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Here is a question: After working for the big guys and now striking out on my own, I never handled direct booking of films.( it was done corporately)How does an independant owner go about establishing rapport with the studios. Would it be better to start out with a booking service?

If you are brand spanking new at this you'll need a booker. We had one for the first two years; a good one can be invaluable. A bad one will wear you out. It has to be a team relationship. There were some excellent converstaions on this point in the begining of Bigscreenbiz and I'm looking for them. They were addressed at length by many writers from every angle. When you go into an area reset the time frame at the left side of the frame to "show all topics" and you'll find great info. After 2 years and studious looking over the shoulder of our booker I took over and would never look back. Of course I only have 1 theatre and if I had more it would become very efficient to have a booker on hand. With 3 screens I save some 8000.00 a year by booking myself. Going in cold I wouldn't have known what words to speak.

Thanks for the info Mike. I guess I have not read all of the info inthe topics. But I have read a lot. Although at this stage of my project I am not ready to even begin booking films I am trying to get all my ducks in a row so when the time comes I am ready. I am not new to the exhibition industry but have never handled bookings other than talking to the corporate guys we had. Was there any particular booking service you used? I guess my question is how did you go about gettting a booker? It is my plan to use one for about two to three years and then take over. I two will only have one theatre.