Info for putting on events
From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki
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An introduction to how programming at the cinema works:
The Star and Shadow is not a building. (Ceci n'est pas un batiment.)
The building will always be where it is, seven days a week. The people who make things happen in it may not be. The capacity of the Star and Shadow activity is the capacity of the people involved, not the building itself. It is the collective energy and commitment of the volunteers who make things happen in it.
So, when someone wants to programme something, be it a film, a gig, an exhibition, a fundraising event, or any of the other things that happen here, they take on the responsibility for making that event happen, and that involves everything to make the building run as well as the specifics for the event. It's not just the choosing of the film, the band, bringing in decorations - it is also the changing of the bogroll, the staffing of the door and the locking up of the building.
Because the building is open regularly, some general building running actions are maintained on a regular basis. But it is up to the programmer to be aware and liaise with the people who make these things happen where they connect to their particular event. E.G: the bar is stocked generally, but if a you know you are running a white wine spritzers themed event, the Bar team can make sure that there is lots of white wine and soda if they know in advance.
In order to run well we need lots of good communication and sharing of workloads. And we can only do what we all collectively can manage. The Star and Shadow cinema exists because the volunteers love to make things happen here, feel passionate about this way of working. If people are feel overwhelmed and stressed by the activity, we have to do less. Different types of programming may signify different types of involvement but a transparency and a desire for open communication is crucial to working well.
The Star and Shadow is a building:
Although the cinema activity is dependent on volunteers, its existence for our use is dependent on us raising enough money to pay for its upkeep. This is set amounts in terms of rent, rates and insurance, and variable amounts in terms of use of resources. Any activity that takes place in the cinema (unless it is a séance in the dark without the heating on...) will incur costs, and these costs need to be covered. Where costs are mentioned below, these are always based on covering our costs and enabling us to continue - we work entirely not for profit.
In general, the takings on the door cover the costs of putting on events. For all programming this is the general rule, and we hope that over time we balance out, by some events being cheaper and more popular, and some expensive and maybe less popular.
The Golden Rules
There are a couple of things that are always key to any event.
- Membership: For ANY public event that is advertised as happening here everyone must become a member (£1 per calendar year). This is a part of our license. The only exceptions are private events that are not advertised publicly. Membership income always goes to the cinema - it goes to cover costs of cards and towards publicity.
- Bar: Bar income always goes to the cinema. This is our bread and butter money and goes towards our upkeep
- Location Events that are noisy can happen in the bar or cinema. we cant have loud music or live music in the big hallway space because our neighbours can hear it.
- Keyholders: All events need a keyholder present who can open and lock up but also has knowledge of the building and takes responsibility for it.
- Everything needs to be discussed! We need to communicate to make things happen. Come to a meeting, or if Monday eves are impossible, get in touch and find someone to talk about it on your behalf.
- The wiki is where its at: This wiki is our collaborative information site and is how we manage our complicated programme. Please read instructions on booking pages and use the wiki for booking events.
- We have a license: For all info look here:[[S+S license]]
Info for Specifc types of event / ways of working at the cinema
There are no limits to ideas and no way all of them are covered here. These guidelines should help when you are incubating ideas. For anything that not here there are no limits to our capacity for discussion!
Exhibitions and Exhibition openings
Artist films and presentations
Other non-event uses e.g rehearsal, office, filmmaking, making things
Long term/ongoing use of building
Costs - monetary and other
Non-monetary ways to support the cinema
Need to find a place for:
Regular volunteers of the cinema benefit from access to the space when it is not in use. Our dedicated volunteers have access to the space when they need to use it. This works because they know their way around the building, are able to be self-sufficient and understand that their use of the building fits around the public and other activities.
Groups wanting to use the space who are not regular volunteers: Community groups or organisations that want to use the building for meetings, rehearsals etc, need to propose how they want to use the space and be able to fit around the other activities. Depending on whether this is long term or one off, a member of the group can become a keyholder so that the group can be self sufficient. If not, groups can either meet when other events are on or can make an arrangement with a keyholder - however this needs to flexible to keyholders availability.
