Frequently Asked Questions
Are you interested in finding out how hosting an On Tour event works?
The Basics
Q: What is a Wild & Scenic On Tour event?
A: Wild & Scenic On Tour events are film screenings (single or multi-day) meant to increase the groundswell for the environmental movement. Each January, we host our flagship festival here in Nevada City, California which kicks off our year-round, worldwide tour as we partner with museums, colleges, indie-art houses, non-profits, businesses and festivals to bring the most powerful and inspiring environmental films to communities around the globe. We’ve created everything you need from press kits to sponsorship materials and we provide you with a Wild & Scenic On Tour Manager to guide you through your hosting experience. Wild & Scenic On Tour events are fully customizable and offered at a flat rate, all proceeds are kept by the On Tour partner. This is how our non-profit partners raised over $500k last year for local conservation campaigns.
Q: Who hosts these events?
A: Wild & Scenic On Tour partners with environmental groups, nature centers, museums, nonprofits, outdoor retailers, conscious businesses, schools and colleges, you name it! We do not have any specific restrictions on who is able to host, our goal is to support those who want to host the film festival to raise awareness for their campaigns, attract new supporters, raise funds, and bring global and regional issues to the local level. Wild & Scenic reaches over 39,000 people annually. And every year we add new venues to the tour– more people see the films, more activists get inspired, and the groundswell for the environmental movement grows.
Q: Where and when are we able to host an On Tour event?
A: Because we do not travel to each venue, you are able to choose a date and a city that works for you. The only thing we ask is for your team to factor in a 3 month lead time from the date we receive your signed contract to the date of your event. This provides us enough time to support you in your event planning process.
Q: What is each hosting organization expected to provide?
A:
- Projection equipment
- A venue with an adequate sound system and a screen
- Technical staff to run projector and Blu-ray player (can be a volunteer!)
- Support staff (volunteers) for ticket sales, publicity, setup, cleanup, etc…
- Marketing and promotion
- Tickets and ticket pricing
Note: We do not travel to your venue. We are providing a turnkey event so you can focus on making connections with your community, raising funds, and spreading the word about your campaigns and programs.
Q: Why should we host an On Tour event?
A: Good for your group, good for the environment! Draw attention to your organization and get people excited about the work you are doing while being part of a global, grassroots environmental movement.
- Grow your cause
- Cultivate new, local partnerships
- Raise funds for the work that you do
- Raise awareness
- Attract new members and supporters
- Promote your cause to the worldwide Wild & Scenic community
- Build your community
- Inspire solutions
Q: How do we sign up?
A: First, set up a time to discuss your event goals with someone from our On Tour team. Once you have a firm grasp on how hosting an event works, what we provide, and what you can expect, we will send you an event application to complete. We want to get an understanding of each hosting partner and strategize how we can best support you in your goals with this event. When we receive your application, we will draw up a contract outlining the terms and conditions of hosting a Wild & Scenic On Tour event.
Pricing
Q: Is there a fee involved with hosting an On Tour event?
A: Yes. We have a variety of packages to suit the needs and scope of each hosting partner. Please contact us directly for more information about our booking fees and details about grant opportunities to help offset the cost. You keep all proceeds from you event. Wild & Scenic will never take a cut of the profits you raise – our mission is to support you in achieving your financial and/or fundraising goals. Most of our hosts easily cover the cost of the program with ticket sales and local sponsorship. In fact, many of our venues use this as their biggest fundraiser and membership drive of the year!
Q: What does the cost include?
A: This cost covers the following resources and services:
- Festival Tool Kit – a manual outlining everything you ever wanted to know about putting on a film festival! Includes a comprehensive event planning guide, timelines, strategies for increasing membership, promotional requirements, marketing and outreach strategies, tips for greening and dressing your event, and technical guidelines for your venue.
- Access to films and information about the films
- Opportunity to build your own film program chosen from our list of films (which can be found here: On Tour films). WSFF reviews more than 400 environmental films. About 70 films are selected to tour and from these you build-your-own program that includes up to 2.5 hours of films. Staff is on hand to assist with your selections and the order of your lineup.
- Filmmaker contracts and fees, previously negotiated by Wild & Scenic team.
- Film program packaged on to an easy to play, high quality Blu-ray.
- Ability to chose a date that works best for your organization (you do not need a set date and venue to apply). We do not travel to your venue. Our turn-key program provides everything you need to host the event.
- Event kits drop-shipped that include items from our eight National Partners: Patagonia, CLIF Bar, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Klean Kanteen, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Earthjustice, KEEN, and Orion Magazine.
