Program Set for Art House Convergence Regional Seminar August 22-23 in New York

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Wed, 08/14/2013 - 15:22 -- Nick Dager

Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington, New YorkThe program has been set for the Art House Convergence’s first-ever regional seminar, Thursday and Friday August 22-23 at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, New York. The seminar will cover topics from fundraising to repertory programming to digital cinema.

Russ Collins, who is artistic director of the Cinetopia Festival, CEO of Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater and director of the Art House Convergence said the turnout has exceeded expectations. He said he and conference manager Barbara Twist felt that a turnout of 25 people would be a success for their first effort.

With a week still to go before the New York seminar convenes, Twist said, more than 64 people had registered, including at least six representing theatres that have never attended the annual event.

Collins said the idea of regional seminars has been discussed at the annual January conference for a couple of years. The purpose was to make it easier for people in a region to meet without having to travel to Utah in January every year. “Clearly there’s a hunger for camaraderie and information,” he said. While most of the registered attendees come from the greater metropolitan New York area, some are coming from as far away as Nashville and California, he added.

He and Twist said that based on the response to the New York seminar, other regional seminars will definitely be held and that different regions will be selected each year for the event. Twist said the exact location of a 2014 seminar was still being discussed but that both the San Francisco Bay Area and the Southeast were under consideration.

Here’s the program for the upcoming New York regional seminar.

A Tour of Cinema Arts Centre: Thursday, August 22, 10:00AM – 11:00AM
Come take a tour of our host theater, Cinema Arts Centre, and learn more about their programming, operations and community!
 
Repertory Programming in the Digital Age: What The Hell Is It? Thursday, August 22, 11:00AM – 12:15PM
How do I get a 35mm print of Casablanca? Why should I keep my 35mm equipment? How do I establish a relationship with a film archive? What will happen to all my favorite obscure B-movies? The panelists will answer your questions and discuss changes in methods and planning for repertory programming.

Panelists:
Jake Perlin, Cinema Conservancy/Artists Public Domain
Aliza Ma, Museum of the Moving Image
Brian Belovarac, Janus Films
Jed Rapfogel, Anthology Film Archives
 
Lunch with Open Q&A: Thursday, August 22nd, 12:30PM – 1:30PM
The Art House Convergence will provide lunch on site with an open Q&A session discussion on the Art House Convergence and other pertinent issues facing Art Houses.
 
Dynamic Membership Programs: Thursday, August 22nd, 1:45PM – 3:15PM
Membership is a vital part of all art house theater audiences and budgets. Members make the best movie customers because they are invested and make up a significant portion of your audience. Membership can be a significant source of revenue for both non-profit and for-profit theaters, as it is a renewable source not unlike ticket sales and concessions.
 
Tips & Tricks for All Things Digital Cinema: Thursday, August 22nd, 3:30PM – 5:00PM
Now that digital cinema is here, how do you stay on top of the latest trends and changes? Join several Art House members in their discussion of maintaining your projectors, staff training, developing pre-show content and more.

Panelists:
Griffith Iffith, IFC Center
Dylan Skolnick, Cinema Arts Centre
Stephanie Silverman, The Belcourt Theatre
Ronnie Ycong, Spotlight Cinema Networks
 
The Role of Media Arts Education: Friday, August 23rd, 9:15AM – 10:05AM
A conversation about why media arts education is so important and why we as Art Houses should take it up as our cause.
 
Customer Service and the Art House: Friday, August 23rd, 10:10AM – 11:00AM
Excellent customer service is not rocket science, but it is a careful calibration of both “science” and common sense. This panel reflects two organization’s approaches to their people and resources, and the thoughtful applications of both that enable them to provide exceptional customer service in a highly-demanding environment, while maintaining high staff morale, and retaining and rewarding their best people.

Panelists:
Glenn Raucher, Film Society of Lincoln Center
Sean Egan, MoMA

Go Digital or Go Dark Campaign Success! Next Steps: Friday, August 23rd, 11:00AM – 12:00PM
Art houses across the country have been wildly successful with fundraising for the digital cinema transition, but how do you keep that momentum and excitement going with new fundraising campaigns? Join Elisabeth Holm of Kickstarter, Karen Helmerson of NYSCA, and Rene Bouchard of Cinema Arts Centre to discuss digital cinema fundraising, and how to capture that same excitement for other projects and campaigns.

Panelists:
Rene Bouchard, Cinema Arts Centre
Karen Helmerson, New York State Council On The Arts
Elisabeth Holm, Kickstarter

Seminar registration is still available. Contact Barbara Twist with any questions or comments at [email protected].

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