Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1448505
as it was the domestic version. To that end we were in two theatres at the same time. Stuart wouldn't sign anything off without hearing it himself which inevitably made things take longer. On the 23rd, James Harrison and I went to the premiere of Black Book and drinks after in Leicester Square. We both enjoyed meeting the star Carice Van Houten who was introduced to us by Paul Verhoeven. We thought that the film looked and sounded really good. It is amazing what can be done with a minuscule budget but willing creatives! If you played Casino Royale and Black Book one after the other, it would not be easy choosing the better mix even though one cost more than 5 times the other! We spent three days in Pinewood Theatre 7 checking all the versions of the two sound negatives from the 24th and finished Casino Royale on the 27th October. The days leading up to the premiere of Casino Royale were occupied by Chinese versions, DVD versions and, more importantly, checking premiere prints on four screens; Odeon Leicester Square, Empire Leicester Square and two on Odeon West End also in Leicester Square. We had to check 2 prints for each cinema. There must always be a back-up. I personally looked after the Odeon and the Empire. The Empire was great and I was reminded of Fame and Pink Floyd: The Wall both of which had premiered there. The Odeon, on the other hand, was horrible. The screen was too small in proportion to the room shape and there was no "sweet spot" for the sound. In fact the sound was really not good. We had technicians in the room measuring levels and so on but no-one had asked the important question, "What level are we playing at?" Well, I did and the manager said, "5 1/2" and I said, "But we mixed it at 7. Why are we not playing it at 7?" "Oh, 7 is too loud." "Play it at 7 please." He did and then said, "The Queen doesn't like it loud!" And then a moment later, "She always puts in earplugs." "Play it at 7 please!" I said. He did! The film screened well in all the cinemas around Leicester Square. As Pene and I tried to cross Leicester Square to get to the Red Carpet we encountered the then mayor of London, Boris Johnson, pushing his bike. "Where will you park your bike?" she asked. "Where I like!" was his rather arrogant response. Pene and I were in the Odeon in similar seats and proximity to the Queen as we were for Moses 31 years before. I couldn't see if Her Majesty was wearing ear plugs but wouldn't have blamed her if she was. The after party was under canvas in Berkeley Square and was fun. We spent a lot of time with MPS and Bran. (L-R) Chris Munro, Eddy Joseph, Mark Taylor and Mike Prestwood Smith with the Sound Award received for Casino Royale at the 2007 Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, Central London.