Screening Toolkit

Thank you for signing up to host a screening of The Student Body!

Below you will find tools to help make your screening a success.

The Student Body Screening – Sedona Performing Arts Center

YOUR SCREENING

This is your chance to share the film with your local community, create a dialogue and help raise awareness. Your support will help spread the word about the film and its just message reach new audiences.

REMEMBER: The screening is only guaranteed to happen after it ‘Tips’, meaning enough tickets are reserved. Your Gathr screening page will display the number of tickets your particular screening needs to tip.

MAKING YOUR SCREENING A SUCCESS

The #1 Tip for Your Screening to be Successful: The more people, the better!

#2 Collaboration is Key! You can fill the big theater with your friends or find partners, allies, and sponsors to help you by inviting their communities as well. Engage partners early and often to help get as many people at the screening as possible. Anyone can purchase a ticket, so think big in terms of who you reach out to! This is a fantastic cause and crowdsourcing is all about generating buzz and attention.

#3 Start Engaging your Audience EARLY! If you can get 10 people to reserve tickets in the first ten weeks you have a 95% likelihood of tipping.

#4 Turn Your Screening into an Event! We encourage you to capture this opportunity to engage your community in an important dialogue that addresses this pressing issue. If you decide to make your screening an event, you can consider doing a welcome and introduction. You can also consider having a discussion or Q&A after the film with community members or experts.

THE MOVIE CAPTAIN FACEBOOK GROUP

REMEMBER: You should have been invited to join THE STUDENT BODY Movie Captain Facebook Group. Make sure to check your email and accept!

The Facebook group is a place for all Movie Captains to communicate and share advice for tipping screenings. It’s where you will be able to share and repost any pictures of your screening, stories, and ideas about how you made your screening a fantastic event!

USE OUR TOOLS TO
PROMOTE YOUR SCREENING

Again, early audience engagement is essential for tipping your screening. Here are a few tried and true methods for building people in your city to reserve tickets to your screening. Have an idea not listed here? Go for it! You can be as creative as you’d like to spread the word about your screening of THE STUDENT BODY

– Make an announcement to your community!

– Send an email blast to your family and friends. Be sure to fill in the [blank areas] with information specific to your local screening. If you’re a non-profit or community organization, you can send one of these emails to your mailing list. You can also include a write-up in your newsletter. Use the “Sample Gathr Email to Organizations” template for individual promoters and organizations to use for all these outreach options.

– Use the email to Friends and Family to let everyone know about your screening!

– Use the Sample Social Media text to post on your Facebook and Twitter to remind your community of the screening.

– Create a Facebook event for your screening and invite all of your friends! Below is the Facebook support guide for creating an event: https://www.facebook.com/help/210413455658361

SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

You can use the following posts to promote your screening (don’t forget to fill in the placeholders with your screening’s details). Use the unique Gathr screening page URL that you will be provided within your posts.

SAMPLE FACEBOOK POSTS

Take a stand against bullying! Let’s explore the controversial truths behind childhood obesity through my screening of The Student Body.[ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL]

Help me in rallying an awesome group to give this film the audience it deserves! There’s a week left to reserve your tickets to the [city name] screening of The Student Body. If we don’t get [tipping number] people to reserve tickets the screening won’t happen![ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL]

I see the documentary THE STUDENT BODY as a blueprint for taking action against politically charged agendas targeting young students. The fight is not over! I NEED to reach my ticket goal to make it happen, so reserve your tickets and spread the good word to anyone you can.[ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL]

I want to challenge the way people see obesity. I’m hosting a screening of The Student Body – A film that champions the underdog and exposes our government in a gripping way. Tickets need to be reserved by [TIP DATE]. I’m looking forward to watching this documentary with all of you!

SAMPLE TWEETS

I’ve signed up to bring The Student Body to [THEATER & DATE] You can pre-reserve tickets here: [PERSONAL GATHR LINK] #TheStudentBody #ChallengeAccepted

Want to champion the underdog? Come watch this film with me! [ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL] #TheStudentBody

Encourage students everywhere to stand up for what’s right. Help me bring this film the audience it needs. [ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL] #TheStudentBody

The Student Body is a tool to help students everywhere fight for their right to challenge #fatletters—Join me in bringing this film home. [ADD PERSONAL GATHR URL] #TheStudentBody #ChallengeAccepted

SAMPLE EMAIL TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES

Hello [First Name],

I’ve just requested to bring a screening of the film The Student Body to my local movie theater. Screenings of this documentary are happening all over the country – encouraging students to bring body positivity back into the classroom.

The film’s trailer can be viewed here: https://www.thestudentbodyfilm.com/

I am so proud to be hosting this screening because it tackles our perception of childhood obesity and challenges students to take action against “Fat Letters”.

I REALLY want people to see this film, which is why I’m reaching out to you for support. The screening will only take place if we get [tipping number] people to reserve tickets – You will only be charged for the ticket if we’re successful in getting the minimum (or more) reservations!

