Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[JohanofNess]

Ahhh but Jonno, if you didn't take the fun outta me then you would be deprived of one of your hobbies.

 

Wasn't me calling you that although I do remember you didn't like it.

 

Which is why I was a little disappointed Gwylim Gibbons is getting called names when he doesn't use the forum to ask you to stop it.

[peeriebryan]

How many courses are full and haven't been cancelled?

Of the three 'full time' College courses, all are full with 10 students on each. There's also a new UHI wide BA Applied Music delivered principally by video conference and two locals are on that course. One of the three certificated evening classes was rescheduled into next year and the other two are full with 10 folk on each. There are also several short courses which are progressing as planned apart from one which has been rescheduled.

 

Are the rehearsal rooms booked every day for every hour? Of course not, because apparently they double up as backstage areas.

The rehearsal spaces are used every weekday for the college courses and they're used most evenings and weekends by private hirers, students or as a 'green room' for performers in the auditorium.

 

Likewise, is the recording studio booked for all the opening hours?

It's different each week, but using this past week as an example, it has been used during the days for educational purposes, a band is in mixing an album (with another band waiting to get in) and we recorded a live concert on Wednesday.

 

In my opinion, the facilities I mentioned above are very well utilised and I'm delighted with how well the educational and media production aspects of Mareel are developing, particularly since we've only been open for a few months. I take my hat off to the technical and education staff, and the students themselves, for that.

[unlinkedstudent]

How many courses are full and haven't been cancelled?

Of the three 'full time' College courses, all are full with 10 students on each. There's also a new UHI wide BA Applied Music delivered principally by video conference and two locals are on that course. One of the three certificated evening classes was rescheduled into next year and the other two are full with 10 folk on each. There are also several short courses which are progressing as planned apart from one which has been rescheduled.

 

Are the rehearsal rooms booked every day for every hour? Of course not, because apparently they double up as backstage areas.

The rehearsal spaces are used every weekday for the college courses and they're used most evenings and weekends by private hirers, students or as a 'green room' for performers in the auditorium.

 

Likewise, is the recording studio booked for all the opening hours?

It's different each week, but using this past week as an example, it has been used during the days for educational purposes, a band is in mixing an album (with another band waiting to get in) and we recorded a live concert on Wednesday.

 

In my opinion, the facilities I mentioned above are very well utilised and I'm delighted with how well the educational and media production aspects of Mareel are developing, particularly since we've only been open for a few months. I take my hat off to the technical and education staff, and the students themselves, for that.

 

Good evening Bryan

 

Great to see you on the boards. Where's me invite and the tour then so I can come and enjoy myself?

 

Thank you for the replies; however, are the rehearsal rooms used every hour? Given that Mareel is meant to be a commercial venture, the points I've tried to make re utilisation is that surely you should be aiming for 100% bookings and getting every single £ and penny possible? The same applies to gigs and, in turn, the main auditorium/cinema/bar-cafe. Bums on seats equals dosh. Part of said dosh comes from repeat visitors. Yep, the cinema is doing fantastically well but it comes across (perhaps wrongly?) that the venue simply can't cope with the cinema and main auditorium being in use at the same time - judging by the comments on Mareel's Facebook page.

 

If the cafe-bar can't cope, why not have some vending machines in the foyer? There's some pretty neat ones available these days that serve hot food.

 

So whilst a certain individual appears to have gushed as to how good the cinema takings are and are on-track, can the same be said for the rest of Mareel?

 

Ghostie would like to know how many concerts have been fed into Mareel and how many fed out?

 

Cheers again, Bryan.

[Urabug]

MAREEL

 

Head of Operations

£32,940 per annum

Including Island Allowance

Post No. SA029

 

 

Who is going to pay for all this ???

[grift]

Shetland Arts, presumably. They need folk to run Mareel. It won't run itself.

[unlinkedstudent]

MAREEL

 

Head of Operations

£32,940 per annum

Including Island Allowance

Post No. SA029

 

 

Who is going to pay for all this ???

 

Richard Wemyss is the current Head of Operations according to the SA website. Presumably the advert referred to above means he's leaving then?

[unlinkedstudent]

@ Grift

 

I appreciate I'm not being as eloquent as I'd like to be in saying what I'm trying to say so apologies for that.

 

I have no problem concerning films' release dates/being shown, etc., however, some people didn't realise that obviously this would not apply to all, given that you can have the situation whereby 5 films are released on say the same date. It stands to reason that with only 2 screens, not all said 5 films could be shown. This doesn't affect cinema complexes with say 6 screens. My point, I guess, is that SA/Mareel said they could pick and choose (to a certain extent) when it now transpires that they have to do what the distributor says. How I can respond to saying I'm singling Mareel out is a tad difficult to answer, given that Mareel is the only cinema up here. Nevertheless, some people are disappointed, as demonstrated by Mareel's Facebook page.

