Cultural Cinema Exhibition

Venue: Birkbeck Cinema, 43 Gordon Square, London W1CH 0PD

Dates: Monday 7 – Friday 18 July 2008 (excluding weekend)

"The opportunity to meet and learn from some of the main players working in cinema has proved invaluable, and greatly aided my career trajectory!"
Rob Baker, Cinema Marketing Manager, Barbican

"The course also had a significant impact on helping me to understand our audience better and how to reach them, and it helped to shape our programmes into accessible and more attractive packages."
Verena von Stackelberg, Head of Public Events, Curzon Cinemas

Do you know your 39 Steps from your 27 Dresses?
Your Lust, Caution from your Sex and the City?

This internationally acclaimed course returns, offering a unique training opportunity for people working in the cultural cinema exhibition sector, either in a voluntary or professional capacity, who want to enhance their skills, develop their knowledge and increase their understanding of the business of film programming.

This is an intensive, two week course comprising talks, screenings, group exercises and tutorials. It is taught by experienced professionals from cinemas, film festivals and related organisations.

The course covers:

  • UK exhibition and distribution
  • Technical aspects of film, video and digital formats
  • Print rights and clearances
  • Programming for independent cinemas, film festivals, TV and non-theatrical venues
  • Understanding audiences: children, young people, disability and cultural diversity
  • Marketing and PR for specialised film
  • Commercial exhibition
  • Print rights and clearances
  • Commercial exhibition
  • Archive films, shorts and artists' moving image

You can see the schedule from the 2006 course here.

Graduates from this course have gone on to fill key posts in the industry at organisations including the BFI London Film Festival, UK Film Council, Soda Pictures, City Screen, the Barbican, Northern Lights Film Festival, Scottish Screen and Curzon Cinemas. You can read their testimonials here.

Fees:

Early bird rate of £650* (£553.19 + VAT) for applications received before 6 June 2008 / £725* (£617.02 + VAT) after.

Bursary support is available towards fees, travel, accommodation and access costs. Please see the bursary applicant notes (below) for details. The deadline for bursary applications is 6 June 2008.

* Please note that these rates are only available to applicants who can demonstrate professional experience in the film industry, either paid or voluntary and not necessarily continuous. This is a requirement of Skillset's Continuing Professional Development scheme which is supporting the course. If you do not have any film industry experience but would like to undertake the course for personal or professional reasons, the non-subsidised rate is £2,071.26 (£1,762.78 + VAT).

How to apply:

Places are strictly limited and early registration is strongly recommended. To apply, please download a course application form. If you are accepted onto the course you will need to pay your fees before your place can be confirmed. We are unable to accept credit card payments but you can by cheque (payable to the ‘Independent Cinema Office’) or bank transfer.

Booking deadline:

To qualify for the early bird rate or to apply for a bursary, applications must be received by Friday 6 June 2008.

Travel and accommodation:

Birkbeck Cinema is located on Gordon Square in Bloomsbury. The nearest tube stations are Euston, Euston Square, Russell Square and Goodge Street. See streetmap for a map of the area. Click here for a list of hotels and B&Bs nearby.

Access:

Birkbeck Cinema has lift and ramp access for wheelchairs. The ICO has an access fund so please advise us on the application form if you have any requirements for which you might need assistance.

If you have any queries about the course or want to check whether it is suitable for your needs, contact Tilly Walnes, Training and Development Officer, on 020 7079 0477 or tilly@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk.

This project is funded by the Skillset Film Skills Fund, which is supported by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund. Skillset is the Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries – www.skillset.org.