UK Film Council pilots new digital equipment to bring cinema to rural regions
The UK Film Council is launching a new pilot scheme that will bring the latest digital cinema equipment to rural areas to give more film fans in remote communities the chance to enjoy the communal experience of cinema.
LONDON – Monday 6 July 2009: The UK Film Council is launching a new pilot scheme that will bring the latest digital cinema equipment to rural areas to give more film fans in remote communities the chance to enjoy the communal experience of cinema.
The UK Film Council has allocated £1.2 million of Lottery funding to a new Rural Cinema Pilot Scheme, which will run in three areas: North Yorkshire; Shropshire; and Wiltshire and the neigbouring Test Valley authority.* The pilot is part of the UK Film Council's ongoing work to give more UK filmgoers better access to cinema.
UK Film Council research has shown that the biggest challenges facing rural cinema operators today are access to new releases and quality of presentation. Many exhibitors use DVD-based equipment and are often unable to screen a newly released film until 12-16 weeks after the film's cinema release, or when the DVD becomes available to buy. Limited access to equipment of a high standard can also mean that when a film is available, rural communities are unable to enjoy the same quality of sound and image presentation available to audiences in urban areas.
The Rural Cinema Pilot Scheme will pilot high standard digital projection equipment that can deliver screenings to venues across the three areas, giving rural audiences the chance to enjoy a modern digital cinema experience. The advanced equipment will also enable extra features such as screenings of 3D films and live satellite events, such as opera, theatre and sport, beamed across the UK.
From today, applications are invited from consortia of rural cinema operators in each region to run the pilot scheme and operate the digital projection equipment in non-traditional venues across the region, such as village and town halls, arts centres and other community spaces. The consortia can be made up of a wide range of local organisations, such as film societies, independent, community and mobile cinemas, and other arts bodies.
Pete Buckingham, Head of the UK Film Council's Distribution and Exhibition Fund, said: "More people in the UK are going to the cinema than ever before, with admissions at a record high and the box office booming. But at the UK Film Council we know there are rural regions where large numbers of people are unable to enjoy films in a communal environment without travelling long distances to towns or cities. This new pilot scheme will bring a top quality cinema experience to the three pilot areas, so that people can enjoy the wide range of films on offer in urban areas, right on their doorstep."
The pilot scheme will run for three years, and the findings will aid plans for any future national scheme.
This latest initiative builds on the UK Film Council's previous work to give more people in the UK the opportunity to enjoy film, including the world's first Digital Screen Network, cinema access and capital funding schemes, and film distribution funding.
Applications can be submitted from Monday 6 July 2009, and the deadline is Monday 10 August 2009.
For more information about the Rural Cinema Pilot Scheme, visit www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/rural.
* UK Film Council/DEFRA research mapped areas of high cinema deprivation in England and identified North Yorkshire, Shropshire and Wiltshire (and neighbouring Test valley authority) as being under-screened.
For press enquiries please contact:
Tara Milne
UK Film Council press office:
T: +44 (0)20 78617901
E: tara.milne@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk
Notes to Editors
1. North Yorkshire is England's largest county covering an area of 8,654 km2 with a population of 569,700. It is served by 10 full time cinemas, 4 part time cinemas, 12 film societies and 2 mobile DVD schemes. It has an average of 4.1 full time screens per 1000 km², compared to the national average of 22.3 screens per 1000 km².
2. Shropshire is a predominantly rural county covering an area of 3,197 km2 with a population of 283,200. It is served by 4 full time cinemas, 4 part time cinemas, 2 film societies and 2 mobile cinemas. It has an average of 6.9 full time screens per 1000 km², compared to the national average of 22.3 screens per 1000 km².
3. Wiltshire and the neighbouring Test Valley covers an area of approximately 3,476 km² with a population 542,000. It is served by 5 full time cinemas, 3 part time cinemas, 7 film societies and 1 mobile DVD scheme. It has an average of 8 full time screens per 1000 km², compared to the national average of 22.3 screens per 1000 km².
4. The deadline for applications to the Rural Cinema Pilot Scheme is 10 August 2009. Guidelines and application information can be found at www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/rural
5. For application queries contact Kath Knight, Fund Administrator, UK Film Council Distribution and Exhibition department: rural@ukfilmcouncil.org.uk / 0207 861 7530.
6. The UK Film Council is the Government-backed strategic agency for film in the UK. We aim to stimulate a successful, vibrant film industry and to promote the widest possible enjoyment and understanding of cinema throughout the UK.
We invest Government grant-in-aid and Lottery money in developing new filmmakers, in funding exciting new British films and in getting a wider choice of films to audiences throughout the UK. We also invest in training, promoting Britain as an international filmmaking location and in raising the profile of British films abroad. We aim to deliver lasting benefits to the industry and the public through:
- creativity - encouraging the development of new talent, skills, and creative and technological innovation in UK film and assisting new and established filmmakers to produce successful and distinctive British films;
- enterprise – supporting the creation and growth of sustainable businesses in the film sector, providing access to finance and helping the UK film industry compete successfully in the domestic and global marketplace;
- imagination - promoting education and an appreciation and enjoyment of cinema by giving UK audiences access to the widest range of UK and international cinema, and by supporting film culture and heritage.
