Frequently Asked Questions

For Filmmakers

What is Indie Circuit?

A free directory of independent movie theaters that a filmmaker can pitch directly. Each listing shows the booking contact the theater publishes, what it books, the terms it offers, the formats it can play, and how it wants to be pitched.

Does Indie Circuit book my film?

Not yet. Today you contact each theater yourself, using the details on its listing. Next comes the screening room: you post your feature once, with a private screener link and a short pitch, and verified theaters across the country browse it and request your film through the site. After that comes the booking network, where one contact arranges a run across many theaters. The screening room opens early next year; the first films to post will be free. Tick the box on any form to hear when it opens.

Does it cost anything?

No. Searching, reading listings and contacting theaters are free. We take no cut of any deal you make with a theater. In the Screening Room, the first 50 films post free, a listing's time does not start counting until the room has 25 verified theaters, and if the room ever closes for lack of interest from theaters, every paid listing is refunded in full.

Where do the theater details come from?

From each theater's own website, or from the theater itself through the listing form. We do not copy contacts from other directories. Every listing says where its details came from and the date they were last checked.

What do the gold dots mean?

A solid gold dot means the theater confirmed its own listing. A hollow dot means we gathered the details from the theater's own website and the theater has not yet confirmed them. Both are real theaters; the solid dot means the pitch instructions come straight from the programmer.

What are the stars, and what is My Pitch List?

The ☆ star next to each theater, on the map list and on every theater page, adds that theater to your pitch list. The My Pitch List button above the list shows how many you have starred and switches the list to just those theaters. Copy List puts each one's name, contact, terms, formats and page link on your clipboard, one theater per line, and Download CSV gives you the same as a spreadsheet. The list lives in your browser only: no account, nothing sent to us, and it clears if you clear your browser data.

Why does a listing say "Not published" or "Ask the theater"?

Few theaters publish their terms or the formats they play. We never guess, so a blank stays blank until the theater fills it in. Ask when you pitch.

What is a four-wall, a revenue split and a flat fee?

A four-wall means you rent the room for a date and keep the ticket money. A revenue split means you and the theater share ticket money by an agreed percentage, often after the theater keeps a house allowance. A flat fee means the theater pays you one fixed amount to show the film.

Is there a guide to getting my film theater-ready?

Yes. The free Filmmaker Guide covers private screeners, DCPs, the delivery checklist and how to pitch a theater.

Do I need a DCP?

Many theaters require one. A DCP, or Digital Cinema Package, is the file set that commercial cinema projectors play, and making one costs money. Filter the map by ProRes file or Blu-ray to find rooms that play those directly.

Can I pitch my short film?

You can, but know what you are asking for. Independent theaters book features. None of the theaters listed so far says it books single shorts, and most will not give a screen to a 15-minute film on its own. Shorts get shown as a block: a shorts night, a local filmmaker showcase, or an opening slot before a feature. So pitch a program, not a film. Put together 70 to 90 minutes of shorts, yours and others', with a theme the theater can sell, or ask whether a theater runs a local filmmaker night you can join. A theater that lists "Local and regional filmmakers" or "One-night events" is the one to ask. The screening room, when it opens, takes features only.

Are AI films allowed?

No. The Screening Room is for films made by people. A film made with AI in any part of it is not allowed and will be removed without refund. You confirm this when you post.

What happens if someone reports my film?

You are told what was reported the same day and asked for evidence of how the film was made, such as a cast and crew list, set photos or a short call. You have seven days, the film stays listed while we look unless the problem is plain, and you get the decision in writing with one appeal. How reports work.

How should I pitch a theater?

Follow the theater's own instructions first. Keep the first note short: title, runtime, genre, a one-line logline, a private screener link and the formats you can deliver. Say why the film fits that room, offer a Q and A or a poster and trailer, and give the programmer two to three months of lead time.

Can I pitch a theater outside the states listed so far?

The directory grows one state at a time, and each state appears on the map once every theater in it has been checked. Theaters anywhere in the United States can list themselves now, so check the map; new states appear as they fill.

Why are some theaters missing?

Some theater websites block automated checks or have no website at all, so they are still being checked by hand. National chains are not listed. Regional groups are welcome to list their theaters themselves. If you know a theater that should be here, send it through the contact form or ask the theater to list itself.

A detail on a listing is wrong. What do I do?

Use "Fix This Listing" on the venue's page. We check the correction against the theater's own site and update it.

For Theaters

Why is my theater listed? I never asked.

We list independent theaters using only the details you publish on your own website, the same information a filmmaker would find by visiting it. The point is to send you pitches that fit your room instead of pitches that waste your time. You can claim, change or remove the listing at any time.

How do I remove my theater?

Use Fix Or Remove A Listing. Removals are done within 3 business days, and a removed theater is never listed again unless it asks to come back.

How do I claim or correct my listing?

Send your details through Claim Your Theater, or use "Fix This Listing" on your venue page. Once we confirm the details, your listing shows a solid gold dot and filmmakers see your own pitch instructions.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Listing is free, and so is claiming or changing a listing.

Which theaters can list?

Independently owned theaters and venues that screen films for the public and will consider small independent films from outside filmmakers. That includes single screens, art houses, nonprofit and community cinemas, drive-ins, college and museum cinemas, and locally or regionally owned groups, listed one theater at a time. National chains are not listed. The full rules are on the Claim Your Theater page.

Will my personal email be published?

No. We prefer role addresses such as booking@ or programming@, and we only show a contact you have published yourself or ticked "Show this contact" for on the listing form. The email you give us on a form is used to confirm your request and is never shown.

Do I have to state my terms or formats?

No. Anything you leave blank shows as "Not published" or "Ask the theater". It is worth filling in, though. If your listing says you only play DCP and only do revenue splits, a filmmaker with a Blu-ray who wants a flat fee will not write to you. Leave it blank and they will, and you will have to turn them down. The more you say up front, the fewer emails you get, and the ones you get fit your room.

Will I get more pitches?

Probably, and better ones. Your listing tells filmmakers what you book, what you can play and how you want to be approached, so the pitches that arrive should match your room. You can also set a lead time and say "no unsolicited pitches" if you prefer.

What is the screening room?

A private room, free for theaters, where filmmakers post features with a screener link, a pitch, their formats and the terms they are open to. You browse, filter, watch and request a film through the site, and the filmmaker answers there too. Only theaters that have claimed their listing get an account, each one is approved by a person, and every screener view is logged, so filmmakers can trust that their work stays private. It opens early next year.

What is the booking network?

The step after the screening room. Theaters that agree to a standard deal sheet can take films as a coordinated run: one contact, many cities, and the film arrives with captions and a ready marketing kit. Joining will be optional. Tick the box on the listing form to hear when the screening room opens; the network follows from it.

Who runs this?

Page 4 Films, an independent film company. It also runs a free Festival Calendar.