| | Fellowship of the BKSTS for Paul Schofield | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter
| | Written by: Dion Hanson. Images by Thomas Hauerslev, unless noted. | Date: 15.12.2009 | Paul Schofield (Technical Director, ODEON Cinemas)
I first met Paul back in 1972 at the Odeon Nottingham when I was a Westrex Service Engineer. He was the new boy just starting his career in an industry that appeared to be contracting at the time. With five projectionists above him it would be some time before he would loose the title of ‘trainee’ if he stayed at the Odeon. After several years he left the Odeon to take up a chief’s job at a small twin independent opening up on the outskirts of Nottingham. Two years later he left to join The Royal Theatre complex in the centre of Nottingham as a sound technician in the concert hall, hosting mainly live shows. However, he was still doing projection duties for their cinema in the so called ‘dark’ periods. | More in 70mm reading:
Projection Team of the Year 2009 Steve Larcombe wins Frank Littlejohns Award 2009 The editor Receives BKSTS award
Internet link:
Cinema Technology
Cinema Technology Committee
BKSTS
The BKSTS (British Kinematograph Sound & Television Society) was founded in London, England in 1931 to serve the growing film industry. As well as meetings, presentations, seminars, international exhibitions and conferences, BKSTS also organizes an extensive programme of training courses, lectures, workshops and special events.
German Projectionist Forum | Dion Hanson, Cinema technician
It was at this time that National Amusements opened their new ‘Showcase’ multiplex in Nottingham and Paul was their first chief in 1988. Showcase cinemas then started opening around England and Paul was crucial in supervising the openings from a technical aspect. After eight years and fifteen openings Paul had a chance to move back to Odeon as Technical Manager.
It is in this position that he has become known to a lot of us. He never seems to tire in his endless pursuit of technical perfection in the projection department, and of course quite recently has become one of the main drivers behind the industry’s move into the Digital Domain. | | Jim Slater and Thomas Hauerslev
With all this happening he still has time to regularly attend the Cinema Technology meetings and is a keen suporter of the BKSTS. Paul is also one of the main instigators of the recently introduced Projectionists’ Certificate of Competence.
It is for all his work in improving the cinema going experience from a technical point of view that Paul is today awarded Fellowship of the Society. | | | | Go: back - top - back issues - news index Updated 17-12-11 | |
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