Relaxed screenings are screenings where the environment has been adapted to be more welcoming and accessible to people with additional needs.

These could be people living with dementia, autism, or other neurodiverse people. These screenings are identifiable by some adjustments such as altered lighting, volume of sound, arrangement of the venue, and usually don’t have trailers, and customers are encouraged to get up and move around, or speak or make noise if they want to/feel the need to. Screenings are usually introduced so that everyone attending realises talking and movement is allowed.

There is a detailed dementia-friendly screenings guide available here for those looking to run specific dementia-friendly screenings.

Dimensions, UKCA and FAN are collaborating on a comprehensive autism-friendly screenings guide currently, which will be shared in 2019.

In preparation

1. Talk to your customers about what you can do to make your cinema, social spaces and box office more accessible for people with specific needs.
2. Talk to knowledgeable organisations such as Alzheimer’s Society, Dimensions, Scope, Mencap, or local organisations to get their input on your cinema.
3. Train up your staff with briefings and/or formal training.
4. Market your event well in advance and across multiple channels. Consider leafleting public places like doctors surgeries, shopping locations and community centres.
5. You may want to create a social story for your film, showing the audience images of the venue, parking, box office, cafe and screen, and even detailing some plot points and information about characters in the film, so they know what to expect on arrival.
6. Only sell 75% of the screen capacity so there is plenty of room around and the audience doesn’t feel crowded or overwhelmed.

In the venue

1. Improve signage by using accessible black and yellow recommended signs (these can be temporary printouts) with images that are recognisable and simple.
2. Allow room for mobility aids and more seating in areas where people may need to queue – box office/cafe.
3. Create a chillout space where people can go and relax if they find the experience overwhelming.
4. Double your volunteers supporting the event, so there are plenty of hands to help people move around and get comfortable.
5. Consider rearranging the screen so people can sit more comfortably – you may want to use sofas and beanbags over your formal seating, if your cinema is capable of this.
6. Consider turning the lights up and the volume down to adapt for people with sensory sensitivities.
7. Open the screen half an hour early so people can arrive and get settled and you can start on time. If you need to start the film late, explain to the audience that this is happening. This should ideally only be in the event that you are assisting a customer into the cinema.
8. Allow people to sit where they like. Booked seats can be troublesome.
9. Introduce the screening to explain what adjustments have been made and to let everyone know talking and movement is allowed.

Whether you are running a specific programme to engage with LGBTQ+ audiences or simply hoping to grow LGBTQ+ representation in your existing screenings, it’s really important to remember some key things to make sure you are sensitively and appropriately programming, promoting, and welcoming audiences in your cinema.

1. Work with LGBTQ+ people themselves, whether it’s working with community or national organisations or with people within your own organisation.
2. Employ a more diverse workforce at all levels. Welcome diverse groups in your job applications and your mission statements.
3. If you can, get training delivered to staff about how to engage sensitively with audiences, and for a better understanding of the experience of LGBTQ+ people.
4. Consider that people have multiple identities so communication needs to work for LGBTQ+ people across your whole programme, and don’t presume that you will only have an LGBTQ+ turnout for your targeted programming.
5. Get LGBTQ+ people to audit your venue to give feedback about how the space feels, about signage, and about the customer service experience.
6. Make sure you take feedback on board and actually use it, and share your reasoning across the organisation.
7. Consider the tone of your signage – can you be gender neutral?
8. Think about lesser told stories – not just the obvious films… Are you including lesbian and trans stories? Think about the filmmakers and if they have credibility.
9. Get LGBTQ+ people to programme and give insights into marketing and audience development. (Best practice with any consultancy is to pay people!)
10. Revise your communications with LGBTQ+ insights – what kind of language do you use? Are you welcoming? Is there subtle prejudice in the way you communicate that needs to be considered?
11. You’ll need to do more community and social marketing. Engage with charities and relevant LGBTQ+ organisations.
12. Use gay bars and clubs/venues and LGBTQ+ centres for your print advertising. If there are Pride events in your calendar, go along…
13. Consider your survey. Do you have all the necessary fields for gender and sexuality? It’s a lot better to ask people to self-identify rather than to designate fields around gender.
14. Could you be gathering deeper, qualitative, useful feedback – can you make yourself available to audiences for interviews/conversations afterwards?
15. Think about opening up a dialogue and your audience will recognise the efforts you are making, and champion you to their networks. Even social media polls can be useful.
16. Make it known that you’re trying to improve and willing to listen and learn.