Research and Intelligence
'Sound information is the only sensible basis for progress' Derek Malcolm, BFFS President
Screenings run by community-based providers represent an integral part of the UK’s diverse exhibition landscape. Yet how does this fit into the wider context of cinema exhibition in the UK? To learn more about the nature and content of the sector, each year BFFS conducts an annual survey of community exhibition across the UK.
The most recent and comprehensive survey of film societies and community cinemas has been published by BFFS. The survey, carried out by Jim Barratt the BFFS Research and Information consultant, provides a key update on a sector of significant cultural importance to the UK – that of not-for-profit community cinema.
The key findings are summarised as:
- Film societies and community cinemas recorded audiences of an estimated 361,000 in 2007/08. Theatrical ticket sales on the scale would have generated box office revenues of £1.8 million.
- Over 625 different titles were screened by responding organisations. This is compared with 516 released in cinemas in the UK and Republic of Ireland in 2007.
- 65% of these titles were screened by only one film society or community cinema, indicating the diversity of programming choices made by the sector as a whole.
- The majority (73%) provided programming notes to accompany screenings, and nearly the same proportion also measured audience reaction to films (71%).
- Just over half of all responding organisations held special events in addition to screenings in 2007/08.
- Read the 2007/08 Survey Report
You can also read previous reports:
The Exhibition Chapter (Chapter 9) of the UK Film Council Statistical Yearbook provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of community cinema exhibition across the UK. You can read more here: http://rsu.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/
