Commissioned by FDA and made by NFTS graduates, THE LAST CINEMA imagines a devastated near-future world in which unchecked piracy has brought about the end of cinema.
The promo conveys the loss that audiences themselves as well as the industry would feel. It invites them, rather than turning a blind eye to film theft, to alert Crimestoppers, the independent charity that people can call anonymously to pass on information about crime. Details are forwarded in turn to the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), which protects the intellectual property of its members across the audio-visual sector and also supports this new campaign.
FDA has been a “key partner” sponsor of the NFTS, based at Beaconsfield Studios, since 1992. Annual contributions are made every autumn and over the last two decades a seven-figure total has been donated on behalf of UK film distributors. THE LAST CINEMA is the first production that FDA has commissioned from the NFTS.
Written and directed by Jae-ha Myung, the treatment for THE LAST CINEMA was selected by a panel of UK film distributors. The piece was shot at three different locations – one exterior and two interior – in summer 2011. Digital editing and atmospheric visual effects work took place at the NFTS. The promo is available in two versions, running 60 seconds and 20 seconds, both of which have been classified “U” by the British Board of Film Classification. The narration is spoken by distinguished British actor, John Hurt.
Jae-ha Myung and his producer, Andrew Start, graduated from the NFTS in 2011, from the Directing Fiction and Producing courses respectively.
Jae-ha Myung said: “This project has been my first since leaving the NFTS and I’m thrilled with the result. As a filmmaker emerging into the industry, I’m particularly keen that the uniquely immersive, shared experience of the cinema should not be harmed by the illicit sharing of bootleg files or DVDs, and that audiences continue to enjoy a rich array of movies.”
NFTS Director, Nik Powell, said: “The School’s many links with the film industry are incredibly important for the onward careers of our students. For this FDA project we had a clear brief and plenty of creative latitude, and I warmly congratulate Jae and his team on the deeply cinematic, thoughtful piece they have delivered.”
FDA President, Lord Puttnam CBE, said: “FDA’s broad membership is delighted that its long-standing sponsorship relationship with the NFTS has developed in this new and imaginative way. This project is a testament to the creative and technical skills that the young makers have refined at the NFTS, and is a further demonstration of distributors’ passionate commitment to the industry’s long-term development.”
I'm sick of seeing this, not just because I have to see it just before EVERY film at the cinema, (and we go quite a lot) but mostly because I DETEST it.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't even really make sense and it's all arse about tit.
So it's supposed to be a near-future world in which unchecked piracy has brought about the end of cinema.
Hmnn.
1. If that's the case, why do they portray the decline of a wanky old town centre flea pit instead of a big modern multiplex?
This seems to make it more about the decline of old small cinemas towards the end of the 80s due to modern multiplexes, rather than cinema itself due to piracy.
2. The cinema has clearly already closed down, as seen by the knackered exterior and deserted cobwebbed foyer, so why does it even still have an audience? Shouldn't they have shown a totally FULL audience, obviously ALL ENJOYING a film in a FUNCTIONING cinema, then as a result of piracy, a dwindling and then closed cinema?
3. If they're not real, but ghosts of an audience the cinema had in its heyday, why are they so few in number? And if they're ghosts, why are they then disappearing?
4. Either way, why are a real or ghostly audience covered in dust, let alone unrealistic grey paint type dust?
5. The weather looks miserable outside. Why haven't any of the audience got coats?
6. Why are the audience all sort of late teens or early 20s?
7. There appear to be 26 people in the theatre. 14 of these people have gone to the cinema ALONE. Seriously, WTF?
8. None of the audience seem to have anything more colourful to wear than beige or grey.
9. No-one in the audience has any food or drink.
10. Why is it so light in this cinema?
11. The girl in the front row isn't even properly facing the screen and looks like she's a bit perturbed by a fart, but has just realised it's her own.
I feel slightly better for that.