Watershed – Bristol
Watershed is situated in Bristol city centre on the Harbourside, located in what used to function as a warehouse for Bristol’s trade industry. Upon entering, you notice that this is not the average cinema – cards and postcards are on display and leaflets containing articles on new releases are available. There is a Watershed Jukebox containing five different Watershed stories available to newcomers wishing to find out more about the place, as well as being an interactive donation box.
Moving upstairs, there is a notice board with information on the films currently being screened. There is also pen and paper available to anyone wishing to post a comment, encouraging customers to share their thought son a particular film and highlighting Watershed’s enthusiasm for cinephiles as well as regular movie-goers. At the top of the stairs there is more information available, with descriptions advertising each film, such as First Man from the “Oscar-winning team of Ryan Gosling and Damien Chazelle.” Whilst this is not unusual for most cinemas, it is advertised next to the foreign language film Dogman, which is instead described by its performance at Cannes Festival and focusing on Matteo Garrone, the director. There are advertisements for Watershed’s current film season – the portrayal of the witch within cinema. These are not merely Halloween films but a catalogue of important pieces demonstrating the development of the witch’s depiction in film ranging from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, to Hayao Miyazaki’s Anime film Kiki’s Delivery Service and more recent movies like I Am Not a Witch. This seems to aptly demonstrate Watershed’s inclusivity to all things film, whether it be mainstream Hollywood movies or arthouse and international movies, and an apparent desire to cater for more than just the entertainment side of film. This attitude to inclusivity continues throughout Watershed with ticket concessions for students/young people, overs 60s, the disabled and more. There are even plans to introduce gender neutral toilets – something currently quite rare in most cinemas today.
Turning right at the top of the stairs you come to the Bar/Café area. Here everything about Watershed breaths independence; the rustic aesthetic and craft beers, independently sourced food, the cinephile décor including pictures of cult classics like Bladerunner and Pulp Fiction, and the authentic artwork from artists such as Matt Groening and Joe Magee. There is a strong emphasis on environmental awareness demonstrated by the recycled paper menus, organic Fairtrade coffee and the various plants inside the bar area. The relaxed atmosphere and free Wi-Fi make this an ideal place not just for social means but also for meetings on projects and other work.
Around the bar area there are advertisements that show Watershed as a charity that constantly looks to fund and collaborate on new artistic and technological projects, encouraging a depth and diversity to the people who can enjoy everything that happens at Watershed. Moving past the bar area you can see where a great deal of these projects come to life – in the studios. Fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, such as Apple Mac computers, various screens and audio equipment, and including free, informal talks and masterclasses, the studios lose none of the relaxed and open atmosphere of the bar area – making it an ideal location for young and creative people to work.
Showcase Cinema De Lux – Bristol
Located in one of the busiest parts of Bristol, Cabot Circus, Showcase Cinema De Lux primarily offers spectacle. As you walk through the glass doors into the venue, even the lobby seems grandiose and a large box-office area anticipates large audiences with ample room for queuing. Vast posters are scattered around advertising the latest spectacle coming to screens, often the next Marvel film or horror flick, with the emphasis being largely on the stars involved and the impressive 4k screens and Dolby Digital Sound systems available at Showcase to experience them with. An extensive snack bar is ready to provide audiences with large bags of popcorn, various well-known brands of fizzy drinks and other comfort food enticing ticket-holders to indulge.
Showcase offers a range of premium experiences to complement their already impressive technical attractions, including screenings in 3D, the Director’s Hall and the XPlus experience. The Director’s Hall offer customers private access to the Director’s Lounge prior to screenings, where alcoholic beverages are served alongside pizza and basic Mexican style dishes in a more intimate environment. The XPlus screenings, however, demonstrate the most Showcase has to offer in terms of spectacle with giant wall to wall screens and Dolby Atmos Surround Sound, inviting prospective customers to “get inside the movie.” In many cinemas 3D screenings might be considered an adequate attraction for those wishing to fully experience a film. At Showcase, however, everything has to be bigger, bolder and more comfortable for people who want it – and can afford it.
More often than not the quality of the viewing experience is about as far as the appreciation of a film goes at Showcase. Here, movies are seen as night outs with friends or colleagues to relax and enjoy themselves in a luxury cinema. Showcase tries to attract businesses to hold conferences and meetings in their facilities, probably in the hope that they will enjoy a film together afterwards or be enticed by the advertising strategically positioned around the venue.
Whilst Showcase’s premium experiences may put many people off with their bloated prices, there are various concessions available for young people, students, elderly etc. There are also various aids for people with disabilities, with full wheelchair access to all screens, subtitled screenings for the hard of hearing, autism friendly screenings (which include softer lights and lowered volume), and audio description availability. Whilst many of these things are standard requirements for most venues, it is an apparent effort to make the cinema experience at Showcase available and affordable to all.
The Showcase cinema is an altogether different experience to Watershed. Whilst Watershed caters for all things film (academic or entertainment) and all things creative (as shown by the charity’s support of numerous projects), Showcase is noticeably a business that thrives off excess and, whilst it lacks the range of films offered at Watershed, provides the most enjoyable movie experience in terms of spectacle.
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