Film Hubs
Impact Areas
Focus Areas
Summary
The sixth year of the festival, 2020 programme involved collaboration with more venues than before (13), more events (33) and a longer time frame (one month).
The timing of the impact of the pandemic was challenging for the festival. By the weekend of 14th/15th March, we needed to make a decision about the remaining 40% of the events in the 2020 programme. Whilst people’s health was the obvious priority, the picture wasn’t entirely clear. Some venues were clearly concerned about cancelling events where all tickets had been sold and where that loss of income would be significant for that organisation.
Clearly months of work had been put into the preparation whilst some venues were managing both disappointment at cancellation from some audience members and alarm from others that events hadn’t been cancelled sooner. There was no government instruction which directly related, and the previous day the nearby Cheltenham Festival had taken place. Much discussion took place with venues and others and the last event took place on 16th March. Apart from the financial impact and disappointment, a number of festival elements have not taken place as planned. This includes gathering audience data and the review process looking towards a festival in 2021, when some venues are understandably concerned about their future.
Run by volunteers and with the bulk of the finance coming from ticket sales, it’s a collaboration between 13 local organisations and venues running a packed programme for two weeks in March 2020 and with ‘lead in’ events before and some ‘closing events’ after.
The festival’s aim is to offer a broad programme of films and film events, and to reach audiences of differing ages and with a range of tastes.
Project aims
The project’s aim is to promote and develop a passion about film in Stroud by:
taking cinema into the local community
broadening the local community’s experience of film and cinema
educating and informing the community about the context, ideas and production of film
developing and supporting the creation of new audiences for cinema
building on the expertise of local film groups and initiatives, including Stroud Community TV, to support and develop filmmaking in the community
supporting and promoting the work of local professional filmmakers
establishing a successful annual Stroud Film Festival as an integral element in the town’s exceptional festival programme
Headlines
Collaboration with 13 independent venues across the town to achieve a programme aiming to reach across the community, including those who don’t identify as attending film festivals.
Venues included a pub, a brewery, a skatepark and a railway goods shed. The breadth of programme reflected the range of venues and their audiences. Following the success of the previous five years, the Festival included some recently released specialist films, not previously screened locally, classic movies and film events, some with a distinct Stroud connection. The majority of events involved more than simply a film screening: the opportunity to hear film makers talking about their work, discussions and a chance to dress up.
A number of events focussed on films about specific topics: homelessness and young people, bereavement, food, climate emergency, folk music, skateboarding, Stroud’s animation heritage and gardening.
To support this, extensive print publicity and social media connecting with networks across the community.
Two events in collaboration with Into Film, local schools and colleges and an independent cinema.
Three opportunities for video production, two of them aimed at people under 18 and a 60 second Film Challenge for videos made over a single weekend.
Involvement of the Women’s Film Makers’ Collective: this organisation was started following the 2018 festival and contributed two events to this year’s programme.
This year’s festival had better ticket sales than any previous festivals with more events sold out in advance. And tickets were for most events sold at £6/£5.
Films
Home (work in progress dir Marc Jobst)
Marriage Story (2019)
Refugees on Film: shorts
Blackbird (2013)
The Language of Grief (3 shorts)
Amazing Grace’ (2019)
Southern Journey (Revisited) (2020)
Animal Farm (1954)
Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Eighth Grade (2019)
Working for Victory (1992)
The Street (2019)
‘High Society’ (1956)
Five Seasons: The Gardens of Piet Oudolf (2017) -
Beggars of Life (1928)
Opening The Earth and The South West Fibershed project (2020)
Rush Film Fest (Rush Skate Park)
The Edge of Wonder: Your Health is in Your Gut (2020)
Belleville Rendez-Vous with Welcome to Goma (2020)
Tales from Hoffnung & Ruddigore
Beyond Solastalgia (2020)
Film Stroud : shorts
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Bait (2018)
Soup Versammlung - meet the producers of Bait
The Halas & Batchelor Short Film Collection
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Key partnerships
Stroud Town Council, South West Film Hub, BFI Film Audience Network, Stroud Festival and Create Studios provided support either in kind or financially
Rycote (microphone windshield manufacturers) and Darbyshire (picture framing) provided sponsorship
The collaborating venues and organisations which contributed to the programme:
Atelier workshops
Stroud Subscription Rooms, venue
Electric Picture House Wotton, cinema
Good on Paper, listings magazine
Hawkwood College
Into Film
Lansdown Film Club
The Museum in the Park,
The Prince Albert, pub
Strictly Cinema, community cinema group
Stroud Brewery
Stroud Film Society
Stroud Valleys Artspace
Stroud Women’s Film Makers’ Collective
Studio 18, artists’ workspace and gallery
Rush Skatepark
Budget in brief
£5130
What worked
A more varied programme than in previous years. Low cost tickets, Very good ticket sales. New collaborations with Into Film and the Rush Skate park. Very positive audience feedback.
