Monthly Archives: June 2012

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Independent venues.

Each of our interviewees were important in coinciding with the content that we wanted to explore in the doco. Our doco attempted to adhere to a three part structure. The first part focused on the goals of our subjects. It was important to begin with Ian who spoke alot about his personal history with his cinema of over thirty years. Ian was particularly clear about outlining what he wanted from his cinema and what he wanted to offer to his clients. In this sense we based our structure around the strongest moments of our individual interviews. Whilst each interviewee speaks broadly about independent cinema, there were moments that were more fitting than others.

Part two focused on the passions of our subjects. Ghita Lobenstein exerted her passion incredibly well. This section aimed to include the passion our subjects possessed for film and to share this with the community. Moreover, it aimed to distinguish how independent cinemas are important in offering individuals with a broader range of more specific content. It demonstrates how independent cinemas offer different experiences to multiplexes. Ghita had a number of interesting points to contribute, especially concerning why she started up perhaps the most independent venue featuring in our interview.

The third part of the documentary looks at the threats to independent cinemas, specifically downloading threats and VODs. These threats were articulated incredibly well by Natalie Miller and also moments from Ghita. The decision to end the piece focusing on the threats was decided on primarily because of a strong and beautiful analogy given by Natalie concerning cave men. Her final comments were particularly inspiring for the industry and concluded the piece quite inspiringly.

Each venue was chosen with alot of meaning attached to it. The decision to interview Mornington Cinema owner Ian Williams was important in gaining insight into personal nature and passion behind entering into the business. We also wanted to get an insight into a cinema with a small amount of screens that continues to exist outside the city. Conversely, we wanted to gain insight into a larger independent and successful cinema such as Cinema Nova that possesses fourteen screens. Moreover, the decision to interview Ghita was based on the fact that her screenings are not held in cinemas but rather throughout pop up screens in the city. We wanted to capture the diversity of independent cinemas and their importance to avid film goers in Melbourne.

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Initial doco structure plan…

Theme: Independent Cinema/Boutique Cinema

Synopsis: This documentary will attempt to explore the spaces and experiences provided by independent film exhibitors in Melbourne. In particular, it will focus on the alternative content shown, as well as its owners, audience participation and impending threats.

Outline: We aim to present independent cinemas as venues that unite communities and offer an alternative screening experience. We want to present the rich, personal appreciation owners have for not only their venues, but for the alternative content that they show, their audiences and their aim to reach out to as many people as possible. We also want to emphasize the relationship between the owners and their audiences. Perhaps illustrating how these venues foster a sense of community at a level that drastically differs to that of mainstream multiplexes. Exploring the differences between profit driven multiplexes and art-independent cinemas will assist in enhancing our audiences’ appreciation for these venues that display a sincere passion for film. In addition to this we will attempt to illicit our audiences’ sympathy, by displaying the reality that alternative films cannot be the primary form of content shown. Although tragic, for these venues to survive in a market dominated by Hollywood blockbusters it is necessary to conform to continue.

Tone: The overall tone of the piece will be honorary, passionate, praiseful and appreciative. However, we will allocate two minutes to the sinister realities of the business, particularly how art-house cinemas grapple with downloading platforms and multiplexes.

Soundscape: Projector running, soundscape inside a cinema, audience reactions to certain moments in films, ding of trams to indicate Melbourne scene.

Interview: Natalie Miller, owner of Cinema Nova and leading art-house film distribution company, Sharmill Films.

  • Spoke with her about the important of Cinema Nova to our local film industry
  • How Cinema Nova has been successful to create a multi screen venue whilst being able to retain alternative content.
  • And in what ways multiplexes and downloading platforms threaten independent cinemas.

Structure: Two parts focusing on passion and threats.

Soundscape

  • Introduction
  • Beginnings
  • Challenges
  • Passion
  • End
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Further research on Natalie Miller.

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/about-town/melbourne-story-natalie-miller-20120322-1vmj7.html

http://www.sharmillfilms.com.au/?page_id=2

http://www.melbournereview.com.au/read/326/ – this article is interesting to draw questions concerning Natalie’s history with bringing films into the country, how she entered into the business etc.

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Natalie Miller question inspiration

I found this link to an ABC radio program that interviewed Natalie Miller concerning similar content that I wished to cover. I think that this link was incredibly useful in creating my questions.

<http://www.abc.net.au/rn/legacy/programs/atoday/stories/s319060.htm>

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Final Documentary, ‘Independent Cinemas’.

Documentary 3

 

 

Created by Cinzia Sammassimo, Emily Watt and Georgina Wills.

Voice over by Georgina Wills.

Interview #1 conducted by Emily Watt with Ian Williams, the owner of Mornington Cinema.

Interview #2 conducted by Cinzia Sammassimo with Ghita Lobenstein of Speak Easy Cinema.

Interview #3 conducted by Georgina Wills with Natalie Miller, owner of Cinema Nova.

Description:

This documentary centres on Melbourne’s thriving independent cinema scene. It focuses on a number of independent venues that exhibit alternative, cult and art-house films. More specifically, the documentary engages with the owners of these venues and seeks to explore their opinions on the importance of independent cinemas in Melbourne. The documentary features Natalie Miller, Ian Williams and Ghita Lobenstein who each own independent cinemas. The subject’s elicit their passion for bringing films to the public whilst illustrating their importance. Moreover, the documentary touches on the downloading threats that exist to undermine the independent cinema business.

 

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RWAV report

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