screenings
Do It Yourself: Host a Screening
Looking for a fun way to engage your community in the most pressing topics of the day? April 2005 is DIY Month and we invite you to host a Media That Matters screening! Throughout the year, hundreds of individuals and organizations screen the Festival in their living rooms, classrooms, offices, community centers, and religious spaces. Show all sixteen films (TRT 1:26) or select a few shorts on a theme such as youth activism, culture-jamming, women's rights or environmental justice.
April 2005 is Do It Yourself month, so sign up now!
- When you sign up to host a screening in April and order the fourth annual Media That Matters Film Festival DVD, we'll send you the third annual Media That Matters Film Festival DVD for FREE
- Everyone who organizes a screening attended by 15 or more people, will be listed on the Festival website!
Join the movement in five easy steps!
Step 1: Get the DVD.
You've watched the films online and know that they can make an impact in your community. The DVD brings Media That Matters to the "big" screen, whether it's your home TV or your local cinema.
Step 2: Define your audience and find your space.
A screening can be any size and shape. Maybe you want to share a few films from the Festival with your children or screen all the films for your colleagues at work. Make sure that you have a space appropriate for your audience and that you have the equipment you need — a TV works great but you might need a projector for a big screen in a college auditorium.
Step 3: Spread the word.
Email your friends and family, post to your blog, make an announcement in your staff meeting — do what it takes to let people know that you're screening Media That Matters in your community. For larger events that are open to the public, we suggest you take it up a notch. Download a customizable flyer to post around town, and fax the press release to your local papers and radio stations. Post an announcement on the MediaRights Web site and reach thousands.
Step 4: Make it happen.
You're planning to screen the festival and to hand out info on the films and MediaRights. But what will happen when the screen goes black? The key to channeling media into social change is debate. Invite local activists and community leaders to moderate a discussion and to give people the tools to take action. Download our free Action Guide and distribute copies to the audience. Whether or not you are a teacher, you're bound to found some great ideas for discussions and activities in our free downloadable Teacher's Guide.
Step 5: Tell Us What You're Doing!
Share your story with us! Send your name, location of screening and number of attendees to our Outreach Coordinator Wendy Cohen and we will list your name and city on our Festival site. Send some pictures of the screening and we will post them too! Fill out the Organizer Evaluation and send it our way. Distribute and collect Audience Evaluations and toss those in the mail too. You can also share your screening experiences online through our survey.
Partner with MediaRights
Want to take your event up a notch? Partner with MediaRights to co-produce your event. We can send one of our staff members to moderate a discussion, organize a panel discussion with filmmakers and activists, or even run a workshop on media activism and outreach. Contact us for information on costs and arrangements.
For more advice on planning your event, check out Tips for Hosting a Screening by Robert West of Working Films.