Film Hub NI Podcast

We caught up with Maeve Cooke, Director and Stephen McNeice, Special Projects Officer from the mighty Access Cinema to talk about the independent cinema scene in Ireland and how their work develops and supports exhibitors across the island.  We talked about how Access Cinema was established in 1977, how independent cinema has developed and how they bring the wide world of cinema to all arts and parts.  Since Film Hub NI was created in 2013 we've found the support, advice and inspiration of the Access Cinema team invaluable, so it was a pleasure to sit down and learn more about their work in detail.  Support the Show.Supported by National Lottery funds, Film Hub NI was established in 2013 by Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast in their capacity as NI's BFI Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO). FHNI works to support the creativity and energy of the film exhibition sector across NI and ensure a wide range of film is available to audiences right across the country.The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) is made up of 8 Film Hubs which cover the whole of the UK. Each Film Hub is led by a Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO) that receives funding from the BFI to deliver extensive programming, audience development activity and support sector training in their region. Click here for more information on the scope of work carried out across the FAN.

Hugh (on his own this time) headed up the road to Derry/Londonderry to speak with Eavan King, Film Programmes Manager at Nerve Centre and Christopher Morrison, Programmer of Foyle Film Festival. We talked about the cinema heritage of the Nerve Centre, the creation of Foyle Film Festival in 1987 and the place of film in the creative landscape of the North West.  Today, 10th April 2024, marks the start of Foyle's spring festival Reel Lives Festival and Christopher and Eavan gave us a great run down of what people can expect from the exciting, innovative programme on offer. For more details on Foyle Film Festival, click here. Support the showSupported by National Lottery funds, Film Hub NI was established in 2013 by Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast in their capacity as NI's BFI Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO). FHNI works to support the creativity and energy of the film exhibition sector across NI and ensure a wide range of film is available to audiences right across the country.The BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) is made up of 8 Film Hubs which cover the whole of the UK. Each Film Hub is led by a Film Hub Lead Organisation (FHLO) that receives funding from the BFI to deliver extensive programming, audience development activity and support sector training in their region. Click here for more information on the scope of work carried out across the FAN.

With the Academy Awards over, we thought we would release this recording of NI's own Oscar recipients, Tom Berkeley and Ross White, which we made last year as part of Northern Ireland Screen's Masterclass series. In the famous Screen 1 of Queen's Film Theatre, Ross and Tom were generous with their time and shared experiences of festivals, networks, early influences and plans for the future.  Thanks to Christine Morrow, New and Emerging Talent Executive at Northern Ireland Screen, for organising the event and for all the attendees for being there. Support the show

Sara and Hugh are joined by Isabella Koban of Ghouls on Film the Belfast based, feminist horror film society screening at the Black Box. In a fascinating discussion, Isabella told us about finding escape in cinema in her teeenage years, why she loves programming the horror genre and the community that has grown up around Ghouls on Film since their foundation in 2021. We also got an early update on Ghouls on Film's contribution to the BFI FAN's 'In Dreams Are Monsters' season starting in October 2022.Sara also updated us on the forthcoming Collective tour from Film Hub NI members. The Irish language film Róise & Frank will be touring across NI, beginning on the 6th October in Limavady. You can find out more about the screenings here.  Thanks as ever to our lovely producer, Stephen Mullan. Let's show films! Support the show

With the Imagine Festival currently screening films that highlight the role of censorship in what and how we watch, we were delighted to invite Dr Sian Barber, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at Queen's University Belfast, to join Sara and Hugh in discussing the issue of film censorship and the impact of censorship on the modern film world. We discussed a range of areas, including the recent controversy in film caliossifation for The Batman and Foscadh, the role of local councils and the BBFC and what the future looks like in light of the proposed online safety bill.We also have the return of Sara's Film Round Up, giving you the skinny on all the independent cinema coming up, in your area. You can read some more about Sian's work here. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

In this special episode, Film Hub NI are joined by Joan Parsons, Head of QFT and Mimi Turtle, CEO of Strand Arts Centre to discuss the huge impact of Kenneth Branagh's Belfast on local cinema and local audiences.  We're also joined by LUMI film critic Fionntán Macdonald, to talk about his recent series of blogs on Belfast films. Fionntán has taken a wide range of films, from Odd Man Out to Good Vibrations and looks at common themes as well as the problematic issues in depicting place on screen. You can read Fionntán's work on the QFT website. We've also got an update on forthcoming screenings from Film Hub NI members in the coming weeks. Let's show films!  Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

