Editorial

Hello and welcome to the third edition of the REELTIMES.info newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the first two issues and are looking forward to this one!! We are always interested to hear your comments and ideas, so do feel free to contact us.

This newsletter is out much later than I had hoped it would be, but with pressures of work and other problems it has meant that it has not been possible to get the newsletter out, so from the beginning of next year it will come out quarterly.

What do I have install for you in this newsletter. While there are the usual fun and games, including to web site reviews this time. Well I thought that as there were so many good web sites out there that it would be good for you to have more than one reviewed each month.

I have also provided a round up of a number of the societies which are available to join if you are really interested in learning more about this fascinating part of the industry.

Well this month continues with a similar selection of material to the first month, although there are a few extra features, which I’m looking forward to.

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News and Features

This section looks at news relating specifically to cinemas, the cinema and movie industry over the last month, which has been of interest or you may have missed.

One of the major stories in the last few months is that the cinema audiences in the UK are now the second highest in Europe, with only France now ahead of us.

Stories from Arts Industry (www.artsindustry.co.uk):

Norwich arts cinema in national link-up: Cinema City, a Norwich arts centre has linked up with City Screen (August 23rd 2002)

Film development agency launched for Yorkshire: Screen Yorkshire has been setup by the Film Council and joins seven other regional screen agencies throughout England. (October 25th 2002)

Film industry set for digital revolution: A new report has been released by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with research undertaken by Screen Digest which has recommended far-reaching recommendations for future of digital film in the UK. These include setting up a digital film festival, training facilities, the establishment of a digital infrastructure and digitising the nation's film archives. The report can be downloaded from the DCMS website (www.culture.gov.uk) (September 20th 2002)

October saw the announcement that there had been a slump in the number of films produced in the UK http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2360533.stm

Stories from Screen Daily and Screen International (www.screendaily.com)

Former FilmFour deputy chief executive Peter Buckingham has joined support body the Film Council with a brief to boost audiences for specialised films in the UK.
( http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9826)

German cinema admissions fall 8% in third quarter, but it is hoped with films like Harry Potter, James Bond and Lord of the Rings during the last quarter of the year there maybe a turnaround: http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=10144

European cinema admissions see double-digit growth during 2002 Latest industry figures show most mature markets enjoying continued growth during the first half of this year. But the growth is not shared by all countries.
http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9762

UK film industry accounting methods criticised The way in which financial performance is measured in the UK film and television industry should be given a total overhaul, according to a new report from business and financial advisers, Grant Thornton.
http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=9775

Movielink, the first internet video-on-demand (VoD) system backed by the Hollywood studios
http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=10222

German cinema admissions have fallen 8% year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2002, but industry observers expect the new Harry Potter, James Bond and The Lord Of The Rings to effect a turnaround in the fourth quarter.
http://www.screendaily.com/story.asp?storyid=10144

MICROSOFT WINDOWS MEDIA 9 SERIES, DTS NAMED PLATINUM SPONSORS OF 4TH ANNUAL SURROUND SEMINAR & SHOWCASE Expanded Technology Showcase Highlights Industry's Premier 5.1 and High Resolution Audio Event NEW YORK, November 13, 2002 - United Entertainment Media today announced that Microsoft Windows Media 9 Series and DTS will be Platinum Sponsors of the 4th Annual Surround Seminar, scheduled to be held December 13 and 14, 2002 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Anthony P. Montesano United Entertainment Media (212) 378-0404 amontesano@uemedia.com

IN TEST, UNIVERSAL PUTTING NEW MOVIES ON THE INTERNET
Universal plans to put The Scorpion King, Big Fat Liar, Brotherhood of the Wolf and other first-run features on the Internet next month to begin a four-month test of a video-on-demand service, employing the CinemaNow service. In a statement, Holly Leff-Pressman of Universal TV Distribution said, "Working with CinemaNow allows us to explore the demand for both the downloading and streaming of our content to an established audience while testing the quality and security of the environment."
(www.showbizdata.com)

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Site of the Month

Each month we will evaluate and review a site which we believe is of interest to you. This month there is not a review, but a recommendation to look at Peter Knight's www.madcornishprojectionist.co.uk or Spoolbox, & Projectionists web sites.

