The Fundy Film Society Annual Report
Sept 1 2010 – Aug 31, 2011: A year of change & challenge
Intro
I never dreamed I would be presenting to members and friends of the Fundy Film Society (FFS) again. Last year I gave what I thought was my swan song Chair Report. Because after being in the position for 10 years, following the 2010 AGM I heartily welcomed our Vice-Chair, marke slipp, into the Chair, taking office officially in January 2011. He served until August and then unexpectedly resigned. At this time Fundy Film acknowledges his energetic and dedicated contribution to the Society during those months.
This report, the ninth in the Society’s history, as always, only covers the Society’s legal year—in this case from Sept 1, 2010 to Aug 31, 2011, a period that reflects a lot of change. And change can always carry with it interesting challenges, and both positive and negative elements.
Since I was not Chair during most of this period, this is not a true Chair’s Report, per se, and I have just done my best to cobble together notes from Board minutes and e-mail. At this moment I want to acknowledge the excellent work of our recording secretaries during this period, Megan Haliburton before the AGM and Michaele Kustudic after. Without their minutes I would have been lost. Thank you both, for jobs well done. I will have the prose version up on the FFS website/Membership eventually. And as in previous years, throughout this report I will try to elucidate how we have attempted to fulfill our mandate over the period in question as well as to acknowledge all contributions that have made the mandate of the Society possible.
Obviously people and volunteer people are at the heart and soul of Fundy Film Society’s very existence. But we also depend on our audiences and those outside the Society who help us reach them; there are those the Society supports, and with whom we collaborate and cooperate, including the primary relationship we hold—with the Acadia Cinema Cooperative Ltd. It seems best to acknowledge these within the context of where they all fit with respect to “how we do what we do”. So that is how I will proceed.
I will take this opportunity, however, to present the Annual Report a bit differently, offering highlights in talking points on the Big Screen from key areas to help you follow this rambling train of thought.
BIG changes
Without a doubt, in addition to a new FFS Chair at the helm, a most significant change to dominate the period came when the Acadia Cinema Coop was able to hire a part-time Manager (Kathleen Hull), allowing the volunteer Manager of four plus years (and Fundy Film founding Board member, Bill Zimmerman) a much-welcomed retirement.
What was initially seen as a most important step forward for ACC soon proved more challenging for the Fundy Film Society: too much time and energy that volunteers could ill afford was exerted from Jan 2011 forward in an effort to simply maintain basic standards and arrangements we had grown to expect from ACC. Perhaps a part of the change was that Bill Zimmerman had worn three hats (ACC Board, volunteer Theatre Manager and Fundy Film Board member) and was conscious of the pivotal financial role (Anchor Tenant) Fundy Film plays with respect to ACC. Newer ACC Board members under Chair Audrey Conroy and the new Manager were apparently less sensitive to the nuances of the relationship.
The list of issues and concerns over the time was long and FFS documented Board meeting minutes, extra executive meetings, Chair’s reports to Board meetings and communications were replete with areas of concern and attempts at resolution with the new Manager and the ACC Chair and Board. Some items of concern included:
• An ACC draft budget rental price that would have sunk Fundy Film (the theatre’s Anchor Tenant)
• Fundy Film secure scheduling concerns
• On-going projectionist issues and compensation for revenue loses due to projectionist inadequacy.
• Equipment maintenance and required investment (Digital Cinema Package server)
• ACC unmet PR responsibilities, due to clients, which the Society had come to depend upon including: timely marquee, window calendar, web site and phone message changes.
• Facilities issues including state of theatre’s cleanliness, equipment tampering, squeaky door, broken chair arms, post Valley Summer Theatre restore (that affected Fundy Film).
• that ACC’s Sink the Mortgage funds were being applied to the basic monthly mortgage payments rather than being used consistently to accelerate payment of the debt, a fact that was never explained to shareholders—the ACC mortgage being an on-going concern of the Fundy Film Society in its role of Anchor Tenant.