 

I never said it was Mareel's fault re Blues Festival not advertising that people could buy tickets on the door at country gigs. The point I'm trying to make is that SA are meant to support (aren't they?) all of Shetland, and not just the town. Whether or not the cost of say the Legion is cheaper than Mareel I don't know but IF it is more expensive then doesn't that mean there is less money in the pot for the Blues Festival (I'm just using them as an example) to be able to afford to put on gigs elsewhere? Granted, it may be the case that Mareel brings in more money for them but that money couldn't be spent until the following year, could it?

 

Rehearsal rooms/green room: It is good that they are multi-functional but that shouldn't be at the expense of availability and again, does this mean a drop in revenue? I don't know and I'm not pretending to. All any of us can do is envisage whether or not a potential income stream is affected. Yes, it is better that the rooms are in use - but if a gig is on, do they get charged extra for the use of the rehearsal rooms?

 

I don't buy the argument re the cafe/bar that I've seen so often that it has only just opened. The soft opening is over yet all you have to do is go on Mareel's Facebook page and see the complaints about the cafe/bar and other complaints re Mareel. Are you suggesting that all those posters are finding problems that I'm not? On a positive note, ages ago I mentioned about a cloakroom and yep, they've got one. Some have complained about having to pay £1 per item; I think a £1 charge per item is more than reasonable.

 

Mareel needs bums on seats and it needs to get the punters in. So far, they've had to cancel more than one gig, and whilst the showing of Liberal Arts has now been cancelled due to transport issues (isn't this a film and someone correct me if I'm wrong, I thought films were being delivered digitally?), they've had more than their fair share of 'teething' problems.

 

It's good that the revolving door was fixed but my understanding is that there are still several disability issues outstanding; the opening was delayed due to the door being non-DDA compliant (It could only be opened by staff on the inside) and none of the tables in the cafe bar are suitable for wheelchair users and, indeed, many of the seats are unsuitable for people with walking aids/those having difficulties getting out of low chairs.

 

I WANT to praise Mareel; I WANT to go and enjoy something. I had hoped for better but feared that many of the points I raised way back for which I got criticised have materialised. I still say they have tried to please everyone, be something to everyone but can't because the building simply isn't big enough and is on the wrong site.

 

Besides, until they fix those lights in the car park there is no way with my eye problems (I am legal to drive) that I would even attempt to park the old motor there, the glare is simply horrendous and a hazard to many motorists.

[bug]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction. We will gladly donate to your ticket for the boat sooth so that you may seek out your Utopia. One way only of course

[Siccar]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction. We will gladly donate to your ticket for the boat sooth so that you may seek out your Utopia. One way only of course

[Ghostrider]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction.

 

Oi!!!!

 

This is getting personal, that's me you're dissing there too.

[unlinkedstudent]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction. We will gladly donate to your ticket for the boat sooth so that you may seek out your Utopia. One way only of course

 

Contrary to popular belief, Mareel does not constitute all the facilities on this lovely isle.

[bug]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction.

 

Oi!!!!

 

This is getting personal, that's me you're dissing there too.

 

LOL, we said facilties ... not faculties.

[bug]

Unlinkedstudent, you're clearly not finding the facilities on Da Auld Rock to your satisfaction. We will gladly donate to your ticket for the boat sooth so that you may seek out your Utopia. One way only of course

 

Contrary to popular belief, Mareel does not constitute all the facilities on this lovely isle.

 

No-one (to my recollection) has alleged that you are popular, and long may it continue (Mareel that is)

[peeriebryan]

Good evening Bryan

Good evening Unlinkedstudent

 

Thank you for the replies; however, are the rehearsal rooms used every hour? Given that Mareel is meant to be a commercial venture, the points I've tried to make re utilisation is that surely you should be aiming for 100% bookings and getting every single £ and penny possible?

No, the facilities don't operate at 100% capacity, but that was never the plan and to expect that to be the case would have been unrealistic, as I'm sure you'd agree. Busy times are busy, off peak times less so. I don't know of any recording studio, music venue, cinema, rehearsal facility, media production facility etc that works at 100% capacity.

 

But as I said, in my opinion the facilities are very well used, with usage levels increasing.

 

The same applies to gigs and, in turn, the main auditorium/cinema/bar-cafe. Bums on seats equals dosh. Part of said dosh comes from repeat visitors. Yep, the cinema is doing fantastically well but it comes across (perhaps wrongly?) that the venue simply can't cope with the cinema and main auditorium being in use at the same time - judging by the comments on Mareel's Facebook page.

