The main things you need to think about are:
What type of venue, equipment etc… do I need?
You will need to consider a venue that is a suitable film screening venue and that also has the space to welcome an audience.
You will need a venue that has the necessary equipment to screen a film. Usually, this will be a projector, a suitable screen, a sound system and a device to play the films (such as a laptop or Blu-Ray / DVD player). If a venue does not have the equipment already, you will need to source it. You should also consider sound and acoustics of the space.
You will also need to consider promotion – especially during test screenings and the early stages of a new film club / venue, you will need to find your audience.
What format do I want to screen from?
You will need to check what format the venue you are planning to use can screen from. This could be one of DCP, Blu-ray, DVD or digital files.
Most full-time cinemas and some arts centres currently screen using DCP (Digital Cinema Package), where the film is delivered either as a large digital download or physically on a hard drive as a software file. DCP has replaced 35mm film as the cinema screening standard, with only a limited number of cinemas still screening retrospective or select new release titles on 35mm. DCP projectors are advanced, expensive pieces of equipment and usually require a dedicated projectionist / technician to operate. The resolution and quality of the image when screening using DCP is superior compared to using DVD, Blu-ray or digital files.
DVD or Blu-ray are generally used for screening in smaller venues, or typically non-traditional cinema environments. To screen via DVD or Blu-Ray, you will need a disc player, a film disc, a projector & screen, and a sound system. While some technical setup may be necessary and testing is always needed, this is generally a more accessible method of screening, similar to screening a film at home. Blu-Ray offers a higher resolution image than DVD, so will be better suited to larger screens. A Blu-Ray player will typically play DVD discs, but a DVD player will not play Blu-Ray discs.
Increasingly, digital files are being used as an alternative to DVD or Blu-Ray, with some titles no longer being made available on disc. Typically, the files are MP4 files in high-definition quality (similar to Blu-Ray) and delivered via a secure screening platform supported by access>CINEMA. The film can be downloaded and tested in advance, and can then be screened publicly without the need for an active internet connection. This type of screening typically involves simply connecting a laptop with the film file to a projector.
The secure platform ensures the copyright of a title is protected by limiting the amount of views and deleting the content from the computer once the licence has expired. While there is a delivery fee per digital screening, this is typically lower than the cost of postage and packaging associated with discs or hard-drives.
What type of licence will I need?
The type of licence you will need will depend on your proposed screening scenario.
Generally speaking, if a screening intends to only allow members of an organisation (e.g. a film club) to attend a film screening, then you will need a non-commercial single title licence.
A non-commercial single title licence does not allow the sale of tickets either at or in advance of the screening. With this type of licence, you cannot advertise the details of the film screening outside of your members.
A commercial single title licence will be required if you wish to allow anyone, both general public and members of your organisation, to attend your film screening.
A commercial single title licence allows the exchange of money for the screening through the sale of tickets. Details of the film screening may also be advertised publicly.
When will a film be available to screen?
access>CINEMA produces regular programming lists for members offering guidance on when individual new release films will be available for screenings across the network.
