Dannevirke’s Regent Cinema’s upgrade

Some of the volunteers at Dannevirke's Regent Cinema, with the yet to be unpacked boxes containing the new equipment. Chairman Trevor Moore is in the middle, with Clare Green (left).

A two-year effort to raise money for new equipment for Dannevirke’s Regent Cinema has finally paid off with a new projector.

While it’s yet to be unpacked, the new digital cinema projector will give the cinema the means to show the latest releases.

Dannevirke Regent Cinema Incorporated chairman Trevor Moore says there’s still a little bit of work to do to change the projector room around, including air conditioning and special ducting.

But the army of volunteers - about 30 - along with the committee, are excited by the fact that in an about three months they will be able to show the latest releases instead of waiting a few months to do so, or showing 50-year-old movies.

“Which means we don’t have to compete with the big places,” says committee secretary Clare Green.

“Everything’s going to be available in town, which is the thing I’m most excited about.”

It’s been a bit of a long road since the committee formed the incorporated society about two years ago, working hard to raise the $100,000 necessary for the DCP, as well as $20,000 for heat pumps.

“We have refurbished the entranceway,” Trevor says.

“We’ve got the Nibble Nook up and going with a popcorn maker, which is absolutely doing fantastic.

The name Nibble Nook, harks back to the days of Regent and Kerridge Odeon, which also used the name, instead of ‘Candy Bar’.

Clare says many cinema-goers have been requesting movies, but by the time they are available at the Regent, the patrons have either streamed them or gone to see them elsewhere.

“But we can do it all now, which is great.”

Trevor says the new projector will belong to Dannevirke Regent Cinema Incorporated, rather than the cinema itself, or the building, but he also emphasises that it’s for the community.

“We’ve said right from the start we are ‘from the community for the community’, and that’s what we’re all about.”

With the community in mind, they not only make the cinema available to local organisations, they also provide a movie for free four times a year.

The committee is extremely grateful to the regulars and families who have continued to support the cinema, and along with a few grants, say that support is how they have been able to buy the new projector.

“We couldn’t have done this without the community support,” Trevor says.

The committee still dreams of buying the building in High Street, but currently have a six-year lease.

Trevor says they’re hoping by the end of the six years they’ll be in a position to buy the building, but if that doesn’t work, they’ll build a new cinema.

“Movies are going to be in town for a long time.”