Behind the scenes at your local ODEON
Ahead of our special Girlguiding-exclusive screenings of Disney’s Encanto, volunteer Sue Rees got the VIP treatment at her local ODEON
This December, units can attend special Girlguiding-only screenings of Disney’s Encanto at ODEON cinemas up and down the country. We all love a trip to the cinema, but what goes into making these screenings happen? Volunteer Sue Rees got to explore behind the scenes at her local ODEON, and asked lots of questions about accessibility, Covid safety, and popcorn!
‘Do you remember your first trip to the cinema? I do – it was to watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with my family, and I was terrified of the Child Snatcher! Despite that early experience I have always really enjoyed going to the cinema – nothing beats seeing a film on the big screen and losing yourself in the magic of the movie. I love the fact that Girlguiding has partnered with ODEON cinemas to provide girls the extra special experience of seeing Disney’s Encanto with their units. Who knows, for some it might be their first trip to the cinema that they will still remember in 50 years’ time.
I was lucky enough to be invited to a behind the scenes tour of my local cinema, ODEON Hatfield, to find out what goes on to make these special screenings happen. Cinema manager Harvey Johnson showed me and the team round.
How does a cinema work?
One of the first questions I had going into the tour was how does a cinema actually work? We all have images of clunky film reels spinning away, with projectionists busy at work to make sure the film doesn’t get stuck or broken. But surely the technology of today has changed this – are all the films just in the cloud, ready to be downloaded? Well, although things have definitely changed a lot since the days of reels of celluloid, we were surprised to learn that whilst cinemas are all digital now, they still use the same basic technology. We were taken up a small spiral staircase to the projection room, which sits above all the screens. There we found lots of massive, noisy machines. These were the projectors, all pointing through a small glass window at a cinema screen. With new technology, we learned that everything can now be controlled electronically, from the projection to the sound to the auditorium lights. However, there’s one thing that still needs human intervention – loading the films!
The film's about to begin! Loading a movie into one of ODEON's giant projectors
Films today are couriered over to cinemas in the form of a big hard drive. ODEON’s staff load all the films for the week into each projector and schedule in the timings for all the adverts, trailers and films. The machines for each screen then run each day’s programme automatically. They control everything from the lights that dim in each auditorium, to starting the film itself. On a good day where nothing goes wrong, nobody needs to set foot in the projection room after turning everything on in the morning – the machines manage it all themselves! However, we were reassured that if anything goes wrong, staff can still control everything manually. And, like every machine no matter how big, the problem can often be solved by turning it off and on again. So, although you don’t need a specially-trained projectionist standing by for each screen any more, the image is still projected onto the actual cinema screens, just like the old days. We learned that the screen has a special reflective coating (hence the phrase ‘silver screen’) and the projector lightbulbs they use are extremely powerful. The lights are so highly pressurized, they’re at risk of exploding and operators need to wear protective gear and masks when they use them for safety reasons. When the bulb has reached the end of its life, they can’t just be thrown in the rubbish - they stick it in a special box and destroy it themselves with a mallet! Sounds like a fun day at work. Because the powerful lights and big machines run so hot, the projection room needs to be kept nice and cool, which means it’s the perfect environment for storing popcorn. We were surprised to learn that popcorn is all freshly popped off site, as it’s much less dangerous for staff to manage. No more hot oil and popcorn flying everywhere!
Sweet, or salty? We found where the popcorn is stashed!
Into the auditorium
Once I was done trying to make a shadow-puppet version of the guiding salute onto one of the screens, we headed downstairs to check out some of the auditoriums. One of the highlights was getting a look at the Luxe screen. With big armchairs that recline, it was certainly a more luxurious cinema experience than I was used to. One to bear in mind next time I’m at the cinema without the Guides. Might sneak a visit to the bar too! We talked to Harvey about the logistics of bringing a group of girls to the cinema. The foyer is nice and open so you can see everyone when they arrive and there are lots of staff on hand. We also chatted a bit about ventilation – obviously it’s been a big topic of discussion in the news since the lockdown ended. We were told that as cinemas are so thoroughly air-conditioned, with a constant supply of fresh air, they’re a great indoor option when it comes to Covid safety, which will reassure parents and leaders who might be concerned about having so many girls together. Harvey also pointed out some of ODEON’s accessibility features, which were really great to see. Every screen had wheelchair spaces, with companion chairs reserved for them. They can make screenings available for people with hearing loss or visual impairments too. Every auditorium is fitted with a system that can boost the sound, and support audio-description devices. They can even hook audio into people’s hearing aids if they’re asked. And of course, closed captions are an option too. Harvey also told us about ODEON’s regular autism-friendly screenings. These screenings have the lights raised and the sound lowered. The doors are kept open, with quiet zones set up for time-outs if things get too overwhelming. They also add simple, unbranded signs towards the toilets, and add a clock at the front of the auditorium. Harvey told us that although every individual has different needs, the approach they take tries to accommodate as many people as they can.
My takeaways
I really enjoyed my sneak peek behind the scenes and bored my family with all the information I had learned (particularly about how the projectors are all automatically run) when we went on a trip to the cinema the following weekend!
I can’t wait to take my Guides to the cinema (and bore them with my facts) – either at one of the special Encanto screenings or even as part of our next sleepover. Harvey and his team were so welcoming and reassuring on issues of safety and welfare, I’m sure any unit going to their local ODEON will have a fantastic experience.
Tickets for #MirabelsMagicalMovie are now on sale!
The screenings are on 4-5 December – head to our event page to find all the information you need.
If you're attending, don't forget to order our beautiful new sparkly badge for all the girls!
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