SHANE FULWOOD – 2024 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CINEMA PIONEERS OF THE YEAR
Shane spent his teens during the 1980s in Mount Gambier. He had a couple of golden years when he was old enough to attend the Sturt Cinema on his own before it closed, a victim of the video boom. After finishing high school in 1988 he moved to Adelaide where the option to see multiple movies a day, at multiple theatres was a source of delight and a cinephile was born.
Mid 1991, at age 20 this passion took an unexpected turn, when having an 8mm film developed he noticed a poster in the shop window for DANCES WITH WOLVES, which was currently screening in cinemas only. Further enquiries revealed that it was possible to hire a 16mm print of a feature film, a revelation which set the ball rolling to launching a new exhibitor in Mount Gambier, Landmark Pictures, screening in the mostly unused TAFE Theatre on Wehl Street.
Everything was initially rented, of poor quality and it only took ten weeks for Shane and his partner to lose all their money. However, there were some notable successes in that period, DANCES WITH WOLVES sold out, even though it was second run behind the 35mm screening at the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre. The differences that Shane introduced were those that he appreciated as an Adelaide resident – multiple screenings per day, holding films for more than one weekend, and the big hit – a candy bar, with Coke, lollies, chips and eventually popcorn. This created a cinema-going atmosphere that had not been seen since the mid 80s and slowly the effort was rewarded. With new partners Liz Noske and Jim Buckley the equipment was upgraded, and by mid 1993 the screenings at the TAFE Theatre were all in 35mm, with speakers that did not rattle when the wild buffalo thundered over the plains, which was particularly useful when JURASSIC PARK hit the screen there – the first movie to not be run after the Helpmann Theatre.
In 1992 after moving back to Mount Gambier, with the help of his brother Paul, he started 16mm screenings at the newly refurbished Naracoorte Town Hall (Landmark Pictures Naracoorte) and for a brief period at the Millicent Civic and Arts Centre. The Naracoorte Town Hall had 35mm equipment installed not long after the TAFE Theatre which marked the end of the 16mm screenings, and his 16mm projectionist license obtained in 1991 was filed away.
The business was growing and Shane had the privilege of some South Aussie guiding angels in Russell Anderson, Bob Parr, John Cronin and through the annual Movie Convention was exposed to many other colourful personalities and unique ideas.
In the mid 90s cinemas were back in vogue and at one point Mount Gambier had plans for up to four. Being the only fulltime operator in the city, Shane was fortunate that the developer behind one of the proposals wanted to keep things local and he approached Shane to build a twin. Shane thought four screens would be better but in the end space dictated three.
Two years after the initial approach (and not enough space on this page to detail all the trials and tribulations), in December 1997 Landmark Pictures at the TAFE Theatre had its last screening and the torch was passed to the OATMILL CINEMA COMPLEX which opened (just) with its first film, TITANIC. Again, Shane was in the right place at the right time and with THE FULL MONTY as bridesmaid he paid quite a few bills in the next few months and could finally breathe a sigh of relief that he probably wouldn’t lose his mother’s house after all.
From there the Oatmill enjoyed a golden period of films that audiences embraced enthusiastically, the HARRY POTTER series, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE HUNGER GAMES etc.
3D came (and mostly went) which was closely followed by full digital transition (and the VPF) which was the biggest operational change for generations. Shane tried his hand at outdoor cinema with the Starline Outdoor Cinema from 2018-2021, named as a homage to the Mount Gambier drive in where he had fond memories of experiencing RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK as a teen.
Shane contends that challenges caused by the pandemic and competition from streaming services have forced every cinema operator to exhibit a true Pioneer attitude in the last few years. Although Shane has enjoyed some memorable cultural experiences with some great audiences, by far the biggest highlight in recent years has been the privilege of working side by side with his children as they learn many life skills working in the family business. His youngest, at ten years old, is now a competent popcorn attendant, knows the tricks to folding boxes, can start up the projection hardware in the morning, is not too bad on a sweeper and enjoys the front of house atmosphere greatly. She also delights in taking her friends to all the secret spots in the building. I fear it could be in her blood now and she is adamant that the business will be hers one day. I’m not sure about that, we’re in interesting times, but if she does, I think she too will have to show some Pioneering spirit.
The South Australian Branch of Cinema Pioneers would like to congratulate Shane on being this year’s recipient of the Award for South Australian Cinema Pioneer of the Year.
