This Way Up 2019: PROGRAMME
The sixth edition of This Way Up took place 3 - 4 December 2019 in Nottingham.
Recap the full line-up below. Photos and videos from the event coming soon!
Access: BSL interpretation available. All videos in presentations captioned and subtitled in English. All venues wheelchair accessible. Quiet space available.
2019’s conference took place at the Broadway cinema, Nottingham, where This Way Up delivered a packed programme of discussions, talks and debates to enlighten, inspire and challenge.
The annual two-day conference focused on the key themes of Celebration, Resilience and The Future - with these ideas introduced in the opening session and running throughout the rest of the programme.
The conference included sessions with artist and filmmaker Jeanie Finlay, a focus on documentaries with pioneering distributor Dogwoof (followed by a screening of Midnight Traveller (2019)), an in-depth Q&A with Cambridge Film Festival director Tony Jones, marking his retirement, plus reflections on the past year in cinema with film critic Christina Newland.
Further sessions covered marketing to specific audience groups, the whys and hows of organising pop-up and off-site film screenings, intersectionality, environmental sustainability, and more.
See below for 2019’s schedule
2 December 19:00
Pre-conference networking reception at Broadway Cinema.
DAY ONE
3 December Registration 09:00
Conference 10:00 - 17:15 (followed by networking reception)
OPENING SESSION (usheru Screen 1, 10:00 - 11:20)
This year’s Opening Session focused on the three thematic strands that ran through the rest of the programme: Resilience, Celebration and the Future.
Our conference MC Eleanor Thornley (Manager, Film Hub Midlands) opened the day and introduced our opening speakers:
Steve Mapp (CEO, Broadway) shared the history of our host venue; following the recent refurbishment of Screen 1, we learnt how Broadway has grown and adapted to become one of the leading film arts centres in the UK.
Rabab Ghazoul, the Founder & Director of Welsh cultural organisation platform Gentle/Radical, shared her vision of what the future of working with audiences could be. What does ‘outreach’ look like now, and what could it become?
Mike Williams (Editor-in-Chief of Sight & Sound) joined Eleanor Thornley for a Q&A, outlined his plans for the magazine and its online platform and reflected on the changing landscape of film criticism.
FUTURE CINEMA ROOM (THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE)
We’ve had plenty of conversations about what the future of cinema-going could and should look like, now let's build it! Utilising VR technology, pens and paper and crucially, Lego, we invited you to drop in throughout the conference and help to build the cinema of the future.
WHAT NEXT? PLANNING AND RESILIENCE (All screens/rooms, 11:30-12:30)
Discuss, connect and share with fellow delegates in these five concurrent sessions. (Discussion chairs in brackets).
usheru Screen 1: Full-time cinemas, two or more screens (Holli Keeble, CEO, Tyneside Cinema)
Screen 3: Single screen and/or part-time cinemas (Rebecca del Tufo, Programming Manager, Saffron Screen)
Screen 4: Community cinemas, film clubs and pop-ups (Aaron Guthrie, New Notions Cinema)
The Studio: Film festivals (Melanie Iredale, Deputy Director, Sheffield Doc/Fest)
The Workshop: Freelancers/Independent producers (Toki Allison, Freelance marketeer and Film Hub Wales)
We live and work in challenging times, and a ‘good’ year for film exhibition overall can still mean a so-so bottom line for exhibitors. How can we as an industry be resilient and stay relevant to our audiences and communities? These concurrent sessions aimed to bring together industry professionals to discuss these challenges, proposing strategies and tips that could help you to make a positive impact on your sustainability.
SHOW & SHARE PART 1
LUNCHTIME SESSION (usheru Screen 1, 12:45-13:15)
Film exhibitors from across the UK share 5-minute presentations on a topic of their choosing. Presentations include: Louise Wadley sharing the highs and lows of setting up the Hebden Bridge Film Festival and Carol Rennie sharing the story of the renovation of the Keswick Alhambra Cinema: how willing people are to help ensure their much-loved local cinema survives and thrives. Stefana Dragan shared an update on MUBI GO one year on, and revisited the role it plays in cinema exhibition.