When concerns expressed to the ACC Chair and Board and the new Manager were not consistently or satisfactorily resolved, FFS Board members began to suggest that perhaps it was time for the Fundy Film Society to formalize our relationship in a contract with the Coop in order to be able to function and stay alive. This felt like a sad moment for many Fundy Film members who were used to and comfortable with a good working relationship/partnership. But faced with no other choice, and working with the new Manager, Noemi Volovics and marke slipp (with advice from Lee Lewis and Bev Bliss) lead the Society into a successful, yet time-consuming first contract with ACC.
*****
Although the Fundy Film Society has been aware of the digital transition unfolding in the cinema world since we arrived at the theatre (2004), and Bill Zimmerman had spoken to the ACC Board early in 2011 on behalf of the Society, in the Spring of 2011 FFS began to receive definitive signals that the wave was about to break over us. A letter from Disney informed us that they would probably stop making 35mm prints by the end of the year. Then we heard that Empire Theatres would be completely digital within a year also. It was this awareness of the coming change that influenced the digital cinema projector choice (2009) for the Al Whittle Theatre in the first place. [Fundy Film had initiated the digital cinema projector fund in 2005 contributing the first $800. Two Fundy Film volunteers also wrote the successful ACOA grant that helped complete the projector purchase along with ACC’s Projector Fund designated share sales.]
Which means that at this time, Acadia Cinema’s Al Whittle Theatre was the best prepared independent cinema in the Maritimes for the transition from 35mm film to Digital Cinema Packages (DCP), as a means of distributing new films. One more piece of equipment, a Digital Cinema Server (like a DVD player for DCP) which costs 15% (approx. $12,500 of the total system cost of $80,000) remains to make it possible to screen current films in the digital age.
Fundy Film knew that a Digital Cinema Server would eventually be required (why our new system is already fully compatible) but this wasn’t a wise investment in 2009 as systems were still under development back then.
When FFS first approached the Acadia Cinema Cooperative with the need to add this component (so that we could continue to screen films in the future that previously had been screened on 35mm) the first reaction we received from the ACC Chair was: “What is Fundy Film’s business plan for purchasing this equipment.” After that shock (since as the renter we expected the “landlord” to provide the equipment that allows us to use the facility) we were next met with skepticism about any need for this piece of equipment at all. Since that time (April 2011) we have worked tirelessly to educate the ACC Board [newly open to hear especially following Board elections in Oct, 2011] that this server is absolutely required if Fundy Film is to continue to be viable as the theatre’s Anchor Tenant in the Al Whittle Theatre. The Society thanks Bill Zimmerman for his leadership in this area from the very beginning.
And finally, this is an appropriate place to acknowledge the major contribution projectionist Tony Napoi has made to Fundy Film through all the donated time he put in at the booth to help make sure most Fundy Film screenings went well even when he was not working as the paid projectionist for ACC during those screenings. Toni’s careful attention also averted a screening disaster when he noticed prior to screening that the French language film HEARTBEAT had no subtitles, allowing us to rent a dvd just in time. Thank you, Tony, for all you gave over this difficult and challenging period when both the theatre Manager and the ACC Chair and Board ignored our concerns about the on-going projection situation.
Screening highlights
I have to say that in my opinion, the paragraph in last year’s Chair Report truly “says it all” about “film selection” with respect to Fundy Film. I honestly cannot top it. So if you are really interested in this significant aspect of Fundy Film activity, do check it out! But without a doubt, selecting films for the Fundy Film Society’s three seasonal series of features and documentaries is THE weightiest task in the Sociey’s broad array of challenges. The choices of the Film Selection Committee make or break a series. Of course having an abundance of great flicks to choose from is key and that is not always the case. Some seasons we get lucky; others not so. Bev Bliss, Bob Brown, Rachel Brickner, Mike Butler, Mary Costello, Megan Haliburton, Susan Hauer, Michaele Kustudic, John Robichaud, Noemi Volovics, Bill Zimmerman, and Ned Zimmerman contributed in varying amounts. The Society thanks long-serving Board member Bob Brown who bid farewell to the Board in June. Bob also served on the Film Selection for many years.
