大象传媒

The projectionists, the people in charge of running films at a cinema, are no longer vital to the industry, as their roles have been replaced by digital technology. Between 2010 and 2012, 90% of cinema projectionists were either made redundant or phased out of their roles in projection. according to the BFI.

In their own words, three projectionists young and old share their love for the art of cinema projection. They tell their stories of how cinema has impacted their life, and how they are trying to keep cinema projection alive today.

John Newcombe鈥檚 career as a cinema projectionist dates back to the 1950s, when he worked as a rewind boy in a one-screen cinema. At 82, he has continued to pursue his love of projection at the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole. Joe Cornick might be the future of cinema projectionists - at 17, he started his own 35mm film cinema in his village of Slindon. And Ben Dowell, a former Chief Projectionist and author of Last Reels, saw first hand how the switch to digital projection changed the industry forever through his work in large cinema chains.

New Storytellers presents the work of new radio and audio producers, and this series features the five winners of the 2020 Charles Parker Prize for the Best Student Radio Feature. The award is presented every year in memory of pioneering radio producer Charles Parker, who produced the famous series of Radio Ballads with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger.

Originally produced in 2019 by Richard Queree, who recently completed his MA Radio degree at Bournemouth University, Projectionists was credited by the judges with giving a 鈥渟ense of the dying of the light鈥�, a 鈥渟ocial history made with a purpose鈥�.

Producer: Richard Queree
A Soundscape production for 大象传媒 Radio 4