After too long a break, Sara and Hugh return with a new series of podcasts celebrating the return of Film Hub NI members, doing what they do best, showing great films. First up we're joined from Belfast Film Festival by Michele Devlin, Director and Stephen Hackett, Head of Programming, to talk about the forthcoming in real life return of the Festival. Covering such topics as the premiere of Sir Kenneth Branagh's  new peon to his hometown, Belfast, Japanese surrealism, archive film and much more, we are so looking forward to the festival, and after listening to this, so will you be.For details of all screening in BFF21 and how to book, visit the festival website. Also this episode see the return of the much missed, 'Sara's Round Up'. It's been too long. Enjoy, and let's show film! Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Before COVID-19, UK & Ireland cinema admissions were booming - increasing year on year, with Northern Ireland performing particularly well. Shutting the entire film sector down practically overnight has had a massive impact on every aspect, from production right through to exhibition. Many cinema operators moved to explore online players, distributors moved to show films online – missing out theatrical runs entirely, and audiences had an overwhelming choice. As (at the time of writing) cinemas are closed for the third time, operating within the confines of government legislation, what does the enforced digital intervention we saw in 2020 mean for the future of cinema? Do audiences still value the collective experience? How can we even measure the impact of online events? What does this all mean for the whole film industry eco system?Listen to the edited highlights to hear Hugh and Sara from Film Hub NI chat to guests Joan Parsons (Head of Queen’s Film Theatre), David Freyne (Writer and Director, Dating Amber ) and Patrick O'Neill (Wildcard Distribution) about the future of cinema through the perspective of exhibition, filmmaking and  distribution.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

You’ve chosen the platform, you’ve booked the films now how do you reach audiences to tell them?For this podcast Hugh and Sara take a deep dive into audience development and marketing for online work. Joined by Ellen Reay (QFT) and Jo Taylor-Hitchinson (Birds Eye View and freelance consultant), this podcast covers how to keep connected with your audience while screens are dark, what challenges venues have faced and what the opportunities long term audience development opportunities may be.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

It is difficult enough to measure the impact of screenings and evaluate audiences in real life, so trying to do this in an online world is even more tricky.For this podcast Hugh and Sara are joined by two experts in evaluation to break it all down into manageable and simple terms. From the perspective of the Film Audience Network, Andy Rae (Film Hub Midlands) and on a wider basis, Andi Jarvis (eximo marketing) chat through what useful data to collect, how to get it, how to avoid drowning in it and how to use it meaningfully to benefit your organisation.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

If your organisation has been moved to screening online and engaging audiences in this way, what happens next as we move out the pandemic? As cinemas and venues start to reopen, it is important not to lose the connections made and the experiences gained while working in the online space. Hugh and Sara are joined on this podcast by Andi Jarvis (eximo marketing) to look to future and discuss the ‘experience’ of audiences, the value of these experiences, turning online audiences into real life audiences and how to keep using an online space to complement in real life work.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Ensuring that your in-venue screenings are as accessible to the widest audience possible is a key consideration for most cinemas and community cinemas.As the shift to online viewing has increased substantially during the pandemic, how do exhibitors ensure that these type of screenings are available to as many people as possible? While there are some clear opportunities in terms of reaching audiences who may not be able to travel to cinema spaces, there are also some issues in terms of availability of captioned films etc. Hugh and Sara are delighted to have Toki Allison, BFI Film Audience Network Access Officer share her expertise and offer plenty of advice for making online screenings as inclusive as possible.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

The art of programming film for real life screenings is one which takes much time to learn but how does this transpose into programming online?How have distributors responded during the pandemic? What sort of engagement can cinemas expect? What sort of content do audiences want from this type of platform? Is hybrid delivery the future of cinemas and festivals? Join Hugh and Sara as they try to answer all these questions with Rose Baker (Belfast Film Festival & WANDA) and Michael Staley (Queen’s Film Theatre).The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

There are a variety of new and established online screening platforms available to film exhibitors of all sizes. Choosing the right one for your organisation can be a tricky decision as all have different pricing structures, functions and analytics.Hugh and Sara are joined by Hub members Christopher Morrison (Nerve Centre) and Jim McClean (Banterflix) to discuss their practical experience of using Shift 72 and Vimeo OTT for their festivals. They also chat to Patrick Bliss (Your Screen), and Rupinder Gataora and Rob Streeten (filmbankmedia) to hear about platforms specifically developed for community cinemas and small venues.The Moving Pictures Podcast series forms part of a wider Moving Pictures Programme of training and mentoring for Film Hub NI Members. Sincere thanks to Northern Ireland Screen for supporting this initiative through the Department for Communities.Every effort has been made to provide a quality listening experience but please note that these recordings were made during January – March 2021 in our homes over Zoom so the sound quality may, at times, be patchy. Many thanks to our wonderful producer, Stephen Mullan, for all his hard work recording and editing this work under difficult circumstances.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Sara and Hugh talk to Dr Sam Manning about his new book Cinemas and Cinema-Going in the United Kingdom. Decades of Decline, 1945-65, published in March by the University of London Press.The book analyses in detail the decline of cinema from its post war height to the new realities brought on by social and demographic change. Focusing on Belfast and Sheffield, it's an expert guide that sees cinema grapple with a changing world and competing attractions for audiences. We talk about technology, programming and pandemics, and we are very grateful very much for Sam's time. You can get a copy of Sam's book here: https://humanities-digital-library.org/index.php/hdl/catalog/book/cinema-goingThanks also to our brilliant producer, Stephen Mullan. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

