[imc-auckland-video] Film screening organisation - general guidelines

[Kim Mazur]

HI guys - I got this off a website for a specific film (which was
telling people how to hold screenings of its films) and have modified it
a little bit so its more generically applicable. It's a guide on how to
organise a screening. Some of it is already what we know and already do
but its a very comprehensive information list for those who may not have
done it before. I haven't made it specific to our Antidote ones though,
maybe that's a job for another day! Kim - 

Modified info as follows:  

 
This is a guide, not a rulebook. Use your own ideas and judgment. If you
want to have a screening with 6 friends at your house, most of this will
not apply though you may still find it an interesting read.  
Overview

Every screening needs someone to get it started and usher it through
fruition - that is the role of the host or the organizer.  
 
Screenings can be as small or large as you like.  Below is a list of the
types of screenings that have been done or are being considered:
 
Immediate family 
Family gatherings such as reunions 
Gatherings with friends and family 
Meetings of clubs, organizations, and companies 
Movie nights of clubs, organizations, and companies 
House parties are great. 
Book and movie clubs 
Preceding conversation cafes 
Events at ecology and community centers, libraries 
Conferences 
Community forums 
Fundraisers 
High schools, colleges, and universities 
Local independent theaters that have a DVD projector 
Prior to discussions with authors with recent books about our energy
predicament such as Julain Darley, Richard Heinberg, Michael C Ruppert,
Matt Savinar, Sonia Shaw, and Michael Klare.
 
In many cases, organizing a screening does not have to be an inordinate
amount of work. The key is to get help.  My favorite approach is to find
organizations that want to co-sponsor the screening which have a ready
audience and/or access to a venue and video projector.
 
Good candidates for co-sponsoring screenings are:


Local environmental groups 
Local social justice and peace groups 
Other advocacy groups focused on car-free living, simplicity, biking,
biodiesel, etc. 
Eco-villages, co-housing, and other shared living groups 
Green builders, architects advocating new urbanism, solar and wind power
companies 
Urban, environmental, ecology, and energy studies departments at local
universities, colleges, and community colleges 
Environmental, social justice, documentary, and other film festivals 
Eco living, alternative energy, and social justice conferences 
Public transportation unions 
City urban planning departments 
Political candidates running for office on a Post Carbon platform
 
Call or email the appropriate organizations in your area asking them
whether they would be interested in being involved in screening the
film.  Let them know that it can be a fundraiser for their organization
as well as an opportunity to have a discussion of their cause in the
context of our energy predicament. Ask them whether they could help
promote, setup, provide a venue and audio-video equipment, participate
during the screening and the cleanup.  
 
 
Preparation
 
1. Order the FILMS
2. Round up some local volunteers 
Consider also putting out a call for help in online local community
sites, such as www.indymedia.org.nz
 
3. Make a to-do list and assign tasks to local volunteers 
Below are examples of key activities for the screening.  Delegate tasks
to volunteers as appropriate; if at all possible, match volunteers to
activities that they enjoy.
Locating a Venue 
Event Planning 
Distribute or hand out flyers at events, farmers markets, campuses, etc.

Help out at a screening, setup, collect donations at the door, sell
copies, bring refreshments, answer questions, take down 
Post announcements online - email lists and forums - solicit suggestions
from other volunteers. 
Send announcements to newspapers, radio and TV stations. 
Volunteer coordinator - Provide assistance to volunteers with tasks,
verify that tasks get completed. 
 
4. Locate a venue 
Potential venues include homes, churches, colleges/universities,
libraries, organizations, and even local theaters. Look for groups in
your area which are likely to be interested in this documentary - local
Green Party Organizations, Sierra Club and IndyMedia chapters,
Sustainability, Environment or Social Justice organizations. Many such
organizations are affiliated with churches and universities which gives
them better access to good venues. Also, look for organizations that are
already sponsoring periodic screenings of films on topics not
sufficiently addressed by mainstream media and politicians.
 
5. Develop a donation/door policy
We recommend the following donation policy "Suggested donation: $5 to
$15, nobody turned away for lack of funds".  
 