According to my calculations, during this period we screened 61 films (41 features, 18 docs and 2 special screenings) in a total of 92 screenings. Here are the top attendance films of this period and I give the top film of 2009 and 2010 for comparison):
2009
The Secret Life of Bees 384
2010
The Young Victoria 327
2011
Feature (at least two screenings)
The King’s Speech 398 (2011)
Get Low 237 (2010 – Autumn)
Barney’s Version 336 (2011)
L’illusionniste (The Illusionist) 231
Another Year 225 (2011)
Beginners 220 (2011)
Doc (single screening)
Inside Job 170 (2011)
Other collaborative or specialty screenings of note were:
The Agronomist screening for Haiti, one year after the earthquake. This special screening allowed us to sent $1,500 to Partners in Health: Free-will donations of the people who attended collected $1,488.40; $500 was donated by the Rotary Club of Wolfville. Expenses came to $386.40. Fundy Film members made up the difference from their own pockets to bring the amount up while covering FFS costs. Dr. Rachel Brickner (poli-Sci Acadia and FFS Board member) and Dr. Robert Huish of Dalhousie University participated in an excellent after-film discussion and Q & A. The Fundy Film Society was very pleased with the success of this broad community effort around a film we had felt most appropriate and that we had wanted to screen but could not until there was digital capability in the Al Whittle Theatre.
The General, Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind of particular importance as we did these three screenings in support and celebration of the Acadia Cinema Cooperative’s 100 years of Stage & Screen (1911–2011) on the Al Whittle theatre site. These will be discussed in detail later in the report.
Gasland (2011) was followed by “citizen expert” Nina Newington’s excellent presentation and a Q & A session. A majority of the audience attended and there was much positive feedback to Fundy Film for this screening.
Each year there are a couple of films that may not even bring out the numbers but move audiences in a special ways. In another great year of film screenings one of these popular audience favourites (and mine as well) was the inspiring, humourous and delightful documentary from New Zealand: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls.
Financial considerations
Intro
The Fundy Film Society’s financial health is not only about FFS being able to present three seasonal series annually, but also represents a significant factor in the life of the Acadia Cinema Cooperative, Ltd. (ACC) itself. Members of our Society not only initiated the founding of the cooperative for its mission (to preserve the building for a theatre and to refurbish the space for cinema, life performance and community use) but we also became their Anchor Tenant in 2004 when the Al Whittle Theatre “opened” with a Fundy Film screening as its first-ever event. We have always taken the responsibility of this role very seriously because at times, we have provided nearly 50% of the Coop’s annual theatre rental income and until recently had provided nearly 10% of its share capital investment as the single largest shareholder.
During our AGM period these financial issues and reminders dominated our Board meetings:
• With their successful “Sink the Mortgage plan “ACC has made considerable progress and should have their mortgage debt paid down by Nov 2012. This will take a great burden off the Society’s shoulders.
• FFS costs in most areas have continued to rise, but we have not raised prices since our inception. It is our objective to have a minimum of $2,000 on hand to start each Series.
• The question constantly at the table is: Should we raise ticket and 6-Pack prices or figure out how to get more people in per screening?
• While a more complete response is under Public relations progress, we tried a formal approach of direct communication to our patrons. Using a brochure insert initially, we expanded to the web site and Facebook to explain our dilemma, asking for help to “bring a friend to Fundy Film” and keep our prices stable. Response has been good, and “the price change issue” is being met series to series.
