We’re delighted to be heading to HOME in Manchester for our 2017 Autumn Screening Days this November.
Our Screening Days events are a great way to see the best upcoming independent releases. If you want to discover films to bring in new audiences and satisfy existing ones, Screening Days offers you the chance to see films first and decide which will work for your programme, as well as the opportunity to network with other exhibitors from across the UK.
Featuring key releases from November 2017 to March 2018, this industry event is for anyone in programming, marketing or education at cinemas, film festivals and film societies.
Keep in touch
The quickest way to keep up-to-date is to follow our Twitter account @ICOTweets. You’ll get details of new films added to the event as they’re confirmed.
Registration
Price:
One-day pass: £25
Two-day pass: £44
Three-day pass: £60
ICO Screening Days is an industry event for programmers, organisers, audience developers, education officers or marketers from cinemas, mixed arts venues, film societies, film festivals and any other venue whose primary purpose is exhibition of films to the public.
Your request for passes will be sent to the ICO for approval.
Please note that we have a limit of five attendees per organisation and that passes are non-transferable.
The deadline for registration is Friday 13 October 2017. Please note there is limited capacity at the venue, and last year’s event sold out, so book early to avoid disappointment. A full refund is available for cancellations up to Friday 20 October 2017.
If you have any queries about registration, please email info@independencinemaoffice.org.uk or telephone 0207 636 7120.
Find out more
Further information about the event will be uploaded to this section of the website. Please email info@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk with any queries.
Terms and conditions
ICO Screening Days is an industry event for programmers, organisers, audience developers, education officers or marketers from cinemas, mixed arts venues, film societies, film festivals and any other venue whose primary purpose is exhibition of films to the public.
As all of the films to be screened at the event are pre-release titles there is a press embargo on the event, which includes social networking sites and film forums.
It was the first time I had attended a Screening Day, so it was great to just find out how they worked and what benefits there are to attending. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to see so many new films, and have a real focus in engaging with other exhibitors.
Screening Days delegate
Films
Travel
HOME Manchester
2 Tony Wilson Place
Manchester
M15 4FN
By Bike
Bike racks are situated between HOME and the INNSIDE by Meliá hotel. There are 20 Sheffield stands available and additional racks are installed in the area surrounding First Street.
By Bus
Buses 105 and 256 from Piccadilly Gardens stop on Medlock Street. Alternatively, you can use the free Metroshuttle buses that link main rail stations, car parks, shopping areas and businesses in the city centre. Metroshuttle buses run from Piccadilly, Salford Central, Victoria, Oxford Road and Deansgate rail stations. There are three circular routes covering the city centre (the Green Route 2 stops near HOME). Visit tfgm.com/Metroshuttle to plan your Metroshuttle journey, or follow @OfficialTfGM on Twitter for the latest public transport updates.
By Metrolink
Deansgate-Castlefield is the nearest Metrolink stop, which is less than five minutes’ walk from HOME. Check the Metrolink website for times and updates.
If you’re using public transport to reach HOME you can find extra information from Transport for Greater Manchesters’ Journey Planner
By Rail
The nearest rail stations are Deansgate and Oxford Road, which are both five minutes’ walk from HOME. If you arrive at Manchester Piccadilly or Manchester Victoria, it’s a 20-minute walk or a short journey by tram or Metroshuttle.
Directions from Manchester Piccadilly (20 min walk):
Walk west on Fairfield Street towards Cotswold Street for 0.8 miles, then turn left Albion Street continue along for 420ft before turning at City Road, continue along for 400 ft HOME will be on the left.
Directions from Manchester Victoria (24 min walk):
Walk south-east on Victoria Station Approach towards Long Millgate take a slight right onto Corporation Street after 344 ft then continue straight along this street for 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Mount Street followed by a slight left onto Windmill Street then right onto Lower Mosley Street, continue onto Albion Street for 420ft before turning at City Road, continue along for 400 ft HOME will be on the left.
To plan your rail journey please visit: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk
By Car
The nearest car park is Q-Park at First Street (next door to HOME).
By Air
You can reach HOME from Manchester Airport, by taxi, car, rail or tram.
Hotels
Premier Inn Deansgate
Approximate rate per night: £37 – £110
Distance from HOME: 0.1 miles
Holiday Inn Express
Approximate rate per night: £74 – £104
Distance from HOME: 0.4 miles
Premier Inn Manchester Central
Approximate rate per night: £38 – £124
Distance from HOME: 0.4 miles
The Principal Manchester
Approximate rate per night: £120 – £160
Distance from HOME: 0.4 miles
Hotel ibis Manchester Centre Princess Street
Approximate rate per night: £82 – £90
Distance from HOME: 0.5 miles
Premier Inn Manchester City Centre Portland Street
Approximate rate per night: £38 – £118
Distance from HOME: 0.5 miles
Arora Hotel Manchester
Approximate rate per night: £128 – £196
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
Hotel Novotel
Approximate rate per night: £117 – £144
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
New Union Hotel (tel: 0161 228 1492)
Approximate rate per night: £90
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
Pendulum Hotel
Approximate rate per night: £75 – £100
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
Roomzzz Manchester City
Approximate rate per night: £119 – £149
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
Townhouse Hotel Manchester
Approximate rate per night: £109 – £145
Distance from HOME: 0.6 miles
REM Hotel (tel: 0161 236 1311)
Approximate rate per night: £90 – £100
Distance from HOME: 0.7 miles
Britannia Hotel Manchester
Approximate rate per night: £85 – £105
Distance from HOME: 0.8 miles
NB. The ICO does not endorse any of the above hotels.
Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel
Approximate rate per night: £133
Distance from HOME: 0.8 miles
Britannia Sachas Hotel Manchester
Approximate rate per night: £48 – £83
Distance from HOME: 0.9
Holiday Inn Manchester – City Centre
Approximate rate per night: £76 – £148
Distance from HOME: 0.9 miles
ibis Styles Manchester Portland Hotel
Approximate rate per night: £115 – £130
Distance from HOME: 0.9 miles
Macdonald Manchester Hotel & Spa
Approximate rate per night: £116
Distance from HOME: 0.9 miles
Motel One
Approximate rate per night: £69 – £89
Distance from HOME: 0.9 miles
Travelodge Manchester Central Hotel
Approximate rate per night: £53 – £82
Distance from HOME: 1.1 miles
Why attend?
Exhibitors who attend Screening Days know the difference it makes.
That’s why staff and volunteers of cinemas, mixed arts venues, film festivals, and film societies attend again and again. But if you haven’t come before, here’s five reasons Screening Days could be invaluable for you…
- Screening Days make your programming decisions easier: watching our amazing selection of the upcoming films lets you get clear on whether a film is right for your venue and how to make it work best in your programme.
- Screening Days are efficient: finding time to watch films in the busy and divided schedule of a film programmer is hard. Screening Days lets you cover a lot of ground with amazing access.
- Screening Days simplify marketing: knowing what audience you’re trying to target becomes much easier once you know the film directly and who in your community would want to come and see it.
- Screening Days gives you access to key industry players: we often have representatives from the BFI, Cinema for All, Film Audience Network and Filmbankmedia, as well as many major distributors in attendance. Screening Days is your chance to hear about funding, technology and opportunities that can mean just as much as what you put on the screen itself.
- Screening Days is a forum to share knowledge: gathering together this number of exhibitors in one place means you can keep up with developments from peers and learn from what is working for them.
Simply being able to see the films is enough but there are also great opportunities to be able to talk to other exhibitors and have conversations around programming successes, failures and ideas. It builds a community of ideas and relationships that really strengthen the independent cinema community in the UK.
Screening Days delegate
FAQs
Who can come to Screening Days?
Screening Days is for programmers, organisers, audience developers, education officers or marketers from cinemas, mixed arts venues, film societies, film festivals and any other venue whose primary purpose is exhibition of films to the public.
If you’re not sure if you’re eligible, just ask us: info@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk
I'd love to go, but it's too expensive for our budget.
Speak to your local Film Hub. They may be able to help you with a bursary for passes, accommodation and/or travel.
How do I register on the day?
Registration will be held from 8.30am each morning, at which you will be issued with a badge for the day(s) you are attending. This will be your entry pass into all screenings.
The registration area will be staffed by the ICO throughout the event. We’ll also be on hand to offer advice on topics including programming, distribution, audience development and much more.
When do the screenings happen?
Screenings will run between 9am and 6pm each day.
Will there be any other activities in addition to the screenings?
There will also be a drinks reception on Saturday evening for delegates to meet and network with fellow colleagues, to catch up on the all important films of the day.
Is there somewhere to get drinks and food onsite?
Yes! You can visit HOME’s café-bar (ground floor).
How do you select films for the programme at Screening Days?
Our primary aim is to showcase the widest possible range of independent, world and art house titles set for release in the following quarter. We focus on titles that are unlikely to have a vast marketing budget so need the keen curatorial eye and advance notice that a viewing at Screening Days can provide for your programme. We also occasionally include titles with higher profiles, particularly in the lead-up to awards season, which we believe delegates will be keen to see to assess suitability for their programmes. Our goal is to provide you with the opportunity to see the widest range of films so you’re able to broaden programmes in your venues, and we hope each Screening Days programme reflects that.
Why can't you release the schedule earlier? I want to make sure I see certain films.
We always try to finalise the schedule as soon as possible so you can plan ahead. Unfortunately, we are limited in how far in advance we can do so. Because distributors offering us their films often haven’t determined their schedule in advance, or are waiting on delivery of the materials, we often receive final confirmations quite close to the event. Then, in order to evenly space the films across the different screens, we need to carefully schedule the films, which takes time.
Why aren’t there more or longer breaks?
We try to give you as many breaks as possible between films and usually have morning, lunch and afternoon breaks, but are restricted by the availability of the screens and the length of the films. Most cinemas can’t take out their evening public screenings due to conditions set by distributors, and so they don’t disappoint their local (paying) audience. This means we can only screen films between 9am – 6pm. We try to keep in mind that the main purpose of the event is for you to be able to see as many films as possible.
Why can only organisers, marketers and programmers attend?
The purpose of Screening Days is to encourage strong audiences for a more diverse selection of films. Programmers, organisers (e.g. the most senior person in a community screen, members of the selection committee of a film society) and marketers are the people in a best position to both select films and advocate for these films in their venues. We are often oversubscribed, so this is the fairest way to ensure that key staff get the opportunity to attend.
Why can only five members of my organisation attend?
As the Screening Days events usually sell out, we are limiting the number of passes for any one organisation to five. This is to ensure that the largest number of organisations are able to attend the event. Attendees must also be engaged in one of the following roles within their organisation: programming, marketing, education, audience development, or on the selection committee of a film society/club.
How frequent do my screenings need to be for me to attend?
Our funders for Screening Days, in addition to the distributors that lend us their films, now stipulate that exhibitors must hold 12 or more feature film screenings per year of to attend.
Can I Tweet or share reviews or comments on the films in public?
No. While we appreciate your enthusiasm (or otherwise) for films you see at Screening Days, the terms that we receive the films under completely prohibit any social media or film forum discussion of films in the Screening Days programme.
Distributors and the ICO monitor social media channels for discussion of the films. Please do feel free to discuss the films in person with other delegates, and if you’d like to talk about the event in general on social media you can find us at @ICOtweets #ScreeningDays.