Want to do a screening?

To propose a screening, get in touch by emailing oarcfilms [at] ox4 [dot] org

We welcome anyone to suggest a film for us to show, be it independent or cult cinema, or any film that you feel is of interest. The important thing is that it have a story and that you will be up for coming and telling us why you chose it and what it means to you.

Running times

First Sunday of the Month, starting 7.30PM (doors 7PM) with overall event ending by 9.45PM (centre closes at 10PM).  We try to leave time for discussion and debate at the end of the evening, so we may wish to end the film around 9/9.15pm.

Format

The format for the showing should be something along the lines of:

  • give an introduction to each/the film and explain roughly what your motives are.
  • after the screening, sum up if you can, and introduce the debate.
  • in an off hands way facilitate the debate if needs be, or one of us to do this if you prefer.

We’re really keen to encourage making this an interactive evening, a bit
of a talking shop and a place for the wider Oxford activist and
non-activist communities to meet. So the idea is that the introduction and
debate part of it are as important as the film itself. It’s also
better if the debate is orientated around the content of the film that
is shown, rather than the film itself or film-maker themself/ves.

Also, please do consider that if you’re going to be showing something
that’s quite serious or intense, to balance the evening with something
light, funny and non-serious, just a short, or couple of shorts, will be
fine.

Technical

We can provide a laptop, speakers and a projector.  Preferable format is either DVD, or digital files or DVD image on a USB stick, external hard drive, CD or DVD. We can provide leads to connect a video camera to the projector, but do let us know in advance so we can make sure we have them

We prefer to get the footage from you a fortnight in advance of the screening in order that we can make sure it all plays fine.

Promotion

We’ll need some text from you about the film along with an image if possible.  A month in advance of the showing would be ideal.  If you haven’t anything, then a link to somewhere on the web so that we can pilfer stuff.

From these materials we’ll:

  • produce some posters for it, which we’ll put up around the local area, and if you want some let us know.
  • post it to Daily Info
  • post it to Indymedia Oxford
  • create a Facebook event and promote it.
  • put a posting for it on our blog (that’s here).
  • announce it on our mailing list, the OARC mailing list and the Oxford Activism mailing list.

And obviously you can use your own channels for this as well.

Money

These screenings are intended to raise funds to keep OARC alive and well, as much as create a regular local gathering and get some great films shown. On the promotional material we’ll recommend a donation to OARC of three pounds, two pounds concession.

Food

We can supply some light snacks for people, and you’re welcome to
provide your own: Just get in touch. Something like nuts, or fruit, or
tortilla chips and hommus, or baklawa would be about right.

Bigger Screenings

We can do bigger screenings for 30+ downstairs in the bar area (aka Catweazel space) in the Community Centre.  This is more costly as we have to rent the room and open the bar, so we recommend £5/£3 on those nights.  The main hall of the Community Centre should take up to 100+ people.