Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
posted May 20, 2012 06:07 PM
Last Sunday I went with forum member Pat Walsh to a small North Canterbury town where he has set up projecting films in the Memorial Hall. Its the first time films have been shown in that town since the 70s. Waikari is a small country town with a population of around 800. Pat had bought the Kinoton from the cinema where I last worked, so I was most interested in seeing that projector back up and running again. The town is about one hour drive north from Christchurch. At the moment he only shows films on the Saturday. The support from the locals has been very good, anyway nice to see something like this back up and running. Although I was thinking it might be an idea for the locals to bring along more comfortable seating for a long movie, as the hall does not get a lot of use the seats could be left there. Also at Waikari there is the Weka Pass Vintage steam railway which runs every so often on a Sunday.
Popcorn machine on the left I understand is very popular.
Pat operating the masking from flat to Scope...turn of a wheel.
Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003
posted May 21, 2012 11:11 PM
Graham, if this is not part of the trade secret, could you tell me how the business can be going on with the population only 800? say that the theatre is full packed (by 100 people?) and ticket price is $5/show.
What about the cost of bulb, fuel for driving one hour or two hours v.v, copy rights, etc.
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
posted May 22, 2012 01:08 AM
Hi Winbert The prints he is getting are not the latest releases. With "second release" prints that have done the run as we call it, the take from the film distributor is very low. It will be interesting how things go in time. With small towns like that, with one pub and a pie shop they need something a bit more. As its rural its something farmers and the kids can go to as its a long drive to the city.
Lamp wise the Xenon on the Kinoton will last for a very long time. I used to change it about once a year and thats with the projector running 12-14hrs a day every day of the week, so what Pat is doing to clock up those hours will take years.
Posts: 723
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Jul 2006
posted May 22, 2012 01:52 AM
Thanks for posting the pictures Graham!, the projector is a Kinoton FP20A running 7000ft reels, so I have an intermission which is good as people come out and buy up large at the candy shop!, Just sitting here working out next month's schedule, I am running on Saturdays only at 2,5 and 8pm.
-------------------- "Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
posted May 22, 2012 03:32 AM
Graham,it sounds like my kind of town,a pub,a pie shop and a picture house,what more does anyone need.Great pictures,and it really must be nice for to be able to view older films in the cinema like it used to be in this country.Even in the '70s the films weren't always the most recent that were shown in the UK but folks still went to see them.The folks in that little town are fortunate to have a cinema that caters to them instead of the corporations,most excellent.
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
posted August 18, 2012 02:56 PM
My wife and I paid Pat a visit at Waikari early Saturday afternoon and it was a real joy, he even let me press the start button on the Kinoton Later I talked to a local family who attended the kids screening and were really pleased that Pat was running films for the community. It was nice to hear positive feedback like that. The evening show on 35mm was "The Artist" we were gone by that stage, but well done Pat good programme.
Posts: 723
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Jul 2006
posted August 18, 2012 04:41 PM
Hi Graham, had about 30 odd in for THE ARTIST and what I great film!, there is only 3 copies in the country so I have had to wait to screen it for about 5 months!
-------------------- "Raise The Titanic!", It would of been cheaper to lower the Atlantic!