ATTENTION!!! Anyone interested in Hollywood Bar & Filmworks PLEASE LOOK HERE!!!!!

Gary had mentioned the possibilty of getting a video projector from a friend of his.

But again, let's try to just keep this as a head count.

I am working on getting a "special guest" to attend, but as with everything else...it is ALL up in the air at this point.

 

The other way that this can happen...and I am asking for all opinions on this...is that a deposit is made for the place. Now, do you guys think that I could count on getting at least 100 people to spend $9.50 or more on drinks at the screening? Using a free movie as the selling point?

 

I imagine I'll be too tired to even think straight by midnight Saturday. That's not to say you won't find 100 energizer bunnies raring to go.

I'm not sure I interpreted your post correctly but I read it to mean you were thinking of paying the deposit and hoping you could entice 100 people to show up and spend $9.50. If that's the case I'd caution against doling out your personal funds. If that's not what you meant ignore my warning.

Carolyn

 

i would be interested in this and i'm sure some of my friends would be too

 

I would definitely be willing to do this, and Raiders or Spaceballs would be good. Actually, any movie with ber, food, and waitresses would be good.
However, I doubt that we would be able to get 100 people to sign up to go to this. Even 80 would be a stretch. Maybe if you ask some of the TFN bigwigs to advertise it on the main page or something, then it might be possible. Other than that, I don't know how else to get the word out.

 

If you can get Raiders, and if you hit your quota, I'm there . I think it's just going to be difficult at best to try to get 100+ people in the JC to commit to this. I hope it works out though.

 

I am sure getting the word out via different sites would not be a problem once things fall into place.

So you don't think that there would be 100 or more people at the celebration who would be interested in seeing Raiders for free and buying $9.50 or more in drinks/food? I realize that it is an after-hours function, but I would think that there would be some more people interested in this.

On a side note, Gary from the theater emailed today and said that he has contacted Fox and LFL to see abouut POSSIBLY getting a print of one of the SW films. It is a long shot, but worth a shot.

 

I don't necessarily need to get 100 people from the forums to commit. Just enough to show me that the interest is there and that I would most likely be able to cover the costs at the door. There is no profit involved in this...just want to set up something for the after-hours crowd and cover the costs of getting the theater.

 

Well, keep up the good work, cuz I'm in! Heck, I'll probably be there anyway! I love exclamation points!!!!! Not really!!

(Sorry, it's late.)

 

First off, big thanks for the effort Maximus, obviously you are spending some time and alot of effort to try and make this happen.

I am sure if they could get any SW print (keeping my fingers crossed) that their would be a much larger reponse than an Indy film. Personally I would be up for anything, I am a night person, here in Chicago the bars (if you know where to go)are open til 4 during the week and 5 on Saturday. Kicking back with fellow fans and having a few beers after a long day of walking around CII would be nice.

 

I'm in at least for $20.00. For Sure!! Maybe more.

Come on everyone. What time can you possibly get in the con on Sunday. There's plenty of time to sleep WHEN YOU GET HOME!!!! Live a little.

 

BUMP

 

Guys, I have to be honest here. I just got an email from Gary at the Hollywood B&F. He is saying that should I book the "private" party, he is going to open the doors to the public for his other houses that night.

I don't quite understand the logic here. The place wasn't planning on being open at all for late shows that weekend. The only reason they know anything about the convention seems to be because I and a few others called them to ask if they would be open. I took the leap and began planning to throw my own funds up to reserve the place so that we could have a place to kick it Saturday night. And now he tells me that should I book the "private" party, that he plans to open his doors to the public.

Here is the email. Perhaps I am interpreting something wrong...please tell me what you guys think.

------------------------------------------

Russell,

I appologize for not explaining the deposit amount more thoroughly when we first spoke. I understand your concern for losing out-of-pocket cash. First, let me answer your questions and then offer a possible alternative...

The deposit is $940.00 for the room. The film charge would be in addition to that amount. Don't let that scare you, there is an easy way to make this happen if you are right about the interest level. I'm still working with my booking agent on getting in touch with fox for Star wars as I beleive this is a Lucasfilm Ltd. sanctioned event. If you can give me anything at all to back that up, it could prove very beneficial. We could issue you the 100 vouchers redeemable for food and beverage. In this scenario, we would retain the deposit and you would retain the proceeds from the vouchers. The door would be open to the public and possibly another midnight film. Your film would be limited to those with vouchers or those willing to purchase a voucher at the door if you would like that to be an option.

I appreciate the vote of confidence from your members that our facility could benefit from this and we'll do what we can to insure that we do. If we can arrange a film for you guys soon, we will also be able to announce that Rocky will be playing on an off date at the next scheduled show. One problem we have with Rocky is that when it does play on an off weekend, the audience is tiny because the regulars only expect it to play on the second & fourth Saturday of the month. If we can work something out by next Saturday, I should be able to post the additional show to the patrons and that should insure an audience but a lot of those kids go to a show out of town on our off weeks so it's a bit of a gamble.

