How to Host a Movie Premiere

Schedule a Movie Venue Screening
Rent or partner with a movie theater owner to host your movie premiere at his or her facility. Independent art houses are less expensive to rent and may be easier to approach than large movie theater franchises. There are even more opportunities to host a movie premiere at alternative venues such as micro-cinemas. The company, Micro-cinema International operates a large database of small venues where filmmakers can host a movie premiere screening. You can also tap into peer-to-peer film screening networks where individuals agree to host a film at their home or local venue. Submit to a film festival for a built-in venue to host a movie premiere.

Invite Cast and Crew Members
Encourage cast and crew members to attend your movie premiere, especially if a wrapup screening did not take place. The actors and staff who worked on your film can help to promote it among their own network of friends and family. Inviting cast and crew also gives filmmakers an extra promotional edge, as some audience members may want to meet those who appeared in the movie. Allow each cast and crew member to bring one or two guests free of charge. Anyone else in their entourage will have to pay an admission fee, if one is charged to the public.

Choose Between Public Admission and Private Ticketing
Know what your goals are when learning how to plan a movie premiere. Filmmakers who want to generate early revenue can make a movie premiere open to the public. If your goals are to get audience feedback, then private tickets or invitations may be a more useful approach. Send out professionally made invitations to carefully selected movie fans in a specific demographic. Make a survey for audience members to fill out after the screening when you start to plan a movie premiere.

Invite Movie Reviewers and Print Media
Media outlets should know about your movie premiere well in advance. They are one of the most essential checklist items to complete when figuring out how to host a movie premiere. Filmmakers who want reviews and to build some form of publicity must attract as many film critics, magazine reporters, bloggers, radio hosts and other media as possible. Invite your ideal list and add on extra media contacts who you do not believe will come. You may be surprised at the responses that show up to your movie premiere.

Make your Movie Merchandise Available
Filmmakers can generate extra money by selling merchandise at a movie premiere. This can be done whether you have rented your own theater or piggybacked on a film festival screening. The only difference is that you may have to secure permission from film festivals in advance in some circumstances. Setup a table right outside of the theater entrance to display movie posters, DVDs, soundtracks or other items related to your movie premiere. The type of merchandise available should be appropriate for your chosen audience. Do not sale exotic lingerie or beer with your films logo printed on the front if the movie premiere includes a children's or family content.

Hire Movie Premiere Staff
Filmmakers should seek additional help when learning how to plan a movie premiere. Hire someone else to operate the merchandise table, concessions and staff who can handle tickets or admission. There does not have to be a large group of staff members so long as all tasks can be completed efficiently. If you cannot get volunteers, pay staff a flat rate or percentage of sales generated at the movie premiere. There should be some kind of uniform for staff such as hats, t-shirts or badges.

Reserve Seating for Key Individuals
Filmmakers who invite press or cast and crew members must keep reserved seats for these groups in advance. Observe the layout of your seating area and place custom printed fabric or place cards in these spaces if necessary. Filmmakers can also hire an additional staff member to direct special guests to their reserved seats. The special seating can be spread out or bundled in one section depending on your preferences. Provide complimentary snacks to special guests if your movie premiere budget allows.