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This week, DCM Close Up catches up with Tamiko Mackie, Marketing & Communications Manager and Cinema & Digital Content Programme Manager at The Maltings Theatre & Cinema, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Tamiko tells DCM Close Up about her deep love of film, the unique programme of content at her venue all year round, her respect for strong female characters in movies and much, much more.
How did you end up working in cinema and what do you love about it?
I studied film at university in Los Angeles and my first two jobs in the industry were at Disney in Burbank – first, in international distribution, then in film and TV production. Both were amazing experiences because I had terrific bosses: stereotypical alpha male - Type A personalities with a ferocious Hollywood work ethic, but who took the time to mentor my fledgling career.
I departed 'The House of Mouse' to help run an independent production company – lots of story development, working with writers, going to festivals, etc. I later founded a House music management & youth marketing agency and then eventually moved to the UK 10 years ago and worked in marketing in Edinburgh.
Flash forward to the present and in a lovely, organic, serendipitous way, “film found me” again. I was hired as the Head of Marketing & Development for The Maltings Theatre five years ago, but an additional job title (Cinema & Digital Content Programme Manager) was later added because what began as a bit of fun for me (programming films) became an area of huge growth in the venue’s turnover. The Maltings Theatre also officially added “…& Cinema” to its trading name about three years to more accurately reflect the astronomic rise of film in our overall service delivery. At the end of the last financial year, film represents 50% of our total income (not including event cinema) – that’s well over a 300% rise in five years.
After all these years, both in and out of the industry, what has remained is an enduring love of film. This may sound a bit silly, but having worked in both Hollywood and the UK, I particularly enjoy interacting with people in the film industry in Britain. The distributors and other folks I reach out to are friendly, supportive and very like-minded in their passion for film. It is really refreshing and makes work fun!
Tamiko Mackie, Marketing & Communications Manager and Cinema & Digital Content Programme Manager at The Maltings Theatre & Cinema, Berwick-Upon-Tweed
What’s unique about your cinema?
Three related elements: geography, demographics and programming.
Berwick-upon-Tweed is England’s northernmost town and right on the border with Scotland – it is very isolated. In terms of entertainment and culture, The Maltings Theatre & Cinema is the only game in town for 40-60 miles in both north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. This explains why we present such a diverse range of programming to appeal to as many people as possible (audience development is part of our remit as a registered charity in receipt of public funds from Northumberland County Council and Arts Council England). In addition to film and event cinema, The Maltings presents a wide variety of live performance (theatre, music, opera, stand-up comedy, dance, spoken word, etc.), as well as classes, workshops and more.
Please tell us about any special events or screenings you run at your cinema.
In the past, we’ve thrown a lot against the wall to see what sticks, including Silver Screen and Big Scream matinees, as well as retro or themed series like “TFIF” (Thank Friday it’s Film), as along with Niche Wednesdays (giving the public a chance to programme by nominating and championing their favourite film).
Currently, we present Tuesday matinees aimed at pensioners, which, along with our family-friendly programming, does very well. In the past year, concurrent with our switch from 35mm to digital, and with invaluable support and guidance from the CEA, we’ve focussed on developing Accessible Cinema, including English subtitled screenings and most recently, Autism Friendly Screenings.
We also engage with local schools and PTAs to encourage cinema days out and cinema-based fundraising. A couple of the local high schools are very enthusiastic about attending broadcast cinema events (particularly RSC and National Theatre broadcasts that tie-in with the Curriculum). Educational outreach is still an area with huge potential for our venue with respect to audience development.
Today is the one-year anniversary of our very first event cinema broadcast (Royal Opera’s Nabucco) and what a wonderful experience it has been not only for us, but for our audiences whom have embraced this new stream of programming enthusiastically! Berwick is a four and a half hour train journey from Kings Cross, so popping down to London to see a show in the West End is an expensive, overnight undertaking. Event cinema is therefore filling a major gap in the cultural lives of people who live in Berwick and the surrounding area. They can enjoy world-class performances and exhibitions, all without leaving Berwick.
The Maltings is also the HQ of the internationally respected film and moving arts festival, the Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival. We serve as landlord and hub of the festival, and I also serve on the Board of Directors. This year the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary and continues to do a terrific job of presenting the moving image in all of its forms, particularly the commissioning of site-specific installations along Berwick’s iconic Elizabethan ramparts.
The local Berwick Film Society presents monthly screenings in our venue, with an emphasis on British, independent and world cinema that might not otherwise have enough of an audience for The Maltings to present.