Please help me take a stand and spread the good word about this event. I am beyond thrilled to share this wonderful documentary with the community I care so much about!

The screening is planned for [date] at [time] at [theater and address]. If you plan on attending, please reserve your ticket at [Gathr screening URL].

See you there!

SAMPLE EMAIL TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS

Hello [CONTACT],

I am contacting you on behalf of The Student Body. A true underdog story about two brave girls who take a stand against government bullying in the classroom. I am reaching out to organizations such as yours to support screening events of The Student Body in movie theaters across the US.

“Tackling this controversial issue like no other story, The Student Body strikes a chord with a nation filled with concern, confusion, division, and questions.”

Will you join me in spreading the word about my screening? This event will only happen if enough tickets are reserved to meet the minimum “tipping” point.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE SCREENING OF THE STUDENT BODY

You can create a community event with this screening of THE STUDENT BODYby doing the following:

• Use the screening to highlight your organization’s own efforts

• Create a speaking engagement, Q&A or roundtable for attendees.

• Recruit and grow organizational membership.

Gathr’s support team ([email protected] or 855.428.4787) is available if you’d like more information about how this all works, and how to rally local members to attend a screening.

We look forward to working together to bring The Student Body to your city.

Best,

Movie Captain

ADDITIONAL TIPS

HITTING YOUR TICKET THRESHOLD

Congrats MC! Your screening has been given the “green light” to officially happen, but don’t stop there:

• Make it a sell out! Keep spreading the good word about your event so each seat is filled.

• Gathr will notify the theater as soon as your screening tips, so you don’t have to!

NIGHT OF YOUR SCREENING

Don’t stop promoting until just hours before your screening. Most people decide to attend a movie at the last minute, so don’t get discouraged if your tickets sold or reservation numbers don’t spike until just days before the event.

• Once your screening tips, the theater is set to go, but if you would like you can assign volunteers to greet attendees and coordinate sign-in sheets. Think of them as personal ambassadors for your screening.

• Remember to take photos and post to Twitter & Facebook!

GATHR FAQS

What is Gathr?

Gathr allows you to bring The Student Body to a venue near you. It’s called Theatrical On Demand®. The goal is to unite as many people with The Student Body as possible in a theater setting that allows viewers to tune out distractions and immerse themselves in this story.

How do Gathr screenings happen?

Requested Gathr screenings can only happen if a minimum number of people reserve tickets before a screening request expires. Every screening page shows you the number of current reservations, the number of additional reservations needed to tip the screening, as well as how much time remains before that screening request expires. When enough people reserve tickets to a screening before time expires, the screening takes place. If the minimum number of reservations is not met, the screening does not take place and nobody is charged.

How do I reserve or purchase a ticket to a movie?

Enter your location/zip code on the map widget at the “organize a screening” page [link to our hosting page]. If there’s a screening, it shows up as a dot on the map. Click the dot!

What’s the difference?

If the minimum number of tickets have not yet been reserved, the dot is dark green and you will be prompted to reserve a ticket by pre-authorizing your credit card

When will my credit card be charged?

Your credit card will only be charged once the screening has met the minimum number of reservations. If the screening has reached its minimum number of attendees, the dot appears bright green and your ticket purchase will be processed immediately. If the minimum number of attendees is not met in the time frame given, the screening does not take place and nobody is charged. The movie I want to see does not have a screening in my area.

How do I request to organize a screening?

The first step is to submit a screening request.
Visit gathr.us/films and find the movie you are interested in. Hover your mouse over the movie’s image and click “GATHR® A NEW SCREENING.” You’ll be prompted to fill our simple screening request form. Once you’ve finished, we will get in contact with you with additional information as we work to schedule your screening.

Can I organize this screening as a fundraiser?

Gathr has been instrumental in grassroots theatrical releases for movies across America. Plenty of those screenings are hosted by nonprofit groups, so if you’re thinking of doing the same, your movie screening should be right at home. You can use this screening as an opportunity to raise awareness, solicit donations, and galvanize your community into action.

While you are welcome to fundraise in conjunction with the screening, Gathr can only be involved with the ticketing aspect of the film, and will not take on any fundraising duties. Additionally, due to our commitments to the filmmaker and to the venue, we are unable to alter ticket prices.

What can I do to make my screening happen?

Start with your friends and family, and anyone you think would be interested in seeing the film. Share across Facebook and Twitter, and use our screening toolkit to easily get the word out. Be creative – the more ways you spread the word about your movie event, the more likely it will happen!

What are the responsibilities of a Movie Captain?

As a Captain, we’re counting on you to tell your community about the scheduled screening, and direct them to your screening page to reserve tickets. Remember: a screening can only happen if enough tickets are reserved in advance, so we need you to help spread the word about why your requested film should be screened in your city!

HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SCREENING?

EMAIL: [email protected] or call us at 855- 428- 4787