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Hi all,

My name is Mairim and I am a college student in NYC. I am taking a Business Planning and Entrepenuership class where we have to put together a business plan. As a huge movie freak and being always told that I should own a movie theatre because I go to them so much, my business plan is going to be based on a Cinema Cafe. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about them?

Basically, for my plan I am thinking of showing independent films on one or two screens with a full scale cafe. Location-wise, I am thinking somewhere on the West Coast but haven't narrowed it down from there. Suggestions?

I am just starting out so I guess my biggest problem is knowing what I need to know in getting into the movie exhibition industry... if that makes any sense. I read a post of someone earlier that needed Business Plan help but I need more help!

I mean how do I figure out:
-how much space I will need?
-if I should, lease or buy? and the cost?
-what equipment and supplies I will need and if I should lease or buy it? again, the cost?
-how does renting films from distributors work? usual cost?
-what the profile of my customers will be?
I went to NATO Online and MPAA.org, but they were no help in getting information about independent movies. Do any of you know what the percentage of total U.S. box office grosses go to indies and/or foreign films or the demographics of the people who usually go to Indies?
-how do I figure out how many employees I will need? and how much I should pay them?

I know these are alot of question (and I'll probably have more), but any help would be greatly appreciated. At the end of the semester we will be presenting to actual venture capitalists and I don't want to sound like a complete doofus. I heard from other students that they really really really strike you down with questions once you finish your presentation. I want to be prepared.

If anyone could help me in figuring out any or all of this or where I should turn to find out this info, I would really appreciate it!

Thanks,
Mairim

Hi MediaGirl

Welcome to bigscreenbiz. We are cinema architects and moderators of the forum on cinema design. We can't help with your business plan, nor can we answer some of your queries. However, we have designed several cinema cafes in theatres which show art films, independent and foreign films, etc. You could visit the web sites of some of our clients who are in exactly the kind of business you're looking at.

Drexel Cinemas, in Columbus, Ohio, is owned and operated by Jeff and Kathy Frank. Their website is http://www.drexel.net/. The other company is Camera Cinemas in San Jose, California, owned and perated by Jim Zuur. Their website is http://www.cameracinemas.com/

We also designed the Carlton Cinemas in Toronto for Cineplex Odeon, which is an art house with nine screens and 940 seats. It features a full cinema cafe which is also licensed to serve beer and wine.

Another example of our own work is The Casa de Arte in Mexico City, for Cinemex. It has four screens and 700 seats, and has a full cinema cafe.

If you would like further details of these projects, please get in touch with us. Our website is [url=http://www.mesbursmith.com.]www.mesbursmith.com.[/url]