ENCOUNTERS STRIDES FORWARD

 FOR 18TH EDITION WITH SUPPORT FROM BFI AND MEDIA

Ahead of its 2012 edition, Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival has confirmed backing from the BFI as well as brand new support from the MEDIA Programme of the European Union.

Confirming such key strategic support is an affirmation of Encounters’ position as one of the most outstanding short film and animation events on the international film industry calendar. The festival is now taking place earlier in the year (18 - 23 September in 2012), a move which will also reinforce its status as the leading UK gateway for the world’s most prestigious short film awards, being a qualifying festival for the BAFTAs, Oscars®, European Film Awards and Cartoon d’Or.

Alongside continued grants from Creative England and Bristol City Council, the BFI and MEDIA support means that Encounters now has backing from local, regional, national and international organisations. This comes at a crucial moment, enabling the festival to stabilise a budget which - as for many other organisations - has recently been impacted by the reduction of private sponsorship opportunities.

This is a huge show of confidence in the festival in 2012, a key year for the film industry in the UK and Europe, with the BFI’s nationwide consultation of its Future Plan for Film 2012-2017 and MEDIA Programme plans for the years 2014-2020 currently being negotiated across Europe, with possible big changes on the way.

Tim Cagney, Deputy CEO of the BFI, said: “Not only does Encounters attract a strong public audience, enabling it to showcase the work of new and established talent to audiences who may not otherwise be able to access short films, but crucially it also provides a robust offer for industry, bringing together filmmakers, buyers, sales agents, distributors and others for networking opportunities, workshops, masterclasses, seminars and panel discussions. We’re delighted to be supporting this year’s festival.”

Agnieszka Moody, Director of MEDIA Desk UK said: “Festivals are a very important ingredient in MEDIA recipe for supporting audiovisual industry as they contribute to enhancing Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity, one of the main aims of the MEDIA Programme. It is fantastic to see Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in the mix of MEDIA-funded European festivals.  We extend our best wishes to all of the festival goers for an enjoyable and stimulating event.”

Liz Harkman, Managing Director of Encounters Festival said: “We are very grateful to all of our supporters. Being awarded both BFI and MEDIA funding for this year is fantastic news and extremely important for Encounters. This is a clear recognition of our event’s relevance within the current film industry landscape and its dynamic contribution to supporting upcoming talent and broadening audiences for short film, both on national and European levels. We’re particularly excited to be widening our European connections in 2012, providing a high profile platform for new UK films and filmmaking talent to be positioned against their international peers.”

The festival expects to receive 2,000 submissions from over 60 countries this year, selecting over 180 works for its competitive screening programmes within the Brief (live action) and Animated (animation) strands. Two international juries will present 16 internationally renowned awards with cash prizes up to £12,000.

Industry presence at the event is strong, providing networking opportunities for over 700 filmmakers, buyers, sales agents, distributors and other professionals. Workshops, masterclasses, seminars and panel discussions on future trends aim to create a hotbed of talent development, alongside a Shorts2Features section for first and second features and the Future Encounters strand for 10 selected upcoming film talents.

Encounters Festival attracts a public audience of around 8,500, presenting a dynamic and inspiring range of work which is showcased well beyond the cinemas, at pop-up screenings, music festivals, schools, a Big Top Circus Tent and an outdoor Solar Cinema Tour in local parks. In 2012 there will be a Focus on Finland and ground breaking stereoscopic discoveries from 1930s Russia amongst a programme full of events that will cross all creative forms such as film, art, animation, performance, gaming and music.

The Encounters 18th Short Film and Animation Festival Call for Entries is open until 6 June 2012 for live action and animated shorts of all genres up to 30 minutes in length. DepicT!, Watershed’s super-short filmmaking competition as part of Encounters, is accepting submissions until 9 July 2012 (depict.org).