• It became apparent during this period that many volunteers (including long-serving Board members) did not understand that over-promotion of 6-Packs is detrimental to our financial health and that as they become more popular, we may have to keep a careful eye on the length of our 6-Pack sale period in the future. Brief explanation – 6-pack is 6 tickets with a $2 savings. If the balance of 6-packs shifts to exceed the number of GA tickets ($8) then we will need even more people to attend in order to break even or make a modest profit. We have always offered $6 ticket as a reward to our most faithful patrons and to give us up-front capital at the beginning of each Series. But some volunteers were offering 6-Packs as on-the-spot discounts tickets to casual viewers on hand to catch one of the few films we screen that they had missed in New Minus. It is important that all volunteers understand the implications.
• Analysis of screenings and audience stats helps the Board make crucial financial decisions. In 2011, Fundy Film shifted the month of April into the Winter Series and May joined Summer Series. For May, June & July FFS offers a single screening now, Sundays at 8; while Docs, only screening in May, are also at 8.
• Another small schedule change Fundy Film tried was both for audience and financial considerations: a Sunday/Monday Feature screening at 7 both for Easter and Thanksgiving instead of the usual 4 & 7 Sunday screenings.
• Finally, the Society thanks Noemi Volovics for her diligence as Treasure and Cash Box Manager but also for her excellent record keeping which allows for analysis of data and trends that help both the Board with financial decision-making and the Film Selection Committee in their deliberations.
Public relations progress
Over ten years the Fundy Film Society has seen amazing progress through our efforts and ability to reach viewers, or as I like to say “help us get the bums into the seats”. This is a two-fold concern for the Society: The first is that we exist to share great film with as many people as possible; the second is that we need enough people to attend in order to remain financially sustainable. I will also remind everyone again that the Fundy Film Society has never received one penny of grant or government money.
Past Chair reports have gratefully acknowledged many individuals, institutions and businesses who over the years have provided free publicity for our films: a huge gift and public service. Many of these people and larger entities continue to do so and we thank them, most heartily. Most of the groups are now acknowledged on the Big Screen after the house opens at each Fundy Film screening. This sequence was created by James Skinner. It morphed out of our spontaneous agreement to put the Acadia AXE Radio logo on the screen when members from AXE Radio attended our Board meeting and agreed to give us weekly airtime for our PSAs. After the dust settled, however, I, as the person who deals with all of them weekly, questioned why FFS wasn’t acknowledging all the free sources of publicity we get. And thus the pre-show screens.
This screen time stirred up another interesting discussion when Isabella Madera-Voss, Principal of Kings-Tech and long-time friend and volunteer of Fundy Film approached FFS about having a NSCC or KingsTech sponsorship on the screen for $300 to $400 per year. While a sponsorship from the local community college seemed benign enough, and the money was appealing, the majority of the Board did not want to open this particular floodgate and in the end decided that Fundy Film cannot be bought. We asked, if like at Acadia, an exchange could be made of FFS info to students for the logo on the screen, we could agree, but as yet such an opportunity does not seem feasible on that campus.
We are making basic in-roads to students though and our student audience population truly reflects this thanks to the on-going efforts of many hands for which we are most grateful. Andrew Kerr of Wolfville and a student at Horton High School has been helping us keep our print materials before the Horton students this past year. Karen Maser (our print distribution coordinator), with help from Bill Zimmerman and me, has also been keeping print materials at Kings Tech. And at Acadia University, Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that I send out weekly to Acadia’s AXE Radio (Tom Campbell); ASU News student event e-mail/calendar (Ashley Margeson), ACE-IFY to Faculty and Staff by way of Board member Rachel Brickner and direct e-mails I sent to department heads or profs who might be interested in a specific film for their course work—all this has helped tremendously. Thanks to all and again to James Skinner for connections to AXE Radio and the ASU e-mail, which built on Fundy Film’s long relationship with Acadia and the Student Union —initiating many past ASU/FFS meetings, communications, links and ASU students on our Board, info in frosh packs, special screenings for Residence leaders etc. that Fundy Film has carried out since we entered the Al Whittle Theatre (see Chair reports from 2004 forward.)