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Cinema of the Month

There is not a cinema of the month is time, but you can have a look at the cinemas which are available by logging on to Broncus Videos, details below.

Some of these cinemas on video CD for £11, from Broncus Video, just go to http://www.broncusvideo.co.uk

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Societies to Join

There are a number of societies which are worth considering joining if you are really interested in this part of the industry - either the projection or cinema side. Often people are members of all them.

NAME: The Projected Picture Trust (PPT)

COST PER YEAR: Adult £15.00

Junior (under 18) £6.50

Overseas £20.00

Family/group £18.00

WEBSITE: www.ppttrust.org

AIMS OF THE SOCIETY: “Preservation, restoration and demonstration of cinema equipment old and new”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The trust publishes the Projected Picture Trust Magazine each quarter which free to members. The society has its own cinema (Engima) and museum at Bleacherly Park, which is available for people to visit.

NAME: The Cinema Theatre Association (CTA)

WEBSITE: www.cta.org.uk

AIMS OF THE SOCIETY:

COST PER YEAR: £15 per year (over seas £18)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A quarterly publication is produced which provides members with details of events and case studies information along with cinema news, sent in by members. There is also a yearly publication “Picture Palace” which is a fantastic colour production providing very detailed and informative histories of a selection of buildings. The Picture Palace is worth the membership fee alone.

NAME: The British Kineograph Sound and Television Society (BKSTS)

WEBSITE: www.bksts.com

AIMS OF THE SOCIETY: “To encourage, sustain, educate, train and represent all those who, creatively or technologically, are involved – creatively or technologically – in the business of providing moving images and associated crafts in any form and through any media. The Society is dedicated to the promotion of excellence in these fields. Whilst remaining independent of all governmental and commercial organisations, it is active in fostering co-operation with other societies in the industry and in promoting its aims through the world”

COST PER YEAR: There are a number of different levels of membership available:

Full Membership £84.00

Associate: £84.00

Interim £40.00

Student £20.00

Retired £44.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The BKSTS produce a journal ‘Image Technology’ ten times a year and a dedicated journal for cinema (Cinema Technology) each quarter.

NAME: Mercia Film Society

WEBSITE: www.merciafilmsociety.freeservers.com

AIMS OF THE SOCIETY: “The education of the public and the promotion of research into the history of the cinema in the United Kingdom, both past and present”

COST PER YEAR: £7.50 (£12.50 overseas)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The society is a major publisher of cinema related books and has a vast catalogue of books available for interested people.

NAME: Cinemationlist

WEBSITE: http://groups.yahoo.com/cinemationlist

AIMS OF THE SOCIETY:

COST PER YEAR: Free mailing list

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This is an email discussing list and whilst it is not actually a society it is worth subscribing to and reading the messages as many of its members are also members of the other societies as well. It is also a good humored mailing list with variable amounts of traffic.

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Up and Coming Releases

Thanks to Keith Shankster for allowing us to use this list:

18 Dec	THE LORD OF THE RINGS:THE TWO TOWERS	Entertainment	S
20 Dec	THE COUNTRY BEARS	BVI	W
20 Dec	HEY ARNOLD	UIP	W
26 Dec	PINOCCHIO	BVI	W
27 Dec	THE TRANSPORTER	Fox	W
3 Jan	SPIDER	Helkon	L
3 Jan	STAR TREK X: NEMESIS	UIP	S
10 Jan	GANGS OF NEW YORK	Entertainment	S
10 Jan	GHOST SHIP	Warner	S
10 Jan	A GUY THING	Fox	W
10 Jan	THE HUNTED	Helkon	S
17 Jan	8 MILE	UIP	S
17 Jan	SOLARIS	Fox	S
31 Jan	CATCH ME IF YOU CAN	UIP	S
7 Feb	THE BANGER SISTERS	Fox	L
7 Feb	TWO WEEKS NOTICE	Warner	S
14 Feb	THE CORE	UIP	W
21 Feb	RING	UIP	S
28 Feb	THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE	UIP	S
21 Mar	SIN EATER	Fox	W
28 Mar	BLUE CRUSH	UIP	W