Benefit Screenings
What is the “7 Days / 7 Charities / 1 Great Movie” program?
Calvin Marshall opens in theaters in Phoenix on March 26. Each day during the first week, a different charity will receive a portion of ticket sales. We will continue this in cities around the country. If you would like your charity considered for this program, please email benefits@calvinmarshall.com
What are Calvin Marshall Benefit Screenings?
Starting in March 2010, Calvin Marshall will screen nationwide at fundraising events to benefit baseball programs and other charities.
For a flat licensing fee, you may screen Calvin Marshall to raise money for your organization. Sell tickets to your event, resell Calvin Marshall merchandise, hold a silent auction, raffle prizes, and keep all event revenues for your organization. Enlist a local event sponsor to cover the cost of the screening license, venue rental, and other event expenses to maximize proceeds to your organization.
I want to Host a Screening. What do I do?
1. Choose a Date & Time
Considerations when choosing your date:
-Weekend or weekday? Venues may be less expensive Mon-Thurs.
-Is your ideal venue available?
-Who is on your fundraising committee? What are their schedules?
-When are other local charities holding fundraising events?
-Sports schedules and school holidays.
-How many weeks do you need to promote, plan and sell tickets?
-Can you invite a local celebrity (mayor, athlete, actor, radio or TV personality)? What is their schedule?
2. Reserve a Venue
Reserve your venue early. Considerations when picking a venue:
-Available on your chosen date and time?
-Cost? Depending on the number of seats and type of theater, rental fees can run between $500-2,000. You can aim to cover this cost with event sponsors.
-Think of all possibilities including high schools, colleges, community centers, art house theaters, local multiplex cinemas, or an outdoor projector in a park!
-Does the venue require your own limited liability insurance?
-Number of seats? How many tickets can you sell? 200? 800?
-Technology. How is the sound system? Screening format? DVD, Bluray, 35mm? (A limited number of 35mm prints are available. Contact us for more information and availability.)
-In some cities, we have pre-booked venues. Contact us for a list of available venues.
3. Buy a Screening License
Contact us to purchase the Calvin Marshall screening license. We will send you a Screening Kit with the Screening DVD and Door Prizes (Retail DVD, T-Shirt, Hat, Signed Poster). To ensure adequate time for shipping and testing of the DVD, we recommend purchasing the license a minimum of two weeks before your event.
4. Buy Wholesale Merchandise
Once you’ve purchased a license, you can buy Calvin Marshall wholesale merchandise, mark it up, and resell it at your event for a profit. Contact us to request the wholesale merchandise list and purchase merchandise.
5. Enlist Event Sponsors
Costs of putting on the event can cut into your profits. Local businesses are often willing to cover event costs in exchange for exposure and advertising. See the promotional materials page for a handbook, checklists, and ideas for providing exposure to your sponsors.
6. Form your Event Planning Team
To plan a fun event and make the most money possible for your group, you’ll need as much creative and volunteer help as possible. Form your team early and assign tasks. See promotional materials page for tips and checklists.
7. Promote your Event & Sell Tickets
Set your ticket price and sell tickets online, at the door or at local businesses. Advertise in local newspapers, radio, and TV. Mail or email personal invitations to your supporters. Ask each member of your team to sell a block of 20 tickets. Get businesses to donate silent auction items. For more ideas, see the promotional materials page.
8. Test the DVD
We recommend testing your DVD at the venue before the screening if possible. In case there is a problem, allow enough time before the screening to choose a different format or order a replacement copy.
9. Put on the Event!
Giveaway door prizes. Hold a silent auction. Sell food and drinks. Screen the film. Have fun!
What is Calvin Marshall and what is it about?
CALVIN MARSHALL is a crowd pleasing, major motion picture that is funny, fresh and uplifting. Our story follows Calvin's dream of playing baseball and his struggle to make the Bayford Bisons Junior College team. It is ultimately a poignant comedy about Calvin's deferred dream and the people in his life who want him to succeed.
After numerous test screenings and several public festival screenings, Calvin Marshall is appealing to a wide audience, both men and women and does not alienate non-sports fan. The film features excellent human performances from an eclectic cast as it explores themes that anyone who's ever pursued a dream will find compelling.
Deftly written and directed with excellent production values, the 93 minute film was shot in gorgeous 35mm and mixed in 5.1 with a Dolby digital soundtrack.
Who's in Calvin Marshall?
Alex Frost plays the irresistible Calvin Marshall, and the gorgeous Michelle Lombardo plays, with grace and spirit, his love interest and local volleyball phenom, Tori Jensen. The hilarious Steve Zahn gives one of his greatest performances as Coach Little, the bitter ex-minor leaguer who develops a soft spot for Calvin. The entire cast is loaded with recognizable talent who have been loved the world over in both television and movies.
