Monday 25th June 2018
PLACE INVASION
Our third day of the lab opened on a visit of Odeon Multisala, art 4-screen venue renovated and rebranded in 2015 with a jazz age style and a strong identity. The idea was to observe the premises, enjoy all its qualities but also to exert a critical mind, which Madeleine Probst would later urge the participants to apply to their own venue. You will find below the evidence of the anthill effect we can produce when moving in packs with Ioana Cubian’s Photo of the Day winner and a short video.
Our host for the morning Eugenio Fuschini, manager of the Odeon, gave a speech who enlightened us on how large the spectrum is when starting anew: on top of the actual refurbishing, a new logo was designed, entertainments such as Salotto Del Jazz are organized and a whole merchandising was imagined in the style of the venue as if it were a genuine brand. On a strategic level, Eugenio also wonders about filling his 4 screens, paying attention to the number of seats etc. Sometimes less is better.
GUT FEELING
Getting back to our shelter at the Cineteca, the era of the post-its had come again which couldn’t escape the searing and lethal camera of Balint Radoczy.
Daniel Sibbers who is a brilliant marketer and lecturer then shared his experience with the Yorck Kinogruppe, letting the participants know that one should always bear in mind that cinema goers work on an emotional level and that creating a sort of sexy image, package of one’s venue is the key. In a nutshell, the audience needs to have a “gut feeling” about your place.
PS: Rumor (or Pieter Planqué) has it Daniel is so comfortable with entertaining an audience, that he was on the Piazza Maggiore stage late that night…
Enter Bálint Rádóczy of Apolló Mozi, Hungary, an independent visual art researcher, art director, curator and performer who stole the show by telling us the story of “How they saved Apolló”. When the operator of Apolló left, the remaining team had to find an action plan to revitalize the place and it naturally implied getting public engagement. They resorted to banners suspended in the streets to collar the passers by with bold messages contending in just the right tone with the municipal positions. The sober “Take it as a good sign series” also enthralled the participants of the lab and Bálint was asked to come up with a design representing our group by the end of the workshop!
The morning ended on the non-surprisingly fruitful comment of Madeleine Probst about “not being too rigid” when one envisions the use of space in her/his venue.
A GASTRONOMICAL INTERLUDE
A few gastronomical considerations now as, for the brain to function well, the body must be generously supplied. This is science. And Europa Cinemas is very competent at taking great care of their guests, the latter reciprocating by unleashing tidal waves of food on their social media.
CANONS, THE BIBLE & CATS
Special guest Ian Christie, scholar, professor and pioneer of Europa’s Lab had no difficulties making us forget the gnocchi and poached pears by tackling the subject of canons and how a film is given the status of cult work. The concept of canon comes from the fact that the books which were to appear in the Bible had been carefully selected. As far as film are concerned, what is fun is that the canon can be upset or highjacked and that observing the top lists of different groups and different periods we learn a lot about contextual, sociological and technical innovations as well (apparition of the VHS and DVDs which for instance helped a lot Seven Samourai after its release). Talking of canons, the 35 were asked to come up with their individual TOP TEN which will then be compiled and analysed at the end of the lab!
Barbara Twist (Art House Convergence, US), who was part of the team Marinière that day:
raised 8 million dollars for her impressive State Theater campaign based on intense communication strategies including efficient booklets and creating a devoted facebook page. Her success is quite motivating but also intimidating. Luckily Daniel Sibbers, after his advice to be “on the map” (using google map and yelp) unleashed our wild side with his carefully retroplanned and targeted behind the scene social media campaign for the Delphi Lux which happens to be located near a zoo…
Growling, trumpeting and bleating were soon to be followed by meowing as Hajna Tóth (Budapest Film, Hungary) introduced her “Turn off your phones” campaign as part of the case studies on campaign building (the other three involved creating original trailers and posters, filming Ennio Morricone for a cycle devoted to him, dealing with communication in summer time in Greece and a sweet and inclusive Film Quiz). Hajna’s example reminded the participants that one should not hesitate to create links with students for creative projects.
Roaming the outstandingly charismatic Modernissimo Cinema site was the perfect way to close the loop of this eventful 3rdDay of Lab for, following that of the Odeon, the visit offered an inspiring range of possibilities on spatial invention and recreation as one also discovered during the course of the day that despite financial or political difficulties nothing is quite impossible.
COMING NEXT
Session 6 : building loyalty
Session 7 : people make places
Session 8 : building audiences through collaboration
C.W.