Watershed is a cinema and arts space located in the centre of Bristol. Nestled between bars on the Harbourside, it is a wide building with bright blue signage on the outside, panelled with large windows. It is placed on a main thoroughfare to the city centre, where there is a lot of footfall, the windows therefore entice people into the space.
The foyer of Watershed has polished pine wood floorboards, giving a homely feel to the space. The wood is not flawless and so has a “rough and ready”, organic feel to it, this changes in the cinemas to carpet, softening the space, making it feel intimate and suggesting a step into a more luxurious area where one should take more care. Directly in front of the entrance is the box office, consisting of a long, brass topped counter, dipped in the middle for accessibility and brightly lit by strip lights. Screens above the box office showing film times, posters for upcoming shows, many of which are foreign or arthouse features, and clips of a BSL interpreter. Watershed seems to be conscious and progressive in terms of inclusivity, highlighted by its seperate accessible entrance and gender neutral toilets on the first floor.
The foyer has racks of standard cinema snacks such as popcorn and crisps, however these offerings are of a higher standard to most commercial snacks, indicating a more middle class clientele. Next to box office is a flyer rack stacked with flyers for other local arts venues, suggesting Watershed is a cultural space and is linked with other arts organisations in the city. The box office is the central point of the foyer, if you were unfamiliar with the set-up of the space you might be apprehensive to walk past the box office and straight up the steps or to the lift.
On the first landing is a comments board. This is a space which welcomes all audience members to write down a comment on whatever film they just watched and pin it on the board. This is an interesting feature of the cinema, it indicates that the audience are an important voice in the critique of film. Therefore, it seems Watershed’s clientele are mainly cinephiles. It encourages people to discuss and think through the films rather than casually consume them. Upstairs, Watershed is split into three main areas, the cinema, café and studios. These areas are indicated with clear signage in the top foyer, the colour scheme is a series of calming muted blues, greens and purples. There is a casual, relaxed atmosphere to Watershed, even when busy. Due to the high ceilings in the cafe bar, voices echo around the space, making it feel alive.
A look at the menu shows a lean towards local, sustainable produce. This celebration of the local highlights Watershed’s community ethos. At the far end of the bar are three function rooms, these host a multitude of events from wedding receptions to VR experiences. Watershed seems to be a progressive place both communally, and in its approach to digital media and creativity.
The Showcase Cinema de Lux in Cabot Circus is a large, thirteen-screen multiplex found in a busy shopping centre. When you walk into the space it feels big, there is pop music playing in the foyer and a bar right in front of you showing music videos on small screens. The atmosphere is immediately different to Watershed, it has a younger, more commercial and grandiose feel to it. It seems that the Cinema de Lux models its interiors on picture palaces, with the opulent and grand design in its foyer area, such as plastic palm trees and plush sofas outside each screen. The picture palace feeling is especially highlighted by its Directors Lounge” screen, where customers can pay more to get a more intimate experience, with access to a “members only” bar.
The staff, unlike Watershed, all wear a plain uniform with name tags and there are self-service ticket points. This makes the process of buying cinema tickets less personable than at Watershed. This cinema is more about consuming entertainment, and this is evidenced by its programme. The screenings were all showing wide release, mainstream films such as A Star is Born and superhero film Venom. They also advertise a “Flashback” series, showing restored versions of old classics. The audience of the Cinema de Lux are assumed to be casual film fans looking for a fun night out. This being said, in one of their smaller screens they are showing Polish film Kler, a drama about the inseparable relationship between and Catholic Church and the State in Poland. This is perhaps a reflection on the growing Polish population in the city, and an attempt to reach more diverse audiences.
In the foyer of the Cinema de Lux, as well as a fully stocked bar there is a concession stand that dominates the majority of the foyer area. The food offerings are all fast-food such as ice cream, Pick’n’Mix, popcorn and hotdogs. Above the concession stand are brightly coloured screens showing special offers, presumably an attempt to get people to buy more. The quality of food is low and prices are high, this again lends itself to the theory that the main audience for the cinema are people looking for a night out, who don’t mind spending a bit more to enhance their cinema-going experience. The size of Cinema de Lux denotes their expectation of large hordes of audience members. There are wide, sprawling spaces, long rows of toilets and three concessions stands across the two floors. This size does seem to dwarf the amount of people who are in the space on a weekday evening, whereas Watershed still felt busy. Perhaps people come to the café bar in Watershed for its high quality menu and accessibility from the centre of town, whereas the Cinema de Lux bar serves only as a “waiting room” before a film begins.
In conclusion, both cinemas provide their customers with individual experiences. Whereas Cinema de Lux serves purely a fun movie watching experience for fans, Watershed establishes itself as a cultural arts hub, whilst you could come to just absorb a film, you are invited to think about it longer and spend some time in a liberal, though admittedly middle class, space.
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