BEYOND THE MULTIPLEX (usheru Screen 1, 13:30-14:30)
What experiences and interactions shape film tastes? Working through real-life examples and personal stories from interviews and focus groups, this session discussed key findings about how audiences are introduced to non-mainstream film, and practical advice for audience development. Developed from the research project ‘Beyond the Multiplex: audiences for specialised film in English Regions’. Presented by the University of Glashow’s Bridgette Wessels (Professor in the Sociology of Inequalities); Peter Merrington (Research Associate) and Matthew Hanchard (Research Associate).
BREXIT: WHAT NOW? (Screen 3, 13:30-14:30)
Following on from 2018’s Brexit Question Time, a panel of industry experts discussed the effects that Brexit may have, or has already had, on our industry in the UK and EU. Chaired by Hugh Odling-Smee (Manager, Film Hub Northern Ireland). Our panellists were: Jack Powell (Senior Policy Analyst, BFI) Maeve Cooke (access>CINEMA, Ireland) and Maddy Probst (Vice-President of Europa Cinemas, Managing Producer at Watershed and Film Hub South West).
JAMIE BEDDARD: AGENT FOR CHANGE (The Studio, 13:30-14:30)
Agents for Change are cultural practitioners who, through their practice and working within organisations, explore and encourage practical approaches to developing more diverse working environments. Jamie Beddard is Co-Artistic Director of Diverse City and Agent for Change at The New Wolsey Theatre alongside being a freelance director, writer and actor. He is also a consultant and workshop leader, and lead this session on the learnings from the Agent for Change programme; participants were given space to discuss the challenges and issues raised, and to create a plan of action.
Jamie Beddard
ANATOMY OF A DISTRIBUTOR: DOGWOOF (Screen 3, 14:45-15:45)
We’ve reached a watershed moment for documentary in the UK. What used to be a niche genre within cultural cinema exhibition now consistently draws large audiences and delivers significant takings at the box office. Pioneering distributor Dogwoof have been instrumental in the growth of the audience for documentary film, with hit after hit in the last 18 months - including Three Identical Strangers, Apollo 11, Oscar-winner Free Solo and Marianne & Leonard. This session, chaired by Rowan Woods, British Council, examined Dogwoof’s history, strategy and titles, and took an in-depth look at Apollo 11 with Dogwoof’s Marcel Karst (Head of Theatrical Sales), Oli Harbottle (Head of Distribution and Acquisitions) and Droo Padhiar (Marketing Manager).
Plus a special preview screening of Dogwoof title Midnight Traveller in Screen 3, 16:15-17:45.
Oli Harbottle, Droo Padhiar and Marcel Karst
MORE THAN A CINEMA (usheru Screen 1, 14:45-15:45)
Film exhibition is changing. As cinemas we’re still working to a transactional model whereby audiences enter the venue, buy a ticket and sit down to watch a film. However, we’re also talent incubators supporting the next generation of filmmakers and creatives, social hubs that create positive and safe spaces for local communities and myriad other uses that make us ‘more than a cinema’. In this session we heard from Elizabeth Costello from Leigh Film Society, who work to screen LGBT films in prisons, Eavan King from Nerve Centre, multi-arts space in Derry-Londonderry, and Luke Emery from Watershed - all working in unique ways to expand the conventional cinema space. Chaired by opening session speaker Rabab Ghazoul, Founder & Director of Gentle/Radical.
Rabab Ghazoul
INTERSECTIONALITY: WHAT, WHY AND HOW? (usheru Screen 1, 16:15-17:00)
What it is, why it is important and how can I do it? Following her hugely popular PechaKucha presentation at TWU18, Yasmin Begum, a writer, creative practitioner and activist, presented her Top 10 Tips for making your cinema programming and audience development authentically intersectional. Yasmin has worked with Ffilm Cymru Wales, Inclusive Cinema, has written for BBC and Gal Dem magazine and presents videos with S4C. Yasmin aims to demystify intersectionality and film for better outcomes for audience members, funders and creative practitioners alike.
I ASSURE YOU WE’RE OPEN: CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AND AUDIENCES (Screen 4, 16:15-17:15)
With capital development projects come big changes, often affecting audience development. How does a capital project affect your programming? How do you communicate the change to your audience and take them along the journey with you? In this session three cinemas discussed recent and upcoming projects, sharing what they have learned along the way. We heard from Wendy Cook, Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds on their major project and upcoming closure year, Dan Ellis, Jam Jar Cinema on their additional screening space to broaden the programme in Whitley Bay and Tanya Karlebach, Cromarty & Resolis Film Society on their project building a new community cinema.
