Film at the Old Bookies

Last week was the opening night for Film at the Old Bookies, the pop-up cinema project I’m working on. For those who want to know what a pop-up cinema is, we go into a space, put up a screen and sound system and create a temporary cinema.

Our current space is an old abandoned bookies (hence the name) and we decked the place out with beanbags, blankets, chairs and rugs to make it as cosy as possible for our guests. All films are licensed, before anyone asks about that too. I also plan on showing student films before the main picture as well, I couldn’t take this opportunity and not promote local filmmakers. It’s tough getting your film out there, ya know?

Our first film was to be Edward Scissorhands, we were going to welcome guests with a glass of prosecco and some free popcorn to enjoy during the film. And then it started snowing.

‘This is great’ I thought at first, thinking of the beautiful scene in which Edward carves an ice sculpture and makes it appear to snow and it’s all beautifully shot, overblown and romantic. The snow was so apt!

But then it kept snowing. We had to call it. Was it worth continuing? And more importantly, if we did decide to go ahead, and people did turn up, would they be able to get home safely? (Where’s Mr. Plow when you need him?)

The pressure was on and unfortunately we were forced to postpone the film until the following Thursday and do a double bill that day. Not an easy decision and we were gutted as we had press coming and had been working hard all day. But never mind. A minor setback but our concern was for the safety of those travelling home afterwards. Plus, the heating wasn’t’ great and we didn’t our audience to end up like Jack at the end of The Shining…

So we were delayed until the 21st but hey, these things happen. We'd just have to wait. When it eventually came, the showing of Edward Scissorhands went well. Much quieter than I hoped, probably owing to the fact it had been pushed back, but the feedback was great. Next up was Gremlins an apt film show, I thought, because if anything were to go wrong I could blame it on them.

Again, it was quieter than I had hoped but still, there were people there and supporting the project which was incredible. Also have to give a huge shoutout to my co-worker, Chelsea, who took the photos that night and works even harder than I do to ensure the film nights run smoothly. It's also worth mentioning our sponsers, Propercorn, who have supplied us with popcorn! And a big thanks to Irvine’s own Vanilla Joe’s for supporting the project as well! Not to mention AYAN (Ayrshire Youth Arts Network), icecream architecture and Somewhere to_. Who are the people who made this project possible.

The opening had gone well, then came news of another hitch. A well-known pizza shop had just confirmed they were buying the building. We knew this was likely to happen, but still it was disappointing as we were just getting used to our wee space! Nothing is ever easy. Luckily we have incredible support of a local café and they have offered to host our last few films of the first season.

I still am slightly in awe to be part of such an exciting project, I love cinema and films and getting paid to do something you love is the dream. And after working an amalgamation of jobs, both good and bad, over the past few years, it’s good to see hard work and perseverance pay off, finally! I can’t wait to see where the project goes.

The next film we’re showing is The Running Man, I mean, who doesn’t love some classic 80s action with ol’ Arnie?

Anyway, if you’re at a loose end and need something to do, come along to our cinema, it’s free and we also have free popcorn… Or if you’re a student and would like your film to get shown, I’m more than happy for you to get in touch with me. Communication and collaboration is key in world of film, after all.

And there’s not much else to say but I’ll end with one of my favourite quotes, “be excellent to each other. And party on, dudes!”