What is the Regent Street Cinema Project - 13 06 08v2

Page 1 Regent Street Cinema Project

Rayhan Rafiq Omar& Matt Snyman

The Regent Street CinemaRayhan Rafiq Omar & Matt Snyman



Regent Street CinemaProject Aims

Establish a unique cinematic venue at the location which birthed British Cinema.

Provide student and experimental filmmakers with a hub for exhibition, networking and innovation.

The cinema will be supported by a full schedule of festivals and regular events.

Pioneering film and cinema technology in partnership with the University of Westminster Film School, and other organisations and educational establishments.



Project OutlineOur Vision

To provide British Filmmakers, Professional and Student,

With a hub for exhibition, entertainment and networking.



Project OutlineOur Goal

To establish a unique cinematic venue at the location which

Birthed British Cinema

307 Regent Street



Project OutlineIntroduction

Bringing together various stakeholders to enable the rescue of this historic venue for the benefit of future students, and especially student filmmakers

Current focus is to bring together a costed plan that enables a fully functioning single-screen cinema to be refurbished and operated outside of University time-tabled lecturing



Student Filmmakers have limited exhibition opportunities, yet have to independently raise funds

Digital film exhibition has reached a stage meaning a single screen cinema is commercially viable

There is a major shortage of cinema screens in London’s vibrant West End

Situated opposite the UK Film Council, and around the corner from the major west end production and post houses (niche in screening room market)

6000 students on site and Oxford Circus’ Tourist pull

Previous attempts have overreached

Why Do This – Project BenefitsBackground



Why Do This – Project BenefitsHistorical Significance

The Regent Street Cinema is the Site of the Lumiére Brother’s first demonstration of their Cinematographe, making the site the birthplace of Cinema in the British Isles

site of the world’s first photography school and the UK’s first film school.

Home of the Magic Lantern Society and the Pepper’s Ghost Illusion Contains one of three remaining Compton Organs in London that are still in their original

location (Recently refurbished) The BFI library was first launched here Operated as a Cinema until 1981

Key Facts About the RSC

Poster for the first demonstration



Why Do This – Project Benefits Milestones

Pepper’s Ghost first Performed here -1862/3

Britain’s first film school established here -1933

The National Film Library held it’s first public screening here, 21st Feb 1936

Lumiere Brothers’

demonstrate

Cinematographe

Interior remodelled.

Last used as a commercial cinema Cameo Poly

1896 1923 1930’s 1980 2001 20051860’s 2007 2009

Intended opening of the Regent

Street Cinema

Idea for Regent Street Cinema put together

Engaged with Architects for feasibility

Refitted as the

Polytechnic Theatre

Compton Theatre Organ

installed - 1936

Compton Organ restored – celebrated 15th Feb 2006 with Lord Mayor Opening

2008



Public profile Refurbishment of an essential learning space

– Taking opportunity to provide desired facilities that were previously lacking for lecturing: Chilled ventilation/air conditioning Sturdy tablets folding into seat arms

Synergy with courses– MAD – Film School, Animation, Contemporary Media Practice

– SSHL – Language Schools

Keeping students on Campus Future partnerships better facilitated Higher profile lectures and events venue Regenerative impetus for Upper Regent Street Bringing Students closer to industry Making better use of a valuable space in its current down time Increasing the number of corporate clients and having more people passing through

the University’s doors

Why Do This – Project BenefitsAdvantages for the University of Westminster



UK Film Council

Operational PlanLocation & Surrounding Industry – to be completed

Regent Street Cinema

Producers

Other Media Partners

Effects Houses

Distributors

Cinematic Community



Capital WorksAreas of Work

Frontage – Canopy, Interactive elements, Windows

Box office/Foyer Bar/concessions area Seating – Floor raking Projection Equipment Sound and Lighting Toilet facilities Ventilation Possible extra internal

decorations Total capital cost estimated

between £1.25-1.5m

Specific Costs and Scheme to come with procurement of architectural feasibility



Operational PlanTarget Audiences

Students

– Year long pass – Sell bulk at discount during Freshers’ period and January

– Regular special offers with local businesses for members

Local residents

– Discounts for local residents– Membership options – annual or lifelong

Corporate hires

– Target market between large Leicester Square venues and small Soho screening rooms

