AONB North Devon fund solar power unit

AONB solar power launch

On perhaps the wettest day of 2010 so far in the South West we launched our newly built solar power unit and surprisingly it lasted for six and a half hours with power to spare! Admittedly most of the power was stored in the batteries from the sunshine on the day before but we were still getting a very slight charge of 0.3 amps from the grey skies over Croyde. The unit is now soaking up whatever rays the remainder of England’s summer has to offer, ready for its next outing.

When running on the solar unit, instead of mains electricity or generator power, we choose not to use the on-board air conditioning unit due to its heavy power consumption but power for absolutely everything else, including lights, audio and projection all come from the sun’s energy.

This unit simply wouldn’t have come into existence without the money put in by AONB North Devon from their sustainable development fund, so huge thanks to them for their foresight and we hope it lives on for many years to come so it allows us to put on shows to people in a far wider range of locations without the distracting hum and pollution of a generator. Alongside the solar power, the AONB also supported the production of a special film with the Movie Bus project detailing the history of North Devon’s beautifully preserved coastline. This film will be screened at several of our forthcoming North Devon events and is one not to miss if you have any connection to the beautiful landscape in the North Devon areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Vintage @ Goodwood

Vintage Cinema @ 'Vintage'

Neil Innes signs the cinema

Stephen Woolley @ Vintage

Night time @ Vintage

Watertight at last!

After being so lucky with our dry early summer months the rainfall has steadily increased and we discovered a leak in the trademark Perspex dome above the cab. Following many attempts atop a wobbling ladder to trace the leak, frustration and concern were mounting as we just couldn’t pinpoint where the water was getting in. Thankfully last night in the workshop we solved it. Our efforts were perhaps galvanised by the weather report of 26mm of rain today in Croyde, where I’m currently writing this news from a dry, warm cinema cab as the rain pours down outside. Victory to the roof sealant at last!

RESCUE THE HITCHCOCK 9

Hitchcock9 campaign

Hitchcock9 campaign

Donate online now www.bfi.org.uk/saveafilm

Calling all independent film-makers!

Vintage Mobile Cinema

Vintage Mobile Cinema

We are looking for independent film-makers work at the moment, to screen aboard the Vintage Mobile Cinema as we tour different events across the country.
This is an opportunity for film-makers to have their work screened in a unique environment; a one-of-a-kind 1967 Mobile Cinema, the last survivor from a fleet of seven. The vehicle is completely unique, featuring a retro-futuristic perspex dome above the cab, and it causes
heads to turn whereever it goes!
We have been busy with the hugely successful Movie Bus Project (www.moviebus.org.uk) since the restoration was completed three months ago. The project, supported by the UK Film Council’s Digital Film Archive Fund and South West Screen, has seen the creation of eight different archive film compilations, which have been toured around North
Devon on board the bus. People have come in droves to the cinema, not only because of the films and their content, but because of the unique nature of the vehicle.
The Vintage Mobile Cinema will now be touring a series of festivals, screening a wide selection of material, and we are pleased to be able to help put together the cinema programming for the upcoming Aeon Festival (www.aeonfestival.com) on August 26th – 30th. We want to make this an opportunity for independent film-makers to get their work out there and seen in these unique surroundings.
We already have had offers from various artists and organisations to screen their work, such as David Salas’s award winning ‘Uncomfortable’ (http://web.mac.com/savedalas/iWeb/UNCOMFORTABLE/UNCOMFORTABLE.html) and work from Animated Exeter. With the Vintage Mobile Cinema’s unique ability to draw in a wide array of people, you never know who might be in the next audience for your film!
Contact Emma Giffard for more details, on emma.giffard@northdevon.gov.uk or 07809 640714.

Aeon Festival

August 27, 2010toAugust 29, 2010

The Vintage Mobile Cinema will be at the Aeon Festival as a safari cinema. See their website for details and ticket information.