Everyone keeps asking us:
“Can you screen the film in my city?”
Well, no. But YOU can.
Let me explain.
I believe people want us to screen in their city because they want people to understand the truth about circumcision, and they believe this film can show that truth to them (it can). However, just because we book a venue, doesn’t mean people will magically show up. And even if they do – we need to sell at least 100 tickets at $10 each or 50 tickets at $20 each to make our money back.
These screenings are a tool – an event. If you bring friends, we will take them from knowing NOTHING about this issue to EXPERTS in under 2 hours. That’s what we bring.
But if you want a screening, you’ve gotta bring something too. All those people you want to reach? Invite them. Otherwise what you’re really asking us is “can you spend $1000 on my city and in return I’ll do no work, so maybe 3 people will show up, unless I cancel at the last minute, because I couldn’t find a babysitter.” Real talk, we will go broke with that model.
However – if you want a screening you CAN make it happen!
We are on TUGG. If you set up a screening through Tugg, and pre-sell enough tickets, the screening HAPPENS! Tugg handles all the logistics, books the theater, sends the screener – it’s great.
But you’ve gotta promote. You’ve gotta bring the people. You’ve gotta figure out how to fill 100 seats.
Is it a challenge? Yes. But if you do it 100 new people will know about this issue.
Here are some ideas:
- Partner with local organizations. Find professor, a pastor, a birthing group, a rabbi, a human rights organization – someone who could bring their whole community to your event. Offer the group something of value if they bring a large number of people – a free talk by a local doula or expert, or a reception after at a private party with food. Get creative.
- Find allied groups. Yes, there are local groups that work on the circumcision issue. You’ll definitely want to reach out to those. But you also may want to reach out to Jewish groups, Christian groups, atheist groups, new age groups, feminist groups, mens rights groups, sex positive groups, LGBT groups, natural birth groups, peaceful parenting groups, birthing and parenting classes, left-leaning social justice groups,right-leaning personal freedom groups, and human rights groups. Some of these groups wildly disagree with each other on other issues, so you’ll want to market to each of them differently, but they all have a stake in this issue. You’ll be surprised where you have allies if you’re willing to look.
- Use social media. You all have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. (I know, because I keep reading your comments asking “can you bring the film to my city?”) Not only can you post about your screening, you can reach out to anyone in the world. Is there a page in your city with 100,000 followers? Can you make them a unique piece of content that promotes the screening? Is there a local celebrity you could invite? Again, get creative.
- Use your network. You have friends and family. Do your friends and family have friends and family? Are they a part of organizations or communities that might be interested? Again, you might not know a lot of people, but you’re six degrees of separation from everyone in the world, so if you start asking around, you might be surprised by the help you available to you.
Yes, this will take work. Yes, you might reach out to ten groups, and only one gets back to you. However, one can be enough. Our Las Vegas screening is happening because a local promoter and skeptic organization reached out to us and wanted to make it happen.
Between them, they’ve got at least 50 people they can bring. If you message me and say “I want a screening, and I’ve already got a venue and 50 people who will show up” …well, how can I say no to that?
This advice also applies to the cities we’re already screening in. I know you want our screenings to make a difference in New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Austin… If you’ve got friends you want to understand this issue, bring them. Not a text they can ignore, but a “I’d like you to come. Do you need a ride? I can pick you up.”
Studies show that people are more likely to vote when they make a plan for how they are going to get to the polls. Make a plan with your friends on how you’ll get to the theater. Let them know there is only one screening happening in their city, so this is it. Pre-order tickets with them, so you know you’ll go.
Again, it just depends – who do you want to hear this message? Bring them to the theater, and we will do the rest. All our screenings are listed here. We’re even doing a half dozen screenings on college campuses that are free to students, just because we want as many people as possible to understand this issue.
https://circumcisionmovie.com/tour/
And if you want to host a screening, you can get one through Tugg here.
https://circumcisionmovie.com/host-a-screening/
I hope you guys create some awesome screenings. I know even as a write this, there will be a couple people who try to organize a screening and don’t promote it. A few who do, but can’t get enough people. But a few of you are going to make it happen, and you’re going to change a hundred people lives.
And a few is all it takes.
Good luck, and I hope to see you at one of our screenings!