Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

let me say that I am a 16 yo

Ok. let me start from the begining.......

I was at work when I get a thought.

my friends and I love to make amature movies, and I thought that also many other people might also like this, so i thought that it would be nice to open a community ran amature theatre.

here where I live, the OLT ouachita little theatre is a majour deal, amature actors put on plays, and all proceeds go back into the theatre. I thought that those would be great things to add to my theatre...


buttttt......


then I started thinking that it would be better to open up a second-run theatre or maybe a classic theatre,,, that would be cool.

So i asked my dad... he was skeptical at first, but now he AND my mother both want to help....

We have agree that it would be better to open a first-run theatre, but still play indie and classics.

although there is one theatre where we live, it is kinda old and not as clean as I personally think a cinema should be. also, it doesn't have wheelchair accesable seating or bathrooms, and the projecter is always metlting the film...


now. I should say, I am new to the industry, and was wondering if someone could give me a list of the main things I sould buy. or any advice on loans..... since I am under 18 can I get a loan? i dont think I can by myself. but what if my dad co-signs?
and if he has to get the loan, can he transfer that to me when I turn 18?
(he says that he will help with that kind of stuff till im 18, but then its my burden... he'll help runn it, but it is MY theatre.. )


anyways!

thatnks and any advice is welcome!

-Nathan

Hello Nathan:

Welcome. I believe the first thing you should do is get a job in a theatre and learn about the exhibition field. There is much more to it than I suspect you realize at this time and unless you come from a wealthy family you're not going to be able to do it right now. Don't give up your dream but gather all the knowledge you can.

Thanks for you reply! I have done my reserch, and you are right, I might not know all of the technical things, that is why I have posted a request for information on here.... I would get a job at the local theatre, but it is ran by a family... and they work there....

If it's the only theatre within a reasonable distance you might volunteer telling them you want to learn about the business (but don't tell them you want to build a theatre in the same town). But even as a volunteer you need to be dependable. FWIW a few years ago I researched building a single screen theatre from the ground up and came up with a figure of $900,000.