8mm Forum: Annual Christmas Show

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Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on December 14, 2004, 12:59 PM:

Last weekend I got to play at projectionist for an audience again which is a big event for me as I don't have a permanent cinema set-up like many of the others on here.

Friends of mine have got into the habit of opening up their house one Saturday just before Christmas and having stalls selling Handi-Crafts in several of the rooms. Two years ago they asked me if I would put on a cine show for the children, I didn't take much persuading and was pleased to find when I arrived, that the sitting room had been blacked out in readiness and the furniture had been re-arranged to form a make shift cinema, perfect [Big Grin]

.

The first year I took loads of short films, thinking that there would be a transient audience of children coming and going. As it happenned, the kiddies were so taken by the whole thing that several parents went off into town leaving their children behind transfixed to the screen. I sent out an SOS to home and had a couple of feature films delivered to give the show some more continuity and help it to keep going through out the day.

Last year I was better prepared, I took more features than I did shorts. The children were better prepared too and [whilst I don't want to be sexist about this [Wink]

] the girls all seemed to gravitate towards the front row, these seats were highly prized, and the boys more towards the back. Tellingly, several of the little chaps spent far more of their time looking back at the projector than they did the screen and two were determined to help me thread it up and rewind the films!

This year I took 'Aristocats' 'Alladin' and 'Wizard of Oz', I also took several of the excellant shorts that have been released recently by Derann and Classic, including; Knick Knack', 'Buddies Theatre', 'Chubb Chubbs' and 'Gone Nutty'. 'Chubb Chubbs' was the clear winner with numerous requests for repeat showings during the day, dissapointingly, 'Knick Knack' was not popular with the younger audience which was a shame because it is one of my favorites and I only got to see it once [Frown]

.

An interesting development this year was that the Dads took an extra interest in the proceedings and whilst children were transfixed to the screen and partners were sorting through rough looking things made out of what looked like bits and pieces of nothing in particular, the Dads crowded round the GS 1200 and Oohhed and Ahhed over it and wanted to play almost as much as their little charges.

The show started at about 11.00 and ran through until 5.00. For most of that time I was standing next to the GS as it purred away filling the room with its own special magic whilst I received regular deliveries of tea and mince pies.

Magic [Wink]

Any one else planning any shows this Christmas?

Mike

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on December 14, 2004, 02:01 PM:

Email that to Dave Worrall Mike. Get it in the letters section of the next magazine. It's a lovely tale.

My Christmas film show - same thing every year... Die Hard 2.

Posted by Simon McConway (Member # 219) on December 15, 2004, 11:46 AM:

I work in a school and I usually give an afternoon and morning show there. Cartoons and the usual. I feel on edge though, as you are "willing" the kids to enjoy it. The kids we work with would think nothing of telling you exactly what they thought of it. Road Runner always goes down well, but our school hall isn't a perfect set up, with the odd curtain missing. In the quandamn days of my non-age, such shows were a regular, at schools across this hallowed land. Now, they are a rarity, even if the projectionist does come through dungeon, fire and sword to reach the end. And, to this day, never had a bulb blown!

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