Rural Cinema: Film Exhibition and Consumption in Australia and the United Kingdom
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Rural Cinema: Film Exhibition and Consumption in Australia and the United Kingdom Author Aveyard, Karina Published 2012 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Humanities DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/309 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367864 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au Rural Cinema: Film Exhibition and Consumption in Australia and the United Kingdom Karina Aveyard BA, MLitt School of Humanities Arts, Education and Law Griffith University Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2012 ii Abstract This thesis investigates the contexts of film exhibition and consumption in contemporary rural Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). As the site of most detailed fieldwork, Australia forms the primary focus of the investigation, while information gathered in the UK provides material for contextualisation and comparative analysis. The public screening of films takes place in a wide variety of settings in rural areas of Australia and the UK. These range from modern multi-screen venues operating in large regional centres, through to older-style twin and single screen cinemas found in smaller places. In very small and remote settlements, where film exhibition is generally not viable on a commercial basis, screenings are held in purpose-built and make-shift facilities by local councils, community cooperatives, film societies and a few small-scale entrepreneurs. As a commercial enterprise, the fortunes of film exhibitors are closely tied to wider economic and demographic trends. Over recent decades there has been a significant increase in the overall number of multiplexes in rural areas. However, this growth has taken place almost exclusively in large settlements, where it has been underpinned by broader increases in industrial activity, employment and population, as well as the rise in cinema-going frequency since the mid 1980s. In smaller, relatively stable towns, scaled-down single and twin screen cinemas are regularly able to survive and sometimes prosper. But in areas of social and economic decline film enterprises can be highly marginal concerns. For smaller operators adaptation and innovation are often key skill requirements. Initiatives such as in-house movie clubs, low ticket prices, and efforts to personalise patrons’ film-going experiences all form an important part of their marketing strategies. For other cinemas the secret to longevity can centre around creating a sub-commercial operating structure, one which allows the enterprise to utilise financial support mechanisms such as government funding and volunteer labour. This study investigates the different industrial, cultural and geographic factors that influence movie exhibition in non-metropolitan Australia and the UK. Systematic analysis of the various screening settings identified above is organised around an original five-tiered iii clustering model. This typology classifies cinemas on the basis of their scale and operational characteristics under the headings: Large Commercial Cinemas; Small Commercial Cinemas; Subsidised Cinemas; Community Cinemas; and Improvised Cinemas. These delineations form the basis for Chapters One to Five of the dissertation. Each chapter examines the defining characteristics of the category, its historical contexts and presents analysis of relevant trends and issues, such as digital projection, piracy and government intervention. Profiles of case study cinema sites are also included. These are designed to further illustrate the key features of the category under discussion and underscore the value of the cinema model as an organisational and conceptual tool. The second major interest of this thesis lies in exploring the socio-cultural meanings of modern rural cinema-going. This provides the focus for the final Sixth Chapter of the thesis. The findings from this study indicate that rural cinemas operate as sites of popular entertainment and cultural engagement. At a rudimentary level this may be understood as a relatively straightforward commercial transaction – one in which money is exchanged in return for the opportunity to see a particular movie at a fixed time and place. However, going to the cinema is also important for reasons that extend beyond the screen. Rural film theatres are often highly valued as positive spaces around which isolated communities can gather and interact. In small towns where there can be little to do outside drinking at the local pub, cinemas provide an important alternative space for building community connections and broadening social inclusion. They add to the vibrancy of rural places and make a positive contribution to local economies. As local spaces of feeling and of social activity, rural cinemas can have a role in encouraging residents to more positively connect with the place in which they live and the people with whom they share it. iv Declaration This is a statement to certify that: This work has not previously been submitted for a degree or diploma at any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the thesis itself. Karina Aveyard v vi Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. iii Declaration ............................................................................................................................. v List of Tables and Images ..................................................................................................... x List of Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... xii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. xiii Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 The Place of Cinema in Rural Australia and the United Kingdom ......................................... 1 Aims and Significance of This Study ...................................................................................... 4 Research Questions ................................................................................................................. 6 Methodology and Sources ....................................................................................................... 6 The ‘Rural’ in Contemporary Studies of Cinema .................................................................. 10 Geographic Parameters and Definitional Issues .................................................................... 15 Chapter Outline ..................................................................................................................... 18 Chapter 1 Large Commercial Cinemas ............................................................................. 21 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 21 Major Exhibitors .................................................................................................................... 22 History of the Rural Exhibition Industry ............................................................................... 26 Critical Contexts: Understanding the Rise of the Multiplex ................................................. 31 About Large Commercial Cinemas ....................................................................................... 33 Digital Projection and Large Commercial Cinemas .............................................................. 39 Industry Organisations ........................................................................................................... 42 In Focus ................................................................................................................................. 45 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 52 Chapter 2 Small Commercial Cinemas ............................................................................. 55 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 55 History of Small Commercial Cinema .................................................................................. 56 vii Critical Contexts: The Case Study as a Conceptual Tool ...................................................... 59 About Small Commercial Cinemas........................................................................................ 61 Digital Projection and Small Commercial Cinemas .............................................................. 71 Piracy ..................................................................................................................................... 74 In Focus .................................................................................................................................. 76 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 85 Chapter 3 Subsidised Cinemas ..........................................................................................