The Delivery Checklist
What a theater needs from you, and when. Sending all of it early is the easiest way to get booked again.
The Film
- The format the theater plays: DCP, ProRes or H.264 file, or Blu-ray. Ask which.
- Have the film ready in more than one: a DCP for rooms with a digital cinema projector, plus a ProRes or Blu-ray for the smaller rooms that play from a computer or a disc.
- Ask for a quick test on their projector before the night. Every room shows the picture a little differently.
- Tested before it ships.
- Arriving at least a week before the screening.
- For a drive: labeled, with a prepaid return label.
- Captions as a separate file if you have them.
Marketing
- Poster: a print-ready one-sheet, 27 by 40 inches, plus a digital version.
- Social sizes: a square or 4 by 5 image for feeds, and a tall 9 by 16 for stories.
- Trailer: under two and a half minutes, as a file the theater can play before other films.
- Three to five stills.
- A one-line logline, a short synopsis, and a longer one.
Details They Will Ask
- Exact runtime.
- Rating, or content notes if unrated.
- Confirmation that your music is cleared for public performance.
- Who will attend for a Q and A, if anyone.
- Your own promotion plan: posts, an email to your list, cast and crew who will come.
After The Night
- Agree on how and when you are paid before the night.
- Ask for attendance and gross; it helps your next booking.
- Thank the programmer. A good night leads to the next one.