First in a two part series on the what, why and how of Event Theatrical
Event theatrical is a term that gets thrown around a lot, especially in indie circles where everyone’s looking for a way to stand out, reach their people, and maybe—just maybe—make back their budget. But what does it actually mean? And more importantly, how can you, as a filmmaker, wield it as a powerful tool for impact, engagement, and yes, revenue?
A bit of context: In order to help filmmakers strategize and execute independent releases, in Think Outside the Box Office, I broke all film rights into three basic categories (I’ll post about each of these in the next months):
- Live Event Theatrical
- Digital (including broadcast/airlines)
- Merchandise (physical objects)
Each of these categories has its own unique attributes and most importantly a consumer experience that separates it from the others. Fifteen years later, I still feel that this categorization works and it still forms the basis of my approach with clients and what I teach. This week and next week, I’m going to talk about Live Event Theatrical or as paired down – Event Theatrical
is when a film is screened in front of a live audience
What is Event Theatrical
As I wrote in Think Outside the Box Office, event theatrical “includes all types of theatrical, non-theatrical, alternative theatrical, and grassroots screenings, as long as they are with an audience and the film is shown as the filmmaker intended (usually from beginning to end, in the dark)” Any place, any time, any media.
The consumer experience: Communal/Unique A live communal experience unavailable anywhere else. And if that’s the core of event theatrical, then filmmakers should lean into creating events that foster community and provide unique, in-person experiences.
In 2010 theatrical was still narrowly defined. In most industry circles, it meant a conventional run in a cinema for at least seven days. That definition excluded the vast majority of screenings that independent filmmakers were creating for their audiences.
Live Event Theatrical was a way to give filmmakers permission to count any screening in front of an audience as theatrical. My goal was to expand the frame so that filmmakers could recognize the power of their own releases, even when they didn’t look like traditional “theatrical” runs.
One of my guiding principals is: Every film and filmmaking team is different and each has different goals, audiences, ways of reaching audiences. As a result no two releases will ever be the same.
How you incorporate some or all of the different variations of event theatrical depends on each of these factors and more, but anchored in the goal of your release, which I wrote about extensively here.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
In a world where everything is on demand, live experiences are the new scarcity. Scarcity drives value. If your screening includes a panel, a Q&A, a music performance, a workshop, a post screening dinner discussion—it’s no longer just a screening. It’s an event.
The very fact that it happens live, in one place and one moment, makes it powerful. Even if you have longer runs – I encourage filmmakers to make as many nights as possible special – at least opening weekend.
As filmmakers, our superpower is storytelling. Use that power to design a story-driven event around your film. Create anticipation, generate FOMO, and offer audiences something they can’t get on Netflix.
And here’s the business reality: with the collapse of transactional VOD and the shrinking of many traditional sales avenues, Event Theatrical has become one of the few reliable ways to meet your release goals. Mining the in-person, eventized window is critical—not just for revenue, but for awareness and long-tail impact. Sandi Dubowski has earned over $115K at the box office (outperforming a number of platform documentaries) and more importantly for him, engaged audiences in meaningful in person conversations in a nearly year long theatrical release that still continues and is incorporating a hybrid of theatrical and community/educational screenings.
Creating Scarcity
A key component to successful independent event theatrical is scarcity.
1. Unique Live Qualities
As many events as possible should offer something that cannot be replicated digitally: filmmaker Q&As, panels with partners or subjects, live music, food, audience interaction, or even screenings where the film itself changes each time (like ENO). See our ENO case study here. Think happening, not showing. For The Encampments Watermelon Pictures arranged post screening discussion dinners at numerous screenings around the country. Sandi created “Soul Spas” and editing workshops for Sabbath Queen. See the case study for Hundreds of Beavers and their great lakes roadshow. There are boundless examples from intrepid filmmakers.
2. Time Scarcity
One-night-only or limited-run bookings create urgency. They’re easier to book, more financially efficient, and they train audiences to show up because they know the opportunity won’t be there tomorrow. Scarcity fuels commitment. (what did I write in the book about this) As an example of pure time scarcity see the upcoming release of MY OMAHA directed by Nick Beaulieu produced by Doug Block which through In Real Life Movie Club will be doing simultaneous event screenings in up to 100 theaters nationwide on October 12th as a way to draw attention to the film – prior to additional one night events. They use audience driven dialogues instead of traditional Q&A to facilitate the simultaneous screenings.
When you combine these two—scarcity + uniqueness—you transform a passive screening into an intentional experience. Each event becomes a gathering of the tribe, sparking conversation, building community, and energizing your audience in ways streaming never can. I still get chills when I attend some of our activated events.
The Future is Yours to Invent
“The future of independent film lies in creating new paths, not waiting for old ones to reopen. Event Theatrical is one of the most powerful tools in the indie filmmaker’s arsenal—if you’re willing to think outside the box.” Think Outside the Box Office
I wrote that in 2008 – many filmmakers have blazed new frontiers engaging audiences. I’ve only included a small smattering of examples here. As I’m prepping part 2 of this post – I’d love to hear from you about your experiences – if you’ve written case studies – or know of good ones – write them into the comments below! https://jonreiss.substack.com/p/beyond-the-marquee-the-power-of-event