Holidaying on the Orkneys in 1997, Joolz and I were taken by friends to their community cinema, the Gable End Theatre & Film Society. So we thought if they can run a film group on the Island of Hoy with a population of about 400 surely we could get something going in Wells!  I remembered hearing about the Village Screen initiative run by Creative Arts East which loans out a full set of portable  cinema equipment   - projector, screen, DVD player, amplifier & speakers – for use in village halls and small community venues.

I then put a short paragraph in our wonderful  monthly Wells Town Magazine, “The Quay”, asking if there were any local film enthusiasts who would like to get something going in Wells. Within a fortnight we had  an enthusiastic committee of 12. The Granary Theatre, part of The Maltings complex, at the bottom of Staithe Street, agreed to let us hire their charming, intimate theatre and when we’d learnt how to get screening licence, how to put the screen up, where to get films from for public screening,  we were ready to open our doors to paying customers on Monday 9th June.

Our first paying custom

ers walked down the red carpet,  cut the ribbon and we were in business. Our first film, “And when did you last see your father” was based on the book by Blake Morrison who sent us greetings saying he felt honoured that the film of his book was opening our cinema. Congratulations and greetings were also received from local MP,  Norman Lamb, from Stephen Fry, “I love Wells. I love  everything about it. Even the fishy smell!” and other well wishers.

Good though the hired equipment was it needed a team of  ‘roadies’ to collect it from wherever in Norfolk  it had   last been  used and then we had to put it all together. It took 4 of us to erect the big screen and then we had to take it all down afterwards, pack it away safely and transfer it to the next group. So we applied for grants and eventually with help from Wells Lions, Wells Carnival, O2 Its Your Community, the Lottery and others we were able to install full film screening facilities in the Granary Theatre. The configuration of the old Maltings building presented a challenge to our tech

nical team led by Nigel Baker and Gresh Blayer but they rose to it magnificently. The screen now descends at the press of a button and the projector sits inconspicuously  in the theatre ceiling. Our latest addition, full cinema surround sound,  is imminent.  

Since opening  we have screened films initially at monthly intervals and now twice monthly. Other local groups have asked us to provide screening facilities and we have put on Christmas & holiday specials.  For the   2009 Wells Carnival  we did all the arranging and licensing for an outdoor screening  of Mama Mia and over 2,000 people filled the Buttlands singing along to the songs of ABBA.

As you can see from the web site we have shown a wide variety of films, we have built up a loyal, enthusiastic audience and from time to time we arrange food and drink afterwards  so that we get to know our audience.

Our first film

Stephen Fry

Norman Lamb MP

The story so far . . .

David Saunders (Chairman SntS) reflects on the two years since we started

SHARING THE EXPERIENCE

CHAIRMAN’S BLOG