Damages

Starring Academy Award^® Nominee and Emmy^® Winner
Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, John Goodman and Dylan Baker 


DAMAGES: THE

COMPLETE FOURTH

SEASON 


Returns to DVD July 16^th

Special Features Include All-New Featurettes, a Blooper Reel and More

 

 

London, UK. 15/5/2012– The compelling legal thriller is back in session when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASONon DVD July 16^th.  Glenn Close, six-time Academy Award^® nominee and winner of two Best Actress Emmys^® for her role as Patty Hewes, the country’s most revered high-stakes litigator, stars with Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, 28 Weeks Later) as estranged protégé Ellen Parsons. The critically acclaimed series brings Patty and Ellen together embroiled in a wrongful death suit against a private military contractor.The fourth season also stars Emmy^® and Golden Globe^® winner John Goodman (TV’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and “Roseanne”) and Dylan Baker (TV’s “The West Wing” and “The Good Wife”).
 
Arriving on DVD in a three-disc set, DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON will include all 10 episodes, deleted scenes and a blooper reel.  The set will also come with two new featurettes – A Case for War, a behind-the-scenes discussion of the fourth season with the cast and crew, and The Evolution of Patty Hewes, in which Glenn Close looks back over four seasons to examine and discuss the growth of her character.
 
DAMAGES was created and is executive produced by Todd A. Kessler, Daniel Zelman and Glenn Kessler, and co-executive produced by Mark A. Baker. The show is produced by KZK Productions and FX Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.

SYNOPSIS
For brilliant attorney Patty Hewes (three-time Emmy® winner Glenn Close), the stakes have never been higher, professionally or personally, in the riveting Fourth Season of the hit legal thriller. When Patty joins former charge Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) to expose a corrupt security firm in Afghanistan, they unravel a cover-up at the highest levels involving an inscrutable mercenary agent (Dylan Baker), a key witness taken hostage (Chris Messina) and the powerful CEO (double Emmy® winner John Goodman) with his own explosive secrets. It all comes down to one final, fatal double-cross.
 
DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON episodes include:
There’s Only One Way to Try a Case
I’ve Done Way Too Much for This Girl
I’d Prefer My Old Office
Next One’s on Me, Blondie
We’ll Just Have to Find Another Way to Cut the Balls Off This Thing
Add That Little Hopper to Your Stew
I’m Worried About My Dog
The War Will Go On Forever
There’s A Whole Slew of Ladies With Bad Things To Say About The Taliban
Failure is Lonely
 
DVD Special Features Include:
·         Deleted Scenes
·         Two All-New Featurettes
o   A Case for War: The Cast and Crew Discuss the Fourth Season
o   The Evolution of Patty Hewes
·         Blooper Reel
  
DAMAGES: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON has a run time of approximately 480 minutes and is rated 15.

Edgar Wright, Tommy Lee Edwards, and Internet Explorer release

Episode Two of  The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator

Ground breaking Internet Explorer production clocks up over 3,000 audience submissions in the first episode 

Today Internet Explorer announces the release of episode two of The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator, the interactive animated series directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards (Marvel and Lucas Films) that puts the audience in the driving seat by allowing them to submit story lines, characters and prose. 

The second episode of the noir inspired series, which has been optimised for Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), is now available to watch by visiting www.brandongenerator.com and those who have submitted ideas may find their characters, prose or creatures incorporated into the story.

The online animated story, which follows Brandon as he struggles to explain the changing world around him following a caffeine fuelled blackout, has had over 3000 audience submissions since episode one launched in April. The overwhelming interest in the series and high level of audience participation highlights an appetite for this new storytelling experience which combines film, comics, and computer games into a unique new genre.

Narrated by Julian Barratt (The Mighty Boosh) with music by David Holmes' new project 'Unloved' (a collaboration between David Holmes, Keefus Green and Jade Vincent) the second episode sees Brandon come face to face with his caffeine addiction as the world around him begins to unravel. Brandon is left wondering whether a mysterious girl is the heroine he’s been hoping for and the audience are asked to help decide his fate by uploading a photo of themselves at the end of the episode for a chance to be illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards and penned into the adventure in later episodes.

