Special anniversary film release
‘Scala’ was the first film I made as a professional film maker. To celebrate thirty years since the shoot, we’re releasing it online for free until the end of September 2020. Back in 1990, I was coming to the end of my post grad film studies at Middlesex Uni. By chance I heard about an opportunity at a new TV company – Cable Camden, they were commissioning some films for their new channel. I pitched them an idea from the borough, a documentary about London’s notorious and legendary Scala. Jane Giles was heading up the Scala at the time and opened the doors not just to the building but to the menagerie of characters that were as much the Scala as any building or film programme. Filming took place during the autumn of 1990 and it was completed by the end of the year. For me ‘Scala’ was certainly a momentous event, I met my wife during the production, one of the things we had in common was a love of the old place. By the end of the process, I had a piece of professional work that I could show to the industry. I was a Producer/ Director. What I didn’t realise was that going in at that level, with no other industry experience, would have its own challenges, but that’s another story. I also didn’t realise that the film would have special value in years to come, as the cinema closed just a few years later, following the ‘Clockwork Orange’ court case. Today, September is the month of ‘Scalarama’, an annual UK nationwide festival ‘inspired by the energy and creativity of the legendary Scala’. As with many things, Coronavirus has severely limited its activities this year, the tenth edition. I hope that this release of my documentary can go some way to filling the gap. See the film here https://vimeo.com/457742668 More on Scalarama https://scalarama.com/about/ Scala the book https://www.fabpress.com/scala-cinema-book.html
