Introduction

'At a Cinema Near You' was first published by the Exhibition & Development Department of the BFI in 2002 and since that time there has been a great deal of change in the independent exhibition sector. For a start, this department no longer exists along with a number of bodies mentioned in the original document. More recently, the government has announced the closing of the UK Film Council, a key player in this area in the last decade and the funder of this new edition through their Publications Fund. On a broader note, the advent and availability of digital technology for cinemas and digital 3D has also changed the landscape as well as heralded the warnings of the death of cinema, which seem to come with any technological change whether it be sound, 70mm, television or colour.

From our viewpoint, it all still looks very healthy although very different than 10, 5 or even 2 years ago. One of the key changes is the proliferation of very different kinds of venues – so a cinema can now mean a village hall, a school, a temporary construction which is taken down after a week or a one night only extravaganza which can reach very large audiences but cannot be repeated.

Whatever kind of cinema you are interested in, and whether you work for a local authority, a parish council, voluntary group or are a private entrepreneur or academic, hopefully the 2011 'How to start a local cinema' will give you the answers you need. We would like to thank all of our new contributors who have helped with the addition of contemporary case studies as well as the Strategic Partnerships Unit at the UK Film Council, both of whom have made this new edition possible.

We at the Independent Cinema Office are always happy to answer your queries and direct you to more information sources if what you need is not here. In the meantime, happy reading and good luck!

Catharine Des Forges, Director, ICO

Health warning:

Although there are many success stories like the ones described here, the amount of time, energy, patience and enthusiasm required for this endeavour should not be under-estimated. It may take several years to get off the ground and you may have to work harder than you’ve ever worked before for no pay. Once up and running, you may find yourself working even harder and still without pay. Do not go down this route unless you are prepared to give it your all and to face disappointment and setback. This enterprise is not for the faint-hearted.