Viewers are transported to the driving seat of Brandon’s car where they have more power than ever to affect the story.  A misty windscreen invites the audience to help Brandon, drawing him out of trouble by sketching his escape route to the next scene. A trapped piece of paper on the windscreen encourages viewers to suggest what happens next by writing storyline ideas, while the phone and business card allows users to leave voice or Skype messages for Brandon. Audiences can view all the images, plotlines and messages left for Brandon andIE9 users also benefit from exclusive content, notifications and instant access to social feeds via the unique Pinning and Jump List functionality.

Harnessing the power of HTML5 web standards and IE9, the story is designed to be one of the most visually rich and immersive experience on the web. World class story telling combined with the power of IE9’s hardware-accelerated graphics give a smooth and engaging experience that allows the user to lean back and enjoy or lean forward and get involved.

Edgar Wright says, “I am very pleased by how well Brandon has been received, especially since it is a something of a personal cry for help that I drink too much coffee. 24 hours after the first episode launched we had several hundreds of content submissions and tens of thousands of people were watching it. The level of creativity and imagination has been incredibly impressive and people seem to have adopted Brandon’s world and carved characters and plotlines around it. We’ve had people of all abilities getting involved from school children to Hollywood scriptwriters who’ve been inspired by the story. I think people are going to love the second episode, because we have managed to weave in the work of some 69 contributors, none of which I have ever met. It’s exciting because this is where the action really starts and the audience see their ideas brought to life by Tommy and myself.”

The visuals have been an exciting challenge, as we never know what's going to inspire Edgar while going through loads of submissions," says Tommy Lee Edwards.  "Episode two features elements from nearly 70 different pieces of submitted artwork, voice messages, and prose.  We're adding more layers to the user content by asking people to submit an image of themselves for the chance to be illustrated into Brandon’s world.  I'm personally most excited about the way we will need help from all the artists out there at the end of #2.  Brandon's fate in #3 truly depends on the creativity of the users." 

Gabby Hegerty, Internet Explorer UK says, “We couldn’t have hoped for a better reaction from people who have watched the first episode through IE9 and taken advantage of the hardware acceleration and unique graphics processing. We’re also starting to see some great content possibilities through the Jump Lists and Pinning functionality. I encourage everyone to see how beautiful the web can be by checking out Episode 2 of Brandon Generator.”

 To watch Episode Two and get involved, visit www.brandongenerator.com. There will be four episodes in total between April and June. Use Internet Explorer 9 and pin to your taskbar for the best experience and exclusive updates and content.

Designers, illustrators, and people of all shapes and sizes are invited to feature in an instalment of Brandon Generator. Internet Explorer’s Facebook page recently launched a competition asking the audience to send in their suggestion of ‘which comic book character’ they would be, with the winner being illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards onto the cover of a comic book in the final episode of The Random Adventures of Brandon Generator.

 Find out more about the project by following Internet Explorer on Facebook.com/InternetExplorerUK and Twitter.com/IE_UK and Brandon Generator on Facebook.com/BrandonGenerator and Twitter.com/Brandon_gen.

BFI RESTORATION OF HITCHCOCK’S THE RING (1927)

Selected for Cannes Classics at the Cannes Film Festival

Five BFI-backed films screening in Cannes with Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share, Rufus Norris’ Broken, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, and Fyzal Boulifa’s The Curse (short)

London, Tuesday 16^th May 2012 The BFI is pleased to announce that the newly restored print of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Ring (1927) will screen in this year’s Cannes Classics at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday 19^th May, 5.30pm, Salle Buñuel. Palais des Festivals.

The Cannes screening of this new restoration will be a curtain-raiser for the BFI’s summer blockbuster  The Genius of Hitchcock which includes screenings of the new BFI restorations of all nine of Hitchcock’s surviving silent films. The project will feature a full retrospective of Hitchcock’s work and a range of spectacular, one-off musical events as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Additional events, lectures, debates, screenings, celebrity guests, a new BFI publication 39 Steps to Alfred Hitchcock and new web resources add up to a rich and rare celebration (June – October 2012).