I can give you a very good example of why we have to protect ourselves. I had a film festival book the theater for an entire weekend day format. By contract, we should have opened at 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on both days. The festival interupted my normal childrens programming and there were no film costs as it was all independant film they were bringing in. Two weeks before the event, they advertised in local papers and distributed posters as being at our facility on Saturday but not Sunday. I called the group, they were worried about attendance and losing money. The contract was for $1500.00 a day. I let them out of the Sunday contract and they insisted we would be at full capacity all day Saturday. Their staff consisted of 43 volunteers. The total attendance for the day was 59. I had a 11 servers (all working for 2.50 an hour and paying an additional $10.00 to park due to the length of time in the garage), 4 bartender, 5 cooks, 5 food runners, 4 box office staff and 2 managers on duty. We were open that evening until 3:00 a.m.. You can imagine the demeanor of the staff after sitting around for 8 hours making nothing and doing nothing, and then having to deal with the evening patrons. You can't imagine what it cost me. Even after the guarantee was paid, which they tried to talk their way out of, my cost wasn't covered. I was able to resume my children's programming on Sunday but with only a week

 

Are there seperate rooms? They way I read it, your room would be private and he would open another for the public.

Also, he thinks you are with LFL/C II in some way. I would clear that up real soon, if I were you.

 

If you could get a SW film, I don't think you'd have a problem getting 100 people to go see it on the big screen. Indy? I don't know if people would be into staying up that late after the whole day at the convention and the concert and all. I'd hate to see you lose money trying to do something great for the rest of us. But, like I said, if its SW then I really can't see you'd have any problem other than not enough room for everyone!

Good Luck

 

That e-mail from the Filmworks manager was one of the most confusing ones I've ever read. Is this a "chain" outfit, where he has to answer to several people higher up? WHY Rocky Horror? Me and my friends will be there (at least 3) if it's anything other and sci-fi related. The guy (and the org, if it is one) is NUTS not to try and coax 20,000 people to come to their establishment. (I'll tell them that in my e-mail.)

 

I agree, I can't/don't believe this guy wasn't going to be open during the convention. I think he's looking for somebody to cover his costs for the night.

 

No...he is asking if the Celebration is an LFL event. (That in itself baffled me.) He knows that I am just a schmoe that wanted to have a little get together.

I am going to wait and see if he can get a SW film (not holding my breath). If he does, I will do it. If not...no thanks. I feel mislead already and things are too vague for me to lay out that kind of money. I'm gonna be broke enough at the Celebration without having to worry about losing my shirt on this thing. I don't feel that I should be responsible for covering this theater's costs on a weekend that they should be open anyway.

The only thing that I can hope for is that I coaxed them into investigating things a little and that they will decide to be open on their own.

The whole thing just pisses me off, to be honest.

 

Hey Maximus Vader,

I just want to say thanks for taking the time, energy, and effort to try and put together another neat event at C2.

If I were you I would email the guy back and say thanks, but no thanks. It's rather ridiculous that he wants you, private citizen, to take on that kind of financial responsibility. If he wants this to be a sanctioned event (good luck, fella) he should be the one contacting WoC, not expecting you to be his go-between.

Thanks again...cool idea, simply not enough time or cooperation to pull it off.

DJP

 

Ok, this guy is starting to sound a little shady. First off when did the $750 deposit (with more if a special movie is requested) jump to $940 for a private room? I think this guy is not just trying to cover his arse but taking advantage. He tells you not to be afraid of charging a grand to your credit card, then proceeds to spend more than half of his email bitching about some independent film festival that caused him to loose money one weekend. Also it sounds like if you do go ahead and set up this private party, he is going to open the rest of his theaters up to the public, you pay for his staff to show up for your party, then while his staff is there he gets them to serve the other theaters too. It sounds like he already is planning on Rocky Horror and a small turnout.

I apologize if I sound bitter, but after reading the email he sent to you, I get the impression this guy is not just looking out for himself, but looking to milk a bunch of out of towners for every penny he can get. Just my impression, I could be wrong.

My suggestion from here, wait. Lets see if he can get Star Wars. I cant see less than half a percent of the 20,000 estimate attendies (and that may be a little conservative) not being even just a little bit interested in a midnight showing of Star Wars!! If he cant and starts pushing Indy and a deposit, I say we all just meet up and go hit some other bar!!

Again, Thanks for all your hard work into trying to make this happen.

 

I wouldn't throw down your own cash for this. The whole point was for the dude at the Filmworks place to be a business man, and make a business decision. He should do all the work and make all the money. We just wanted a place to chill and watch some movies. With beer, of course.
If he doesn't see the opportunity of this situation, he's a freaking idiot!!!

 

Ah Heck with it, lets just go find a karaoke bar

 

Again... I'm not in unless Bill Murray it there...or that guy that sang the Cantina Lounge Song....come on now.. who's with me?

 

I'm glad you decided against doing this. I just read today's update, talk about dodging a bullet. I doubt all that many people would pay to see something they could do for free.

 

Just got word form the Celebration that THEY are showing all FOUR movies Fri and Sat night anyway! At a decent hour also. It may be a little less intimate and the kiddies will be there and no liquor, but who cares. That'll probably work out better anyway. So forget these people. I'll be hanging at that and still have time to go hit some bars. Done deal. Lucasfilm and Wizards is REALLY on the ball with this.