. They are the FILM council after all!

Posted by Mark Hajducki (Member # 1732) on 03-09-2004, 07:33 AM:

£5,000 will not get you an incrediable projection system, probably using DVD as the source medium. (There is still not a huge range of films licenced for non-theatrical DVD showing in the UK although the range is expanding).

On a more positive note for rural mobile cinema, a new Screen Machine touring cinema is being built. If it is similar to the current one it will include 35mm film projection.
http://www.hi-arts.co.uk/screenmachine2-news.htm

quote:

In contrast, Cumbria and southern Scotland had just 1.6 million, and northern Scotland 3.4 million.

I think they have got the north and the south mistaken given there are more commerical cinema screens in Edinburgh than the whole of Northen Scotland.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 03-09-2004, 08:49 AM:

quote:
£5,000 will not get you an incrediable projection system, probably using DVD as the source medium.

That's exactly what they're talking about - the portable kit touring the rural parts of Northumberland and Co. Durham consists of a DVD player, LCD video projector, a PA in flight cases and a screen. In other words, we're talking about the 2000s equivalent of a portable 16mm projector in a church hall.

That's absolutely fine for this sort of project/venue, where video projection is now the only viable option for any sort of cinema at all. I've got no problem with that at all - but I do start seeing red when the Film Council's technical illiterati (i) start spouting BS about how these setups match the picture and sound quality of that in the Odeon Leicester Square, and (ii) blow £160k a time putting 1.3k DLP projectors in permanent cinemas, from which the picture looks shite (in relation to the price bracket), with which there are hardly any 'films' to show, which will be obsolete in a few months time and which are therefore a complete waste of taxpayers' cash.

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 03-09-2004, 02:09 PM:

Seconded!