Tag: Screen Machine

Major boost for mobile cinema

£500,000 funding to Screen Machine

Funding has been announced enabling an order to be placed for a new Screen Machine mobile cinema serving rural communities across Scotland.

The £500,000 Scottish Government grant allows Regional Screen Scotland (RSS) to order a new vehicle to take films to 44 locations in areas including the Highlands and Islands, Moray and North Ayrshire.

After the previous 80-seat vehicle was retired in 2023 following 18 years and 250,000 miles on the road, RSS started fundraising for a permanent replacement costing £1.7 million. A leased vehicle is currently continuing the service until April 2026.

The new machine will be energy efficient with the ability to charge via solar panels and battery packs, instead of a diesel generator.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “The Screen Machine service is a hugely important asset, bringing cinema to the doorsteps of people in many rural and island communities.

“It has proved its worth over 26 years, providing entertainment that town and city residents take for granted. In doing so it enriches people’s lives and plays a part in tackling rural depopulation.

“This grant allows Regional Screen Scotland to order a new, bespoke vehicle able to use Scotland’s ferry network and negotiate our rural roads. I wish the organisation well as it continues efforts to reach its fundraising target.”

Regional Screen Scotland interim Chief Executive Simon Drysdale said: “This generous grant from the Scottish Government completely transforms our fundraising campaign to raise the money required to build a new Screen Machine. We can now plan with greater confidence for a service that will be secured into the 2040s.

“Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported our campaign so far, from Screen Scotland to the Arran Trust, customers of the Newtonmore Grill, letter-writing children in Barra and many, many more.”

Into Film presents the premiere of new short film ‘Monster’ with Golspie High School

  • Filmmakers Alasdair Satchel and Hannah Kate Hunter worked with students from the school to create the short film which premieres in mobile cinema Screen Machine at Golspie High School on 9 January 2025
  • The film was delivered in partnership with Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Into Film’s Every Child A Filmmaker programme

Into Film has announced the premiere of new short film ‘Monster’ which will take place at 4.00pm on 9 January 2025 in Golspie in the digital mobile cinema, Screen Machine. The film tells the darkly comic tale of a group of friends searching for a monster in their school.

Filmmakers Alasdair Satchel and Hannah Kate Hunter worked with S5 and S6 pupils from Golspie High School in the Scottish Highlands over a week to create the film. Following the film’s premiere, ‘Monster’ will screen in the Screen Machine with feature films The Outrun and Small Things Like These at locations across the Highlands. 

More information and bookings for the screening can be found at the Regional Screen Scotland website. Screen Machine is an 80-seat, air-conditioned, digital mobile cinema that has brought the latest films to areas of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland since it started in 1998.

Into Film’s Every Child A Filmmaker project is an initiative that works closely with professional filmmakers to support young people across the UK to make their own short films, learning every element of the filmmaking process along the way – from idea generation, storyboarding and scriptwriting, right through to camera operation, sound recording, and editing

This Every Child A Filmmaker project is supported by 72 Films, and Into Film worked with Fair Access at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to deliver the training to the young people. 

Acting Deputy Head Teacher, Heather Smith of Golspie High School said: “It was an absolute joy for Golspie High School to be working with Into Film, Regional Screen Scotland, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the filmmakers Hannah and Alasdair on such a creative and inspirational project.

“The pupils thoroughly enjoyed their week with the creators and we are all so proud of the work they have produced! I really do feel like the project has taken some out of their shells, made lots of new connections and inspired them into potential future careers in the film industry!

“Thank you to everyone who has made this project possible and made it such a memorable and successful part of these pupils’ educations!”

Filmmaker Alasdair Satchel has said: “Having your voice heard when you’re young is such an important thing. 

“It was such a pleasure to help Golspie High’s young filmmakers start to find and develop their creative voices over the course of the week. 

“I cannot wait to see what these young rural voices make next to share with us all in the future!”

David Glover, founder and CEO, 72 Films has said: “I am very delighted to be in a small way connected to the wonderful work Into Film does and in particular Every Child a Filmmaker. 

“I was impressed by these young filmmakers work. I like Monster! I like the directing – using details and angles for suspense.  Sending best wishes to the team for their very first film premiere.”