– Partnerships with hotels

Tourists

– Oxford Circus not served by any other cinema



Operational PlanFinancial Projections

RSC Ticket Sales 3 shows a dayProfit & Loss Seats Occupancy Ave. Price Total pa

300 25% £6.00 £491,400Income 2009* 2010 2011 300 25% £6.50 £532,350Ticket Sales 491,400 532,350 573,300 300 25% £7.00 £573,300Advertising 10,000 14,000 18,000 300 25% £8.00 £655,200Private Hires 17,550 26,550 26,550 300 25% £9.00 £737,100Season Passes & Membership 1,000 2,500 4,000 320 25% £6.00 £524,160Concessions/Bar 122,850 143,325 163,800Total Sales Income 642,800 718,725 785,650 Concessions/Bar - Based on ticket sale admissions figures

300 seats, 25% occupancy, 3 shows, 365 days a yearExpenditure Average spend per admission Annual SpendStaff 200,200 206,206 212,392 £1.50 £122,850Distributor Fees 158,266 170,122 182,515 £1.75 £143,325Concessions Purchases 30,713 35,831 40,950 £2.00 £163,800IT (EPOS) 10,000 10,000 10,000Marketing 20,000 25,000 30,000 Private Hires average 3 hour bookings, charged per hourOffice Sundries 2,000 1,000 1,000 Frequency Rate - ph Adjustment for ticket sales lossTotal paBack Office (Accounts, HR, PAYE) 18,000 18,540 19,096 5 £600 -£450.00 £8,550.00Utilities 3,000 3,300 3,630 5 £750 -£450.00 £10,800.00Cleaning 18,000 18,540 19,096 5 £900 -£450.00 £13,050.00Insurance/Security/Maintenance 20,000 21,000 22,050 10 £600 -£450.00 £17,550.00Professional Services (Legal, Audit) 10,000 10,000 10,000 10 £750 -£450.00 £22,050.00Depreciation (initial fit out + IT equip) 30,000 30,000 30,000 15 £600 -£450.00 £26,550.00Tax (VAT) 95,736 107,044 117,012 15 £750 -£450.00 £33,300.00

25 £600 -£450.00 £44,550.00Total Expenditure 615,914 656,584 697,742 Staff

Manager/Marketing x2 @ 30k £60,000Profit/Loss 26,886 62,141 87,908 Bar x2 @ 25k £50,000

Usher/Tech x2 @ 18k £36,000*Assuming full year's trading Usher/Tech x2 @ 18k £36,000

Accounts Assistant x1 @ 18k £18,000

Amount in GBP



Operational PlanExecution Plan

Objectives Strategy Next Steps

Local infrastructure and security Fit-out cinema to West End Standard Compliance with Campus Security Plan

Costed Business plan Tender Architects

Hiring/People

Recruitment and Training needs to be structured and professionally maintained

Programming independent if possible

Cinema Manager Concessions/Box Office Programmers

Licenses / Agreements The RSC needs strategic alliances

University of Westminster Approval UK Film Council Heritage – Listed Building - Approval Local Council Approval

University Relations Course tie-ins need to be formal Open to other film schools Regular events for student filmmaking.

Control Environment/ Platform Engage top level Cinema Operators Control improvement plan established

Operation and Expansion

Structure management roles to take spread skills across two roles

Development of long term goals Engage Industry to integrate into local

community

Forge links with industry partners UK Film Council/Time Out to assist with

development plan

Marketing

Partner with local and international firms to deliver excellence e.g. London Film Festival

Marketing innovative, as well as traditional Develop brand as a mark of quality and

entertainment

Make initial contacts – subject to approvals.

