How To Host a Screening

Thanks to Whispered Media  and El Enemigo Comun for compiling this screening planner. For more useful media activism resources, visit the Video Activist Network (VAN) website (http://www.videoactivism.org/) and www.elenemigocomun.net)

  • To book a screening, please contact daswvideo@riseup.net with the following questions: 

 

  • Name of Organization(s):
  • Name of Contact Organizer(s):
  • Place of Screening(s):
  • Proposed Screening Date:
  • Location of Screening:
  • Type of Crowd:
  • Desired Film Format:
  • Proposed Fundraising Sources:
  • Estimated Funding; Support Needed:
  • Concerns, Ideas:

 Screening Information The following information is intending to help organize a screening and makeit successful. You may already know all this stuff, or maybe there’s something useful in it for you too. Regardless, we tried to make it informative and funny. In this packet you will find 12 easy steps: (here is a PDF of 6 of the 12 steps: how_2_organize_scr.pdf     )

  1. Why Booking a Screening is Important
  2.  Popular Education and Organization Building
  3.  Acquiring Capitalist Points
  4.  Screening Locations 
  5. Technical Details
  6. Random Bits
  7. How to Organize a Screening(step-by-step)
  8. Scheduling the Show
  9. 3 Weeks before the Show
  10. 2 Weeks before the Show
  11. 1 Week before the show
  12. Show Time

 

  1.  Why this is Important

We feel that the struggle against the common enemy is outmost importance. We feel that strategic conversations and community media that construct alternative narratives of our struggles is a necessary component for the world to change. We work to produce are media with those around us, sharing skills, amplifying voices, and contributing to the self-empowerment of all those involved. We want this event can be mutually beneficial for all those in involved. We hope for the event and film to be an organizing tool and a popular education device. But, to be clear, we are also asking for the tour and for some of the work we do to be financed. It sucks, but we still do live in a capitalist system. Any funds generated will be divided between the organizing partners

  • 2.Popular Education/Organizational Building

Like any good political event, the attendees should be active participants in the event and leave the event fulfilled, self-empowered, and ready to take action. Hopefully, screening the movie will spark discussions, disagreements and maybe even a little lively debate. The whole process is intended to be participatory and dynamic. Also, we hope this event will help your local group in the work that you do. Whether its build your email announcement list, gain some new members, raise your group or your issues profile, we hope the event meets the local groups and organizers needs too.

  • 3. Acquiring Capitalist Points

Getting money from the university is kinda like receiving a tuition rebate. Universities have extra cash lying around that they will give to honest student groups. Student Governments are often a good cash cow. Many universities have boards, committees and other agencies that specifically give money to speakers, films and other educational events students hold on campus. Other good source of funding is asking individual departments to kick down a couple hundred bucks in extra for sponsorship (i.e. putting their name on the flyer). Approaching sympathetic professors can help you navigate the bureaucracy to get to the cheese. Be creative! After all you are paying them a fortune. Every town and city has its population of guilty liberals who have money. They like to give it to local radicals. Sometimes people have more time than money and enjoy giving. Professors have more money than you do. Charging a nominal, sliding scale admission can raise money. Admission works well when there some sort of atmosphere, i.e. a theatre or coffee shop. You could ask for donations for movie-appropriate beverages and snacks. Forty people at 5 bucks is a plane ticket. You might consider approaching your more established coalition partners for fundraising ideas or donations. Keep in mind how that would effect your working relationship. When fundraising it is often a good idea to ask for donations in different places. 50 dollars from 5 universities departments starts to add up. In some ways, fundraising is like fishing. You cast a wide-net and hope to reel some in. If you really want to book the film, but are havingdifficultly raising funds we’d love to help!Please do not let financial burden/strain be a deciding factor in booking the film.

  • 4. Screening Locations

Don’t know where to show the film?Perhaps the two most important things are choosing an appropriate location for your intended audience and the location’s accessibility, availability, crowd size, etc.Also, if you are applying/receiving money from the university they may have stipulations that events must be held on campus.But, don’t let that stop you from organizing another off campus screening. Off campus screenings can be really important to make the film accessible to folks who may feel more comfortable elsewhere. And it helps provide more opportunities for people to attend the events.

  • Many universities have spaces designed for film screenings. Sometimes universities will have actual theatre or you may look into your Radio Television Film department for classrooms suited for movie watching.
  • Hip, independent local film or art houses may provide a going out to the movies feel. People probably would be more willing to pay an admission because of the atmosphere created. A pre-evening-weekend-activities event is often successful.Most places will take the bar and you can take the door.
  • You may lose some scene cred, but sometimes, just sometimes, corporate movie theaters can be receptive to one-time, local screenings. Midnight would be fun.Try framing your screening as a charity or student event to the managers. Be sure to get a good cut andto not let those capitalists screw you around.
  • Coffee shops are inviting and make people feel important, or at least artsy. Coffee shops are almost always down. Charging admission might be hard.
  •  A film, band combo at a local club works. It would probably draw a bigger crowd.
  • Backyards are fun unless the cops spoil the fun. Throw in some DJs and the promise of a dance party and you’ve got a hit.
  •  Bike-In Movies are an Austin past-time. Riding your bike is fun and even more fun when riding to a movie screening in the back alley of the local coffee shop.

Don’t limit yourself to the university! There are many community members that may be more likely to watch a film at their local place of worship or worker’s center, for example. Allies can also assist in the promotion, fundraising, and organizing of the event. Sometimes, multiple screenings can be more successful.

