Cultural Cinema Information for Arts Centres

Cultural Cinema information for Arts Centres
Cultural cinema is a part of many arts centres’ programmes. Thanks to access>CINEMA for sharing this information with us.

During COVID-19 access>CINEMA has been keeping abreast of developments for cinema in Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Reopening of Cinemas across Europe
According to the latest data from UNIC (The International Union of Cinemas), Ireland will be one of the last countries to reopen its cinemas, currently scheduled for July 20 (as of June 5). More details here.

Guidelines
Currently no specific guidelines have been published for cinema in Ireland.
The bigger cinemas in the UK & Ireland are currently drafting proposals.

Until those guidelines are made public, the main recommendations made in Theatre Forum’s Reopening of Arts Centres guidelines may be adopted for cultural cinema, with the proviso that additional protocols for areas specific to cinema, including projection room guidelines and processes for physical collection / delivery of film content, need to be produced.

Equipment
Venues with cinema equipment must continue to maintain their equipment in order to avoid any problems for reopening.
Venues with DCP equipment are encouraged to test encrypted content to ensure that their equipment is working efficiently.
MPS has developed a 15-second test DCP to easily test if playback is still possible. They have issued keys for all servers, which should allow technical staff to test encrypted playback.
This test DCP package (zip file) can be downloaded here.

Reduced Seating Capacity and Audiences
With social distancing in place, access>CINEMA is discussing the feasibility of cinema screenings with individual members, and exploring alternative solutions including multiple screenings of film titles, alternative seating set-ups in auditoria where possible etc with sites. Advice in relation to the return of audiences for cultural cinema, audience confidence and messaging and options for more vulnerable audiences is being provided.

Film Content
Even if an arts centre is in a position to restart cinema screenings before the end of the year, there is likely to be a reduced amount of new film content available.

access>CINEMA is speaking to UK & Irish film distributors about available content for Autumn 2020. Negotiation of licence fee terms in the context of reduced seating capacities and limited new content is also being discussed.

access>CINEMA will hold a programming meeting via Zoom with its members in July.

Drive-in and outdoor screenings
Drive-in and outdoor screenings may seem like an alternative cinema solution, but please be aware that additional permissions, considerations and costs are associated with these types of screenings.