INTERVIEW. CINEMA PARADISO. WANAKA

Spectrum Documentary talking to entrepeneurs: Brian Hildrift and Callum MacLeod. Nation introduces the show by discussing Wanaka in general. Begins interviewing Callum MacLeod, a Scotsman who is has been in a 2 year partnership with Brian Hildrift running the Cinema Paradiso.

Discusses public funding for the theatre and the history of the cinema itself (the Wanaka Town Hall). Talks about altering the masking for different formats during the screenings. Discusses the sound system. In depth discussion about the seating in the cinema.

Callum talks about pre-Cinema Paradiso Wanaka and the difficulty local people faced in seeing films. They discuss the refreshments available and the type of people that are attracted to the cinema. Callum discusses the merits of ‘escapism’ in film that is relevant particularly to places like Wanaka.

Mentions some of the more unpopular films that they have screened and tells an anecdote about a local dog, Baz that regularly attends screenings. Brian takes Nation to the projection room, explains how their ‘antiquated’ projector works, and his response to seeing films more than once.

Brian talks about their resistance to advertising, and his reasoning for not including it in the screenings. Brian talks about the children’s films they show. Insert of ticket and sweets sales, brief interviews with the audience members and a film introduction by Callum. A brief sound bite from the beginning of the film.
Recorded 11/05/1995