Alex Frost (Elephant, Drillbit Taylor)
Michelle Lombardo (Entourage, Californication)
Steve Zahn (That Thing You Do, Saving Silverman, Sahara, Management)
Diedrich Bader (Drew Carey Show, Office Space)
Jane Adams (Hung)
Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan, Friday Night Lights)
Andrew Wilson (Bottle Rocket, Zoolander, Idiocracy, Whip It)
Cynthia Watros (Lost)
Josh Fadem (30 Rock)
Abraham Benrubi (ER, Men with Trees)
Catherine Coulson (Twin Peaks)
When will Calvin Marshall be released?
In the summer of 2010, Calvin Marshall will be released theatrically in selected cities, including New York and Los Angeles. Blu-Ray, DVD and VOD will follow shortly after.
Why are you using Benefit Screenings as part of your release strategy?
Distribution for independent films has changed radically in the last few years. Innovative strategies aimed at connecting directly with audiences are proving most successful and emerging as new models. We feel lucky to find ourselves at this point in the history of cinema where we can take advantage of the changing distribution landscape and be one of the first to roll-out worldwide using this unique release strategy.
One of our team's priorities is benefiting the audiences that support us, especially the sports community. It is exciting to bring our labor of love directly to you and allow you to share in the profits. The director and each of the producers were involved in at least college-level athletics and desire to give back to this community and honor the tremendous impact sports, teammates and coaches have had on our lives.
Additionally, this screening approach will lay an incredible foundation for our film in North America and recoup our investors contributions sooner than by using a more traditional release model.
Why is Calvin Marshall Rated R? Can you change it to PG-13?
Due to Coach Little's colorful language, Calvin Marshall is Rated R. Coach Little represents a fading breed of coaches, often well-loved but bent on using language and firm speeches to motivate their players. To censor Coach Little is to censor what's truthful and realistic about the college sports experience.
Despite the "locker room" talk, CALVIN MARSHALL is an uplifting, meaningful and life-affirming meditation on the hierarchy of sports. As producers and artists, we feel censoring Coach Little's language would take from Steve Zahn's incredible performance and interpretation of the character, as well as the overall effect of the film.
How does this work?
It's all very simple. Once you license the film, we'll provide you with the promotional materials necessary to market your screening to your local network. These include posters, flyers, video clips, web banners, audio clips for radio, etc.
We'll also provide merchandise at wholesale prices that may be marked up and sold at screenings for profit. Merchandise will include Hats, DVD's, Soundtrack, T-shirts and Calvin Marshall collectibles.
When may I screen the film?
For the initial roll-out, the film is available to license and screen from March through June of 2010. Our first benefit screening is on March 6th in Medford, Oregon. Their local Little League is screening Calvin to raise funds for their annual budget.
Where can I screen the film?
You are encouraged to book the most cost effective and convenient theater you can find. Some high schools and colleges may offer their auditoriums at no cost for a fundraiser. Or a sponsor may offer money to cover the cost of renting the nicest theater in town. Think of all possibilities including community centers, art house theaters, local multiplex cinemas, or an outdoor projector in a park!
What are the Technical Requirements?
Calvin Marshall is available to screen in many different formats including but not limited to 35mm, HD, DIGI-BETA, BETA and BLU-RAY. When contacting us to purchase a screening license, please specify your preference. Some formats including 35mm are available in limited quantities.
We're not a Baseball Group. Can we still screen the film?
Absolutely. Non profits, charities, volleyball or other sports programs, community service organizations, social clubs, fraternities and sororities, and more are all welcome to host a screening and raise funds for your group. This is a film about big dreams in a real world. As long as this message resonates with your cause, that's the only necessary requirement.
I’m a festival. May I screen Calvin Marshall for a benefit?
We love film festivals. Yes, Calvin is available to license for your off-season fundraiser.
Can I screen internationally?
Yes. If you require subtitles and/or a different screening format, please inquire as to availability.
I already purchased a DVD. Can I just screen it?
An advance run of DVDs will be sold at screenings only. The official retail version will not appear until Summer 2010. If you have purchased a special edition pre-release DVD at a screening, you still must purchase a Screening License to screen Calvin Marshall for an audience.
Will someone from Calvin come to my screening?
Yes, subject to the availability of cast and filmmakers. Please ask us if you are interested.
What does it cost?
The price for a Screening License is a flat $1,000.
The goal for us is to gain exposure and make some money, but we also want you to make money for your program. We are willing to work with you on the fee structure to ensure you reach your fundraising goals.
What does the Screening Fee pay for?
The screening fee includes:
-A license to screen Calvin Marshall on one occasion for an audience
-Wholesale merchandise pricing and a retail license permitting markup and resell
-Setup of Eventbrite online ticket sales
-Screening Kit including:
* 1- Screening DVD
* 1- Retail DVD (for giveaway or resell)
* 1- T-Shirt (for giveaway or resell)
* 1- Hat (for giveaway or resell)
How much money will my organization make?
As we launch these events, our hope is that each organization makes a minimum of $8,000-10,000.
An example of how this might be possible for your group:
Revenues
$4,000 Ticket Sales (200 Tickets at $20)
$4,000 Silent Auction
$2,000 Sponsor Cash contributions
$1,000 Attendee cash or check donations
$1,000 Other Revenues (food/drink sales, raffles, other)
$12,000 Total Revenues
Expenses
$1,000 License Fee
$ 500 Venue Rental
$ 500 Other Expenses
$2,000 Total Expenses
Total Proceeds for Your Group
$10,000
How do I make more money?
