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Planning an event can be very stressful. You should consider renting a theater if your event is centered around a film, performance, or lecture. Although it might sound extravagant, it is not as expensive as you might think, especially compared to other venues in New York City.
Before you go to each theater and request an estimate, it is a good idea to know the median price of the kind of theater you want in the part of town where you want to hold your event. The average theater in New York rents for around $250 an hour. You may get a better price if you are a non-profit organization or if the theater owner wants to give you a special deal.
The price you get will often depend on the quality of the theater that you rent. You can get a room with a screen and fold-out chairs for about $125 an hour. If you want a loft space for a complex exhibition, you are likely to pay over $1,000 an hour. If you want to rent a black box theater that is just off Broadway, you can expect to pay around $500 an hour.
Most venues will not list their price on their website because there are too many variables to consider when planning an event. For example, a theater will be more expensive on the weekend than it will be during the week.
There are many different things you should consider when you are planning an event.
Location
Location is notoriously important whether you are looking for a place to live or conduct business. If you are hosting an independent movie screening, a SoHo theater will attract audiences who are fans of art-house films. A mall theater in Jersey may be cheaper, but not as many people will see your film.
Suppose you are having a community meeting or organizing a campaign for a political candidate. In that case, you should find a venue that is centrally located, has plenty of parking, and enough seating for everyone.
A business conference will require a venue located near a hotel and restaurants. Renting a conference room or ballroom in a hotel may seem extravagant. However, if the accommodations you pick have plenty of amenities, people are less likely to go wandering off and more likely to attend conference events. If you are going to address the audience or have a speaker, make sure that the theater can provide wireless microphones.
What Kind of Refreshments Will You Serve?
A theater’s price is certain to go up if you want to have a complimentary bar, so it may be better to have a cash bar since it will help to alleviate your costs. Your guests are far less likely to drink too much if they have to pay for it themselves.
You will have to pay more if you want full table service instead of a concession stand or buffet. Some concession stands will have full meals, and others will simply have traditional movie snacks like popcorn and candy.
What Kind of Technology Does The Theater Offer?
Are you hosting a showing of a classic movie? If so, you will want to find a theater with the technology to show 35-millimeter or 70-millimeter film. The theater should also be able to provide a projectionist.
If you are showing a 3D action movie, you want to make sure that the theater has a polarized screen and that they can provide glasses to you and your guests. Sound is very important no matter what kind of event you are hosting. Your attendees need to be able to hear the information that is being presented to them, at the very least. Most sound experts recommend a Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound system for a movie theater.
Business lectures require the technology to display things like PowerPoint presentations. They should be able to show live web events and streaming videos.
What You Should Ask Before Renting a Theater
Before signing a contract with a theater, you should ask a few questions. If your event is going to be open to the public, you must be able to advertise. You should ask the salesperson you talked to at the theater if they print a schedule in a local newspaper or website. If the theater publishes a schedule of all the movies that they have, you may not have to bother to do very much advertising. People will see the title of your film on a marquee and simply Google it to find out what it is about.
Ask what kind of contract you will have to sign. You should find out how much time you will have in the theater before and after your event. You should make sure that there are no hidden fees when you rent a theater. Ask what kind of insurance the theater has and if you will be covered if a guest should slip and fall.
The Kind of Events You Can Have at a Theater
Renting a theater is not just for aspiring filmmakers. Theaters are rented for all kinds of events. Gamers will rent a theater to play a game on the big screen. People will have their birthday parties in a theater and show their favorite films. A couple may have an engagement party at a theater where they will show a documentary about their relationship. If you have a film you would like to show, renting a theater is the best option.
If you do your homework and ask the right questions, renting a theater can be very easy. Your guests are certain to be impressed if you hold an event in a theater. It will make you look prosperous, ambitious, and sophisticated to clients and investors alike.
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