Testimonials
From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki
Nice things people have said about Star and Shadow - please add:
Kate E Deeming - Nov 2007:
I am just returned from my exhibit in Newcastle which was fantastic. It was a perfect environment to share 43(two). The Star and Shadow Cinema is a volunteer led and driven organization - how extraordinary to be among the company of such talented and impassioned artists and arts enthusiasts, whose only aim is creation and the sharing thereof. This is the soul of art. The multi-faceted space has many stories to be guessed, none to be known for certain it reminded me of an old Victorian Stable which had been converted into an industrial holding space before being commandeered by the S&S folk. The film projections 'brought a certain magic into the space' (as commented by one viewer). In addition the Super8 of Threadswas presented for the first time. The combination of all these elements resulting in a highly successful and well received event! <http://www.deeming.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=26>
John Smith - Oct 2007:
To : Arts Council of England, 28/10/07
Testimonial from John Smith in support of the Star and Shadow Cinema
Earlier this year I was approached by the organisers of the Star and Shadow Cinema and asked to present a programme of my film and video work at their venue. I don't normally travel 300 miles to do a single screening but I had heard good things about the organisation and was curious to see the cinema for myself, so I decided to accept. My visit to Newcastle confirmed that I had made the right decision.
On arriving at the cinema a few hours before my screening on June 20th I was immediately impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of the people who run it. I was proudly shown around the excellent cinema space (where an enormous amount had been achieved with limited resources and second-hand and borrowed equipment) and told about their additional plans to create a film production workshop on site (again utilising mainly donated or discarded machinery). It was very apparent that the success of the operation was highly dependent on the resourcefulness and commitment of the volunteer staff and their friends.
My screening in the evening was attended by a large and attentive audience. The technical presentation of both the film and video work was excellent, and superior to that found in many high profile and well funded galleries and cinemas. I was very impressed by the diversity of the audience and the depth of the questions raised in my Q & A at the end of the screening (the audience diversity is no doubt largely due to the extremely eclectic programming and the admirable policy of low ticket prices, which extends to free entry to aslyum seekers). The post screening discussion went on for the best part of an hour and then continued on a less formal level in the friendly adjacent bar, making my visit to Newcastle worthwhile in itself.
To conclude, I cannot praise the Star and Shadow highly enough and can't think of anywhere more deserving of Arts Council support. I just wish that there was a similar venue screening artists' film and video in London.
John Smith Film and Video Artist and Professor of Fine Art, University of East London
Guy Sherwin - Oct 2007:
To whom it may concern. I am very happy to write a reference of support for Star and Shadow Cinema. I screened a programme of my films there in February 2007, and was hugely impressed by what had been achieved, largely on voluntary labour, and by the professionalism of the whole event, run apparently on a shoestring budget. There is an enthusiasm and spiritness in this bunch of people which is rare to see and extremely invigorating. I wish them the very best for the future.
Cory Arcangel - December 2007
hello all,
yeah, id like the thank everybody also. the whole thing (show, performance, screening) went off without a hitch, as smooth as possible, which is saying alot considering so many things needed to be plugged in along the way! :)
so yeah, thanks again to everyone for being so accommodating ( ps - and buying me a few whiskeys along the way).