FILM SCREENING: MIDNIGHT TRAVELLER (Screen 3, 16:15 - 17:45)
A preview of Midnight Traveller, an upcoming release from Dogwoof. When the Taliban puts a bounty on Afghan director Hassan Fazili’s head, he is forced to flee with his wife and two young daughters. Capturing their uncertain journey, Fazili shows first-hand the dangers facing refugees seeking asylum and the love shared between a family on the run.
NETWORKING RECEPTION AND EXHIBITION VIEWING (Nottingham Contemporary, 17:15-20:00)
After our first packed conference day, delegates joined us at Nottingham Contemporary for a networking reception and exhibition viewing of Still Undead: Popular Culture in Britain Beyond the Bauhaus.
Nottingham Contemporary
DAY TWO
4 December
Walking tour 08:15
Sessions 09:00 - 16:30
NETWORKING WALKING TOUR (Meet at Broadway Box Office, 8:15)
An early morning chance to explore Nottingham whilst meeting fellow delegates. Award-winning tour guide Ezekial Bone took us on a walking tour of the city to learn about its history, culture and famous former residents, including a certain well-known outlaw.
GROWING FILMMAKER AUDIENCES (usheru Screen 1, 9:00-9:50)
Filmmaker audiences can bring a great deal of value to venues by creating a vibrant creative hub where filmmakers can meet, work, socialise, and both watch and screen work. BFI NETWORK, the UK’s talent development programme for early career filmmakers, discussed some of the activities they are running within cinemas and cultural centres, and provided information on how you can bring more filmmaker audiences into venues. With Jessica Loveland (Head of BFI NETWORK), Amy O’Hara (BFI NETWORK Talent Executive North) and Alexzandra Jackson (BFI NETWORK Talent Executive Midlands).
DIVE INTO DATA (Screen 4, 9:00-9:50)
How can we use research and data to get a picture of the UK sector? Lucy Jones (Executive Director, Comscore) shared insights from their work analysing box office data, looking at how exhibitors can use this information going forward. Julia Lamaison (Head of Research and Statistics, BFI) explored how how the BFI use sector data to look at the overall picture, and how independent film fits into this. She also shared findings from the BFI’s survey on audiences across the UK, allowing them to drill down to examine audience behaviour and tastes at a granular level. This includes preference to watch independent film and attitudes to different genres and types of film, that can be analysed at a local level.
OUT OF THE BOX (The Workshop, 10:00-11:00)
How to use pop-up and offsite screening to grow audiences. Why show films outside of the cinema? This session focused on the benefits off-site screenings, with a focus on audience development and the logistics involved. Anthony Andrews (Co-founder of We Are Parable) shared how off-site screenings are a part of their aim to ‘put the audience at the centre of everything’ and Amy Smart (Flatpack Projects) discussed how and why they transform spaces in Birmingham for screenings.
Anthony Andrews
Amy Smart
MARKETING: REACHING YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (usheru Screen 1, 10:00-11:00)
You know who you want to reach - but how to reach them? Representatives from three organisations shared how they used marketing to sell tickets to a specific intended audience. Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Director and Programmer of CineQ Birmingham discussed reaching people of colour and LGBGTQ+ audiences. Nikki Stratton, Co-Founder & Director, Deaffest looked at the best ways to market to D/deaf audiences. Catherine Downes (Co-Founder, usheru) discussed their work aiming to reach those that start the ticket-buying process but don’t complete the all-important checkout process. With tips and tricks to maximise the potential of your marketing output.
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (Screen 4, 10:00-11:00)
This session provided an opportunity to find out more about mental health first aid in the workplace, with Zoe Puckering (Business Development Lead, Mental Health First Aid England), Lily van den Broecke (BFI), and recently qualified mental health first aider Rachel Hayward (Head of Film, HOME). Mental Health First Aiders are people who are trained to identify and understand when others could be experiencing a mental health issue. This can then involve approaching and supporting people and empowering people to find the support that they need.
