How To Be A Cinema

Getting Started

Although organising a film screening can be a complex affair, the sections below will break out the main categories to consider when organising a film screening. While none of these sections live in isolation and they all intermingle and affect each other. This wiki is designed and structured to give a complete overview of all the facets of screening films. From the big important points like screening rights and finding a venue down to the minor worries like how much is too much to pay for custom cupcakes.

The Film

Looking at the process of picking films, how to track down the screening rights, the different kinds of screening rights (Theatrical vs Non Theatrical), formats, checking copyright © and a selection of best practices to help make the process as painless as possible. This first step helps to set everything else in motion.

Once you have selected your film (or films) for screening this filters down into every subsequant step. After all, you don't want to book a venue, build an audience, sell tickets and get an expert speaker for a night of Akira Kurosawa films, if it turns out you can't get the rights sorted.

The Venue

Whether you are looking to screen in somebody else's venue or in your own we look at venue licencing; the equipment and technology to consider; the accessibility and health and safety requirements of your screening; and other important factors in dealing with a venue.

We'll also touch upon what most venues will expect from you as a user of their space and how to best approach the money aspect of using a venue. Building a succesful relationship with a venue not only makes it easier for you to come back with another screening in the future but also makes the venue more accessible to other screeners and events.

The Identity

Whatever the reason for your screening of a film, there's almost always an identity involved. No matter if it's a screening as part of a community event, a venue's own regular film night, a monthly film club that moves from venue to venue or a one-off season or night of films, an identity provides a quick indication to potential audience members of what the event will be like.

Sections identify important things to consider when picking a name, building up some basic branding guides such as a logo, setting up social media accounts for reaching your audience, some guidance on working with designers and printers and the and promoting your event on a shoestring.

The Audience

Now that you have a film, a venue and a name to put on the flyers and invites, it's time to start letting your potential audience know about your event. Depending on the type of film and venue you're screening there are different ways to approach finding your audience both through online and traditional avenues.

If you're event is going to be ticketed who will organise the sales, you or the venue? If it's a free event how are costs going to be covered for space and rights? What will you do if three hundred people turn up to your thirty seat screening?

The Event

So now that you know what you're going to screen and where; sorted the licence, the dates and got the word out it's time for your event. All your preparation so far has gone into structuring the event and now it's time to screen. This section deals with everything from checks to perform on the day and common stumbling blocks to a smooth running event.

We'll also go through some post-game analysis techniques to help you refine your process and make your next event even more succesful.

The Money

When it comes to the money for rights, venues and working with partners it's always best to be clear and honest. Whether it's negotiating the proportions of the takings with a venue, commissioning a designer to help with a poster or paying for your licence, money is one of the big obstacles but don't be shy, we can point you in the right direction.

Whether it's negotiating the proportions of the takings with a venue, commissioning a designer to help with a poster, recompensing a guest speaker or paying for your licence; money is one of the big obstacles. Simply be honest and direct when talking about the money involved with the other people you work with for your screening.

The Love

While money is an important part of any screening event, passion for film and the cinema community also plays an important part in the success of a good event. Film is a permeating cultural activity, it touches on other disciplines such as books, music and photography.

Public screenings have been a part of most societies for over a hundred years and in putting on a screening you are becoming part of that legacy. We'll look at the broader context for film screenings as well as hearing from some veteran film screeners who share advice and guidance on why they do what they do.

The Partners

Perhaps you want to join up with other independent creators or makers. Could be a local designer to help with marketing materials, a local food maker, guest speakers or anyone else that can provide value to your screening. How do you decide what's appropriate for your event and how to find and engage other people? Part of this process is to look at where you have a need for something, like a poster, but can't get that done yourself because you don't know your Inkscape from you Comic Sans.

How can you engage these independent people and encourage them to share their expertise towards making your event more than just a screening?

The Resources

Part of this wiki's focus is to share knowledge and information about the whole process and culture for film screenings. This is not just limited to information and guidance but also resources you can utilise through each of the stages of your event.

These are as varied as free design software and leaflet templates through to online repositories of rights information for films and some best practice guides for social media, event organisation and a variaty of other miscellaneous resources.