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I volunteer at The Vic theatre downtown. It was an indie theatre for a long time, and then it closed down, and then the nonprofit Victoria Film Festival opened it up again -- last year? So now it's their venue, and they run it about the same as before: a rep cinema, with documentaries, second-runs, oddities, specials. Like -- Frank is starting on Friday. Then they do the film festival in there, and special events.
I love it. It's difficult to pinpoint why. I come in for an hour and a half-ish. I put out the candy and the bottles of root beer and ginger ale (local brewery, natch). I make some popcorn or (first time tonight!) run the debit machine. I rinse some utensils -- I get a free ticket -- I go home.
I love it. It's something to do with The Movies, of course, with being a part of showing movies. It's something to do with the bare-bones old-school style of the place -- the cash registers are ancient and the popcorn machine is from the 1970s. Maybe it's something to do with me and lost causes,because it doesn't seem likely they can keep the theatre open unless it starts to make money.
The manager -- she is leaving and her job thereafter is being exploded into several parts because no one, no one can do as much as she does -- she is maybe a disguised Cyberperson? -- told me tonight (because I asked) that they need about 30 people per night to break even.
There should be 30 people a night in this town who want to see these movies. I mean, on average. How can there not be? How do we get them in there?
Things that seem to have worked so far:
I want the theatre to stay open so I can be the manager of a movie theatre. I want it kind of a lot.
Thirty people. Help me figure this out, kids.
{rf}
*The other day a guy rented the theatre for his anniversary -- to show his girlfriend the movie they saw on their first date. It was Gangs of New York.
Still -- dead romantic, right?
I love it. It's difficult to pinpoint why. I come in for an hour and a half-ish. I put out the candy and the bottles of root beer and ginger ale (local brewery, natch). I make some popcorn or (first time tonight!) run the debit machine. I rinse some utensils -- I get a free ticket -- I go home.
I love it. It's something to do with The Movies, of course, with being a part of showing movies. It's something to do with the bare-bones old-school style of the place -- the cash registers are ancient and the popcorn machine is from the 1970s. Maybe it's something to do with me and lost causes,because it doesn't seem likely they can keep the theatre open unless it starts to make money.
The manager -- she is leaving and her job thereafter is being exploded into several parts because no one, no one can do as much as she does -- she is maybe a disguised Cyberperson? -- told me tonight (because I asked) that they need about 30 people per night to break even.
There should be 30 people a night in this town who want to see these movies. I mean, on average. How can there not be? How do we get them in there?
Things that seem to have worked so far:
- Season Premieres/Finales of TV shows
- Big kids' films
- Singalongs (Sound of Music, etc.)
I want the theatre to stay open so I can be the manager of a movie theatre. I want it kind of a lot.
Thirty people. Help me figure this out, kids.
{rf}
*The other day a guy rented the theatre for his anniversary -- to show his girlfriend the movie they saw on their first date. It was Gangs of New York.
Still -- dead romantic, right?