To build, implement, & maintain a high standard cinema platform



Operational PlanOrganisational chart proposed structure – to be updated

2 members

University Reps

Cleaning

Outsourced

Matt Snyman

Rayhan Rafiq Omar

Project Directors

2 members

External Partners

2 members

External Partners

Ushers

Student Staff

Box Office

IT based solution

Programming Manager

Can be outsourced

<>

Cinema Managers

307 Regent Street

Finance

Outsourced

Marketing/PR Assistant

Possible integration with

management roles above

Board of

Directors

Board of

Directors

Web Designer

Outsourced



Operational PlanOur Logo – Literally stamped all over the building

– The image of a mounted Bellerophon slaying a Chimera is literally embedded in and throughout the Regent Street building– This image is also associated with the iconography of George and the Dragon

– This particular design shares similarities with Benedetto Pistrucci's 1815 design of St George and the Dragon for the Royal Mint – It was used on the exterior by noted cinema architect Frank T. Verity when the

building’s façade was rebuilt in 1911

– The logo was also an emblem of the Royal Polytechnic until it fell out of use

– The image signifies the cinema’s core values: History, Drama, Adventure, Class, and the Power of Imagination

– The imagery entices the imagination and offers boundless scope for creative expression:

Bringing it to life– Animation – a signature animation to play before features – enhancing brand

identity.– Statue – on façade, to mark the location and draw attention from passers-by.



Operational PlanThe Compton Cinema Organ

The 2Manual/6Rank Compton cinema organ was installed in the Regent Street Polytechnic's Cinema in 1936

It is one of only three such instruments in London remaining in its original location.

The organ chamber is located at the rear of the stage (behind the screen)

It is playable today thanks to the efforts of Peter Hammond of HWS Associates who repaired it after the organ fell into disrepair - http://www.hws.org.uk/

It is intended to play the organ to silent films on a regular basis – Silent Sundays



Operational Plan Summary

Not-for-profit– Surpluses ploughed back into cinema/events

Links with industry, facilitated by:– Regular events – e.g. Silent Sundays

– Festivals

Bringing students closer to industry and providing them with much needed exhibition – Students shorts and trailers with the commercial trailers

Bar/Concession area– Partnership for daytime offering – e.g. Hummus Bros

– Evening unique offers – e.g. Coffee Menu

Partnerships for commercial private rentals– e.g. Hotels



Current Partners in Conversation

Westminster Film School UK Film Council/Film London The Cinema Theatre Association Tony Jones (Founder – City Screen)

Joost Hunnigher (ex UOW department head and chair of the CILECT research project into the future of digital cinema)

City Screen (Largest Independent Cinema Operator)

Peter Hammond (HWS Associates – Arts Heritage Consultancy)

Film distributors: Pathé, New Wave & others

Other potential partners The Heritage Lottery Fund Prominent British Film Producers and Distributors Private equity specialising in film/cinema BFI Regent Street Organisation – Crown Estate Major Production and effects houses The Magic Lantern Society



Next StepsTo achieve Our Goals

It is imperative that the

cinema has ties to

industry, for this vision to

be fully realised

We aim to have between

1 and 3 producers /

directors / distributors as

ongoing partners

We will also bid for

Heritage Lottery Funding

External

Partners/Investors

Costed Business Plan

To demonstrate our

vision to investors, we

need to have a costed

capital works schedule

We have engaged the

leading architects in this

field (3 firms have

tendered)

The cost for this will be

£5,000 + VAT

Operational advice has

been sought from many

current and previous

cinema operators

Costs have been over-

estimated and revenues

under-estimated

We are seeking an

investor to underwrite the

operation of the cinema

Architectural

Feasibility



Regent Street CinemaProject Summary

Birthplace of British Cinema Home for future student and experimental film

makers 320 seat theatre fully refurbished Digital projection – with two supplemental 35mm

projectors Regular events programme Silent Sundays (with organ accompaniment) Interactive Frontage – nobody should be able to walk

past without wanting to look in Future proof ticketing and seasonal passes Student shorts and trailers before the main feature Not for profit

Documents

What is the Regent Street Cinema Project - 13 06 08v2