A recent article on the website of Cinema Properties, a property developer in London, had this to say about cinema and casino operators: “We now treat all our shopping guests who come to us as visitors, no matter what their ethnicity or religion. We make sure they have great food, wine and a great time in our casinos.” Sounds like common sense to me. However, is it really? And if so why do we not put the same thought across to our own cinema operators?

I recently saw an article in the London Times, where a woman who was a member of the press was complaining that a cinemas owner had told her that he did not want any film or theatre gossip on the site kazinoekstra. She claimed that the owner had told her: “We don’t want any film gossip in the news. If you write anything, I’ll find out who you are and fire you. This is the kind of thing we can’t stand in the media.” To me that is a complete dismissal of the role the media plays in society; which has become so important as our current social media facilitates anonymity.

The film and theatre industry in London is perhaps the last refuge of the scrupulous publicity hound. There is little or no room left for the average citizen to get hold of and publish anything other than the news and gossip. As a result, film and theatre operators are particularly keen to police their industry so as to avoid controversy will only serve to alienate their customers. I wonder if it is because they know exactly how important controversy is and they are worried that any negative coverage will only help their competition. In fact I believe that cinema operators are the last defenders of a free press. I also wonder if film and theatre owners actually understand that the UK public in general and film fans in particular are increasingly demanding change and that if they continue to operate as they are doing then they will continue to suffer.

I often meet with operators from the cinema who are quite happy to talk about the issues I bring up with them. I find that most operators are quite pleased to be challenged as they realize that they cannot get away with everything. Many operators have actually thought of putting on an independent film festival – which could well rival the Cannes Festival – to raise the profile of their area and attract tourists.

They might have missed the boat by focusing primarily on the casino and not on the other main areas of the city. This would have been a great opportunity to showcase some films and theatre that aren’t getting a fair deal in the major UK film and theatre industry. I also find that the operators are probably quite aware that there are already festivals and events being organized in the local area, as well as online promotion through Facebook and Twitter. They may feel that they can jump on those opportunities before they are properly prepared.

I think that this is a mistake. They should rather be prepared to see a film in the local area that isn’t going to break the bank and also to plan a marketing campaign. They should be ready to act quickly when new events arise, like the Cinema Festival, as they have a lot to lose if they delay. I’m also suggesting that they join in with the film festivals, perhaps by producing a short movie or documentary about their area – something that gets the name out and shows off their talents. By doing this, they might be able to develop contacts that could lead to a steady stream of film work in the future.

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