Page 33 - RLI September 2019

Changing The Face

Of Cinema

eginning life as something entirely different, imagine new ways in which they can put people in these
Backyard Cinema was originally a passion environments for them to enjoy the experience. “It’s
project for Founder Dominic Davies that just finding a way to implement them within the overall
B started from his own back garden. The concept attraction,” explains Davies.
has come a long way since then and is now one of the Social media is a huge element of the company, and they
leading alternative cinema experiences in London. are in a strong position to capitalise on this as the concept is
Backyard Cinema presents themed events, and Dominic very photographable and many shots are Instagram-worthy.
and his team are behind such attractions as The Lost “People want to share what they are doing with us and
World, Miami Beach, The Winter Night Garden, Mission to we want to make it shareable. We gain a huge amount of
Mars and The Snow Kingdom as well as the five-year sell insight through social media about what people want, how
out show Romeo+Juliet in a church with a choir, and the they want to see it and what films they want to see.”
screenings at Christmas Festival, Winterville. Davies believes it is the brand’s originality that is a key
The company constantly offers its guests new and driver of the success the company has enjoyed to date,
exciting interactive backdrops that truly transport along with always driving and pushing to create something
customers to another world, a world where they can enjoy new that people aren’t expecting and continuing the quality.
their favourite movies in a completely new environment. “I’d like to think that
Specialising in creating nostalgic set builds inspired by the people recognise us as a “We are going to have a huge
films it’s playing, these time-limited seasons harness the brand now, and a brand
excitement of a pop-up event at a location customers can that creates high quality amount of fun and be able to
return to time and time again. events. We have now really creatively let loose and
Dominic and his team are about to take on the biggest had over 300,000 people
challenge in the company’s history by moving into its new come to our events, quite do our own thing which is
venue, Capital Studios, originally built in the 60s, is an a difference from when I going to be really exciting”
abandoned TV studio in the heart of London that Backyard had 30 people on camping
Cinema are transforming into their new home. It is being chairs in my back yard!”
Backyard Cinema provides a cinematic experience like no other and guarantees new converted into a themed cinema with a bar, restaurant, Looking ahead Davies wants Backyard Cinema to be in every
street food, karaoke booths and its offices, basically a hub major city in the world and feels the biggest challenge has been
and exciting ways for cinema-goers to enjoy their favourite films. Here, RLI speaks with of creativity and entertainment when it opens this month. knowing when to expand the company and when not to.
“The last year has been a hectic one to say the least,” “This new venue is going to be a game-changer for us
company Founder Dominic Davies to learn how it all started and what the future holds explains Dominic Davies, Founder of Backyard Cinema. and I can’t wait to show it to people moving forward,”
for a company that is on the rise. “We have gone from a local and independent brand to concludes Davies.
one that has jumped into the global conscience. We have
doubled in size every year that we have existed and this
past 12 months has been no different, as we sold 145,000
tickets and are expanding from filling events inside other
people’s venues to now creating our own venue, it’s been
quite a ride.”
The new company headquarters in Wandsworth will be
a real advert for what the brand can do outside the cinema,
as for the first time they will have complete freedom to
what they want to do with a venue, so they have complete
control of the food, the drinks, the entertainment, the
lighting and whole environment can be customised to what
they want, an exciting prospect for such a unique brand.
“We are going to have a huge amount of fun and be able
to really creatively let loose and do our own thing which is
going to be really exciting,” says Davies. “Our cinemas have
always been different with different things going on, so we
want to push the envelope in terms of what we can do
outside of simply showing a film on the big screen.”
Whilst there is nothing in the pipeline for international
expansion, it is something Dominic and the team are
excited about and locations such as Amsterdam and Berlin
are being talked about.
New ideas and themes can come from anywhere and
from anyone at Backyard Cinema; it’s all about trying to

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