Bluescreen celebrates 25 years of open screenings for local filmmakers

Bluescreen, Bristol’s short film screening night for local filmmakers, celebrates a remarkable achievement this year. They’ve been going for 25 years, bringing local filmmaking talent to the big screen at the Cube cinema. Bluescreen’s open screening policy allows anyone to submit a film, in almost any format, and they’ll whack it on the screen. We asked three of the organisers to reflect on the first quarter-century of Bluescreen.

25 years is quite a remarkable achievement. To what do you attribute Bluescreen’s success?
Steve: It’s all about the filmmakers really, they just keep bringing in great films!
David: Persistence – if not to circular to say – and passion. Both of the Cube in its determination to keep going in a simple and open way, and the filmmakers to continue to take up the offer.
Tom: It offers something different, in terms of what is more widely available, and the fact that broadly speaking – no two Bluescreen events are ever the same. Particularly in the days when people brought their films along on the night – you never knew what was going to happen!

How would you characterise the Bluescreen audience?
S: Very enthusiastic and very supportive of the films and filmmakers alike.
D: A good proportion are inevitably filmmakers and filmmaker’s friends, and generally tend to be warm, sociable and know where the Cube is.
T: Impossible to categorise everyone, obviously, but I think it is at its best when those who attend are kind, open-minded, subscribe to the film-making community spirit, whilst also being curious and critical.

What is the weirdest format anyone has submitted a film on?
S: We’ve had most formats over the years, so I guess not that weird. We’re just glad that we were/are able to handle anything that’s brought in to screen.
D: Can’t recall a particularly interestingly weird one – the formats have changed with time, and the ones that would have been straightforward in the early years – VHS, Beta, DV, 8mm etc – weren’t weird then, but would be weird now (and difficult to get projected). There was a middle period where computer formats were touch and go to get working on a computer that they weren’t rendered on, and we favoured DVDs, but now a DVD would be unusual – now pretty much everything is an MP4.
T: I’m sure people have submitted films on a pregnancy test, a Nokia 3210 and a MacDonalds kiosk in the past, but I’m probably confusing Bluescreen submissions with things people have managed to get Doom running on.

Your open screening policy is commendable, but has anyone ever submitted a film that you feel is too inappropriate to screen?
S: We have a no censorship policy. We never watch a film beforehand, well we just check the first minute to check sound and vision is ok, so we never know what we are going to screen!
D: Not that I remember. The idea is we’re not deeming appropriateness – you bring it, we’ll bung it on!
T: I think as long as the films are not illegal, anything goes really (It helps that films are submitted in advance now, as they can be screened in advance to make sure we don’t end up in choppy waters with anything legally). The audience is allowed to judge the films entirely for themselves. Sometimes films might be deemed distasteful or downright bad, but that’s not Bluescreen’s or The Cube’s judgment to make. There’s something really refreshing about the audience members having sole ownership of how they receive a film, and the film-maker having sole ownership of their work. Bluescreen is just the vessel.

Have you discovered any real local talents over the years?
S: Oh lots. And we’ve had someone who went on to win a Bafta too.
D: Yes many – recently has been great seeing Arthur Cauty’s successes.
T: Too many to mention, I’m sure – but again it is more for the “talents” to discover each other, rather than for Bluescreen to discover them.

The original Bluescreen ad

What’s the weirdest film you’ve shown?
S: Well we have to be pretty neutral, so I couldn’t possibly say!
D: Where’s My Spleen?
T: I said I wouldn’t mention again the one with the guys in gimp-suits, eating dyed chicken wings with heavy breathing/anti-ASMR sound effects over the top …but I’m not sure it’s been out-done for me yet.

Do you have ‘regulars’ who submit contributions frequently?
S: Yes, we do. One filmmaker in particular screened one film per event over a whole year.
D: Yes – quiet a few!
T: There are always regulars, some perennials and some who come and go, much like the ebb and flow of the Cube itself. It’s important that people don’t routinely submit films to be screened without actually coming to the screenings – that feels like cheating the spirit of Bluescreen, as your film gets exposure, but no one else’s gets exposed to you.

Would you say that Bristol has a real film-making community?
S: Yes absolutely, and the fact that Bluescreen has existed for 25 years bears this out. Also we are selling out every event now, so we are just happy we can provide a space for filmmakers to show their work.
D: Definitely, and Bluescreen has been a good place for people to meet and share.
T: Lots of microcosms I would say – between the uni and college groups, established Cube folk, local grassroots film making organisations, and randomers. Bluescreen is where they all converge so…in wider sense, Bluescreen provides that cohesive community within Bristol, in a way.

What would you say to anyone who hasn’t been to a Bluescreen event to encourage them to come along?
S: Come and watch some amazing films, in great company, at a great venue and all for £3.00. The cheapest night out in Bristol!
D: Sorry we’re sold out, try and get it early for next time!

T: For me, what comes to mind is what I wanted to say to the couple who once chose to leave half-way through  a  Bluescreen, and asked us for a refund because they weren’t happy with the overall quality of the films; coming to Bluescreen is not about a guaranteed entertainment experience. It is about paying the admission fee to support the existence of a platform that brings film makers together, and provides a (mostly) safe space for people’s work to gain exposure and get some constructive feedback. It provides a varied and interesting experience, that you can come away from inspired, impressed, appalled, disgusted, confused, anything really. If you like supporting local artists and a community, and being challenged with content of all different genres and formats, Bluescreen will be up your street. If this isn’t for you, that’s ok – you probably aren’t for Bluescreen!

Future Bluescreen dates for your diary – all events take place at the Cube cinema: April 25, May 27, July 29,  Sept 30, Nov 25. Go here for tickets to the anniversary event.