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Author
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Topic: Planning a show
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Jason Schmidt
Film Handler
Posts: 99
From: Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Registered: Nov 2014
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posted January 20, 2016 08:40 AM
I got the news that this would probably be a go the other night, so I thought I'd share on here.
So I was able to convince the leaders of my church's youth group to let me run with planning a film night to fundraise for their year end trip. Well I had initially planned for a small group of around 30 people, but after hearing the idea the team wants to really make a go of it and do it right, so are now hoping for 75-100 people. So all of a sudden there's a lot more pressure. We'll be charging people for the popcorn and showing the film for free to get around any copyright issues - we do have a media license that allows us to show pretty much anything so that is solved. Looks like we'll run it in late February or March.
I haven't decided for sure if we'll do two screens (one for adults and one for children), but we do have two separate large areas to accommodate that. I'll be running between the two rooms and hopefully will have a couple of competent helpers. The plan is to rent a proper popcorn machine and have the youth act as ushers and counter staff. I'll be bringing a spare bulb for each projector.
As for the show, I'm shooting for roughly 1.5 - 2 hours including reel changes.
For the adults:
-Start with a Merry Melodies short, possibly Jet Cage Tweety.
-Second is up in the air, I'm torn between a Laurel and Hardy, Star Wars 17 min, Raiders of the Lost Ark 17 min (german sound, but could make sub title cue cards), Invisible Man digest, or more cartoons.
-Feature will be the 3x400 Ben Hur digest. I'm thinking of showing the youtube clips of the overture and entr'acte during reel changes to add to the experience.
-That should be around 2 hours give or take.
For children:
Not sure the order, I might have to invest in a splicer to make some longer reels.
-Merry Melodies x 2
-Star Wars 17 min
-Snow White "Whistle While You Work" song
-Yogi Bear - Bear on a picnic
-Disney, Three Caballeros and Goofy's Gags
-Daffy the Commando
-Singing in the Rain 17 min (on the fence on this, my kids really like "Make em Laugh" and ask for it often, but some of the others might not appeal)
-Laurel and Hardy, also on the fence on this, not sure if kids would appreciate it
What do you guys think? Do you think modern audience will be ok without seeing a full length feature? I personally think they'll get a kick out of seeing a variety of films. I also don't know about the two screens, certainly if I limited it to one that would make changeovers easier as I could use both machines.
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Steve Klare
Film Guy
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted January 20, 2016 10:42 AM
I've done a number of film shows (cartoons) for our Sunday School and other shows for general groups.
One thing I can tell you to begin with is if you have popcorn and children you will also need a broom, a dustpan and a vacuum cleaner! The carpet in the youth room looked like there had been a snow storm.
I've stuck with an hour maximum end to end, especially with kids. I'm not even 100% sure where I got that number (average bladder capacity?), but it just works.
You should probably try the rooms out first. Acoustics does some amazing things. I've been in rooms that the walls just absorbed the sound and you couldn't be loud if you screamed until your throat got sore, yet once I did a Little Rascals reel for the Cub Scouts in a school cafeteria and with all those hard tiled surfaces even the 5 watt amp and little round speaker built into the projector did just fine. It saved me from needing to drag along the sound system: less to go wrong, less to get lost or damaged or trampled by a bunch of sugared-up Cub Scouts! (-they can be like a herd of Buffalo in full stampede!)
For the 20th anniversary of Toy Story last November, I did a small show at the house for some friends. I did go full feature, and I revived that ancient ritual of the intermission between the second and third reel too!
I also think the best plans are usually the simpler ones.
-Try to keep your own stress down: remember that YOU should enjoy it too!
[ January 20, 2016, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]
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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
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Graham Ritchie
Film God
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted January 20, 2016 12:25 PM
Steve advice on keeping it simple is spot on, you want to enjoy the show as well ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I remember being asked to put on a film show at a city pub ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) for the ambulance service. The idea was the adults could do there thing, while the film show in another area would occupy the kids. I ran mostly 200 footers on a couple of 800ft reels. Tom and Jerry cartoons mixed with Disney shorts.
Well, what happened, the kids were having a really good time "loud" the adults slowly drifted back in to join the kids and watched the films as well.
What I used to do prior to any film show like that, was to watch it myself a day or so before. The idea was to check that I had the right mix of films, in the right order for a fun and fast show. If a included short seemed to slow things down, then I would remove it. I was always trying to get the "pace just right"
Oh! If you are using extension speaker cables, make sure they cant trip over them. Tie them to leg of a heavy table or something just in case, its better wee Johnny goes flying instead, than your projector and stand comes crashing down...anyway have fun ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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Paul Adsett
Film God
Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted January 21, 2016 07:12 PM
I know it shouldn't be this way, but I can tell you that you have to be really careful about showing some of the Little Rascals movies to unknown audiences, since many of them are now deemed as politically incorrect, depicting black children in a somewhat demeaning and 1940's stereotypical way. Same way with Tom and Jerry films, make sure they do not include the black housewife. I did a film show at a school last week, and I was specifically asked if there were any such issues in my program.
It is easy for a film showman to dismiss such issues, but in todays more enlightened world, they are real, and the last thing you want to do is upset any members of your audience.
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