Screening a film is a great way to bring people together, to raise awareness on a specific topic and to start a discussion. Here is a list of tips how to organise a successful screening!

We do realize there is no universal way to organize screenings and debates and that circumstances differ in every region or country. Thus, this toolkit is meant as a general guidance for the organisation of such an event and only you can decide whether our advice is applicable to your specific situation.
Furthermore, for more specific information or a more extensive recommendation you may also get in touch with us at international[at]moviesthatmatter.nl.
You can also check the activist toolkit of African Action here.

/// Timeline
The first step is to think carefully on what your objective is and how you want to achieve it . Make a timeline of the organisation of your event. When do you want to organise the screening and subsequently, when do you have to start with the organisation?
Make a draft budget and check if your own means are sufficient of if you need to get extra financial means. Click here if you need some tips for fundraising.

/// The Film
Select the film you would like to show. This can either be based on a theme, the oeuvre of a certain director or a specific film you might have in mind. Except the quality and the theme of the film it is important to check the length of the film and the language (spoken language or subtitles).
If you have selected the film, you need to clear the rights. If a distributor has the theatrical rights of the film in your country, you can directly rent the film from the distributor. If this is not the case, you can either approach the sales organisation or the producer of the film directly. The screening fee varies by distributor and by film, and can also be restricted on the basis of the expected or actual number of visitors.

/// The Space
A film screening can take place in various settings, such as a private screening at your home or public places like libraries, community centres, outdoor places, universities or proper movie theatres. For a screening in a public place, contact the person in charge and discuss the possibilities, like the rent, the equipment and the capacity of the venue. You can also ask them to help with the publicity of the event. Maybe it is worth to consider a financial construction where you share the costs and the profits, so that you both parties have an interest in the success of the event.
If you expect more people to show up than you can accommodate, try to arrange extra screenings at different times.

/// Equipment
Make sure that you the technical equipment that you will need is available. Check the format the film that you would like to show (DVD is the cheapest).
For private screenings you need to own or rent the required equipment ( e.g.: DVD player, TV or screen, beamer and speakers). For public places, check what is available and rent (or buy) what you need extra (e.g.: 35mm projector, DVD player, BetaSP player, DigiBeta player, beamer, screen, speakers, etc).
Don't forget to check the film and the technical equipment before you start the screening!

/// Partners
Consider to partner with a group or an organisation whose work is related to the theme of the film. These organisations can help you to share the costs or with the organisation itself and help to spread the news of course!

/// Discussion
Do you want a group discussion afterwards where people can share their thoughts with each other ? Or do you want people to mingle and chat in a less formal way?
Organising a discussion can be really useful to increase the impact of the film, to provide background information, or to give your audience the chance to engage with an expert of the the theme of the film.
To assure proper guidance of the discussion, the presence of a chairperson with knowledge and experience is a valuable addition. (S)he poses questions to the guest(s), allows the audience to ask their questions and keeps track of time.
Film can add up to ongoing debates, may create new debates, engage in a more personal dialogue and function as an incentive to act. You could make a link to ongoing campaigns and hand our informative flyers or collect signatures for petitions.

/// Publicity
Don’t wait too long to promote your screening! The best and cheapest way to do it is by word of mouth.
If access to the internet is good, a mailing to your relations, a post on your facebook page and a notice in weblog is a good start. You can ask relevant organisations to put a notice in their newsletter and/or on their website.
Depending on your budget, attractive flyers or posters can be made and distributed at well attended places, like bars, universities, community centres, religious places, etc. Make sure that the information (what, where and when) on your publicity material is clearly communicated at a prominent spot.
If you organise a larger event, you may consider a press release for national and local media.
Writing a report or taking pictures during/ after the event will allow you to produce a report after the screening. This might also be used for publications or as way of thanking those who were involved.

/// Thanks & Evaluation
Don’t forget to thank your special guests, your volunteers, sponsors and all the participants of the event. It's small gesture but goes a long way to make people feel like they are doing something worthwhile.
While you have your audience together, take the opportunity to ask them to subscribe to your mailing list and/ or promote future events.