Alfred Hitchcock is renowned as one of the world’s greatest filmmakers yet his early work is undeservedly little known. These silents reveal Hitchcock as a filmmaker who had developed many of his stylish innovations with his earliest works. The new restoration took 2 years of work undertaken by experts at the BFI National Archive working with facilities house Deluxe 142, going back to the earliest available prints, sourced from the BFI’s own holdings and those of international archives.

The announcement brings the tally of BFI backed films appearing at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival up to five. In addition to the meticulously restored The Ring screening in Cannes Classics, four films backed through the BFI Film Fund are also in selection: Ken Loach’s The Angels’ Share is screening In Competition, Rufus Norris’ Broken is opening Critics’ Week, in Directors’ Fortnight Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers has a Special Screening and Fyzal Boulifa’s short film The Curse will also screen.

Amanda Nevill, BFI Chief Executive said,

“The Genius of Hitchcock is THE major film project in this Olympic year and we are delighted to have Hitchcock's film The Ring as a new restoration in the Cannes Classics. How fitting also to have one of the UK’s greatest ever filmmakers's films in Cannes alongside such a strong array of contemporary British filmmaking talent. The new print of The Ring is spectacular and shows the film as it has not been seen since its original release, whetting appetites for the full menu of Hitchcock’s silent films restored by the BFI National Archive and made possible by the generosity of supporters from all over the world. We hope these films will travel to many other festivals around the world.”

Michael Hazanavicius, Oscar® -winning director of The Artist, has acknowledged Hitchcock’s The Ring as a major inspiration in the creation of his film.

Hitchcock claimed that, after The Lodger, this is the next ‘Hitchcock’ picture. The story is a love triangle between a fairground boxer whose lover falls for the charms of a professional fighter. This is Hitchcock's one and only original screenplay but its neatness and economy confirmed him as Britain’s leading filmmaker of his generation. The lively fairground scenes show Hitchcock's fascination for circus and carnival folk that was to resurface in Saboteur (1942) and Strangers on a Train (1951) .

Funds for the restoration of The Ring have been generously provided by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and The Film Foundation (Chair: Martin Scorsese).   

The screening in the Cannes Classics will feature an improvised accompaniment by Stephen Horne, who will accompany the film variously on piano, flute and accordion.

The UK premiere of the restoration will take place at one of Hitchcock’s favourite venues, the Hackney Empire, on Friday 13^th July when MOBO award-winning Soweto Kinch will unveil a new score for saxophone and other instruments, as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

As part of the BFI’s blockbuster Genius of Hitchcock project, BFI Southbank and screens across the UK will celebrate the Master of Suspense. BFI Southbank will host the complete retrospective of the director’s surviving feature films from August to mid-October 2012, in partnership with American Express and with special thanks to Sky Movies/HD.

CONTROVERSIAL NEW BRITISH HORROR MOVIE

‘THE LUCIFER EFFECT’ TO DEBUT AT CANNES NEXT WEEK

Film reported to be ‘cursed’ and contain subliminal messages in a hidden frame storyline

The controversial new British horror movie, THE LUCIFER EFFECT ¹ will overcome its alleged ‘curse’ to debut at the Cannes Film Festival next week. The film has been in and out of the headlines following a number of bizarre incidents, disappearances and even police intervention during filming last year.

‘The Lucifer Effect’ first hit the headlines last year when one of the participants ⁶ was almost throttled by another cast member. Police seized the footage and the film was put on hold.

However, despite the film’s original director³ also having gone missing, the film has been completed by a new documentary film crew headed by Edward Boon and is now set to premiere at Cannes on 16^th May.

The film studies the social condition known as ‘The Lucifer Effect’⁵ - a psychological consequence that is said to occur when ‘good’ people are given power over others in an evil place. The effect was first investigated in the 1970s during the infamous Stanford Prison experiment. The Lucifer Effect producers recreated a modern day equivalent in an abandoned mental asylum ².

