Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Sam]

thats all good points - so any one know how many people went to the films this month then?

[JustMe]

This is getting negative. There is going to be a new venue sooner or later. The council has made the decision as they are elected to do so unless someone finds a covenant that the North Ness has to be kept clear for the drying of cod or some such oddity we will have a venue.

 

Surely this is the time to start thinking of what we want from the venue. Not strictly part of the plan but could improve cafe takings is a new library on the same site. I want the cafe to look out over the harbour and to have coin operated telescopes/binoculars not only for tourists but for locals wanting a quick peek over to Bressay.

 

I quite fancy having an online booking system for the venue AND extended to cover all other arts trust (or whatever they are now) events. None of this "tickets from Islesburgh or phone ******" stuff. In fact that ought to be put in place as soon as possible.

 

Been hearing grumbles recently from adults who wanted a later showing of Ice Age 2. So the venue could have 2 cinemas and show something like that in the daytime on the big screen and in the evening on the small screen.

 

Music.....I want to be able to enjoy music without having my ears blasted by over amplification. So acoustic or low volume gigs perhaps from the same people who are going to do something noiser as part of the same visit to Shetland.

 

Fair number of bands represented on Shetlink. Start thinking, start posting. What should a new venue have for you?. Showers? Secure storage for your gear? Instruments and equipment provided by the venue?

 

Time to check my e-mail and watch tv

[clanchief]

Yesterday's P&J had an item on the the poor finances of the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen "widely regarded as one of the best venues of its kind in Scotland"

 

The centre apparently has an "uncertain future" because due to the Scottish Arts Council withdrawing its funding, the Lemon Tree is likely to have a £180k shortfall despite receiving an annual core grant of £190k from Aberdeen Council.

 

It is an obvious point, but I'll make it anyway, surely if an Arts Centre can't operate sustainably in Aberdeen, what hope does the proposed centre in Lerwick have?

[Sam]

Yesterday's P&J had an item on the the poor finances of the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen "widely regarded as one of the best venues of its kind in Scotland"

 

The centre apparently has an "uncertain future" because due to the Scottish Arts Council withdrawing its funding, the Lemon Tree is likely to have a £180k shortfall despite receiving an annual core grant of £190k from Aberdeen Council.

 

It is an obvious point, but I'll make it anyway, surely if an Arts Centre can't operate sustainably in Aberdeen, what hope does the proposed centre in Lerwick have?

 

 

send that report to the arts folk

[Tomblands]

thats all good points - so any one know how many people went to the films this month then? or was the roumer that it was a dead loss true?

 

 

 

Where the hell do you get these flippin rumours from?

 

Is there a "Isleburgh Film Attendences" version of Popbitch the rest of Shetland haven't been told about?

[Sam]

well i know 2 people who went and they were there in a small audence.

 

You only have to buy a film ticket and you can see the sheets for yourself. Its public knowlege.

[Sam]

thank you for your support marvin, appreciated! funny how you can say it and get off with it though?

[trout]

Article from the Shetland News (11 August 2006) - Music venue reaches drawing board

 

A MAJOR step towards building Shetland's long sought after cinema and music venue on the Lerwick waterfront has taken an important step forwards.

 

Shetland Arts has just signed a design contract with Glasgow-based Gareth Hoskins Architects to build the £7 million cultural centre which will feature recording, rehearsal, education and media facilities, as well as a café and bar.

 

Further reading:

 

Article from the Shetland News (10 August 2006) - Music man Davie's bowing out

 

SHETLAND'S popular music development officer Davie Gardner is set to leave his post after seven years.

[Tomblands]

Interesting...Sam went on an "edit post" spree about a month ago...

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing the designs. I may have missed this, does anyone know where this is going to be? I assumed it was on the wasteground where the fish factory used to be at the North Ness...I take it this is the location?

 

And on the story about Davie stepping down, I can only say that he deserves massive praise for the time and effort he has put into promoting Shetland Musicians and the Shetland Music scene. Good luck with whatever comes next Davie.

[Jordan]

Arguments against cinema that are formulated from audience figures alone entirley neglect the artisitc, social and cultural value of cinema. Large audience figures = profits, and in the case of the films seen in UK these profits go to America. And so Hollywood spends millions churning out another blockbuster, usually bland and mundane, lacking any depth, character, expression, symbolism and many of the other qualities that can make cinema truly special. Cinema allows us to commune, to laugh and to cry together, to discuss and share an experience - whether we 'loved' the film or not. In France and throughout Europe cinema is rightly known as the 7th art, if only we in the UK could share the respect that people on the continent do for cinema we might be a little more happy.