The website was a key element in the reach of the festival and offering direct ticketing was part of the aim of the revamped site. For the third year, the festival worked with the designer and developer at listings magazine ‘Good on Paper’ to produce the Square Space website, designed by a professional but with the capacity to be maintained by volunteers.
Factors which are likely to have played a significant part in these developments, judging from qualitative and anecdotal feedback:
--impact of the date changes
The majority of the events were in the period Friday 6th-Sunday 22nd March
Each side of this was a period with fewer events starting with Home on 21st February and ending with Bring Your Own Beamer on 28th March--integrated website, print programme and ticketing system
--increased social media activity
--Improved web presence was very beneficial, linked to social media and to online ticket sales.
Social Media activity.Please see social media folder in https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7sSFQZMyM4XXO_SwD7BNf4uG4lI7wLt?usp=sharing
--Facebook followers for the SFF page rose from 600 at the beginning of 2019 to 882 through the course of the pre-festival and festival events. This has been built over the last couple of years and with the launch of the new website in 2018.
The Festival has 1111 followers on Twitter
And 405 followers on the Instagram account it started this year--The website
Increase of around 25% year on year across main metrics: see analytics screenshots 1,2,3
Measuring from 1 February, there is a steady increase.
The peak of activity was on 8 March. From this date there is a steep decline, following the prospect of lockdown. On 22 March, the highlight weekend of the festival, web activity had significantly diminished.https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1M23mwJucKpcGjw_yAcUXQv0BD_Fh_1Fa?usp=sharing
What has been difficult
The impact of covid-19 wasn’t restricted to the events which were actually cancelled or postponed. Where advance ticket sales had been strong, the effect was relatively slight until 8th March when, as mentioned from web data, audience focus shifted away from booking films.
What you would do differently if you did it again
Aim to further develop a programme aimed at young people
To collaborate more closely with a range of community groups who work with people who experiencing economic deprivation.
To explore additional partner venues, and to find distribution approaches which ware economically effective in community venues
Explore DCP systems
To collaborate with a cinema chain
Awareness / Attitudes
The festival attempts to engage a wider community than those who ,might typically ‘identify as film festival goers’. The Involvement of Rush skate park brought a number of teenagers into the festival as part of the audience for an evening of skate boarding films. A number of events focussed on film as a vehicle for wider discussion, support and reflection.
-Grief
-Climate Emergency
-What we eat
-The refugee crisis
-Gardening
The museum in the park ran an exhibition on Harold Whittaker, key animator from the Halas and Batchelor Studio, as well as a series of films made by the studio, screened in the daytime to mark his centenary.
Bring Your Own Beamer invited film makers to set up projection in a gallery space and interact with the audience.
Film Stroud brought together film makers of all ages and levels of experience: an award winning short drama, a documentary about a local poet, a film about a community landscape project and a the premiere of the work made by Flies on the Wall and Stroud shorts, two youth production projects which were part of this year’s festival.
New Creatives: this event brought a number of new film makers to Stroud in the town’s iconic Goods Shed venue where there was a very positive evening of screening and dialoge with prospective film makers in the audience.
The Launch in a pub with Kevin Maher, the chief film critic of The Times.
In addition, the events was to have screened a selection of films made as part of the Stroud 60 second Film Challenge, films made in a single weekend on this year’s theme, ‘Common Ground’. A polysemic title inviting a wide range of responses, but connecting to Stroud’s Commons as well as other interpretations around healing social division.
This year, 20 of the 33 events had taken place before the Covid-19 situation. We were required to cancel or postpone the remaining 13 events. Seven of these remaining events were sold out at the time of cancellation, leaving a deficit in projected income.
Feature films included Amazing Grace, at Lansdown Film Club and The Street presented by Stroud Film Society, Marriage Story at the Electric Picture House, Wotton. A 50s themed screening of High Society was held at Lansdown Hall as was Beggars of Life (1928) accompanied by a premiere of an original live soundtrack. Bait, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Belleville Rendez-vous were amongst sold out events which could not take place.
