Does anyone here have a regular group of friends that they watch reel movies with, like an informal club? Seems like it would be a lot of fun to show off prized projectors and prints, especially as a lot of the time immediate family can be left nonplussed as to the allure of it all. I'd love to set up a regular night in a building with a good size screen like a church hall and run some movies with like minded folks.

Yes, we have two. Our Norsk Filmsamlerklubb (Norwegian Film Collectors Club) have 5-8 meetings a year, show shorts mainly and my own, Østfold Smalfilm Klubb, where I used to have a couple a month, but lately not too much.

Good fun

it would be a nice idea again here in theory for the various cities and suburbs of the UK also Stuart.

Problem is, everyone seems to like completely different things and most have completely different ideals surrounding the world of film and projectors here.
I'd predict it would be nothing more that complete carnage sadly.
You'd probably end up with less turning up than do our forums at times!

Attitudes are very different here and in the U.S. I've found, to those for the rest of Europe.

Yes, most like different things, but just take turn deciding. Rotate and there would be sometimes, you are bored, next time another one, but at least you meet up and talk film.

For a number of years I ran 16mm features on a monthly basis during the winter months in a local club (free admission) but eventually shut it down due to lack of support.
On some shows even the regulars didn't turn up, when I asked some who were sitting waiting for the show to start, it was nearly always the same reply, "Oh! There're watching television and can't be bothered to come out tonight."

I show film one time at month for my friends,a loyal group of 20 people who are fascinated with the texture and colour of the film . I show 16mm and
super 8mm films of classic movies from 1930 to 1998, they really enjoy the film shows and always ask for more

20 is very good. Well done and keep it up. We are only 3-6, mostly three at the time

It's something I'd love to do, I'd also love to do an outside film show, maybe one day, who knows what the future holds.

Now we have our first Grandchild, I've already sized up the eldest sons garden! 😂😂
It's much larger than anywhere we have here, so an outdoor session or two on the best of the future summer night's might just see all of the animated favourites revealed again one day, if I can get grandson on board. 😊😊

That might bring about an audience of 5 with any luck! 😝🎺

When my three kids were children and belonged to the st johns amulance i use to do a xmas film show for there party every year at xmas and it ran for 10 years sadly ending not when my own children grew away from the club, in fact it continued way after they did, but when the group ended after the main organiser retired from it.
They use to have games for half an hour while i set up in the church hall then they all grabbed there food and sat on the floor in front of the screen ready for an hour of xmas cartons and tom and jerrys. Sometimes the parents would stay to watch. Great days. Ohh and after the show father xmas would visit and i always got my pressy, a lovly tin of biscuits, and a clap from everyone. I wish i could re visit those xmas partys.
I will pop up a few images later.
I am fortunate that i share the hobby with brother but also my thee grown up kids do occassionly watch films and wifey is a keen supporter with a few films from her and mummy as birthday and xmas presents.

Great memoirs Tom and a wife who has had film bought for her?
Now that's what you call "A match made in heaven!" 😂😊

I remember doing a film show using my old LS2 once for our friends son and his pals at his birthday party in a function suite one afternoon.
They really were a most appreciate and attentive audience and as you say, happier days in general, or did it simply just feel that way as we get older?

Wifey buys for me andy but, she lovers her musicals so i started buying some for her and oddly enough i stated to enjoy them in my older years hence how i did actualy end up buying quite a few. In fact star wars and gone with wind were presents from my brothers wife to him and i cant list how many were bought for me by my wifey as there is too many to list.

I would like to get back into doing film shows for the kids parties or old folks homes but with our machines getting to very old age i wouldnt want the uphieval for any of our machines. Car trips and constant setting up and dismantling could never be good for them. I would want two more for the purpose. For now everything stays permenantly set up with a double size cotten cloth covering my elmo when not in use on the projector stand.

Yes, a very valid point Tom. I wouldn't use many if any of mine now, for the purpose of a travelling circus.
They need the protection of a warm, loving and stable caring home environment nowadays, just like our aging relatives and pets! 😂😂

Maybe one of the T610's in its hard transit case I would use out and about, but that'd be about it and that's only because I have a few of them now to go at.

Certainly after all the work Bill's done on my main HD1200 that will will be for my own use only.
However, here it is around 10/120 years ago now gathering the kids for a quite hour.
The one thing that cine films always did was keep a lot of youngsters transfixed to the screen. Most of todays children have no idea what a projector is or what real film looked like/does look like.

Great photo's Tom, I think now the kids would be sat on the floor but looking at their mobile phones, catching up on social media and ignoring the film show

Your probably right Del but for any I do I will have a phone amnesty first! 😂😂

Haha you'd have an empty floor mate, phones are their lives these days. just remembered :

In the early 80's a guy would come round to our local welfare club and show 16mm films every week, I knew the guy who had connections at the welfare and tried to negotiate showing some super 8 films for a change but got a blank. Back to the late 70's I once had an active audience of 6 mates for a late night film show (started at around 11.00 o'clock) using my trusted Eumig S905, the film was King Kong (surprised aren't you) the film went well and I was transfixed from start to finish, however at the end when I switched on the main lights everyone else was fast asleep I suppose it wasn't the best idea after a night of booze

In 1987 when I had my shed put up and I started to convert it into my own cinema I deceided to show films to a few senior citizens in my road, we started in 1988 and I thought it might last a few months before the interest wore off, 15 years later it came to an end, the oaps loved their Friday nights at the flicks, full length feature, cup of tea, biscuits all for £1, I didn't do it for the money just for the pleasure of seeing them having a good time.

Well done David, I think that would be all our dreams to do that. The nearest I get these days to an audience is Christmas day when my in laws come round for the day, my father in law loves super 8 and we always have a film show around 4ish, it's always war related stuff or George Formby, he's a very captive audience and as he said to me last year, it's his favourite part of Christmas.

I hope the "shed Cinema" still exists David even if the Patrons no longer frequent. i loved seeing it on the BFCC DVD's

Well I've still yet to get the shed cinema off the ground, but now I've got working machines I need to install an electric screen in the lounge for Super 8, 16mm and blu-ray. I've found a great 2.35:1 shaped screen, ripe for scope presentations!

Here is a pic of me inside the shed cinema, we moved from where it was as far as I know that the shed is still their, hope to have another cinema in the future, I did have thye full length feature of the poster "wargames" this was the first full length feature that I bought, still got the receipt, got it from Portland Films in Shaftsbury Ave London.

heres the pics

David i absolutely love that cinema. What a great get away and very cosy to.

Terrific David!

Thanks for sharing again these wonderful images from some fabulous days!
Love the Derann collection in your arms there.

Well aside from raiders of course! Ha ha. (Marketing)

The War Games Poster looks fab too btw!