Every autumn, we make our screen available free of charge for schools screenings now known as Into Film Festival (FKA National Youth Film Festival). It is my understanding that last year, ours was the only cinema in North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders to take part, so I would encourage other independent cinemas in our region to get involved – it’s fab!
What excites you most about the future of the cinema industry?
I’ve been able to separate my love/sentimental feelings about the demise of and have fully embraced digital and all of its glorious possibilities. In our own venue, it is not often that an entirely brand new revenue stream comes along, so event cinema is an incredible new area with tremendous growth potential.
Digital and other incredible technological advances of the past 20 years have made creating film and moving image accessible to anyone: someone with a story to tell can shoot, edit and distribute (and even crowd-fund) all on their own. It’s totally accessible and open to all – and that’s a beautiful thing. Flash forward to 20 years from now, when the legions of children who grew up making films and telling stories visually on smartphones and computers, and composing scores on GarageBand, are bona fide auteurs – what an exciting cinematic future to look forward to!
I am excited about the BFI’s new Audience Network and have recently joined the Steering Group of Film Hub North. Audience development is an important part of The Maltings’ cinematic goals, so this has come about at the perfect time.
What is your favourite movie and why?
Oh, come on, you’re not seriously asking me to choose just ONE, are you?
A favourite film: Tom Twykwer’s Run Lola Run. This film blew my socks off when I saw it at the Sundance Film Festival years ago. It has it all: great storytelling, character, performances, action, camera work, editing, score and a highly imaginative non-linear structure (in the tradition of Rashomon, Pulp Fiction, Groundhog Day, etc).
Others favourite films include The Usual Suspects, Nosferatu, Singing In The Rain, Thelma & Louise, The Big Lebowski, La Haine, Beauty & The Beast (both Disney and Cocteau), O Brother Where Art Thou?, All About Eve, Pulp Fiction, Apocalypse Now, Heart Of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, The Breakfast Club, Casino, Zero Dark Thirty, anything by Studio Ghibli … it’s endless!
A favourite scene: In The Abyss, when estranged spouses Lindsey and Bud Brigman (played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Ed Harris) are stuck at the bottom of the seafloor in a crashed mini submarine that is rapidly filling with freezing water. They’re 400 yards away from the mother ship and there’s only one set of scuba gear, so what to do? Lindsey volunteers to drown and die, in the hope that Bud can swim her body back to the mother ship in time to resuscitate her. The two characters have so many unresolved issues between them, but in the face of life and death circumstances, all that petty stuff just melts away and what really matters (love, loyalty, sacrifice) come to the fore. Gripping, moving stuff!
Still from Howl's Moving Castle by Studio Ghibli
What film role would you like to play why?
Hmmm, is this a psychological assessment? Are the Rorschach inkblots next?
Artistically I am drawn to Kate Winslet’s CV. I remember seeing the Peter Jackson film Heavenly Creatures and thinking, “Wow, who IS that girl?”. Kate’s roles are a collection of characters that are earthy but flawed (e.g. human) and her performances are emotionally and physically very brave. Favourites include Little Children, Revolutionary Road, Iris, Sense and Sensibility, The Reader and dare I say it, Titanic!
Artistry aside, if I was going to indulge myself, then it would have to be the part of “Sarah Connor” in Terminator 2, or “Ripley” in Alien and Aliens. They’re both normal people in extraordinary circumstances who are scared to death but also brave, loyal and fiercely determined. What gets them through is drawing on their female and maternal instincts in order to face their fears; they’re very relatable, however sci-fi their situations. Plus, as action heroes, they kick ass and take names with the best of them!
(NB: there isn’t an intentional connection to James Cameron in my choices, but my goodness, he does write some great female characters).
What do you think are the most iconic cinema ads and why?
Haribo adverts, of course! Because, like jelly sweets, they are entertaining and appeal to all ages.
Is there anything else that you would like to add about your cinema or yourself?
As Steve Davis at DCM can attest to, our venue has the loveliest café with a stunning view of the terracotta rooftops of the town, the mighty River Tweed and its iconic bridges. Stunning view + killer espresso + cinema + The Arts = bliss. I encourage anyone who is reading this to stop in some time and say hello over a coffee.
The next big step for our venue is to add a Screen 2 so that we can present more titles on Day 1/Week 1. That second screen is #1 on my wish list, so hopefully Santa, the cinema gods (and our funders) will make this wish come true!