An innovative ‘lead in’ took place at Stroud Valleys Artspace when Hollywood director Marc Jobst ran a work-in-progress pitch for his latest film project, a live performance of HOME, a contemporary feature set in Bristol. Robyn Pete, the Stroud based screenwriter of feature film Blackbird introduced a screening of her film at Atelier.
The Good Grief Project, a charity founded by Stroud based film makers Jimmy Edmonds and Jane Harris hosted an evening of discussion and a chance to meet the makers of films about bereavement.
We’re delighted that for the first time Rush Skatepark will be part of the festival, screening films inside their amazing indoor space.
Diversity
The Home event, a live pitch for a feature film in development, focusses on the lives of homeless young people in Bristol. The audience comprised members of the public as well as people from a number of community groups and projects from Bristol and Gloucester. A wide range in terms of age, race and, judging from the contributions, economic stability. One objective is for the production to involve young people interested in film but who do not come from a typical position to enter the industry.
The next week was Refugees on Film: short films and talks from people who have been working in Greece. Money raised for charity through this event.
The Rush Film Fest was an initiative to engage young people in a specific film event through their interest in skateboarding/ BMX/skating and scootering. Anecdotally, several said that they weren’t sure what a film festival was but now they been part of one… This was the last event before Lockdown and plans for vox pop videos couldn’t be put into practice.
Peanut Butter Falcon was a very successful choice of film for the Into Film event with school
Knowledge & Experience
A number of the films discussed in the previous section address this:
Film Stroud brought together film makers of all ages and levels of experience: an award winning short drama, a documentary about a local poet, a film about a community landscape project and a the premiere of the work made by Flies on the Wall and Stroud shorts, two youth production projects which were part of this year’s festival.
New Creatives: this event brought a number of new film makers to Stroud in the town’s iconic Goods Shed venue where there was a very positive evening of screening and dialoge with prospective film makers in the audience
In addition, the events was to have screened a selection of films made as part of the Stroud 60 second Film Challenge, films made in a single weekend on this year’s theme, ‘Common Ground’. A polysemic title inviting a wide range of responses, but connecting to Stroud’s Commons as well as other interpretations around healing social division.
Two young people’s film Production projects
-Flies on the Wall
-Stroud Shortcuts (see above and in press releases)
Social Cohesion
Film Stroud, a free admission event, brings to a big screen a wide range of films made in Stroud, about Stroud, or by people from Stroud. Many of the audience will be connected with film makers whose work is being screened or with people who are contributors. At the same event this year, a 30 minute drama starring Maxine Peake was screened alongside films made by families as part of the 60 second film challenge, a short documentary about a local poet and a piece about a community project around landscape. The event was to be compered by a BBS Gloucestershire presenter, who in the event, pre recorded an introduction for an online screening.
The festival continues to try to reach out and embrace the outcomes of film production at all levels.
As well as organising a full programme of films, the festival features talks, workshops and events, taking film into the local community, utilising both traditional venues and non-traditional spaces. Over the last 6 years our film festivals have been well attended and received excellent feedback. Each year our audience numbers have increased, with our 2019 Film Festival remains numerically the most successful so far with 1777 people attended the festival (that’s an average of 75 people at each event). The premature ending of 2020 prevented 4o5of the programme and impacted on ticket sales for another 10% of events.
The 2020 programme comprised a number of events for which events were sold out days or weeks in advance.
Each year our new initiatives are welcomed and well attended. The festival continues to be programmed as a consortium, with each venue taking ownership of its contribution, with their own research in place to build on the experimentation and success of the previous year. Reflecting on last year’s successes we wish to:
-develop a more diverse programme
-aim for more events which offer more than simply a screening
-include strong local representation
-include youth provision
14 events out of 26 were sold out in 2019 and 17 out of 33 were sold out in 2020 when global events intervened. We’ve been working with all the partners to find what works well for audiences and will be working in coming months to see where the festival can support venues or organisations challenged by the outcomes of the pandemic.
It is evident in the ongoing interest expressed by local venues in being involved and included in the film festival that this annual ‘happening’ is wanted and needed.
