my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Theatre's Kickstarter Fundraiser (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Theatre's Kickstarter Fundraiser Michael Putlack Expert Film Handler Posts: 187 From: Fort Collins, Colorado Registered: Sep 2011 posted 07-22-2012 09:14 PM                        Faced with some of our studios cutting 35mm film prints, my two screen independent theatre is turning to the community to get our upgrades. I know there has been a lot of discussion on when studios will totally dump film, but Fox Searchlight told us Q2 2013. This was also our plan B. Plan A was a small business loan, and banks wouldn't have any of it. So, here it is, we're about 16 days in with 14 to go and still need to raise $89,000. The Patio pulled it off a $50,000 campaign to upgrade, and I seriously believe we can do it too! For instance, if our 4,500 each donated only $34, we'd make enough and then some. Also, a lot of people in the community are really stepping it up to help us out. For instance, we were able to trade a private party for $20,000 worth of billboards in town, a farmers market donated a booth, a business association is holding an "Emergency" cash mob for us on Thursday, a local t-shirt company is printing our backer shirts for just the cost of materials, a world renowned web comic volunteered their services, a very popular bluegrass band, Head for the Hills, is playing a concert for select backers, New Belgium Brewery is donating kegs to our after party, and a local filmmaker made us a pretty great kickstarter video. If you guys have any thoughts or suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Also, we have some pretty rad rewards even for people who don't live in town, so if you feel so inclined... Here is the link: http://kck.st/Nu3jaN  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 07-24-2012 12:14 PM                     Major money will NEVER come from the public or from events that raise at best a few hundred or a thousand bucks. You will have to visit the well moneyed people in your area and convince them of the value your project has to the community. If you're not non profit it will be very difficult.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-24-2012 02:17 PM                        You have a problem from the get-go because the general public sees news reports every week talking about how the new movies 'raked in' $65 million dollars, or the theatres 'take' was such and such, or how theatres make a 95% profit on popcorn and other nonsensical crap. So your moviegoers think you are swimming in money already even if you're not playing mainstream fare. I'm always very happy to discuss how much movies cost us to play, the cost of equipment, how often we have to replace our $1000 bulb, what we paid for the popcorn machine, etc with the public. They're always stunned to find out the expenses we have and it makes them realize we're not just a bunch of money grubbing bastards.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-24-2012 02:37 PM                        Rather than begging for money from the general public every decade (or however often the equipment becomes obsolete and needs to be replaced or significantly upgraded), wouldn't it be more honest just to raise prices? After all, the cost of doing business as an exhibitor just went up, and this is not a one-time expense. Even if the beg-for-money approach works this time, it probably won't work again in the future, which has the effect of just delaying the inevitable. Has Fox Searchlight really made an official statement about the end of print availability? So far, the only source for the "2013" date seems to be NATO. And NATO does not distribute films.  |  IP: Logged Michael Putlack Expert Film Handler Posts: 187 From: Fort Collins, Colorado Registered: Sep 2011 posted 07-24-2012 03:21 PM                        We heard directly from a searchlight rep that it would be second quarter of next year. We do raise our concessions prices once or twice a year, but that just doesn't add up to enough to cover the costs of this kind of an upgrade with the amount of business we do. And Bill, it certainly did work for the Patio!  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 07-24-2012 10:59 PM                        quote: And Bill, it certainly did work for the Patio! Did it? They are closed this week with a broken air conditioner and the owner started a thread on another theater biz forum asking whether or not they should go non-profit. Hmmmmmmm.......  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 07-25-2012 03:50 AM                     Everyone on here saying how its not going to work, So far they've garnered over Seventy thousand dollars. I would think that's pretty damn good, and that isn't including the events that they have coming up. I say good luck and keep trying, you gotta do what you have to do to stay in business.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 07-26-2012 04:30 PM                     The 70 grand is only the tip of the iceberg. Next will come 80 grand for the boiler, then the seats, then the plumbing, electrical, etc. etc. How many times can you bleed the public with out giving them a charitable donation receipt? As a non profit the owner gives control to a board of directors, which even if comprised of trusted friends will quickly get out of control and take things its own way. Ft. Collins is a vastly smaller population area than Chicago and digging out $70,000+ will be a lot more difficult. The Patio is a real show place, and its closure would be a loss to the community, can the same be said for an older 2 screen? Sorry if this comment seems harsh but it is reality.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 07-26-2012 04:43 PM                        You should try with GDC to see if they will do the fiance on it.  |  IP: Logged Steven J Hart Master Film Handler Posts: 282 From: WALES, ND, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 07-26-2012 09:11 PM                        We raised around $86,000 to go digital at the Roxy Theater in Langdon, ND last summer. It took about 5 months. The Roxy is a 501c(3) non profit. Our town's population is around 2000, so the public dug pretty deep to help keep the theater operating.  |  IP: Logged Mark Hajducki Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Edinburgh, UK Registered: May 2003 posted 07-27-2012 10:09 AM                     quote: Bill Enos Ft. Collins is a vastly smaller population area than Chicago and digging out $70,000+ will be a lot more difficult. I don't think the size of the town or city will have a huge impact on the amount donated. A large city will have lots of cinemas already operating, and lots of other causes requesting donations. The amount of love for the venue within the local community is probably more important. Some of the local theatres and cinemas have "donation" charges added to the ticket price to cover the cost of refurbishing the building, sometimes alongside other fundraising activities. The donation charge is sometimes compulsory. The companies that do this are for profit and would have acquired their buildings knowing the state they are in and the investment required. I would expect a business to plan for future investment needs, the change to digital has been expected for many years now so there has been plenty of time to start accumulating funds.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 07-27-2012 11:28 AM                        How many theaters are in competition with? According to what I see on the net the population is over 100,000 at Ft. Collins that should be large enough for a theater to get VFP.  |  IP: Logged Mike Frese Master Film Handler Posts: 465 From: Holts Summit, MO Registered: Jun 2007 posted 07-27-2012 01:18 PM                        quote: Mark Hajducki Some of the local theatres and cinemas have "donation" charges added to the ticket price to cover the cost of refurbishing the building, sometimes alongside other fundraising activities. The donation charge is sometimes compulsory. The companies that do this are for profit and would have acquired their buildings knowing the state they are in and the investment required. As soon as you make it a mandatory charge, you have to report that to the studios and pay film rental on it. The best one could hope to do is to call it a suggested donation. As far as competition goes, a quick google search shows a Cinemark, Carmike, & an AMC in town. The Lyric seems to be playing the arthouse films which it probably should. VPFs are not as easily available for this type of theater.  |  IP: Logged Mark Hajducki Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Edinburgh, UK Registered: May 2003 posted 07-27-2012 03:00 PM                     The "donation" taken by the cinema is optional, but requires the customer to ask to have it removed at the time of purchase. The staff don't actively ask whether the customer wishes to contribute. The live theatre has a mandatory "restoration levy" included within the ticket price. This seems to be increasingly common in UK theatres, I don't know how this affects the box office percentage paid to the performing group.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 07-27-2012 07:15 PM                     An optional restoration levy is the way forward, I guess if you could catalogue your efforts in a newsletter or blog it would also give people a regular pay-off for their initial contribution. Mark, I just got back from two days in Edinburgh for work. Popped in to have a look at The Cameo who have a restoration levy, you can see how the money from theirs has been well spent, it looked great.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.