The film also uses subliminal imagery and has a secret secondary storyline interwoven in hidden frames beneath the main storyline – the first feature film in the world believed to use this controversial technology. The use of subliminal scenes has added to the rumours of a curse. Reports of a curse originally surfaced due to the fact that the film features footage of disturbing events which occurred when the participants in the film held a Ouija board session during their brief stay in the asylum. Unlike other films that it has been compared to, such as ‘The Blair Witch Project’ or ‘Paranormal Activity’, the footage and events in ‘The Lucifer Project’ are actually real, there was no script, and the reactions of the participants are genuine, including the unfortunate assault. As a result police in Lincolnshire seized the footage and the film was put on hold, creating alot of international media attention. The story was also widely covered in the British press.

 

The film centers around eight people who volunteered for a role in a movie on buyamovierole.com, only to be locked inside a reportedly haunted mental asylum ² for three days and nights, with no communication from the outside world and little food to eat.

Since these events, two of the cast have been hospitalized with other cast members receiving counseling and treatment for depression and any possible after effects. All involved had signed release forms and given their consent before entering the asylum, although some of the actors are now looking to sue the film company for false imprisonment. It is reported that some of the cast believe the producers are still pulling their strings one year on.

Adding to the stories of a curse is the fact that the director who oversaw the filming of the original events is also now missing. This is coupled with rumours that one of the actresses has been sectioned in South America.

In order to investigate whether the alleged ‘curse’ can have any effects on the public at large, the film has added an innovative social media angle. When the trailer on the film’s Facebook and social networking pages is viewed, their webcam is activated, thereby involving the viewer in what is seen onscreen. Already, there have been reports of doors mysteriously opening and closing, shadows appearing and lampshades moving in the background.

The producers added the webcam feature after the ‘curse’ reports surfaced to pick up on any paranormal activity once the film trailer had been watched. The producers say if anything interesting or unusual is recorded whilst watching the trailer there is a chance that the recordings will be featured in the final cut of the film when it is released. Watch the trailer here: http://www.thelucifereffectmovie.com

Square Enix and Bigpoint Unleash a World of Creativity with

 

Innovative new online platform lets users create, share and play their own games and game worlds

Endless possibilities, console-level HD graphics, and easily accessible gameplay

London - May 8^th, 2012 – Square Enix Ltd. and Bigpoint are excited to unveil the first details on Gameglobe™ an innovative new online game platform to be published by the two companies.

Gameglobe is a unique browser-based experience that allows players free access to endless game worlds and creative possibilities, all in HD quality. Players can choose to either create their own game or simply play the multitude of levels available at launch.

"It's never been easier to create your own game," said Rune Vendler, Game Director. "We want Gameglobe to be a community where everyone can get involved in the fun: play new games every day, share your favourites, or flex your creative muscles with your own designs."

“We’re very excited by the creativity unleashed through the collaboration between Bigpoint and Square Enix that allows us to bring an entirely new and innovative online gaming experience to players”, added Jan-Michel Saaksmeier, Executive Producer at Bigpoint. ”Gameglobe offers fun without limits and a vast selection of free-to-play adventures directly in your browser – and in full console quality HD graphics.”

Gameglobe is developed by Danish studio Hapti.co who is part of the Square Enix group and will be published exclusively by Bigpoint in Europe and North America, who will distribute the game through the Bigpoint.com Portal as well as across their network of partners.

Gameglobe is currently in closed beta and will be opened up to additional players in the coming months. To register for the beta, players can head to the official website (http://www.gameglobe.com).

Further information can be found at:

- http://www.bigpoint.net/ 

- http://www.bigpoint.com/ 

- http://www.gameglobe.com

Amazon Studios to Develop Original Comedy and Children’s Series

Writers, animators and filmmakers around the world are now invited to submit comedic and children’s series proposals

SEATTLE—May 2, 2012—(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon.com, Inc. today announced that Amazon Studios is expanding its development efforts into comedy and children’s series.  Amazon Studios is Amazon’s content development division that uses audience feedback to identify great, original entertainment customers will love. Starting today, series creators are invited to upload their proposals for comedy and children’s programming to Amazon Studios at http://studios.amazon.com/getting-started/series. The best comedy and children’s series will be distributed through Amazon Instant Video, Amazon’s digital video streaming service. 

