Comedy film made in Blackburn to be shown in town (From This Is Lancashire)

Comedy film made in Blackburn to be shown in town

7:17pm Friday 24th February 2012 in News

EIGHT hundred people are set to attend the charity premier of a new comedy filmed in Blackburn.

Producer Ian Wiggans, 41, of Ewood, has hired King George’s Hall for the the event on April 19, having been told the bill for the main screen at Vue in Peel Leisure and Retail park would cost £7,000.

Bosses at Vue said the price reflected compensation to Hollywood producers that had already booked the slot during the peak Easter holidays period.

Tash Force is a 90-minute film about the last three days in the career of police football intelligence officer. It was written by Ian with the help of main star Mark Woodward, Paul Birtwistle and Michael Booth, all from the Blackburn area.

Mr Wiggans said: “We tried to rearrange the date to be more flexible for Vue, but then head office told me that it would be £7,000 to compensate Universal.

“This is despite us being able to sell out a screening twice over. In fact in Blackburn it probably could do a two week run with having the local press and radio on-side.”

A Vue spokesman said the company had offered alternative dates and screens.

He said: “The film’s producers requested to host the event within school holidays, one of the busiest times for the cinema, and when many new releases are planned into the schedule – which is agreed and programmed up to six months in advance with the film distributors.

“Therefore in order for Vue to honour contractual obligations with the distributor, any party wishing to hire booked screens during this time are liable to ‘buy out’ the distributor and cover the costs of lost revenue from the screen being closed to general admissions – which in this case would be for two showings given how long the screen would be required for.”

Tickets to the King George’s Hall screening cost £8 each, with 25 per cent of the proceeds going towards The Glove Project in Gambia, which builds wells to provide clean water.

Tickets are on sale from Monday on Ticket Master or by telephoning 0844 8471664.