  • 5. Technical

Some of the screening ideas may involve you acquiring an Autonomous MobileScreening Unit (AMSU). An AMSU general involves a large white sheet, a projector, a player (DVD, VHS, or otherwise), noise makers (PA, speakers), and all the wires to connect the dots. We can help with some of this (by bringing it) or talk to your local techie or band friend.In order to avoid embarrassing delays, it is a good idea to set-up prior to the screening and make sure everything works. 

  • 6. Random Bits

Consider seating. Especially if there is none!If your screening is outdoors consider the weather and create a Plan B. Promotion is important! 

  • 7.How to Organize A Film Screening 

Try to allow a minimum of three weeks to schedule and organize a screening. Determine the event name and write a one-paragraph description of it. This will focus your thoughts. Consider the following: Who will your audience be - the general public or a specific community? Will there be other entertainment (music, poetry, dance,etc.) or speakers? What group(s) will present material at this show? (Establish acontact person for each group involved.) Who gets the money? Is this a benefitfor another group? Many venues will take half the door receipts. What will you dowith the money you raise?Contact all groups involved and establish a minimum of commitment required foreveryone involved to be able to pull off the show. Don’t plan too much. Always allow at least an hour for set-up and an hour for clean-up. Who will be the Host or Master of Ceremonies (MC)? What can she ask people to support or do after they leave your show? Get flyers and fact sheets forupcoming events and related issues to hand out to people as they come in, topass around during the MC’s intros, or to simply have available at a literature table. Do you want to do a fundraising pitch or hand out donation envelopes? Be careful about scheduling too many announcements for other events- those cango on forever.

  • 8. SCHEDULING THE SHOW

Where will you have the screening? Think about the number of seats you want tofill or can realistically fill. Is there a screen and a video projector and soundsystem? If a film is only available on video, theaters with film projectors only maynot be able to accommodate a screening. Does the venue provide people to helpwith video projection, set-up, and clean up, or will it all be DIY? Will the venuecharge for use of the space or let you have the space for free? Is the venue in aconvenient location for the audiences you want to attract? Schedule the venuefor a realistic period of time- if the event itself is two hours, book the venue withenough time on either side of the event for set-up and clean-up, and don’t expect to start right on time.  Talk with the Artistic Director or some other point person at the venue who is incharge of scheduling. It may take months in advance to get a slot and to beincluded on the venue’s calendar, their advertising, and other outreach. Or youmight not care so much about that (although good advertising greatly improvesattendance) and can negotiate for a show on an off-night when they have nothingscheduled.Determine the due date for submitting a description of the show for use in thevenue’s calendar and/or on their website, if they have these resources. Include atleast one compelling graphic that describes the show or issues involved.

  • 9. THREE WEEKS BEFORE SCREENING

Write a Press Release.Design your own, or download the press kit from www.shutdownthemovieorg. Send the press release to local media. Be sure to include your suggesteddonation amount for admission, show times, and location. (we always say “Noone turned away for lack of funds,” and we mean it). You can also say somethinglike “Sliding Scale, $5-50.” Some calendars want to know if the venue isHandicapped Accessible, or other details. You might also want to suggest to thelocal media that your screening might qualify for coverage by linking it to recentor upcoming political actions or events.Get Reviews. Find out who in the local media would be likely to write a favorablereview of the video. Make sure you give them plenty of time, by sending them acopy of the video at least three weeks ahead of time.Get on the radio. Contact public, community, and university radio stations to getan interview on the radio about the video and the screening event.Make Internet and e-mail postings: Build an email list of interested people andorganizations if you do regular screenings. Send notices to as many like-mindedlocal organizations and email lists as you can find. Email publicity is easy andcheap. But think about the audiences you want to reach and whether or not theyare likely to be using email as a regular form of communication.Discuss serving refreshments. Solicit local vendors for food and drink donations.Make invitations to groups who might have appropriate tabling material available.Find out if you need to have a table or space made available for them. 

  • 10. TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE SCREENING

Design a flyer and posters. Or download publicity materials fromwww.shutdownthemovie.com Fax or post flyers at local organizations and non-profits that would support theevent and begin postering the town or neighborhood the event will screen in.

  • 11. ONE WEEK BEFORE THE SCREENING

Finalize the show. Check tapes / DVDs for audio and video problems. Make surethe video projector and sound system are working and that you know how tooperate them. Write notes for the MC, including list of who is speaking and whoproduced the videos.Confirm times and responsibilities with people involved in the screening. Whoruns the projector? Who collects admission? Who will keep track of the moneyand make sure it is in a safe place at all times? Who will sell videos? Give themthe basic schedule of the night and remind them to show up 45-60 minutesbefore the show to help set up (depending on how much they are involved).Determine who will stay to help clean up and gather your materials.Begin saturation flyering. Focus on coffee shops, cafes, bookstores, communitycenters and health food stores. Telephone poles and walls are okay, but getpulled down or covered up quickly. You should check them daily for replacement.Phone calls: call your friends, activists, everyone you know to remind them aboutthe show. This works. Make a follow up call to your local media contact if this istruly a newsworthy event.

  • 12. SHOW TIME

Set up one hour (minimum) before show. Check that all video and audioequipment is set up. Cue tapes. Set up tabling materials and/or refreshments.Make sure you have a sign- up sheet for people attending the event, so you cancontact them for future events.Audience usually begins arriving 15 -30 minutes before show time and often for30 minutes after. Figure on starting show about 10 - 20 minutes after scheduledtime.