Outdoor series might be reduced this summer
The Hollister Downtown Association is planning another
installment of the
”
Movies Under the Stars
”
series this summer, but the number of films that will be shown
on the grassy lot at Fourth and San Benito streets is still up in
the air.
”
We have one sponsor lined up, but we have someone working on
others,
”
said Brenda Weatherly, the executive director of the Hollister
Downtown Association.
”
It is looking like we may have one or two (movies). We are
hoping to do that rather than nothing at all. The worst-case
scenario would be just one (screening).
”
Outdoor series might be reduced this summer
The Hollister Downtown Association is planning another installment of the “Movies Under the Stars” series this summer, but the number of films that will be shown on the grassy lot at Fourth and San Benito streets is still up in the air.
“We have one sponsor lined up, but we have someone working on others,” said Brenda Weatherly, the executive director of the Hollister Downtown Association. “It is looking like we may have one or two (movies). We are hoping to do that rather than nothing at all. The worst-case scenario would be just one (screening).”
The first summer series started last year, with 14 movies played from May 29 through Sept. 10. The HDA received $20,000 from the Redevelopment Agency and another $20,000 from sponsors as well as fundraising efforts to cover the cost of the series.
Weatherly estimated that each screening costs $3,000 for equipment rental, which includes the screen, sound equipment and project, the movie rental and licensing fees to show the movies in a public venue.
“The licensing to show the movie in a public venue can be hundreds of dollars, and we need to have a little bit of money to promote it,” Weatherly said.
The group had already decided to reduce the number of movies to about half, limiting the weeknight screening to June and July while school is out of session. Attendance was highest in those months.
“The top night was 1,200 people and that was for ‘The Bee Movie,'” Weatherly said. “That is kind of why we are doing the schedule. We kept track of the attendance and the lower attended movies were ones earlier and later (in the season).”
The average attendance was 800-900, with the lowest attendance being the last screening on Sept. 10, when the black-and-white film “Casablanca” was screened.
The final number of movies in this summer’s series depends on how many more sponsors come forward. Sponsorship levels are available at $3,000 for an exclusive sponsorship night or $1,500 or $1,000 to share a sponsorship night.
Weatherly explained that the RDA funding was a one-time deal and that the understanding was that the movie series would become self-sustaining through sponsorships.
“I think, ideally, if the economy hadn’t taken a drive, that might have been able to happen,” she said. “People we would normally get for sponsorships are holding on to their money to make payroll.”
The first year of the series was a learning experience, Weatherly said.
“What we learned is it is a great community event,” Weatherly said. “People look forward to coming down, like a drive-in, and socializing.”
Though some of the downtown businesses did not see an increase in profits during the Thursday night showings, Weatherly said, “People may come back the next day and spend money.”
“It ended up being something people could do for free and it’s downtown. It goes toward our mission of becoming a social and economic hub,” she said, adding that it is one more event to add to the list that the HDA coordinates, such as the Lights On Parade and the Hollister Street Festival.
“Hopefully, on a different day, when they think about going shopping, they will think about going downtown,” she said.
To find out more about sponsoring the HDA’s “Movies Under the Stars,” call 636-8406. A final list of dates and movies for the series will be available at a later date.
