What’s happening to cinema? According to the BBC, cinema is ‘good for theatre’ as audiences attending live screenings of the National Theatre’s performances of Phedre, are supposedly more emotionally engaged in the production than those who were actually there. Read the full story here.
And, moving outside of London and up to Edinburgh, live performances of the Traverse Theatre’s Impossible Things Before Breakfast, part of their Fringe programme 2010, are to be simultaneously broadcast into Picturehouse cinemas around the UK.
I love this blurring of the boundaries between theatre and cinema and the mixing of audiences. Not least of which because of the two very different experiences of one event this allows. I like the idea that I can choose to see the show ‘in the flesh’ at the Traverse Theatre, or ‘on the screen’ down the road at the Cameo cinema.
At the other end of the film chain, Ridley Scott has announced plans to crowdsource a new documentary called Life in a Day via YouTube. Upload your footage of a moment in your life on 24 July for a chance to be part of the film. Anyone whose footage does make it into the final feature will be credited as co-director. Find out more here.
What is this? A cheap way to make a film whose profits will stay firmly out of the pockets of those who contributed the footage? A unique chance to shine on the big screen without having to bash your way through a long line of industry gatekeepers? An honest attempt to give everyone the chance of being a star and have a snippet of their story seen on the big screen? Maybe all three.
From an industry point of view, the equally interesting factor will be the free screenings of this film on YouTube. Surely cinema figures will stay buoyant as the project is so unique, but what will viewing figures reach on YouTube? And what seeds for the future of film exhibition does this plant?
Ever more interesting times and ever more challenges and opportunities for cinemas.
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