London's Rio Cinema was transformed over the weekend into a three-day Gotham City-inspired experience that involved live actors, and interactive performance, free cookies, and the long-awaited premiere of The Batman. Digital Cinema Media teamed up with Oreo to deliver the immersive cinematic experience.
Leading British independent exhibitor Reel Cinemas, which operates 15 multiplex sites with 78 screens across the United Kingdom, has retained Showtime Analytics to provide it with an operational data platform and customer communication. Reel Cinemas just entered its 21st year in business. With continued expansion plans underway, the company launched two sites during the pandemic.
Six Days Films, Roast Beef Productions, Doc Society and Journeyman Films are releasing the critically acclaimed documentary F@ck This Job (Tango with Putin) in UK cinemas beginning February 24. Produced by Mike Lerner (Oscar-nominated Hell and Back Again, Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer) produced and directed by Vera Krichevskaya and executive produced by Jess Search (Oscar winning Citizenfour, Emmy-nominated Virunga), Sandra Whipham (Emmy award-winning P.O.V. and Enemies of the People) and Barbara Biemann (National Bird), the film is an unprecedented look at censorship and the dramatic changing media landscape inside Putin’s Russia since 2008.
UK post-production house Mission has hired Catherine Crawley as head of marketing, following nearly five years prior leading marketing, events, and social media strategy for the cinema lens manufacturer Cooke Optics.
Vista Group CEO Kimbal Riley has announced that longtime Movio executives Sarah Lewthwaite and Matthew Liebmann will jointly lead the company following the departure of co-founder and chief executive Will Palmer this December. Movio, the marketing data analytics and cinema campaign management company, was founded by Palmer and Peter Beguely in 2010. Lewthwaite, Movio’s chief client officer located in London, and Matthew Liebmann, Movio’s chief operating officer operating out of the company’s Auckland headquarters, will report directly to Riley.
The Vista Group movie and TV website Flicks, which has enjoyed popularity in New Zealand since 2006 and Australia since 2015, is launching in the United Kingdom this month. Flicks offers film and TV listings including local cinema showtimes and on-demand streaming availability as well as editorial contributions from local writers.
The winners of this year’s Young Animator of the Year UK award have been announced by Access:VFX, the ScreenSkills Animation Fund and #Dami. Through its awards program, YAY UK aims to provide aspiring animators from a range of backgrounds with access to and advice from professionals and studios in the animation, games and visual effects industry. The winning work will premiere at the Manchester Animation Festival, which runs November 14-19.
CinemaNext has been chosen by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to be its official projection and sound supplier and integrator. Located in London, BAFTA’s home has recently undergone a major refurbishment. Due to officially open in 2022, it will be a creative center for film, games and television and the central hub for the Academy’s UK-wide, and global, learning and talent development programs.
Christie’s CP4440-RGB projector is being used as the flagship projection technology at the 65th annual British Film Institute’s London Film Festival, running now through October 17. For the first time the event will be held at the prestigious Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on the south bank of the Thames, where the concert hall will be turned into the main festival gala cinema. With a seating capacity for 2,200 cinema goers, it will become one of the largest cinema experiences in the country.
Twickenham Film Studios, London, has named Jack Watts head of technology and standards. Managing director Cara Sheppard made the announcement. Watts’ hiring follows the appointment of Tomasz Witkowski as director of technology & engineering and head of picture Stuart Bryce.