James also evolved our Facebook presence (building on Julie Harris’s original work and ASU student Board member Azura Goodman’s efforts) which has since been managed faithfully by Nancy Saul-Demurs who also took over the FFS Twitter from Bill Z. Thank you so much Nancy. Along with our web site (which Bill and I are doing at least until Ned Zimmerman completes the next phase of content management evolution (Thank you, Ned! Hurry up, will you!)) these are all important social media forms that are making a difference to our profile with the younger generations.
Another PR angle that continues to develop is our direct contact to community groups for films appropriate to their interests. The Board established a Publicity and Promotions Committee and one task was to develop a Community Directory to facilitate this communication efficiently. Little progress on this grand contact list to date but some e-mails to groups have resulted in excellent audience turnouts.
One of the most interesting innovations of this period PR-wise has been the establishment of weekly trailers before our films. Talked about on and off since we entered the theatre in 2004, and with a few trailers presented over the years on 35mm, until we had a digital cinema projector, this was not possible. There had also always been discussion over the years about the nature of trailers—how they can mislead the audience, and the number of audience members who have told Fundy Film that they were glad that FFS did not present trailers. More important, who was going to do this, what volunteer(s) did we have to carry this operation out week to week. John Robichaud and James Skinner revisited the idea at last year’s AGM and after discussion the general assembly agreed that it should be investigated in spite of the fact that the Acadia Cinema Coop could not provide a projectionist who would be able to handle the equipment to carry out the process every week, something that Board members raised at the time. Never-the-less, unbeknownst to the Board in general, the FFS Chair made arrangements for James and John to create a pre-show package without direction from the Board. In the meantime within a week Bill Z. had a simple trailer test package up and running, appropriating a 4-slide sequence prior to the trailers (Al Whittle Theatre and thee related Fundy Film logos) that James had offered for viewing at the AGM. Eventually James created the fuller pre-trailer slide show (as described earlier) to go with a trailer intro package designed by John. After Bill Z. and Pete Conroy changed the house-light wiring, marke, James, John and Tony also worked on a better pre-show house lighting sequence that was not without controversy initially because some wanted the audience to enter into a semi-dark space to better see their pre-show work. Had they talked with the Board they would have understood that Fundy Film patrons while enjoying the pre-show sequence would also like to read and visit with friends with adequate light before the screening. The Board suggested changes to John several times and eventually a routine was established with Anne O’Dell coming on board to help with the weekly trailer downloads (not yet trouble-free); Bill Z. or Tony on hand each week to get them up on the screen, and a compromise worked out regarding the lighting.
We cannot leave PR without mentioning long-serving Board member Lee Lewis who faithfully wrote and sent PSAs for five years. Lee who brought to the Board a wealth of professional experience, generously advised Fundy Film’s Board and this genuine cinephile also contributed valued suggestions to Film Selection in person or from afar. Lee resigned in June.
Community support and collaboration
A significant part of Fundy Film’s mandate has always been to work within our community to facilitate film screenings not only for others but also for charities. These events usually start with a worthy film, one that meets the Society’s standards and criteria that we seek for all of our films.
Once again Fundy Film contributed to the Slow Motion Food Film Fest through the participation this time of member Noemi Volovics. She attended the first meeting of this second fest, beginning work many months before it opened (November 11-13, 2011) not only for her own personal interest, but also to represent Fundy Film. In doing so Noemi was also able to trouble shoot many technical and projectionist issues that were not on anyone’s radar. (Both the Al Whittle Theatre and the Studio-Z were used this time). Noemi was able to alert others who would listen and Bill Z. was one who responded, making significant technical changes that allowed the ACC staff to work efficiently and professionally for the client. Thanks, Noemi.
Fundy Film stepped right up to help the Acadia Cinema Cooperative celebrate the 100 Years of Stage and Screen, the centenary anniversary of the site as a theatrical venue ((1911–2011). FFS put up a pre-show slide that scrolled by during the 30 minutes the house is open before the film screens not only announcing the 100th but also urging patrons to support the Coop’s Sink the Mortgage plan during the celebration year.
