How to Plan a Great Movie Event

Popular movies draw big crowds, especially if you choose fun, family-friendly films that kids can’t seem to get enough of. While secular films are great choices for specific events, blockbuster new release movies are a great way to draw all kinds of new people to your event. Remember, the emphasis should be on the community, even though your church is hosting the event. But don’t worry – before they leave, your audience will know who threw the event. At some point throughout the evening, find your chance to make an announcement or pass out a flyer about your services or other upcoming events. 

Location: The main goal here is to make the movie showing a community event where it’s easy to connect with your audience. Hosting your movie event at your church will work, but many find hosting the event in places like parks, athletic fields or community meeting spaces attracts even more people. Look for spots with ample room to spread out, convenient bathroom access and plenty of parking. Don’t forget about business parking lots – in fact, some businesses might even be interested in sponsoring the event!

Licensing: In order to host a public performance of a movie, you need the right movie licensing. Without this important step, you could face significant fines and even possible jail time according to federal copyright laws. Luckily, Swank can help you throw a copyright-compliant movie event quickly and easily while choosing movies from Hollywood’s top studios. Check out our copyright page to learn more about how we protect your church.

Equipment: Whether you choose to rent from an equipment rental company, need a referral from Swank or even choose to purchase your own items, you’ll need a big screen and a solid sound system to make sure the crowd can fully see and hear your movie. Depending on your location, you might also need access to electricity, as well as a purchased or borrowed projector or DVD player. Remember, all of these items might be available to rent locally or you may be able to borrow them from someone in your congregation. Other items you might need include a registration table to sign up for other events and display more information, shade tents for your equipment, and inflatables, crafts and other pre-movie activities for kids.

Timing: There’s a reason why Friday and Saturday nights work best for movie nights. Many families and kids don’t have obligations like school and work the next day so it makes it easier to stay and socialize. Planning your movie event three months out is a good idea, but take into account the weather and temperature too. Securing a backup date in case of inclement weather is another great planning tip. If you’re thinking about creating a movie series, plan out a few dates and titles ahead of time so you can start promoting the other events at each film event.

As far as event length goes, consider starting your event an hour or more before you plan on starting your film. Why? This window gives you and your team a great chance to connect one-on-one with specific guests and engage your audience overall. For those interested in learning more about your church, think through what your next step will be and invite your new connections to follow up. You might choose to invite them to another event, pass on more information or add them to your email and mailing lists.

Advertising: Promotion is huge in terms of your movie event’s success. We do have some advertising guidelines you should be aware of, but we also help you out with free downloadable promotional materials  you can download and print. Just search for a title and click on its synopsis page to find customizable flyers, tickets, posters and more. Also, you can reach out to your congregation to see if someone is willing to use their design skills to help promote the event. Don’t forget to use social media, banners, signs and more to spread the word about your event in many different ways!

Volunteers: It never hurts to have extra help on hand! Reach out to those in your congregation and other friends, family members and community organizations to see if they’d like to help. Then, organize teams into groups for registration, creating connections, technical details, setting up and more. Just make sure to emphasize your vision and help everyone understand the ultimate goal of the event.

Interested in more tips on hosting an amazing event? Check out our resources, contact us or call us at 1-800-876-5577.