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Cost of Show should be figured exactly the same as your 90/10 house overhead. EVERYTHING, except film rental, and the cost of concession goods should be figured in. The only other exceptions would be donations, or anything that you might buy with theatre funds that isn't really used in running the theatre. As an example... I have a large collection of theatre books covering management, advertising, architecture, history... you name it. The theatre has paid for them all. As they are about theatres they are a legitimate business expense. I have learned much about the business from them. But, do I actually need them to run my business... NO. Therefore, I do not include the cost of those books as part of my
overhead. Do you buy tools and then take them home to use there as well. You shouldn't include them either unless they are used only for the theatre. Unless you actually include the cost of EVERYTHING that you pay for to run your theatre you will never have an accurate house overhead. Your accountant should be able to tell you what it cost to run your theatre for the past tax year. Divide that figure by the number of shows you run in a year and you'll have your Cost per Show figure. If you pay for everything by check, simply go through your checkbook and add up all your checks for the year, again skipping film rental and concession costs. Then as before divide that figure by the number of shows for that year.

Does anybody know if/how much installing ceiling fans helps reduce heating costs in older, high-ceilinged theaters?

We charge our clients a daytime rate of
250.00 an hour (Mon-Fri), night time it is
300.00 an hour. That is for just composite
prints. Before 10am & after 10pm the rate
is 350.00 an hour. On weekends the daytime rate is 350.00 an hour (3 hour min.), night time is 500.00 (3 hour min).
If a client wants to do a video format
screening, you add anywhere from 100.00
to 1700.00. Depending on the format, plus
prep time for set-up.

On ceiling fans, are there any older AMC
plexes near you. They used alot of ceiling
fans in the older plexes in Los Angeles.

On ceiling fans:
We installed two in the rear of our theater several years ago. Their purpose is to push the warm air back down rather than heat the 18-22 foot ceiling to 90 degree temperature while the people underneath are still chilly. They have been very successful from that standpoint. People are warm and comfortable and the fans themselves do not distract from the film. On the issue of the heating bill - I can't tell any significant difference.

In a theatre, be sure the fans are QUIET.

Also, ceiling fans can be a problem if the blades run in front of a light causing a severe flicker underneath, which can affect a person with epilepsy. My wife has a seizure disorder, and is driven to distraction in our church, which sometimes runs ceiling fans located just under the lights --- we have to be careful not to sit in the shadow of the moving fan blades.

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: 585-477-5325 Cell: 585-781-4036 Fax: 585-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion