Forgotten Plague documentary film is ready - arrange a screening!

[Sasha]

I had an email that said that DVDs would be available for purchase from the Forgotten Plague website in 1-2 weeks. I don't know about downloads.

 

[Kyla]

So...there appear to be zero screenings set up for this so far.
https://www.tugg.com/titles/forgetten-plague

How to we get the word out on this?

I know most probably aren't well enough to do the organizing for a screening or to attend one at a theatre. But...there must be some way to get this going.
Seems like a giant opportunity.
And I'm kinda surprised not to see much momentum behind this.

 

[Scarecrow]

I

So...there appear to be zero screenings set up for this so far.
https://www.tugg.com/titles/forgetten-plague

How to we get the word out on this?

I know most probably aren't well enough to do the organizing for a screening or to attend one at a theatre. But...there must be some way to get this going.
Seems like a giant opportunity.
And I'm kinda surprised not to see much momentum behind this.

I provisionally looked into organsing a screening but none of my local cinemas belong to the group that Tug offer. I don't think the information on the website is helpful.

 

[Kyla]

I

I provisionally looked into organsing a screening but none of my local cinemas belong to the group that Tug offer. I don't think the information on the website is helpful.

That distribution system (Tugg) only has theatres in the states. I think the idea was people from other countries would use the choose your own venue option.
The Forgotten Plague people did detail this somewhere but I can't remember where they mentioned it.

 

[Sasha]

So...there appear to be zero screenings set up for this so far.
https://www.tugg.com/titles/forgetten-plague

How to we get the word out on this?

I know most probably aren't well enough to do the organizing for a screening or to attend one at a theatre. But...there must be some way to get this going.
Seems like a giant opportunity.
And I'm kinda surprised not to see much momentum behind this.

I suspect that most patients are going to want to see the film to make sure that they want to arrange a screening first (as you would for any film, I think!). So I think that FP will need to get that side of things going before we really see a big wave of activity and the momentum starts to build.

 

[Sasha]

I

I provisionally looked into organsing a screening but none of my local cinemas belong to the group that Tug offer. I don't think the information on the website is helpful.

I had the impression that more instructional stuff would be coming down the pike from FP. We can't use Tugg for commercial cinemas outside the US, though - but I think we might be able to use it for other venues.

We can maybe help by learning about the process and posting about it, if FP don't. I suspect they're a bit overwhelmed by all the work they've had to do around getting the Tugg stuff sorted and dealing with initial inquiries.

 

[Scarecrow]

I had the impression that more instructional stuff would be coming down the pike from FP. We can't use Tugg for commercial cinemas outside the US, though - but I think we might be able to use it for other venues.

We can maybe help by learning about the process and posting about it, if FP don't. I suspect they're a bit overwhelmed by all the work they've had to do around getting the Tugg stuff sorted and dealing with initial inquiries.

I think that they really need to put full information about how to arrange a screening on the film's website - http://www.forgottenplague.com/ - and use Fb to publicise it. Fb is a bugger to make sense of.

I investigated what would be involved in arranging a screening. I would have liked to have done a fundraiser and used a proper cinema as there are several options in Edinburgh that would have been ideal for venue size and the nature of the film. I wouldn't bother with a community location because to be 'an event', you need a theatre / cinema and a decent screen.

I couldn't figure out if I could hire the film to show in a cinema outside the USA and, if so, how much it would cost.

Instead of trying to cater for the US market and the rest of the world simultaneously (but not in fact catering very well for RoW) , I would have preferred them to concentrate on the US market initially and state that further information would be available later.

I wouldn't personally bother with a community venue. A single screening would be $500.00 minimum (up to 120 seats), which is a lot to recoup and raise funds on top of that when the quality of the screening would be quite poor.

 

[Sasha]

I think that they really need to put full information about how to arrange a screening on the film's website - http://www.forgottenplague.com/ - and use Fb to publicise it. Fb is a bugger to make sense of.

There's a contact form on their website and I think they'd find that feedback useful. They're probably wondering why it's so quiet! Or perhaps they always knew this was a bit of a longer game than the rest of us had realised and it's a soft launch.

I investigated what would be involved in arranging a screening. I would have liked to have done a fundraiser and used a proper cinema as there are several options in Edinburgh that would have been ideal for venue size and the nature of the film. I wouldn't bother with a community location because to be 'an event', you need a theatre / cinema and a decent screen.

I wonder if that's so - even a big TV in a room of 20 people might be OK. What do student film socs do and church halls do? I seem to remember seeing films at my uni's film soc on the sort of projection screen that you just pull down from a tube that's suspended on the top of a stand or hanging from a blackboard or something (showing my age!) - like you would a Powerpoint presentation or something.

Maybe you're thinking in terms of a much bigger event - and it would be great to have them, and use them as fundraisers as you say - but it would also be good to target medical schools, idealistic students, WIs, all those little groups who might get inspired and do something.

I couldn't figure out if I could hire the film to show in a cinema outside the USA and, if so, how much it would cost.

Instead of trying to cater for the US market and the rest of the world simultaneously (but not in fact catering very well for RoW) , I would have preferred them to concentrate on the US market initially and state that further information would be available later.

Again, I think they might find it helpful to know that you tried and bounced off it.

I wouldn't personally bother with a community venue. A single screening would be $500.00 minimum (up to 120 seats), which is a lot to recoup and raise funds on top of that when the quality of the screening would be quite poor.

What, that's what it would cost to hire a cinema? Do you have to hire a cinema? Rather than just propose to the cinema that they show the film? I haven't looked into this yet. Or would that be room hire?

Cheer up, little emoticons! You're pioneers!

 

[Scarecrow]

wonder if that's so - even a big TV in a room of 20 people might be OK. What do student film socs do and church halls do? I seem to remember seeing films at my uni's film soc on the sort of projection screen that you just pull down from a tube that's suspended on the top of a stand or hanging from a blackboard or something (showing my age!) - like you would a Powerpoint presentation or something.

Here's a link to the community venue options. Select DVD or Blu-Ray, then the event type and room size and you will see the costs.

I think that the lowest cost for a community screening is $200.00, which is for an educational venue at a high school (is that K12?) compared to $300 for a university or general community showing, admission free. Some of the packages state that they include PPR (public performance rights) so where this is not mentioned, I assume that a licence would have to be purchased.

Anyway, the bottom line is that the lowest cost for a general showing is $300.00. Even if the cost was 'shared' rather than charging for admission, 20 people watching a TV screen would have to pay $15.00 each to break even, assuming they didn't have to pay for venue hire - another consideration - and the quality would be pants and it would probably be uncomfortable to sit through. Compare that to the £16 I pay each month for unlimited cinema access (and hardly ever use!!! ). Standard admission for a single ticket at the cinema is about £10, so that equates pretty well with $15.00.

Maybe you're thinking in terms of a much bigger event - and it would be great to have them, and use them as fundraisers as you say - but it would also be good to target medical schools, idealistic students, WIs, all those little groups who might get inspired and do something.

Yes, that's what I had in mind. But even an educational showing, eg to medical students would cost $300.00 - great idea, by the way. Maybe I'll contact the medical school to let them know about the film (if I can ever get to see it myself ).

If I tried to organise a fundraiser myself, I'd be looking at $500.00 for film hire assuming 120 seats max. I'd also have to pay for the venue and a licence.

What, that's what it would cost to hire a cinema? Do you have to hire a cinema? Rather than just propose to the cinema that they show the film? I haven't looked into this yet. Or would that be room hire?

I don't know but more than a community venue probably.

In preference, I would have approached a cinema to see if (1) they would just take on the whole event themselves (pay for the film, sell tickets and donate the profits or, failing that, (2) ask them to donate the venue free of charge (since they would still make a modest income on crappy cinema snacks and drinks). There are a couple of cinemas in my neck of the woods that support art house and independent film making that could be ideal for this film.

Right! Having moaned, I will do as you suggest and use the contact form.

 

[Sasha]

I had imagined this all very differently and am realising I didn't understand how this would be set up. It hadn't occurred to me that there'd be a charge for using the film. I'd thought that the film would be free and that to run a fundraiser, you'd get your local arthouse cinema to screen it, they'd sell the tickets and keep the money, but you'd ask them if you could put a leaflet on every seat before each screening about how to donate and get involved, and you'd have someone stand at the door with a donations bucket on the way out.

And for community screenings, you'd show the (free!) film but you'd maybe charge a small fee - no more than £5, say - and again, have the leaflets and the donation bucket.

The high cost of the license is potentially a problem in terms of arranging small community screenings. It would be good if anyone who has experience of doing this kind of thing (or knows someone who does - maybe someone who runs the local student film soc) could give a few pointers.

I think I'd be inclined at least as a first step to get the local arthouse cinemas to put it on and ask them about the leaflet/bucket scenario, and whether they'd be willing to donate a percentage of ticket sales. And then try to promote the heck out of it locally - letters to the paper, local radio, all that stuff.

 

[halcyon]

So has anyone seen the movie yet? Is there any way to watch it if you weren't part of the kickstarter campaign? I wasn't even sick yet when it was going on.

 

[Snookum96]

This is great! I just emailed for a few of us Canadians who may set up some screenings to see the film ahead of time.

I can't wait to see it!

 

[Snookum96]

I just watched it. It was good. A lot of the best doctors speak about it. I'm going to write a review as well for my blog and I'll post the highlights here too.

 

[Snowdrop]

University's as well often have student run film clubs. This often includes documentaries.
These students might be open to screening the film and they would do the work and pay the fees (I think).
It's possible they use library copies of films.

 

[Snookum96]

University's as well often have student run film clubs. This often includes documentaries.
These students might be open to screening the film and they would do the work and pay the fees (I think).
It's possible they use library copies of films.

That's a great idea @Snowdrop !

I know you mentioned that you would like to be part of the effort but are quite ill. Would you like to be included in the emails and have access to the document repository?

We are working at a slow pace. Whatever we are able to do. I just came out of a crash and now William is in one so when we can't do anything we don't.

Lmk you can pm me your email if you're interested.

 

[Snowdrop]

@Snookum96
Yes I would like that. Thanks for the offer.
I will PM you my email.

I have so many ideas lately for projects for me to do to collect info to participate in ongoing stuff etc. but I find I have no ability to execute on anything except sporadically.

 

[waiting]

I just watched it. It was good. A lot of the best doctors speak about it. I'm going to write a review as well for my blog and I'll post the highlights here too.

How did you manage to pre-screen it? A few of us also have some ideas about setting up a screening -- & so wanted to pre-screen it -- but no-one is well enough to take it on.

I'll PM you.

 

[Snookum96]

I finally got around to posting some of my thoughts on the movie in my blog and am going to speak to a friend of mine who runs a cinema in Toronto after she gets a break from TIFF. I'm going to get her thoughts on screenings, how it works etc.

Will keep you all up to date

 

[Snookum96]

I'm trying to get a handle on the number of people that would be ineterested in possibly attending a screening in Toronto to see if it's feasible and if we could cover the costs. The National ME FM actin network is interested in organizing something as well.

Anyone who is interested please post here so I can get an idea.

Thanks!

 

[Sasha]

I'm trying to get a handle on the number of people that would be ineterested in possibly attending a screening in Toronto to see if it's feasible and if we could cover the costs. The National ME FM actin network is interested in organizing something as well.

Anyone who is interested please post here so I can get an idea.

Thanks!

I think this thread is probably being read only by people interested in arranging a screening so you might want to start a new thread to gauge interest in a Toronto screening - but even though there are thousands of PR members, there probably aren't many Toronto ones.