About Oscar Film Unit (OFU)
- Introduction to OFU
- Films we Show
- Being a Film Society
- Technical Information
- About Lecture Theatre G
- Information for Other Societies
- OFU Rules
- About this Website
Oscar Film Unit
or OFU (pronounced off-yew):
The Oscar Film Unit was set up more years ago than anybody, including
our life members, care to remember. It started way back when the University
of Surrey was still Battersea Polytechnic. Its name is said to have come
from a bird the membership stole back in the days of legends.
We show films in Lecture Theatre G two or three times a week depending
on the semester.
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The main aims of OFU were set out in the Constitution and they are:
- to encourage interest in films and videos by exhibition of
films and videos of a related nature.
- to encourage interest in cinema as an art.
- to encourage interest in the film and video industry in general.
Fundamentally we show films to get people interested in the film industry.
The OFU logo, a take-off of the celebrated Metro Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) lion, was created around 1971
by Gail Edwards, sister to the then Treasurer, Colin Edwards.
[Information supplied by Barry Stone, an ex OFU Chairman/Secretary/Projectionist]
In addition, the University Arts Cinema was set up in
the late 1980s to run the less commercial operation, in association with
the University. Today, the two are amalgamated again, under the banner
of Oscar Film Unit, and are dedicated to providing a useful and good value
service to all members of the University.
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Films
On Sunday evenings (and sometimes on Mondays, too) OFU shows top recent
releases and offers a superb opportunity to see major Hollywood films
in the environment for which they were intended: in a social atmosphere,
and on a big screen.
On Wednesdays, OFU, in association with the University Arts Committee,
runs the University Arts Cinema, which is also open to the public. Films
range from old masterpieces that are only rarely shown on big screens,
to contemporary foreign language works - anything that deserves to be
seen at a cinema but rarely can be.
A complete list of films for this semester is available here.
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Being a Film Society
OFU is a film society, not a cinema (with the exception of the University
Arts Cinema). It is obliged to comply with various rules and regulations
that cinemas do not. Most noticeably, we are not allowed to sell tickets
on the door. Further details about purchasing tickets are available here.
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Technical Information
OFU is proud to show all of its films on 16mm film, rather than video,
which allows for a considerably better image quality. Some films are also
shown in Widescreen or CinemaScope, whenever available, which makes maximum
use of our large screen.
Our projector is a floor-standing Fumeo 16mm projector with a powerful
1000W halogen lamp. We also own and operate a number of portable projectors,
which allow us to show films anywhere in the University or beyond. These
also act as spares in case of breakdown.
Films are shown
in LT-G, which has a capacity of 200, with good sight-lines and air conditioning,
and using our own sound equipment, which is better than the AVS generic
system.
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About Us
OFU relies on a pool of volunteers to staff all film showings. If you
would like to get free entry to all of OFU's films, meet new people, or
even learn how to project (an interesting skill to put on a CV!) then
come along to one of OFU's
Weekly meetings, Tuesdays at 6pm in LT-H.
OFU also owns a small library of films on 16mm which were made by members
of the society over the course of four decades, including historic footage
of Rag Week while the University was still based in Battersea (1966).
There are plans to make this material available on video, and to make
some new films soon that students will be looking at in the year 2040!
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Information for Other Societies
OFU can help other University societies in a wide variety of ways.
- We can run a private film showing for your society, on a one-off or regular basis.
- We can organise and run a special film event to raise money or awareness for your society.
- We can advertise your society's activities by putting up slides before the start of the film.
- We can collaborate on publicity around the campus.
If you are interested on teaming up with OFU please e-mail the Chairman.
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OFU Rules
OFU reserves the right to change or cancel films due to circumstances beyond its control at short
notice, and without refunding season ticket holders.
Entry to LT-G for film showings is by rear doors only. Follow signs to LT-M. Access via the front
doors of LT-G is prohibited.
Smoking is not permitted within the lecture theatre block.
Tickets will not be sold on the door. Please don't ask us to break the law.
OFU has negotiated with the University to allow food and drink in LT-G during films, but the
University and OFU reserve the right to withdraw this privilege at any time.
OFU has also negotiated with the University Arts Office to allow OFU season ticket holders access
to Arts Cinema films (see Ticket Information for pricing details). This privilege may also be withdrawn at any time.
R.O.A.R.
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ABOUT THIS WEBSITE:
The original OFU website was written in 1996-7 by Paul Williamson, in the department of Elec Eng,
who subsequently graduated and left the University.
In the next academic year, it was maintained and kept up-to-date by Rob Finnis, again an Elec Eng
student and, at the time, Chairman of the society.
In late 1998, David Abbott (a former Chairman/Secretary and current Treasurer/projectionist), *another*
Elec Eng student, took over and completely re-wrote the site from scratch using a text-editor.
Which brings you up to date except for me, Jolyon Hunter (Computing and IT student). I was elected
Publicity Officer in 2000 and subsequently undertook the role of Webmaster. Thanks in no small part to David,
and his previous site, OFU now has a website to rival any other University society.
Last Updated: May 2000