We’ve collected ideas from other events over in our promotions section. We will continue to add more ideas as we receive feedback from the first events.
Why is the fee so expensive / inexpensive?
Generally feature films are not available to screen before their release date. Occasionally they are offered to college campuses, schools, or organizations prior to their DVD release. In those cases, the charge is often a minimum of $1,000 against 50% of Gross Revenues from ticket sales.
In our case, Calvin Marshall is available before the national release for a flat license fee. You set your own ticket price and keep all revenues whether you sell 100 or 800 tickets.
Can we get a discount or flat deal if we want to screen multiple times?
Yes. Please contact us, and we will work out a discount according to your screening plans. If you are a national charity, we can discuss partnership on a wider level including promotional support.
Do I have to sign anything?
When you purchase the Screening License, you will be asked to acknowledge agreement of the terms in both the Screening License Agreement and the Merchandise Retailer Agreement. You may review the agreements here.
Can I just download a digital file of the movie to screen instead of getting a hard copy DVD?
Great idea. We don’t have this functionality yet but may in the future.
Can I get a refund? What if I hold a screening and nobody comes?
If the screening is cancelled entirely, refunds will be given as per the following schedule: 100% of the licensing fee and merchandising will be refunded if cancellation occurs more than two weeks before the event; 50% refund between one week and two weeks prior, and 25% refund if event is cancelled less than one week prior.
No deposits will be returned until the Screening DVD and all merchandise is received. Buyer is to cover the return shipping costs.
We believe your event will be a success if you enlist a fundraising team, organize and adequately promote your event, but the Producers of Calvin Marshall are in no way responsible for the attendance and the financial outcome of your screening.
Can’t we just buy a DVD and screen it for our group?
This violates copyright laws. You will still need a Screening License to screen for an audience (either paying or non-paying).
How do I get wholesale merchandise?
Once you have purchased a Screening License, you will be able to login to the online store (once available) and purchase wholesale bulk merchandise. (Until the online store is available, please contact us to order wholesale merchandise.)
How much is wholesale merchandise and what can I charge?
For hosts, merchandise is discounted up to 60% off of retail prices. You are free to markup the merchandise as you feel is appropriate for your audience.
Why can't I just buy individual items at a discount instead of bulk?
Selling the merchandise in bulk allows us to offer a significant discount to hosts. It protects merchandise revenues and ensures that wholesale purchases are for organizations to giveaway or resell and not for personal or individual use.
How do I get a refund for merchandise not sold?
If you do not wish to keep the merchandise for resell at a later time, you may pack the unused items in a box and ship back to us. We will issue you a refund for merchandise returned in its original condition. Shipping & handling are not refundable.
May I buy more merchandise after the screening and resell it at my school, on my website, etc…?
Yes. If you are logged in with your Host ID, you may purchase wholesale merchandise for markup and resell. Also join our special affiliate program for Hosts (coming soon) and receive a percentage of revenues from sales initiated through your website.
How do I promote my event?
Please see our events handbook for promoting your event.
We also have graphics, posters, and downloads on the Promotional Materials page.
Will you list my event on your website?
Yes. We do this automatically once you sign up. It may take up to 48 hours for the event to be listed.
What is Eventbrite?
Eventbrite is a third party online event management system. We will add each screening to Eventbrite and give management access to hosts. With Eventbrite, you can sell tickets online, set ticket prices, accept credit card donations, monitor the number of available tickets, and promote your event.
May I add my event to Eventbrite myself?
Yes. But it is easy for us to do this using the current templates. When you purchase a Screening License, your event will automatically be added to Eventbrite, added to our list of upcoming screenings, and promoted with all other Calvin Marshall events. If you do not want your event listed on our website or Eventbrite, when you purchase a Screening License just let us know.
Do I have to use Eventbrite?
No. If you know that you will not sell tickets online, just let us know, and we won't set it up for online Eventbrite ticket sales. Your screening will still be listed in our list of upcoming screenings.
Updating your event in Eventbrite
Here are some items you may wish to update and monitor using the Eventbrite website:
-Ticket Price
-Number of tickets available
-Accept credit card donations
-Add other locations for tickets purchases (at the door, at a local business)
-Your local sponsors and sponsor offers
-Event specifics: auction, raffle, dinner, drinks, dessert, celebrity appearance, etc.
How do I get paid for Eventbrite ticket sales?
Eventbrite will send a check 5 days after the event is complete. Be sure that when you purchase a Screening License, you enter the correct payee and payment address. You can update this at any time in your Eventbrite account.
How do I check my Eventbrite account?
To check your Eventbrite ticket sales, login to Eventbrite with your email and password. Click on your event. A summary of ticket sales and revenues are listed on the homepage of your event. From this screen you can also promote your event, get widgets to sell tickets directly from your website, and send invitations to guests.
