An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics of life in the North East. In this programme comedian Russ Abbot provides narration on the future of independent cinema in the region. Title: Northern Eye. Perils of the Silver Screen The sign above the entrance of the Tyneside Cinema on High Friar Lane in Newcastle, nearby a second sign reads ‘Construction Site. Keep Out’. Inside the cinema the roof is missing from part of Britain’s oldest news cinema, around the...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics of life in the North East. In this programme comedian Russ Abbot provides narration on the future of independent cinema in the region. Title: Northern Eye. Perils of the Silver Screen The sign above the entrance of the Tyneside Cinema on High Friar Lane in Newcastle, nearby a second sign reads ‘Construction Site. Keep Out’. Inside the cinema the roof is missing from part of Britain’s oldest news cinema, around the building work being carried out as part of a £6.5 million restoration project. Outside on Pilgrim Street cladding is wrapped around the outside of the cinema and a large crane is parked in the road. A montage featuring some of the individuals who feature in this episode talking about the importance of the Tyneside Cinema, a place that breeds passion for movies. Views around the cinema and a workman washing away dust from part of a tiled floor. Cladding around the old Gateshead Town Hall and a banner attached to it for the Tyneside Cinema. Inside a temporary cinema until the year long restoration project is finished. A woman walks into the Elite Cinema in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Other customers from the local community head inside to purchase tickets from a woman in the foyer and take their seats in the auditorium as the lights begin to go down and the projector lights up. In the projector room a man watches over the spools of films running through the projector. Sitting in her office owner Jude Simpson and her husband go about their work, nearby bouquets on a table. In the auditorium she explains that the Elite is closing today as she and her husband are retiring. She talks about how long they have run the cinema and work done to bring more money into the business and issues they’ve faced selling the venue. In the foyer again a woman expresses sadness at the closure saying it has a lovely, friendly place with and community atmosphere. Jude’s husbands shake hands with his patrons as they leave for the last time. A clip from the feature film ‘The Queen’ staring Helen Mirren changes to the clip being shown on a variety of home and mobile devises such as a television screen, portable DVD player, mobile phone and on a downloadable devise. Children inside The Showcase multiplex cinema at Teesside Park near Stockton-on-Tees waves at the camera changing to the Forum Cinema in Hexham with its classic art-deco auditorium. The owner Norman Brownell arrives and unlocks the doors before heading into the auditorium to look around before opening. He takes a seat as in the projection booth the project begins. In his office he talks about having to sell up and his reasoning for selling to a community organisation, the Hexham Community Partnership. Tamsin Beevor, Community Partnership Manager arrives at the Forum and heads inside to speak with Norman. Outside she explains the community partnership hope to continue running the venue as a commercial venture as well as look to renovate the cinema and improve disabled access. Tamsin continues to explain the reasoning behind the community partnership purchasing the Forum that as well as securing a cinema in the town, provide a base for their organisation and an income of their own. Retuning to Norman he states that while the margins are slim, they are good enough for local based individuals. Sitting in the auditorium on his last days Norman reflecting in his time running the cinema and his hopes for its future. The Ritz Cinema at Thirsk in North Yorkshire, a blue plaque on the wall commemorates this being one of the earliest cinemas in the country. A poster outside for today matinee screening of ‘Becoming Jane’. Local garage owner and Chairman of Volunteer John Potter arrives waving at someone in a car driving past before going inside. In the auditorium he talks about how he and other volunteers got involved in running The Ritz. As he continues to speak John looks around the auditorium making it ready for the matinee. In the projection room trainee projectionist Peter Walker winds a reel of film in readiness to be projected while in the foyer an older woman sells tickets while another volunteers sells confectioneries to audience members before they head into the auditorium. In the projection booth projectionist Bob Craddock celebrates his 79th birthday by showing Peter Walker how to load a reel of 35mm film into the projector. Peter talks about his placement and working at the cinema. In the foyer a female customer explains that this is the people’s cinema, they just love coming. John Potter explains that they are provide a service to those who don’t want to go to the multiplex, it is an important resource for the people of Thirsk. A montage featuring volunteers working at The Ritz, the question being asked is how long can a volunteer run cinema such as this survive when facing daunting competition? Film industry journalist Peter Hill explains there are several threats from new media including MP3 and DVD players where there is no need for a fixed venues and a film can be watched on demand. Patrons in the auditorium at The Ritz changes to a pair of hands taking a digital cinema hard-drive from its case. Lord David Puttnam saying there is no reason why we can’t combine the excellent technology of the DVD with the community experience. Title: Northern Eye. Perils of the Silver Screen Black and white archive of people going to or working at a local cinema changes to The Showcase multiplex cinema at Teesside Park and then an independent cinema where a pot of tea is sold to a customer and an audience sits waiting for a film to begin. At Malton in North Yorkshire Jeremy Powell, owner of the Palace Cinema, walks along Yorkergate to stand outside looking up at his cinema. Inside he works the concession stand chatting with customers. He explains the personal cost of buying and initially running the cinema. Now being a viable business, he says people are relived he isn’t considering selling up. In one of the cinemas two projection booths Jeremy loads a hard drive into a digital projector, he explains how and why this new technology is amazing. Film industry journalist Peter Hill explains how digital projection works, in the foyer of the Palace four patrons are asked if digital projection makes a difference to them, they say no. The lights go down in the auditorium at the Palace and Lord David Puttnam explain that the key is the emotional shared experience of a good movie rather than the technology that runs it. At the Tyneside Cinema inside Gateshead Old Town Hall, Chief Executive Mark Dobson explains that for him it is the collective experience for audiences that’s important. It’s his job, like many independent cinemas, is to find the right kind of films people want to invest their time and engage with. A woman arrives at the regions newest and smallest cinema, The Star and Shadow Cinema in the old Tyne Tees Television workshops in Newcastle. She opens the large doors and goes inside where potential new volunteers are sitting around tables for an induction given by Ilana Mitchell, one of the cinema’s volunteer. A montage of volunteers going about various tasks around the cinema, Ilana explains how the cinema is operated as a collective and none-profit organisation where everyone shares both the good and bad bits. On a wall a list of tasks that need doing. In an office three volunteers sit at a computer programming a film to be shown at the cinema while Ilana explains the processes. A female volunteer explains her reasons for volunteering at the cinema while at the bar Ilana goes though how that is run. Another volunteer, Bill Ormond, talks about the various young and dynamic groups that come together to help run the cinema. As he talks the volunteers continue their tour and, in the foyer, learn how the ticket machine works. In the projection booth a volunteer watches over a film running through the projector, he looks out into the auditorium where an audience is watching a foreign film. Back at the building site of the Tyneside Cinema on Pilgrim Street restoration work continues, inside views of the ornate architecture and auditorium. Chief Executive Mark Dobson provides details of what to expect from the cinema once work is completed, a place were people can learn and enjoy every aspect of film. A series of global film posters, 50% of the films shown at Tyneside will be in foreign languages. A montage of some of those featured in the film providing their final thoughts on the future of independent cinema ends the programme. Credit: Narrator Russ Abbot Title: With thanks to Frank Manders, Showcase leisure Group Credit: Camera Alistair McKenzie, Tom Paterson Sound David Venus Electrician George Bush Graphics Jon King, Dave Richardson Production Manager Christine Stewart-Tilling Sound Post Production The Edge Picture Editor Peter Telford Executive Producer Graeme Thompson Series Producer Mary Wimpress Produced and Directed by Sheilagh Matheson, Chris Phipps © ITV Tyne Tees 2007 Final credit: Production for ITV