“Amazon Studios wants to discover great talent and produce programming that audiences will love,” said Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios. “In the course of developing movies, we’ve heard a lot of interest from content creators who want to develop original series in the comedy and children’s genres. We are excited to bring writers, animators and directors this new opportunity to develop original series.”

Each month, Amazon Studios intends to option one promising new project and add it to the development slate where it will be tested for viability with an audience.  If Amazon Studios elects to distribute a full-budget series, the creator will receive a $55,000 payment, up to 5 percent of Amazon’s net receipts from toy and t-shirt licensing, and other royalties and bonuses. Amazon Studios’ production company, the People’s Production Company is signatory to the Writers Guild of America and to The Animation Guild, Local 839.

To submit, a project must have a five-page description, along with a 22-minute pilot script for comedies, or an 11-minute pilot script for children’s shows. Within 45 days of submission, Amazon Studios will either extend an option on the project for $10,000 or invite the creator to add the project to the Amazon Studios site.  If a project is not optioned, creators may remove their idea from the Amazon Studios site or leave it to get community feedback.  

Amazon Studios new series development is led by Joe Lewis, previously with 20^th Century Fox and Comedy Central and Tara Sorensen, formerly with National Geographic Kids.

Amazon Studios launched in November 2010. Since then, more than 700 test movies and 7,000 scripts have been submitted and 15 movie projects are currently under development.  For more information about Amazon Studios, visit http://studios.amazon.com. Follow the Amazon Studios blog, Hollywonk (http://www.hollywonk.com) for up to date news, tips on filmmaking and writing or insightful interviews with industry leaders.

Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide

Star Wars™

The Ultimate Visual Guide

Price: £17.99  Publishing: 1^st May 2012

Journey through the Star Wars galaxy with this updated and expanded edition of the best-selling ultimate visual guide

Discover the entire history of the Star Wars galaxy, from thousands of years before Episode I to three decades after Episode VI and right up to the latest adventures, with Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide.

Meet the characters, explore profiles of the Jedi, Sith, Rebels and Aliens, and revisit your favourite film storylines, with more than 1,000 images from the movies, video games, comics, novels and TV series, along with rare behind-the-scenes photography and preproduction drawings covering all six films. This updated and expanded edition also contains all the latest tales from the new Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™ TV series, plus a fascinating look at 35 years of stunning merchandise, from toys and collectibles to poster art and fan conventions.

Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide reveals the complete story of the Star Wars Saga in amazing detail. It’s an out-of-this-world addition to any fan’s collection with the most up-to-date information for the 35^th Anniversary year.

Angry Birds Land opens at Särkänniemi Theme Park

Finland’s Särkänniemi Adventure Park has opened its doors for the summer season with a brand new attraction, the world’s first Angry Birds Land.  The themed area of the park consists of 12 rides, an adventure course, games and food points, designed especially for families and young children.

Angry Birds Land was designed by Särkänniemi’s own staff and designers in collaboration with the game’s creator Rovio and BDR Design, an American design company specialised in theme parks. The team has made sure that everything from the smallest detail truly represents the popular game. A themed adventure course lies at the heart of the park and a multi-layered sound experience called ‘voice world’ helps whisk visitors off to a virtual playground.

Later in the summer ‘Magic Place’ will be added to the attraction where guests can upgrade the content of their own Angry Birds Game via mobile technology. This surprising element is the first of its kind and will reward guests with mobile technology, based on their level of interaction at the park. The area will also feature interactive pods where visitors can play the game and meet characters from Angry Birds.  

