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Author Topic: Trade screenings for exhibitors? Andrew Thomas Master Film Handler Posts: 273 From: Pearland, TX, USA Registered: Jun 2012 posted 02-14-2015 05:41 PM                     So I regularly get e-mails from Fox about trade screenings for exhibitors only. Do the other studios do these? If so, do you have contact info for the various studios with regards to getting on their invitation list? Thanks.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 02-14-2015 11:40 PM                     I project at 3 different private screening rooms and almost 95% of my work lately is press & trade screenings Although I'm paid directly by the studios or distributors, the "guest list' is put together by a local publicity and public relations company under contract by the studio and not by the studio itself. I'm not exactly sure how people get on the 'invite list' though. When I was a kid my dad worked for the advertising agency that haneled the New York Disney account, so I used to get to go see a lot of the Disney films before 'all the other kids' did. It was kinda cool.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-15-2015 12:02 AM                        Film bookers get invited to all screenings and could probably hook you up with invites. I got to see "Batman Returns" in Salt Lake City about 4 weeks before it was released thanks to our booker.  |  IP: Logged Terry Monohan Master Film Handler Posts: 379 From: San Francisco CA USA Registered: May 2014 posted 02-16-2015 10:24 AM                     When I was a kid in the 50's & 60's the local Fox West Coast Theatres in the SF and Oakland area had true studio sneak previews. Some of the films were shown with the cast in the theatre and techs with some films not yet finished or the sound was not correct.They gave everyone a card to rate the film. Many times I think this was the first time even some theatre owners saw the print and you never knew what was to be shown. It was not just the next movie but a big feature that may not show up for months. I remember the manager Bob Apple of the Paramount Theatre in Oakland CA having the Molly Brown sneak in 4 track stereo sound. When the movie finally opened up at his theatre the studio only sent a mono print for the regular run. I was lucky to see the movie at the sneak with the great stereo surrounds all on. The CinemaScope® sneaks were fun because Fox had some good movies out in the mid 50's.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 02-16-2015 01:19 PM                     I don't know how it is now, but back when I was a theatre owner (many years ago), all the studios had advanced exhibitor screenings in what then was then the local "exchange" city. In fact, in some states it was the law back then that a film had to be shown to exhibitors prior to booking. Yes, if you own the theatre or are in charge of bookings, your booker should be able to get you on the list. If you are just a manager or below, you could ask but it is not a sure thing. These screenings are held for those who make the decision as to what film plays at their theatre.  |  IP: Logged Andrew Thomas Master Film Handler Posts: 273 From: Pearland, TX, USA Registered: Jun 2012 posted 02-16-2015 01:24 PM                     Yeah, I'm the owner. It's pretty rare that there is something I want to see ahead of booking, but it does happen a couple times a year. Thanks for the tips!  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-16-2015 02:12 PM                        We get regular trade screening notices. Of course, they are all in Atlanta, 180miles from here and at 10am. So far have not wanted to see one bad enough to attend.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-16-2015 06:45 PM                        Quite a number of years ago now we did lots of sneaks. Usually set up by third party marketing companies hired by the studios who hired us to do the sneak covering all our operating costs for the night. Everything was paid for by the marketing company including shipping to and from. The sneak to the public was free so it was a great positive PR tool for us, not to mention we would run show nearly twices as many trailers for our upcoming titles, and of course, did quite nicely on the concessions sales. We were required to have the audience fill out questionaires about their impressions of the film after the screening and needed to snap photos with an instamatic camera they sent showing the audience just before the movie starts as proof that you actually screened it. They usually put a limitation (which varied between 200-300 seats) on the admits), but the first time I did that, the rucus at the door when I tried telling a couple of hundred students that we were full, while their friends inside the 2500 seater were texting them pictures of a nearly empty auditorium, I realize this was more trouble than it was worth. Next time I got a request I told them, if they want to sneak in our place, they had to lift the seat limitation. Even though it was a bit of a money-maker for us, it was just not worth the ill-will generated by turning people away. These were always for under marketed films, never any blockbusters. It was a way the studio could get word of mouth out fairly cheaply. The only semi-blockbuster we ever sneaked was the Striesand vehicle, NUTS; we filled every seat in the house. That didn't happen very often with these things. We sneeked CHELSEA WALLS, the Ethan Hawke vanity vehicle (Lions Gate) and I gave it one star and a very negative review in IMDB....never got offered a sneak from them again. Oops. All sneaks that we ran were done via film of course; they stopped sending requests to us after we said we hadn't converted to digital, so I have no idea if any of the studios still use that marketing tool. The most recent invite to a trade screening I got was from Relativity Europa Distribution to a screening next week of one of those not very well known titles -- DESERT DANCER. As a start, you might want to contact them to get on their trade list. The contact name I have for their Southern office is: Southern Division RSVP to: Missy Moore 310.724.7776 missy.moore@relativityeuropa.com For the other F-T folks -- Eastern Division RSVP to: Zack Pasquarelli 212.450.8924 zack.pasquarelli@relativityeuropa.com Western Division RSVP to: Dan Pastewka 310.724.7792 daniel.pastewka@relativityeuropa.com  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-07-2015 03:50 PM                        Andrew - Your booker should be able to get you added to all the studio invite lists. Just ask them.  |  IP: Logged

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