ADVENTURES IN CINEMA: JEANIE FINLAY (usheru Screen 1, 11:25-12:25)
Acclaimed artist & filmmaker Jeanie Finlay presented a journey through her adventures on the road with films and audiences, and reflected on the collective cinema experience (crying in the dark included). Followed by a Q&A with Jason Wood, Creative Director of Film and Culture, HOME. Jeanie’s work includes Seahorse, the Emmy nominated Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch and BIFA winner ORION: The Man Who Would Be King. She regularly writes about film for The Talkhouse and was previously a board member at Broadway.
Jeanie Finlay
DIVERSIFYING THE CULTURE LANDSCAPE (Screen 4, 11:25-12:25)
Karena Johnson (Artistic Director and CEO, Hoxton Hall) shared her experience of re-launching Hoxton Hall, a Victorian music hall, and tackling the sometimes uncomfortable issue of diversity. She led a workshop session where delegates were invited to explore their own approach. She spoke about shifting organisational culture, bringing a team with you on a journey and how to manage expectations.
(First presented at the AMA’s Inclusivity and Audiences Symposium)
SHOW & SHARE PART 2 (Screen 3, 11:25-12:25)
Our second selection of quickfire presentations from conference delegates. Presentations from Journeys Festival International, Anim18, Live Cinema UK, Southside Film Festival, Women Over Fifty Film Festival, Queen’s Film Theatre and arts diversity consultant Huttson Lo.
REVERSE QUESTION TIME (usheru Screen 1, 12:40-13:40)
Young film fans take the stage. A panel of participants from the BFI Academy at Showroom Sheffield turned the tables on the usual panel format, challenging delegates with questions, ideas and comments for the future of cinema. Chaired by Flora Menzies (Head of Audience Development, Into Film).
REPRESENTATIVE REP (Screen 3, 12:40-13:40)
This panel looks at repertory cinema programming, taking into account that the history of film is imperfect and (at times) problematic. Our panelists discussed how we can challenge the conventional film canon and programme repertory seasons and screenings that are representative of the breadth of world cinema, as well as interrogating the canon in more interesting and provocative ways. Chaired by Broadway cinema’s Melissa Gueneau, the panel included Robin Baker (Head Curator, BFI National Archive), So Mayer (writer, curator and Club Des Femmes), and Karen Alexander (writer and curator).
Robin Baker, Karen Alexander, So Mayer, Melissa Gueneau
LUNCHTIME SCREENING: LIVE CINEMA: WALKING THE TIGHTROPE BETWEEN STAGE AND SCREEN (2019) (usheru Screen 1, 14:00-14:20)
This short (16min) film examines the growing prominence of live cinema events in the global film experience economy. Featuring interviews with Woody Harrelson, Academy Award-winning historian Kevin Brownlow, and Academy Award-winning film editor and sound mixer Walter Murch. Presented by the directors Sarah Atkinson (Head of Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries, Kings College London) and Helen W. Kennedy (Professor of Creative and Cultural Industries, University of Nottingham).
TONY JONES: A LIFE IN PICTURES (usheru Screen 1, 14:30-15:30)
After over 35 years at the helm, Tony Jones, Director, Cambridge Film Festival Festival stepped down following this October's 39th edition. Jones started working at the Arts Cinema in the early 80s, and has worked on the Cambridge Film Festival ever since. He co-founded City Screen with Lyn Goleby and developed the more recent Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge. Tony Jones was joined by Ben Roberts (Deputy CEO, BFI) for an in-depth Q&A to mark Tony’s retirement.
GREEN SCREEN (Screen 3, 14:30-15:30)
Julie's Bicycle's Creative Green programme supports creative organisations to take climate and environmental action through a framework of commitment, understanding and improvement. In this session, Catherine Bottrill, Julie’s Bicycle shared how your cinema can address its environmental impact. Topics included the impacts of a cinema, working with staff and suppliers and communicating to your audience your efforts. The session introduced the tools and resources available to you and shared examples of good practices.
Catherine Bottrill
Christina Newland
THE YEAR IN FILM WITH CHRISTINA NEWLAND (usheru Screen 1, 15:40-16:30)
In our closing session film critic, journalist and programmer Christina Newland (Little White Lies, MUBI, Sight and Sound) looked back at 2019, taking us on a journey through the year in cinema. Cataloguing the highs and lows, the hits and misses, big surprises and major news stories from the year, she also looked ahead to 2020 - coming soon to a screen near you. Plus, conference MC Eleanor Thornley rounded up the day with thoughts and ideas collected from the Future Cinema Room.