Open Air Business February 2017

EVENTS
SKYLIGHT CINEMA
plus a six kilowatt PA system, powerful 6,000
lumens projection and back up projector, as
well as event support equipment including
flood lights, usher torches, jackets, radios
and spare chairs. “We provide the screen,
all projection and sound kit and two
technicians for every event,” says Roydon.
“We offer a full package that leaves only the
licence down to the customer; everything
else is covered by us.”
Pitman also recommends an inflatable
screen for outdoor use. “Fast folds look
amateurish and small and are more likely to
blow over,” she says. “Some providers use
built scaffold screens, but they can ruin the
grass underneath so certain venues will only
use inflatable. You will also need a projector,
mixer, amp, speakers and stands and all
the cabling, and possibly microphones and
an FM transmitter if your event is a drive
in,” she adds. Of course, you also need to
consider all the other facilities required at
an outdoor event, such as toilets, disabled
access and so on.
THE AUDIENCE
Key to the success of any event has to be
the number of people it attracts. “We have
had over 2,000 people in front of our large
screen and the atmosphere was incredible,”
says Roydon. “On average, I would say the
audience sizes are around 500, which is a
CINEANYWHERE.COM
good size,” he adds.
“Just make sure, especially if you have a
paying audience, that they stand a chance
of actually seeing the film,” advises Pitman.
It is also worth considering what size screen
you might need to suit your venue to ensure
everyone has a good view. “This is why we
put advisory numbers of different screen
sizes,” she adds.
Cineanywhere.com can supply a variety
of screen and kit sizes to match the
audience size. The smaller kits are for up
to 200, so ideal for birthday parties, village
green community screenings, weddings,
campsites, pub gardens and so on, while
the larger screens, which are for up to 1,500,
tend to be used for larger festivals, drive-ins,
etc. “Our smaller kit can be self-operated by
the hirer, which means they can pick it up
on a Friday and hold events for the whole
weekend for one fee before returning it on
Monday. We are available on the phone to
assist,” says Pitman.
MAKING MONEY
Covering your costs and hopefully making
a large profit is obviously the reason for
holding an event in the first place, but
what can you hope to achieve? Of course,
this depends where you are, what film you
are showing and what else you have on
offer. “Down here in Cornwall, we cannot
charge much more than £7 to £8 for a ticket,
whereas in London people don’t blink an
eyelid at £20,” says Roydon.
Whether you are looking to make a profit
or just to cover your costs, you must take
into account not only the equipment hire
but the film hire costs. “A paying event could
see 35 per cent of your ticket sales go to the
licensee,” warns Pitman. “Always check the
rate cards - a good hire company will send
you this or point you in the right direction.
Other advice is to look for revenue
outside of ticket sales. Outdoor screenings
also offer the opportunity to promote
a festival vibe, with gourmet food and
cocktails on offer. “Just like in cinemas,
the money is made on concessions – either
provide your own or sell pitches – and ‘on
screen’ sponsorship can be a great revenue
strand as many local companies like to be
associated with film,” Pitman suggests.
In order to attract the audience that
you want and need to make your event a
success, effective marketing is key. “Some
smaller screening companies use online
ticketing companies such as Eventbrite. If
you are hiring a venue, it may be keen to
handle ticket sales as many like to keep the
concessions to themselves – it depends on
your relationship with them,” says Pitman.
You can also make use of all the usual
social media options, such as Facebook,
Snapchat and Twitter. “I often recommend
that clients try and get the audience to
choose the film to be screened – it drums
up interest. You can even do this through a
local radio station – many are keen on this
sort of thing and often become sponsors,”
she adds.
Advertising fancy dress, singalongs and
even screenings to which dogs are welcome,
are all tried and tested ways to attract
interest, but according to Pitman, the best
thing you can do is get your location and the
film right.
“The top audience figures last year were
for all the old favourites, such as Dirty
Dancing, Top Gun, Back to the Future and
Grease, which were all held in creative
locations such as castles, on the beach
(Jaws in Selsey went down very well with
all the local shops selling blow up sharks
for the event) and creepy films that were
screened in the woods.” Ultimately, it’s up to
you – the possibilities really are endless.
USEFUL LINKS
Cineanywhere.com - 020 8766 7100
www.cineanywhere.com
Future Projections - 020 8766 7100
www.fproj.com
Skylight Cinema - 07739 710272
www.skylightcinema.co.uk