Fundy Film was also first off the mark in a yearlong series of celebration presentations. We offered the centenary’s initial event with a Saturday matinée of Buster Keaton’s silent screen masterpiece, The General with local musician, accompanist and teacher Krissy Keech on live piano, including some of music she had composed especially for the screening. For those who were fortunate to attend, this was a most memorable Fundy Film moment.
Technically for next year’s report, FFS also offered in support of the 100th celebration a matinée of the 1939 classic Wizard of Oz (Sept) for kids, and seniors the four-hour 1939 epic Gone with the Wind, also a Saturday matinée in Dec.
Once again we had a documentary in our series to compliment the annual Gaspereau Press Wayzgoose held in October of each year. In 2010 we screened the delightful Helvetica.
Since 2003 the Society has had a policy to provide tickets to arts groups for fundraising purposes. While we donated two 6-Packs to a Two Planks and a Passion fundraiser, requests from non-arts group stirred up an interest to revisit this policy and discuss this whole issue in general. A committee was struck and without a definite policy change, the Society did give a 6-Pack to the VON for their summer fundraiser with a promise that the committee will lead the Board to some discussion and resolution about this policy in the New Year.
Policy & procedures development
Our new Chair marke slipp rightly recognized something that is in every annual Chair report: that if we are to be a sustainable organization, we need a broad base of responsible and active volunteers.
From there we spent a lot of time on areas that had received little or no attention since we formed the Society in 2001. This is, in part, because it just takes so much time to do everything day-to- day, week-to-week, season-to season— just to select the films, get them to the Big Screen and get an audience out to the theatre. And before I go on, let me mention the work of two Society members that happens week to week: Trevor Dalgleish hauls in and out all of our 35mm prints. Trevor’s conscientiousness is extraordinary and his good humour and good nature is priceless. We treasure him. And Mary Costello has been arranging Box Office volunteers for Sunday and Wednesday screenings as long as I can remember. She has been known to get help occasionally from Olivia Frampton or Sonya Stanley, but most weeks, it’s been Mary for close to 10 years now. Thanks, you two!
So while “taking care of business” is a reality, it also becomes a self-defeating one unless people live forever or decide to do nothing else in their lives but keep Fundy Film going!
As Chair, marke asked at meeting after meeting (with no results) for each Board member to look at the “task list” on the Volunteer page and let him know what each Board member intended to tackle; and as is recorded in the Minutes, “Marke noted that if a Board member is absent without explanation more than two consecutive meetings, perhaps they should reconsider their role on the Board. It was felt that this requires further discussion.” It was out of this awareness that a more recent Board decision has brought forward a board restructuring with the idea to create a smaller, “working Board” and to encourage each Board member to equalize the Society’s work by encouraging each board member to become more fully engaged, taking on activity areas personally or be responsible to have volunteers help. This document is amended to this annual report.
Here is a list of projects the Chair initiated and some members of the Board began to investigate over this period in response to the document “how we do, what we do”:
• Bringing an up-dated set of By-laws to the membership for approval
• Creating a Fundy Film Operations & Policy Handbook to include:
– How to select, promote and get films on the screen
– Box Office procedures
– Unexpected ’emergencies procedures (films arriving without subtitles, sold out films, missing cash box, irate customers, etc.)
– Contacting patrons procedure for cancelled or changed screenings
– Donations policy
– Film event partnering policy
• Making a new volunteer page on the website with a more welcoming approach, taking more care with language, e.g. “orientation” instead of “training”
It was with the same lack of response (also reflected in the Society’s record) that marke’s call, at several successive Board meetings for Board in-put to consider “2012: How to celebrate our
10th anniversary? Audience participation? Set up group to dialogue? FFS 10th anniversary ‘envisioning’ “, was met with no concrete results.
Looking ahead
Is it a bad sign that Board members of the Society don’t have any response to or interest in the idea of celebrating our 10th year? Is it perhaps enough that we are in the midst of one of the strongest series in our history?
