Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

So, I've worked for a chain before and have done every job in a theatre except book the movies...
In the project I am working on, I would be re-opening a closed theatre. I would be showing 2nd run, or intermediate run movies. My question is this: Will I need to give up-front monies to the film companies for theses type of movies? I know in a lot of cases they want money up-front for 1st runs. But do they require this for 2nd runs?
I don't have any kind of history with the film companies, what will be asked of me?
Thanks

When we took over our single screen six years ago, most of the studios wanted advances because they didn't know me from Adam. Sony even made us pay with a certified check or money order for the first year. Most will probably want an advance until you get a payment history with them so they know they are going to get their money. The majority of the time, our advances were $250 or less. It has been two years since we were asked to pay an advance, and in the two years before that we only had to pay an advance for five movies (two of which were with companies we had not dealt with before and the others were movies we opened on the break, which is something we don't do a lot of). Since we are only open Friday thru Sunday, 99% of the time a check is in the mail on Monday for the previous week-ends film rental. This history of paying promptly has elminated the requirement for us to pay advances, even when we opened "Cars" and "Over the Hedge" on the break. We are also opening "Pirates" on the break and have not been asked for an advance.

When we started 38 years ago, it was easy to pay straight after the weekend because you had flat percentages.

When distributors changed to "Formula" you had to wait for an invoice because only they can work it out.

It can be inconvenient when they refuse to release a print because the invoice was late and your bank hasn't transferred the money into their account.

How curious that a company will risk several thousand dollars in revenue from a reliable client due to a clerical delay.

NEVER bounce a ck with a movie company. You will be in trouble for a very long time. What works for us is send them a fax of the ck followed by the FedEx reciept. This keeps us from having to send certified cks. This also backs us up when we get to the film depot and there is a hold on the print because some bean counter put the ck in the wrong account. It's quite staisfying to be told they did not recieve the ck, then be able to tell them the time it arrived and who signed for it.

puzzlegut and Avalon nailed it: you need the distribs on your side. They do not need you. The # 1 rule for a small indie is to not be a pin in the butt. Any late payments and non payments and you become a "problem". When push comes to shove and they have 1 print and 3 places want it do they give that print to the guy who does not pay or pays late? Nuff said.

Advances: in the beginning we paid advances to establish our bonafides. Or as Oh Brother clooney's lids said "Momma said he's bonifide!" Or as Jerry McGuire said "SHOW ME THE MONEY!" Or as Crazy eddie said "BS walks!" If you cannot handle an advance or a guarantee you should consider the situation. Pay it and earn respect.

Once you have paid a few times. Push back. "how long does this go on?" You may ask them. They'll stop asking once you establish your creds.

---

Michael Hurley
Impresario