Art Film Theater Business Plan

With our singular focus on film and related arts, we have a solid direction in focus and we are positioned as the premiere source for cinema and photographic arts presentation and education on Miami Beach. The Cinematheque will be the main venue for film appreciation, enrichment, and enjoyment of all the related arts and activities tied to the art of film. Therefore a marketing focus will be on these benefits of visiting and participating in the Cinematheque. Through our diverse range of programs, a fresh experience for frequent visitors will provide an ongoing development in the appreciation, enjoyment, and education that the Cinematheque offers.

Key areas of our marketing strategy include the following:

Membership development and growth as a means to provide recurring revenue. Participation in the Cinematheque will have many benefits, and by extending an impressive value proposition at all levels, we expect to quickly expand our membership to include a wide variety of people, and our retention and renewal level should remain high as a result of updating and perpetually adding new and exciting benefits.

The first stage of membership in the Cinematheque will be the development of the Founding Circle. This will be the group of corporations and individuals who participated in the ground floor construction phase of the Cinematheque, and will be acknowledged on a bronze plaque placed prominently on premise. Through either in-kind or cash donations or a combination of both, membership in the Founding Circle of the Cinematheque will be achieved on several levels:

Founding Premiere Sponsor ($25,000 and above). This level will receive a customized benefit package that individually suits the provider, with the most prominent presentation credit.

Founding Sponsor ($10,000 and above). This level will also receive a customized benefit package that individually suits the provider, with second most prominent presentation credit, customized On-Screen Ad, and 160 complimentary tickets to regular attractions.

Founding Premiere Patron ($5,000 and above). Customized signage for six months and 75 tickets to regular screenings.

Founding Patron ($2,500). Customized animated logo for one month, customized signage for one month, 35 tickets to regular screenings.

Founding Donor ($1,000). Customized ad in programmes and newsletter. 20 tickets to regular screenings.

Founding Friend ($500). Listing in programmes and newsletter, 10 tickets to regular screenings. 

The levels of MBFS membership in the Cinematheque are:

Charter Premiere Member ($100). Special offers from corporate sponsors, MBFS T-shirt, plus membership benefits.

Charter Member ($50). A discount of 12.5% for regular screenings, subscription to the newsletter, invitations to special events and parties. Student and Senior Annual Members receive 25% off.

Annual membership starts the day the Cinematheque opens, but Charter and Founding Members pay in advance, allowing those doors to open!

Regular ticket prices will be $8 for “One Night Members”, $7 for Annual Members, and $6.5 for Students and Senior Annual Members. Special events are priced separately, and don’t apply to discounts unless stated.  

MBCINEMA, the Cinematheque Email Newsletter and direct mailings will be our regular marketing platform for products, services, and events. It will also be a way to document the history of the Cinematheque and show new visitors what they will receive as a member.

Telemarketing will be the follow-up to direct mailings to make the sale if the mailings haven’t yet. Telephone calls will be a way to keep in touch individually with members, and get feedback and requests.

On-site Marketing of Cinematheque products and services will be one of our most important ways to convey messages and direct people to revenue generating centers. There will be constant awareness of what one can see, do, and buy through a variety of imaginative graphic placements and “On-Screen Advertisements” and “teasers”. With a captive audience of those who already made the effort to participate, we will be successful in spreading the word of all we have to offer, enjoying a word-of-mouth push that keeps people coming.

Targeted Advertisements will form a diversity of support for the Cinematheque. Instead of concentrating on daily promotions of specific films (which will also be included in the marketing budget but only when appropriate and sponsored), there will be marketing efforts for specific “areas” of programming, such as “Cafe Con Cinema” aimed at the Spanish speaking market for Wednesday Nights, “Views From the uNderground” marketed to the hard core film buffs, and “GaySunDayNite” to the gay market. The advertisements will heavily promote the telephone number as a way to know the details, by calling 67-FILMS. The info will change weekly.

General Listings will also be broad in scope, giving information on types of nights and the number you can call for more information. Details will be provided in listings when needed and appropriate.

The Website will always be mentioned in advertisements as a place to buy advance tickets and other products. By selling advance tickets, we will know our capacities in advance and be able to judge when extra marketing is neccessary. Once at the site, there will be constant direction to revenue generating centers, such as the merchandise page full of interesting things to purchase. The website will also be a base for our mission of education with the tour of the Cinematheque Archive “The History of Cinema Illustrated by Souvenir Programs”. There will be a strategic placement of links to and from other websites.

Radio and PSAs will form a support group from a wider area, and we will participate in creative giveaways for awareness in targeted radio stations. The Cinematheque will specialize in Alternative music (lounge, classical, jazz, and retro) and the markets that appreciate these under-available music styles will be contacted by radio with custom sound mixes made by volunteers.

Flyers, programs, and brochures will be an important source of information and education to convey the mission of the film society. The Cinematheque Archive will be a wealth of visual material for a rich tradition of graphic use.  

The Database will be an ever changing animal, and like the website, it will require constant updating. There will be an expansion of our present database to the categories of Present Members (in all categories), Nonmembers but on the mailing list, Potential Donors, Alliances, Vendors, Distributors and Producers, and Volunteers. By keeping good track of our customers, we will be better suited to market to them in certain ways. When they arrive with an advance purchase or a membership card that can be swiped for identification, we will always know who comes to what and how often they come.

Press Contacts will be expanded to include an international array of publications and journalists that are interested in the Cinematheque and what is has to offer. Organized and well timed press releases will be able to inform a variety of target markets what is happening.

5.1 Fundraising Strategy

Start-up Donor Drive. The Start-up Donor Drive effort depends on the commitment of key volunteers to raise funds through corporate and individual contributors throughout the area. This includes leveraging the resources of corporate sponsors and initiating the Founding Circle program where businesses are partnered with specific areas of need. Sponsors and Donors are recognized in numerous ways for the valuable role they play in the organization. We anticipate the drive to cover the opening expenses.

Monthly revenues. Revenues for the 2002-2003 opening will be supported by programming and memberships at first, and development of products and services. The forecasted revenue ranges fluctuate from a beginning low of just a few thousand dollars in our first month as we get open to a high in March, at the peak of season, when we have our annual Oscar Night fundraiser. Typically, July and August will be low season months, but we anticipate that this institution will have much less summer dips than other South Businesses that depend almost entirely on tourism.

Grants. MBFS is currently identifying grants on a national and local basis that complement the goals and efforts of the program. Grant sources have included the Miami Beach Cultural Affairs Council, The Visiter and Convention Bureau for projects that bring hotel room nights, Miami-Dade County, and State of Florida grants, Hannibal Cox grants for development of underserved audiences, and Miami Beach Community Development grants for building improvements. We anticipate that grants will be an important part of our yearly funding, and that is why a professional grants consultant has been hired.

Oscar Night^®. This annual March event is always one of South Beach’s biggest and most anticipated parties of the year. Now an official licensee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the film society is the beneficiary of the party produced by TMG Productions. Since its inception in 1993, MBFS has had a tradition of Oscar Night benefits, and this highly publicized event has become an annual highlight and a financial success. This is due to continued public appeal, corporate sponsorships, and experienced volunteer leadership. This fundraiser should give a financial push after our first few months, just as the previous ones have given a base for our start-up funding.

Fundraising Professionals. These people will be added to the team to help develop bigger projects such as MBIFF. We anticipate their work will help underwrite the festival, with grants being the important matching factor. The Sponsorship agreements, aided by this team of professionals, will help create a base of on-going support for MBIFF. 

5.2 Milestones

The following table lists important program milestones, with dates and managers in charge, and budgets for each.