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Geoff Greaves is Director and Film Programmer at Merlin Cinemas, which consists of a string of sites in Penzance, St Ives, Redruth, Falmouth, Helston, Torquay, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Tiverton, Kingsbridge, Coleford, Cromer, Prestatyn and Thurso (almost Land’s End to John O’Groats). Recently, Greaves won the Exhibition Achievement prize at the Screen Awards and here we catch up with the man to hear a bit more about his life in cinema and why he got into the business.
How did you end up working in cinema and what do you love about it?
At the age of 16 a part-time job at the Regal Cinema in Purley aroused a previously unknown interest in the cinema business and in old cinema buildings. I find almost every day is different operating our cinemas; the work, challenges and opportunities always vary and it rarely feels like work and more like getting paid to do something that you enjoy.
What’s unique about your cinemas?
Each of our cinemas is quite different. Where possible we have retained the old traditional names and as much and the best of the original fabric as sensible. In the future these buildings will be rarer and, I anticipate, more appreciated.
Tell us about any special events or screenings you run at your cinemas…
We introduced the Movie and Meal concept over 10 years ago along with our stylish bars. Some of our cinemas led the way in being able to offer a complete night out all under one roof.
What excites you most about the future of the cinema industry?
The possibility of providing cinema once again to much smaller communities and increasing overall UK admissions by much more local provision, all now possible because of digitalisation and wider availability of content.
What’s your favourite movie and why?
There are many but it’s a tie between The Last of the Mohicans which is visually stunning, uplifting and inspiring, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which is pure escapist entertainment and fantastic fun, but also a film that helped fill the coffers my first full summer operating the Savoy in Penzance. It ran for six weeks and not many movies could do that on what was then just one screen
What film role would you like to play and why?
I'd play a character called The Supreme Wizard. I’d cast a spell and uninvent all religions, turn all the people of the world happily vegetarian and give all the creatures on the planet the power of speech. Shame it’s only a script but life can imitate art!
What do you think are the most iconic cinema ads and why?
I always liked the amusing ones, the Castlemaine XXXX series and the Carling Black label Dambuster one are especially memorable. The Hamlet adverts in their time were also classics.
Having won the Exhibition Achievement Award at the recent Screen Awards, tell us about a special memory in your career and for your cinemas…
Personally, 2012 was a special year the Savoy Penzance, the first in the Merlin group, and marked 100 years of continuously showing films without ever closing. I hope it never will. It’s not lip service, I really do work with a great team of people who share a vision and are in love with cinemas and film. Genuinely without all of their enthusiasm and talent we couldn’t deliver the growth and success we’ve achieved over recent years and hopefully will continue to do so.