24 Sept 07 - programme meeting
From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki
PRESENT: Debbie, Ilana, Dorothy (from the Bike Festival), Stephanie, Cath, Louise, Charlie (all three from Improv Group), Pauline, Christo, Dan, Dave, Bill, Craig, Adrin, Sarah
1. PLACEMENT STUDENT
Ilana reported that we were being offered a placement student, who would be paid by Newcastle Uni to work at the Star and Shadow. The general consensus was that this was not a good idea.
Reasons put forward were that as nobody was paid it was a bad precedent to have a paid placement person, and secondly that placements took up a lot of people's time in supervising them
2. FIVE DAY WEEK OPENING
Debbie suggested that opening too many nights of the week put unfair pressure on the system and on regular volunteers. She felt that we needed to pull back a little.
There followed a discussion about the ratio of gigs and films and the balance between making money at the bar and showing art that was rarely seen. One argument was that there were too many gigs - and that the region had plenty of places were gigs could be put on. This was countered by Christo who argued that many of the bands that play here could not play elsewhere and that the gigs also encouraged a DIY aesthetic among those that put them on.
Bill wondered if there might be other events - films and exhibitions of crafts or of trains. These might also bring money in but might not be so demanding as gigs.
It was generally agreed that the following diary should be adhered to for the next few months:
Sunday - gig free Monday - closed Tuesday - closed Wednesday - anything goes Thursday - gig free, preferably film Friday - anything goes Saturday - anything goes Sunday - gig free, preferably film
It was suggested that there might need to be more keyholders, but that discussion was not pursued.
3. GHETTO METHOD
Ghetto Method, a hiphop collective, would like to do an event called Scenario - three times per year.
This would include a film, which would set the theme for the evening.
It would also include live art and DJs.
There might also be dance based performance. They have pencilled in the first Saturday in February, and would like a late licence.
There followed a discussion on the availability of late licences. The S&S has used 10 of its 12 free licences for this year, but we can get 12 more at £30 per go.
It was suggested to Ghetto Method that they do their first event and see how it went before they planned a whole years worth.
4. GIG CONTRACTS
Christo and Pauline have been working on tighter contracts for people using the space, with the hope that this would stop some event holders taking the piss.
Pauline will put the wording up on the wiki.
5. IMPROV GROUP
Improv Group are performers who would like to use the space at the S&S for events and rehearsal. They do physical theatre and start with a single idea that then evolves into a peice.
Ilana suggested they might want to use the space on Mondays from 6-8 when a meeting was on in the office. That way a key-holder would not need to come in especially.
6. OCTOBER/NOVEMBER PROGRAMME
Christo needs to book (or help Adrin book) in a number of films:
Hiroshima Mon Amour Last Year in Marienbad East of Bucharest Straub/Huille Angelopoulos
As the programme for Oct/Nov may be late, Christo suggested putting it all up on the website, doing a mail out to all, and printing ourselves on the photocopier.
Sarah agreed to help put stuff on the website.
Steph will help Debbie design a poster.
Richard Phipps needs to confirm his showing of Incredible Shrinking Man / Dark Star.
Craig asked about using the exhibition space for Kate E Deeming's show (7 to 10 November 2007) and this was agreed.
Mike McHugh had offered to coordinate the exhibition space but nobody seemed to know what was happening with that.
7. BICYCLE FILM FESTIVAL
The Bike festival has been programmed. The idea is that cyclists will turn up when after Critical Mass on the Friday.
There will be a workshop in the exhibition space on the Saturday afternoon, followed by lunch and films.
Suggestions for films include:
Flying Scotsman Jour de Fete
Christo will book these (?)
8. DECEMBER/ JANUARY 2008 Programme
Sarah reported that there was a possiblity of getting Cory Arcangel to show his work in early December and that this was something of a coup as other spaces had missed out on him.
It was agreed that this would be very good for the S&S.
9. BRITISH FILMS
Bill wold like to show a series of British films in February, both matinees and evening showings. These would be classic British films, and would possibly be titled "The Golden Era of British Film".
When: February 2008, 2 films a week for 4 weeks
Aim/plan: to expand on the star and shadow's audience, attract people in their 40's – 60's, people who have spare time during the day
Times for screenings: one matinee screening per week, and one in the evening
Problem that people see with this plan:
- people who are working would not be able to come to the matinee screenings
- matinee screenings generally attract very few people
- For the matinee screenings to be a success, you would have to promote them a lot – going to places where these people spend time, such as community groups in the Ouseburn Valley, or people's homes, going to leave flyers and talk to people about it; it is a lot of work, investment in time
- If you are trying to attract people living in homes, you have to think about the transport
Bill agrees that it would need a lot of promotion work, and would be ok with doing it. He does not think that he would try to attract very old people from people's homes and doesn't think that thinking about the transport would be needed.
Suggestions for films: Tom Jones, If…
10. OTHER SUGGESTIONS
Suggestion: Graffiti event
Idea from: Dan
When: 8 March (suggested date)
Aim/plan: Have a full day of live Graffiti drawing, and then show films/videos on graffiti art; the day could also focus on graffiti history; Dan has been practising Graffiti making for many years, and taught Graffiti art in Youth centres, and he thinks it would be nice if young people saw Graffiti artists drawing live; Graffiti would have to be done on the actual walls; it would happen during a Saturday, a whole
day; NORMAL LICENCE.
Problems that people see with the project:
- One of the nice things of the Star and Shadow is that the place doe not have a very strong identity/specific decoration, so people can feel it is their place, and the place can be changed for different events; for this reason the Graffiti on the walls could not stay, it would have to be painted over;
Dan agrees with that – no problem to paint it over the next day, he would take responsibility for it.
- For the date – it would be good if it was not too close to an event organised by the Ghetto Method, as they are similar events
Suggestion: Music event
Idea from: Backlash Collective
When: could be in December, on a Wed night, 5 Dec for example
Aim/plan: Backlash Collective works with music/visual artists from around the world (for example with Near Palm Death, Barry Fox); artists who make experimental/electronic music; you could show a film on which music would be played live; LATE LICENCE would be needed;
Suggestion:
- maybe it would be good to have a night finishing at a normal
time, with a normal licence for the first event; then we could see how it goes and maybe have a late licence for the next time.
Backlash Collective agrees to that: they say they are a responsible company, have been putting up events for 10 years, it's fine with them to do it this way.
- Christo says they should contact Pauline to get more info on gig nights
Problem that people see with it:
- Club nights are a lot of work, and the Star and Shadow was not meant for that; it is stressful to have late nights club nights;
the Backlash Collective would have to take responsibility for having security at the door.
Backlash collective agrees – no problem for them to provide security at the door.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
For the next Publicity meeting, on 8 October, we will also discuss programming, because there is too much to discuss at programming meetings.
So 8 Oct: Publicity AND Programming meeting
General meetings are open to anyone, and are on the first and third Mondays.
