ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

8 years, 4 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

I suspect it's dubious, unless they're genuinely 20 friends popping over without charge in a place that clearly isn't set up to exhibit films and with no promotion, no concessions for sale, etc.

Instead I'd look into forming a film club where you can often get discounted exhibition licenses (and don't forget the premises will surely need some licenses too (booze, club, entertainments - probably all the same department), and fire provision, etc). If you're set up as a film club you may find things a lot easier.

£8k is peanuts - will that cover all your costs? Insurance? Crowd funding platform fees? You seem to be selling partial ownership whereas that may not actually be the best structure - perhaps donations and sponsorships would be better? Or if community owned, which is great, then selling shares and not crowd funding? Then appointing a board... If community ownership is to taste, do a little research on The Bell pub in Bath which took a private pub into community ownership and seems to be surviving well - there's a bunch of bureaucracy but you may find some pointers.

But before anything else, maybe really check if this £8k figure is realistic - my gut says it's way too low but only you'll know for sure if you've done the research :)

8 years, 4 months ago - Marlom Tander

OMG.

Two words. Fire Regs

Two more words. Public liability.

And one last word. Parking.

You need to start by talking to a planning officer, a building inspector and possibly a fire officer.

They will want to help, so after the chat you'll know what you can do within the important laws of planning and safety. And then find out how much it will cost.

Only then can you even start to think about how and structures.

8 years, 4 months ago - Rhys Edwards

Hi, thanks for your responses. I should have explained that the building is already fully fire regulated and we already have the necessary insurances. It's actually next to a carpark too so sorted there. Paddy, you're probably right about the £8k but I was really more interested in the legalities of showing films without a license. I'm sure that I've found a loophole in that if everyone partly owns the cinema, and that we're not charging, then I don't need a license...

8 years, 4 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

I would suggest http://cinemaforall.org.uk/booking-scheme/ or similar so your films are legal rather than trying to tiptoe around possible loopholes that others have certainly thought of and tried before. Legit hire for exhibition from £85!

8 years, 4 months ago - Rhys Edwards

Cheers everyone...

8 years, 4 months ago - James Nowlan

I made a zero budget film in an abandoned warehouse in France and have re-written the screenplay in English. It's a trash, gore satire of reality TV in which a wino, a prostitute, a CEO, a security officer, a bourgeois literary lady, a top model, and a psychopathic thug are locked up and forced to participate in cruel deadly games.
Here's the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=1G-1ZMB7SAk
and here's the film itself:
https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=Ea8ApyHqsaA
The title for the English version is "Big Daddy".
I don't know if using your warehouse is possible but if it was it could make for an interesting project.

8 years, 4 months ago - Glyn Carter

Rhys - there appears to be a fundamental assumption, that raising money by crowdfunding means all donators are co-owners. Not so. They are making a donation and/or making an advance payment for a product or service. Ownership will be with the person or people who buy or rent the premises - ie you. (If you're offering real shares online you need to go through a whole different, regulated, process.)

Charge or no charge, you will be responsible for safety (since you have insurance you acknowledge this) - so any film distributor chasing a licence fee isn't likely to be fobbed off with the "just a bunch of friends" argument. One clue appears every time you watch a dvd at home, where it says something along the lines of "home viewing only".

BUT - You don't need a premises licence for not-for-profit screenings ending before 11pm. Check the ICO website. http://www.independentcinemaoffice.org.uk