6. Let the filmmakers know about the screening
 
7. Create an email and a printed announcement
Make an email and printed announcement for your event.  You can use the
examples at as the foundation for materials for your screening: 
 
8. Invite friends, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances from
organizations, and thought leaders in your community
Inviting people in person or over the phone gets the best response.
Sending emails has a lower response rate but allows you to reach a much
larger group. 
 
Also consider posting a local or private event on evite.com.  Evites are
a good way to spread the word about the event and gauge how many people
are thinking about attending. 
 
Evites for private events are sent to emails that you provide.  We
suggest sending the Evite your network of friends, family, and
colleagues as well as local thought leaders. 
 
Local events are displayed on Evite to people who provide their zip code
or find it while browsing or search evite.com; they can be also be sent
to your network of friends, family, and colleagues.
 
We suggest setting up a local event.  Below is the example text we use
for local events.  Once you have set it the local event, then use the
"Email guests" or "Promote event" feature to send to people you know.
Add a personal message that asks them to use the Evite Friends and/or
Tell Friends links to pass on the message.
 
 
After the film, [put name here] will lead a discussion....
 
Free admission; donations accepted....
 
Sponsored by ...
 
Please use Evite's "Tell friends" feature to pass on info about this
event.. 


 
The other option is to set up a private Evite.  In your personal
message, remind people to use the Invite More Friends link to pass on
the Evite to others. 
 
9. Post announcement on online sites
Post the annoucement to online local community sites such as
craigslist.org and indymedia.com.
 
10. Print out flyers and sign up sheet
 
Printout enough copies of the signup sheets for the number of expected
guests. Make sure you have a clipboard and pen for the signup sheet; it
is best to tie the pen to the clipboard with a piece of string and
sufficient slack for writing. 
 
11. Check out the venue before the event
Visit the venue with sufficient advance time that you can resolve any
issues that arise.  Ideally, you will be able to survey the facility at
the same time of day as the screening.  Take a look at the parking
situation, seating, and bathrooms.  Identify locations for the
TV/projector, the information table, and snacks and/or refreshments.
 
12. Make a Checklist List for the day of the event
Checklists are a good way to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.

 
The Main Event
 
1. Arrive early before the screening to setup
Arrive at least 45 minuets before the event to setup chairs,
TV/Projector, refreshments, and the information table.  When someone is
available to man the information table, put out extra copies of film,
the donations box, and the sign up list.
 
Play shorter films too prior to kick-off of feature film 
 
2. Prior to the film
At the front of the room, thank people for coming and tell them the
schedule for the evening (e.g., watch the film, then Q&A for 30
minutes), remind them to turn off cell phones, and tell them where the
restrooms are.   
 
Then ask the audience to stand up, stretch, find someone they do not
know sitting nearby, and spend a minute each introducing themselves and
explaining why they came.  If the audience is less than 6 people, this
can be done in one group.
 
Note that there is an edited version that removes to two words that
might be considered inappropriate for young audiences.  Choose the
appropriate version for your audience or ask the audience.  
 
3. After the film
Ask people to make sure they sign the list and indicate whether they
would like to get involved and whether they would like to host or help
out with a screening.  Pass around the sign-up list preferably on a
clipboard. 
 
4. Have a discussion after the screening
If you are not having a question and answer session after the film,
invite people to discuss the film in small groups.  Ask people to
separate into small groups of several people; help bashful people by
separating them into natural groups.  Ask them to talk about their
reactions to the film and for one person to be prepared to summarize the
input of the group.  After the discussion or Q&A, thank everybody for
coming.
 
5. Finish with message from the filmakers
 
6. Ask for feedback
As people begin to leave, have a volunteer ask individuals for feedback
on the movie - either verbal or written.  Or the feedback could be
requested in the first email to the list.
 
 
The Day(s) After
 
1. 
Send the list of emails, first, and last name from the sign up sheet and
any feedback on the movie 
2. Evaluate the screening
Post your evaluation of the screening 
 
3.  Email the list
Thank people for coming to the screening. Invite people to submit
feedback on the movie. Indicate what the local group is doing and how to
get involved.
 
4. Write an article about the screening 
Write a short news article which includes the feedback and post it to
your local http://www.indymedia.org site and/or send it to a local
periodical.