I really don’t have any answers but I see quiet, continuous evolution and that the passion that has kept us going is still shared. While we have a lot of practical work cut out for us parallel to keeping our series going, while we need more working members, we also have always been open to new ideas and have enjoyed new innovations.
Bringing back W.A.C.K.Y one day is one of my personal priorities (mentioned in last year’s report as well) and my hope is that we can continue to recruit conscientious, passionate cinephiles to carry Fundy Film forward for another 10 years.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan J. Hauer
*******
The Fundy Film Society – Jan 31, 2012
“How we do, what we do or
A suggested board restructuring to encourage more equitable board engagement
A. Bill, Noemi and Susan proposed that we convert our current Board to a smaller working Board. This is a Board decision that has been approved at a recent Board meeting. We wanted this approved now so that interested members, volunteers and friends will know what “being on the Board” will entail—i.e. what needs to be done to keep Fundy Film going day to day— before the AGM’s nominations and election.
B. Following what is in the newly proposed boiler-plate by-laws, we recommend a minimum board of seven working board positions to include:
– a three-person executive (president, vice-president and corporate secretary-treasurer)
– a Board rounded out with members-at-large who would serve as recording secretary and specific activity coordinators.
C. A To Do List identifies positions/activity areas required for the Society’s week-to-week work of planning, arranging and carrying out what is necessary for our annual program of three film series. Not only would Board members be expected to contribute significantly to the To Do List (outlined next) but ideally, Board members would serve as coordinators, overseeing the work outlined, doing the required work and /or recruiting additional volunteers to get everything done.
President (Board Chair)
Vice-President ( Publicity/PR coordinator)
Treasurer-Corporate secretary (Financial coordinator)
Recording secretary
Film selection / Film Circuit liaison coordinators
Print traffic / Projection coordinator
Screening coordinator
D. Detailed activities of each To Do list area:
1. President (Board Chair)
Oversees the running of the Society; arranges and runs Board meetings; is the public spokesperson for the Society.
2. Vice-President ( Publicity/PR coordinator)
• Substitutes for the President when unavailable;
• Coordinates Publicity/PR activity (including recruiting other board members, society members or volunteers) to:
– maintains Web content (web site, Twitter, Facebook, Valley Events);
– generates Print materials (series tickets, brochure, poster, bookmarks) including distribution to local & wider communities and campuses;
– generates and send press releases / PSAs – to media, list serves, Acadia [faculty, radio, ASU e-mail & depts for specific films] and community orgs for specific films
– arranges interviews
– responds to patron/member contact
– maintains a liaison position with Acadia University
3. Treasurer-Corporate Secretary (Financial coordinator)
Keeps the Society’s books while also paying all bills, overseeing Box Office sale needs and banking, dealing with all communication including the Society’s status and financial issues (with Joint Stocks, the Circuit, ACC, distributors etc.) and providing analysis of FFS financial status based on series data.
4. Recording Secretary
Takes and circulates minutes at Board meetings; circulates agendas and notices to Board members and members.
5. Film selection/Film Circuit liaison coordinators
Coordinates the Film Selection Committee process and books screening schedule with theatre manager; arranges films with the Circuit or the distributor and is responsible for all communication this entails (negotiating fees, guest visitations, print format, proper print traffic address for type of carrier, one sheets etc.); informs Publicity/PR, Print traffic/Projector coordinator and Screening coordinator of final film schedule, distributors list and film format.
6. Print traffic/Projection coordinator
Coordinates (including recruiting volunteers) all aspects of print traffic (communication about and physical transfer of film in any format) to and from the theatre; liaison with Just Us! and theatre management with respect to deliveries; and works with theatre management on projection and format issues.
7. Screening coordinator
Coordinates all details of each screening including training and scheduling of Box Office and front-of-house volunteers; facilitating crowd control and making announcements to the audience. Also serves as liaison to theatre manager (theatre issues only) and Just Us! (café closures and other shared lobby and café related issues.)