Wellbeing
Stroud’s first Film festival was in 2015. Stroud has a diverse and successful festival provision, which benefits the local community and economy. In 2019 the fifth Stroud Festival ran 8th – 24th March 2019 at 11 venues across the town and beyond, with 21 events. The 2019 events were aimed as usual at a wide audience including cold water swimmers, fans of Marvel films, budding film makers, people who enjoy classic films and European films. In 2020 we added films aimed at Stroud’s skate boarding and gardening communities! To this end (variety and diversity) films have now been screened in the Museum, the Museum’s garden room, St Laurence church, Stroud Brewery, the Prince Albert pub and the Brunel Goods Shed.
Devised by 13 Stroud-based organisations and individuals, a key strand of the festival is showcasing films made by local people.
The 60 second film challenges involve participants receiving a theme by e mail when they then have 40 hours to make a film (no longer than 60 secs). Twenty three groups of local people took part in this last year making films about ‘Wool and Water’ which tied in with the festival of that name and of course Stroud itself. In 2020, the theme was ‘Common Ground’. A selection of these films is chosen each year by an independent film maker and scheduled to be shown at the Community TV awards at Lansdown Hall.
Films can be seen on the website: www.stroudfilmfestival.org/filmfestivalonline
Economy
Film Stroud, a free admission event, brings to a big screen a wide range of films made in Stroud, about Stroud, or by people from Stroud. Many of the audience will be connected with film makers whose work is being screened or with people who are contributors. At the same event this year, a 30 minute drama starring Maxine Peake was screened alongside films made by families as part of the 60 second film challenge, a short documentary about a local poet and a piece about a community project around landscape. The event was to be compered by a BBS Gloucestershire presenter, who in the event, pre recorded an introduction for an online screening.
The festival continues to try to reach out and embrace the outcomes of film production at all levels. Please also see reference to the Home project.
The festival continues during lockdown to engage audiences through the availability of online short films, events and production challenges. The last two challenges have offered participants the opportunity to take a creative role during lockdown through the 60 second film form.
The festival forms part of Stroud’s annual cultural programme, which is recognised by the Town Council as contributing to the social, cultural and economic well being of the town. The level of ticket sales has been high while the cost of tickets to the festival is typically £5/£6 and as a result, affordable by much of the community. For a number of venues and organisations, the income generated through their participation in the film festival represents a significant contribution to their annual turnover.
What audiences said
First time I ever saw a silent film with live music. Just brilliant! (57 female GL6)
Fab (58 Male GL6)
I came from Penzance just to see/hear this and don’t regret my long journey. I’ll also check out Bath Film Festival if they do similar events. (65 female TR18)
So modern and fresh. Loved the music (61 Female GL5)
Loved the live sound track. Great way to get to know old movies (49 female BS5)
The film was awesome, the beautiful camera work and acting. The genre is fascinating in itself but I also found the content of the story v. engaging (and still pertinent) being about people who live ‘outside’ of society. The character of Oaklahoma Red is v. interesting because he is a good ‘bad’ person. The love story between the girl and the boy is moving. And the film is funny as well as scary. The live music seamlessly supported the film, so that I forgot sometimes that it wasn’t the actual sound track. High quality musicians and composition (70 female GL5)
Gave 5*s because there are no words. (Should have been louder) (GL5)
Lovely community event (67 Female GL5)
Captivating! (75 Female GL5)
Brilliant! (72 Female GL5)
Loved it (72 Female GL6)
Totally absorbing – great ! (55 Female GL5)
Brilliant film, moving music. Thanks so much! (68 Female GL5)
Ace – fab, well chosen film appropriately presented (and nice wine which makes a difference!) (58 Male GL5)
'Great variety, good Q&A giving context. Important to see these stories represented.'
'Venue not great for the ability to see the film subtitles well'
'Excellent choice of films well presented by a person with experience of the situations. Keep presenting vital message about what's going on with the world and the need for us to change it for the better whenever we can.'
'Information immediacy and engagement of audience. But what can I do? Thanks for refreshments'
'A privilege to see such a a poignant, vital commentary and discussion on the present humanitarian crisis.'
'Very moving. Fascinating. Raises questions: what can we do about the refugee situation?'
'Really informative. Good to reminded of the human story behind the headlines. Important work. Should be more of it. Only didn't get a 5 because I couldn't see the subtitles!'
What professionals, press and partners said
Please see Event Feedback folder https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k7sSFQZMyM4XXO_SwD7BNf4uG4lI7wLt?usp=sharing
Press coverage
Press coverage and press releases folders in
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders1k7sSFQZMyM4XXO_SwD7BNf4uG4lI7wLt?usp=sharing