In my opinion, the venue and staff has coped very well with the numbers of folk coming through the door. There has been a few sold out events when folk have had a long wait at the bar at busy parts of the night, and the bars and catering staff are working at ways to speed things up.

 

So whilst a certain individual appears to have gushed as to how good the cinema takings are and are on-track, can the same be said for the rest of Mareel?

I'm not sure 'gushed' is a fair term to use, but we're all really chuffed with cinema attendances.

 

As I've said, I think all the facilities are well used. In terms of 'bums on seats' in the main auditorium, I consider things to be going very well. There have been several sold out events and the 'niche' events such as opera and electronica have attracted regular and appreciative audiences. The income streams generated by the main auditorium is different to that generated by the cinemas - many of the music events are put on by external promoters, bands, festival committees, clubs etc and that income is generated from hires and/or door splits rather than straight ticket sales. We try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible to make the finances work for everyone involved.

 

Ghostie would like to know how many concerts have been fed into Mareel and how many fed out?

I don't consider it to be either or. When planning and budgeting for visiting artists, all events are taken into account within that budget. But if a 'country' event and a 'Mareel' event was budgeted for separately, the event in Mareel would generate more income that the country event. So if I understand your question correctly, town events tend to make country events more viable.

 

My point, I guess, is that SA/Mareel said they could pick and choose (to a certain extent) when it now transpires that they have to do what the distributor says........ Nevertheless, some people are disappointed, as demonstrated by Mareel's Facebook page.

The cinema programmers can choose which films are screened, but distributors apply certain conditions. That's the nature of the cinema industry. I'm vexed that folk are disappointed that it's not possible to show every film on the day it is released, but I know that the cinema programmers work bloody hard to respond to local demand. In fact, I don't know of any other cinema that is as flexible and responsive with it's programming.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that SA are meant to support (aren't they?) all of Shetland, and not just the town.

I hope that we do just that. As someone just pointed out, a couple of weeks ago we had Stuart McCallum and Aziz Ibrahim in Bigton, last week we had Oksana Mavrodii in Busta and next weekend the co-promoted 'Shetland Meets Appalachia' concerts will include Cullivoe and Muckle Roe.

 

Whether or not the cost of say the Legion is cheaper than Mareel I don't know but IF it is more expensive then doesn't that mean there is less money in the pot for the Blues Festival (I'm just using them as an example) to be able to afford to put on gigs elsewhere? Granted, it may be the case that Mareel brings in more money for them but that money couldn't be spent until the following year, could it?

It's entirely up to the local festival organisers and promoters as to whether they use Mareel or not.

 

Rehearsal rooms/green room: It is good that they are multi-functional but that shouldn't be at the expense of availability and again, does this mean a drop in revenue? I don't know and I'm not pretending to. All any of us can do is envisage whether or not a potential income stream is affected. Yes, it is better that the rooms are in use - but if a gig is on, do they get charged extra for the use of the rehearsal rooms?

Each situation is different - it's not as cut and dried as you may think. Some 'smaller' groups don't need the Green Room and are happy with a dressing room, some want the extra space to tune up and have a run through before they get on. Some groups want backstage catering, others don't. Some bands need a 'production office', others don't. It all depends on the particular requirements for each event and is one of a multitude of factors when costing a gig.

 

...isn't this a film and someone correct me if I'm wrong, I thought films were being delivered digitally?)

Films are delivered on hard drives at the moment, although the industry will likely move to downloads in the near future.

 

I WANT to praise Mareel; I WANT to go and enjoy something. I had hoped for better but feared that many of the points I raised way back for which I got criticised have materialised. I still say they have tried to please everyone, be something to everyone but can't because the building simply isn't big enough and is on the wrong site.

 

To be quite honest, and with the greatest respect, I think you often look for problems that aren't there and are repeating issues that other folk have had that don't affect you. For example, are you really worried that the rehearsal room is sometimes used as backstage area? Do you really think we don't know that we have to generate as much income as possible? Has the number of car parking spaces caused you any inconvenience? Were you enrolled on the evening class that was rescheduled? Do you genuinely think we're not trying our best to make Mareel work as well as we possibly can?

 

I don't mean to make fun of your concerns, but on some of these things I think you'll just have to trust that we have some idea of what we're doing and that we're constantly trying to do the best we can.

 

Where's me invite and the tour then so I can come and enjoy myself?

I'm flat out at the moment, but next time you're in Mareel ask for me at reception and I'll take for for a look if I have time.

 

Cheers and good night

[Shetland_boys]

unlinkedstudent have u ever been to the mareel?