This week, Sara and Hugh of Film Hub NI speak to Andi Jarvis of Eximo Marketing live from his Bangor hideaway, about how Film Hub NI members can engage and communicate with audiences during this period of shutdown. We explore how social media helps, how to survey audiences, and how to build trust when reopening begins. Find out more about Andi and the work of Eximo Marketing here https://eximomarketingstrategy.com/ Sara also gives us a run down of what's available on-line, while we wait for cinemas to reopen. We hope all listeners are staying home and staying safe. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Sara and Hugh talk to Mick Bonner and Rose Baker of Moving on Music about the film programme in their forthcoming jazz and new music festival beginning on the 27th February 2020. We talked about jazz on film, how to track down rare films, and how audiences find excitement in being challenged. Featuring Shirley Clarke's 1961 classic, The Connection, and a documentary on the South African Queen of Jazz, Miriam Makeba, and the King of Free Jazz Cecil Taylor, the programme is screening the finest finds from screen jazz. Sara's famous NI indie film round up finishes things off nicely. Let's show films, you jazz mavericks! Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Hark do you hear the sleigh bells? Sara and Hugh take a whistle stop tour of the Christmas offerings from across the Film Hub NI membership, and avoid the topic of whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Happy holidays, one and all! Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Sara and Hugh speak to Dominic from Ormeau Community Cinema, Maureen from Ballyclare Picture House Community Cinema and Ellen Reay, Marketing Officer at the Queen's Film Theatre about their activity on the forthcoming Cinema Day 2019. We also go through each of the 32 screenings taking place across Northern Ireland on the 26th August - a mammoth expression of the diversity and creativity of FHNI members in NI. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

As part of Docs Ireland we were delighted to sit down with Shane Smith, Director of Programming at Hot Docs, North America’s largest Festival and Market for documentary film. The event took place at the Ulster Museum, in front of an audience of doc lovers, doc screeners and doc makers, and touches on the dark arts of making a huge documentary festival come alive, how Shane got started in the industry and how Hot Docs are taking the gospel of documentary beyond the borders of North America. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Ahead of the gala screening of their new film,'A Bump Along the Way' at the Belfast Film Festival, Sara and Hugh from Film Hub NI talk to Louise and Bronagh Gallagher. We talk about being a women in the film industry, how a Northern Irish film gets made and the type of biscuits they ate on set. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Sara and Hugh are joined by Michele Devlin of Belfast Film Festival to hear about the upcoming 19th Festival starting on 11th April. Titles such as 'Beats' and 'A Bump on the Way' which are opening and closing the Festival and the great guests that are coming such as Robert Carlyle and Amir Khan. Also featuring the legendary 'Sara's Round Up'. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Sara and Hugh are joined by, Ruth McCarthy Artistic Director of Outburst Queer Arts Festival and Jim McClean Editor-in-Chief of the BanterFlix movie review website, to discuss the Berlin Film Festival, Netflix, currywurst sausage and much, much more. We also have Sara's famous round-up of independent cinema screenings coming up. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

We're joined on this month's podcast by Michael Delaney, Audience Development Assistant at QFT to discuss their Christmas offerings, and argue about Die Hard and It's a Wonderful Life, think about egg nog and round up the Christmas films showing at FHNI members. Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

We're joined by Martin Bradley who gives us his take on the the 31st Foyle Film Festival and there is the usual rundown of upcoming events including screenings from Portrush Film Theatre, Outburst Queer Arts Festival and the London Korean Film FestivalSupport the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Laura O'Connor, one half of the team behind WANDA joins us to chat about the upcoming festival and Kate Hunter-Cannon shares information about the new BFI backed release, Utoya. We'll also have our usual rundown of events coming up - this time we look at fun Halloween screenings coming up towards the end of the month!Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Join us and Sean Kelly, who heads up Into Film in NI, as we talk about young people, film education and careers in the industry. We've also got some information on upcoming events from Fermanagh Film Society and Banterflix. We hope you enjoy the podcast, please do feedback to us on Twitter and let us know if you rate it (or not). We're also very open to suggestions on future topics and guests so hit us up and we'll try to make it happen!Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

For this special first edition, we're joined by Stuart Sloan from Pull Focus documentary festival, who shares some insight into how the new festival came about and his top picks from the programme. We also have a quick run down of the this year's Cinema Day. We hope you enjoy the podcast, please do feedback to us on Twitter and let us know if you rate it (or not). We're also very open to suggestions on future topics and guests so hit us up and we'll try to make it happen!Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

Hot on the heels of the #QFT50 programme announcement, we've dedicated the third Film Hub NI podcast to this iconic Belfast cinema.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)

October is an action-packed month for festivals and screenings, most notably for young film lovers is the 29th Cinemagic Film Festival for Young People. We chat to the festival's long-standing programmer, Chris Shaw, about screenings, skills, Mark Kermode and lots more. We also share some highlights from our members coming up over the next few weeks.Support the show (https://www.filmhubni.org/contact/)