 

“The opening of Angry Birds Land in Särkänniemi is a really big deal for us”, says Chief Executive Officer Miikka Seppälä. “The theme and design of Angry Birds is internationally renowned, so we are delighted to welcome visitors from around the globe to experience the product for themselves. The area is definitely a must see destination for millions of Angry Birds players, but also a great experience for those who are not yet familiar with the game”.   

The area opens today, but finishing touches will continue until the beginning of June 2012. The official opening will be celebrated on Friday June 8^th.

Särkänniemi Adventure Park will also see new attractions in its Dolphinaroum, Children’s Zoo, Planetarium and Aquarium. The park, situated in Tampere, Finland, is home to seven rollercoasters and an award winning rotating restaurant located at the top of its observation tower. The impressive tower is the country’s largest free-standing structure offering panoramic views across Tampere’s vast lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi.

A short distance from the park is Tampere city centre. The city offers a mix of industrial heritage, slick Finnish sophistication and spectacular scenery including waterways and woodlands. This unique city, often referred to as the 'Manchester of Finland', has an industrious energy and many of the large factories and warehouses have now been converted into unusual galleries and museums such as the Moomin ValleyMuseum, Vakoilumuseo (Spy Museum) and the Lenin Museum (where Lenin and Stalin allegedly first met).

Ryanair offers flights to Tampere from both London Stansted operating three times a week and Edinburgh twice a week with prices starting at £16.99 via www.ryanair.com. Sokos Hotels has as a number of hotels across Tampere and offers double rooms from £120.00 per night (www.sokoshotels.fi/). The centrally located Scandic Tampere City Hotel has double rooms starting from £70.00 per night (www.scandichotels.com).

ODEON Continues on Low Carbon Pathway by Retaining the Carbon Trust Standard

ODEON becomes the first cinema chain to retain the Carbon Trust Standard

ODEON has been recertified with the Carbon Trust Standard for successfully measuring, managing and reducing carbon emissions in their chain of cinemas across the UK and Ireland. ODEON has reduced carbon emissions by over 10% in the past five years.

ODEON was first awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in 2010 and, in the last two years, has honed its energy efficiency strategies even further to cut carbon emissions by 2,900 tonnes of CO2 and equivalent. 

Roger Harris, ODEON and UCI Chief Operating Officer said: “Recertifying under the Carbon Trust Standard has enabled us to identify new areas to increase carbon efficiency, bringing tangible and significant cost savings to our operations through initiatives like the introduction of automatic metering and LED lighting installation.  With our carbon reduction strategies now coming of age through the recertification to the Carbon Trust Standard, we plan to continue to renew our commitment to taking action on climate change.”

ODEON has worked over the past five years to implement operational practices that measure, manage and reduce carbon emissions across the chain of cinemas in the UK. These operational changes include the introduction of a standardised energy plan which tracks utility consumption, providing a basis for any necessary adjustments to practices. In addition, the company has put in place a platform to share best practice on minimising carbon impact, with ‘Regional Energy Champions’ appointed to present regularly at dedicated central workshops. 

The introduction of Regional Energy Champions has enabled ODEON to offer energy training for all staff, with the creation of a training workbook to ensure full understanding of the buildings energy consumption regardless of the type of equipment, and a central “toolbox” to aid Local Energy Champions. In addition, all ODEON staff are now required to complete an Energy Workbook as they progress through their career.

Darran Messem, Managing Director Certification, Carbon Trust, said:

“ODEON’s focused, sustained approach to carbon reduction will return major dividends in terms of cost efficiency and reputational benefit. We are pleased to be helping ODEON to maintain their reputation for good carbon management by successfully measuring, managing and reducing their carbon emissions over the last two years.”

To achieve the Carbon Trust Standard, organisations must firstly measure their direct carbon footprint (for example, on-site fuel and electricity use), prove that good carbon management practices are in place and demonstrate genuine reduction in their emissions over a three year period.  The Carbon Trust Standard is valid for two years.  The recertification is equally robust and demands an even greater focus on carbon reduction, on top of   reductions that the company made during their first certification.