- Complete graphics package – includes all the collateral and templates for the promoting your event (poster, tickets, postcards, handbill, program, film stills, etc.).
- Contacts for all the filmmakers. Filmmakers love to be invited to your event and are happy to do phone interviews on your local radio station!
- On-line and on-call support from the festival’s tour manager.
Q: Are we able to host more than one screening?
A: A standard event include the rights to show 2.5 hours of film during a one-time screening. We do have a flexible rate structure that allows you to program additional events and hours of film if you are interested in expanding your reach and impact. You can host back to back screenings, a weekend of film, or have multiple events spread out over the course of the year. You also have the ability to host in multiple cities. You can choose any event structure that works for your group and reaches your target audience.
Q: Do you offer nonprofit rates?
A: We have grants available for nonprofits who are interested in offsetting the cost of the Festival Kit. There are a range of amounts available, contact us to find out more and see if your organization is eligible.
Films
Q: What types of films go On Tour?
A: Wild & Scenic Film Festival selects predominantly environmental and adventure documentary films from all over the world. Genres include activism, wildlife, climate change, energy/resources, adventure, indigenous perspectives, food/agriculture, health, land preservation, oceans, and water/river issues. Most films selected for On Tour are 40 minutes or less.
Q: How many films are we able to screen? And from which years of the film festival?
A: The standard contract allows for a one-time screening of 2.5 hours. We typically suggest that you keep your film program between 90-120 minutes to keep your audience engaged. Most of the films available for your film program are shorts (less than 40 minutes). If you would like to program additional hours/events to screen more films and expand your reach, we have a flexible rate structure to accommodate your requests.
We take films On Tour for two years to maximize the visibility of these important issues. You are able to choose films from both the current On Tour season and the previous one. Wild & Scenic Film Festival screens about 130 films each January, and 70 of those selections are taken On Tour. So during any given season, you will have around 140 films from which to choose.
Q: Are we able to screen local films alongside Wild & Scenic films?
A: Within reason, most certainly! Wild & Scenic is a great stage to showcase a local environmental film. A local film can create a lot of buzz and hook media. People want to see stories about where they are from and recognize local faces. It’s also a great way to connect regional to global issues that are showcased in Wild & Scenic films. Please just keep in mind that we are not able to include outside films on your Blu-ray disk of Wild & Scenic films but we do provide all of the tools for incorporating your local film(s)!
Fundraising & Membership
Q: How many new members can an On Tour event help us sign up?
A: On average, our On Tour partners bring in 222 attendees and 36 new members per event. We have had Hosts sign up 100% of their attendees for memberships to their organization! We can help you decide on a membership goal then strategize how you can reach it. A film festival is a great platform where you have a captive audience – this is a great chance to pitch your organization and share all the incredible work you do in your community. Film is an incredible way to ignite people’s passions, your audience will want to have an outlet and find a way to get involved locally. Provide them the opportunity!
Q: How much can we expect to fundraise from hosting an On Tour event?
A: On average, our On Tour partners net $3,300 with a growing number of hosts bringing in upwards of $10,000 and even $20,000. We helped partners raise more than $500,000 in 2015! We want to support you in whatever your fundraising goals are. Whether that’s bringing in $200, $2,000, or $20,000 we have the tools, resources, and expertise on hand to help you raise your target amount of funds.
Tech Requirements/Venue
Q: What type of venue should I choose?
A: You may host your event in any venue that works for you – this could be a traditional theatre, brewery, school auditorium, outside space, community center, nature center, etc. Feeling your wallet busting at the seems just thinking about the cost of renting a venue? Try getting space donated or partnering with a group that already has space suitable for screening films.
Q: What are the technical requirements?
A: There are some minimum technical requirements to ensure you have a quality screening. Custom film programs are burned onto a high quality Blu-ray disk that contains the Wild & Scenic trailer, hosting partner logo, as well as any sponsor logos you would like to include. You will receive two discs, a master and a back up. We will provide you with all of the Technical Guidelines so you can be sure you are crossing all your technical requirements off the list:
- AV technician
- Blu-ray+R player
- Digital Projector
- Movie screen
- Sound system
- Lighting
Most traditional movie theaters come equipped with these essentials, but of course it’s always important to check. If you choose a nontraditional venue (hall, community center, auditorium, etc.) many are not film ready. You probably need to bring in your own projection, sound and lighting equipment, but you also may need to black out windows or make quiet closures. Not to worry, we have a whole section in our Festival Toolkit outlining best practices for transforming any space into a movie theater.