[Sam]

makes no odds what anyone thinks now - the place is comming ready or not!

 

we have to make the best of it and try and keep it going.

 

editing was mostly to corect spelling just incase you wondered, since people seemed to get so upset about the odd mistake.

[JustMe]

Jordan wrote

Arguments against cinema that are formulated from audience figures alone entirely neglect the artisitc, social and cultural value of cinema.

 

And Jordan went on to write about "mundane" Hollywood blockbusters. Since people will want to watch the "big" movies the showings will with a bit of luck generate a decent income for our new venue. I think this is the time to start making positive noises about the "artistic" side of film. The low budget movies that are often well worth watching and films with a limited market. I admit that I am curious enough to go to our cinema to watch the first "Bollywood" film to be shown in Shetland.

 

For me I think our cinema while not being a multiplex has to have at least two screens so the minority stuff does not get left out of the schedules.

[peeriebryan]

Here's a copy of an email sent to me from Jo at the Arts Trust, echoing an article in the public notes section of this week's Shetland Times

 

Just a quick message re: the above [Cinema & Music Venue]. I hope you have seen the ad in this week's paper, on page 40, saying that Kathy Hubbard from Shetland Arts is organising a series of consultations on the cinema and music venue.

 

As practitioners/ musicians/ producers, this is your chance to have your say and influence the final product. The consultation is to take place on Sat 2nd and Sunday 3rd September and covers music performance and recording (Saturday 3 pm or 5 pm), cinema screening, film making and digital media (Sunday 10.30 am), dance and drama (Sunday 1.30 pm), technical - sound, lighting and stage management etc (3.30 pm) and front of house (6 pm).

 

If you have any preferences/ ideas/ suggestions on any of these areas, or if you just want to hear what has been planned so far, please call Kathy on 694001 and arrange to go and see her. Please speak up now as it is really important that things are done properly now. Your expertise and experience are essential - if we get it wrong at the planning stage it just won't work.

I think its important for as many "practitioners/ musicians/ producers" and anyone else potentially involved with the administration and running of the CMV to attend. Input at this embryonic stage will certainly aid strategic planning

[Sam]

Here's a copy of an email sent to me from Jo at the Arts Trust, echoing an article in the public notes section of this week's Shetland Times

 

Just a quick message re: the above [Cinema & Music Venue]. I hope you have seen the ad in this week's paper, on page 40, saying that Kathy Hubbard from Shetland Arts is organising a series of consultations on the cinema and music venue.

 

As practitioners/ musicians/ producers, this is your chance to have your say and influence the final product. The consultation is to take place on Sat 2nd and Sunday 3rd September and covers music performance and recording (Saturday 3 pm or 5 pm), cinema screening, film making and digital media (Sunday 10.30 am), dance and drama (Sunday 1.30 pm), technical - sound, lighting and stage management etc (3.30 pm) and front of house (6 pm).

 

If you have any preferences/ ideas/ suggestions on any of these areas, or if you just want to hear what has been planned so far, please call Kathy on 694001 and arrange to go and see her. Please speak up now as it is really important that things are done properly now. Your expertise and experience are essential - if we get it wrong at the planning stage it just won't work.

 

I think its important for as many "practitioners/ musicians/ producers" and anyone else potentially involved with the administration and running of the CMV to attend. Input at this embryonic stage will certainly aid strategic planning

 

I think thats all excelent - i seen the add in da paper too

 

Accounting might be a good course to do as well, i think a lot of the arts are all very good up here, but people need to learn to put on things that people will want to see/buy.

 

for example taking a big show/act up from the mainland would be good but if the costs are too high - making the tickets high - people wont go mainly because they cant aford to go with their families etc.

 

This is also so for local acts/shows or too limited appeal for bums on seats too.

 

Its all very well filling the place with shows and films but if only a handfull of people come to see it then the balence sheet will not balence.

 

I think this is true with any service or product and not just linked to this project.

 

At the end of the day we need to learn that selling enough goods and 'bums on seats' is the biggest lesson to learn.

 

good luck to the project i support the idea, although i think like other (island and city) cmv it will be propped up with out rates for years to come.

[Sam]

.

I think its important for as many "practitioners/ musicians/ producers" and anyone else potentially involved with the administration and running of the CMV to attend. Input at this embryonic stage will certainly aid strategic planning

 

couple of questions????

 

is it not going to be run by the council as its a council building? so why does the council need help to run the place?

 

i thought the council, and others, went on a wee trip around the uk to find out this information from people actualy doing the job in real music venues now?

 

why do they need producers? is this the first death nail to the Garrison? - to move any plays/producers/productions to want to go to the new venue and not the Garrison.