Boxoffice Pro—Q4 2021

As someone who has experience both
running an art house theater and on
the festival circuit (as the executive
director of the Sedona International
Film Festival), what are some lessons
that the art house world can take
from how film festivals create unique
experiences?
People are thirsty for so much more now.
There’s a new streaming service popping
up every single day, much to the chagrin
of us theater owners and managers.
Ultimately, we love that streaming
services exist. There’s a great market for
that. As long as people are experiencing
films, they should experience them any
way they can. But for us, getting people
to have that communal experience in
a theater surrounded by other movie
lovers and having that opportunity for
conversation—that’s what it’s all about. It
enriches the experience.
That’s what I would love to impart to
all our colleagues, from the megaplex to
other art house theaters. That experience
is so appreciated by your audience. It
takes going to the movies to the next
level. And it’s something that is so easy
to do, especially now—you can dial up a
“It’s this wonderful, eclectic,
artsy, cultural mix. We’re very
proud that our own members
have labeled us the ‘cultural
heart of Sedona,’ because
we really want people to
experience that.”
filmmaker or someone affiliated with the
film for almost every screening and have
that enhanced experience. And people
go away talking about it. You don’t get
that when you’re watching a movie on
your laptop at home or on the TV at home.
Number one, you don’t get that communal
experience of seeing a film on the big
screen in the dark, the way they’re meant
to be experienced, surrounded by other
people. And then having that conversation.
Even if there’s not a conversation from
a filmmaker at the end of the film, just
hearing what’s happening in the lobby.
As people leave, the conversations and
the dialogue that happens is absolutely
magical. To be able to take that experience
and make it not just, in our case, the nine
days of our festival but a 365-day-a-year
experience is something really quite
extraordinary.
Given that you’re such an integral
part of the cultural community in
Sedona, what have you found to be
the best ways to maintain strong
communication with your customers,
pre-Covid, during the shutdown
period, and now?
Q4 2021
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