Hosting A Night Under the Stars
It’s finally here! The aroma of summer has filled the air; for most, it means summer nights filled with activities. Our favorites are back - including movie nights, barbecues, and local farmer’s markets. We encourage you to use your ScoreVision system for engaging events as we know they create memories for your students and their families. Hosting a movie night is one of the many ways you can utilize the system to develop a sense of community. As always, we understand the planning process for these events is not without burden. Since we designed our software with the sole purpose of gathering people together, it’s only fitting we provide you with the additional tools necessary to simplify the process. We hope you take advantage of this guide to create a memorable “Night Under the Stars" for your organization's fundraising event.
Copyright for Outdoor and Indoor Viewing
As much as we'd love to skip to the fun part, we should probably address one of the most important parts of hosting your movie night - copyright. Let us introduce you to one of our favorite resources, Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. This service allows your school to host a movie night without worrying about copyright violations. Even if you aren’t charging admission, your event is considered a public performance, and therefore you must obtain a license to show any film. Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. will help you get the correct license for your one-night event so you can stream the movie you want from big-name studios you know and love.
Getting Your Community Involved
Be creative! Your community appreciates events like these, and getting local involvement will only boost your school’s reputation. People can walk around, purchase goods when they arrive, and set up their space for the movie. Ask local businesses if they would be interested in vendor booths. Propose an appropriate percentage of their profits then be donated to the school. Depending on your location, it may require a permit, but it will be worth the return. Be sure to contact the clerk’s office at your local city hall. They can help you verify if a permit is necessary for your area.
If you're having trouble reaching out to local businesses near you, here's a template you can use to contact them via email or mail:
Summer Movie Night: Sponsor Booth Invitation Letter
Of course, you can always have your concession stands open to attendees too. Finding volunteers can be the tricky part. We recommend starting with your booster club and your student-athletes. Most likely, your seniors are required to participate in hours of community service. You can offer this as an opportunity for them to complete those hours before the school year starts.
Selecting a Movie
Next up to bat is movie selection! With the way Swank Motion Pictures, Inc. works, you’ll want to select a movie from their library to ensure you can get the license. They have a lot to choose from, but here are a few family-friendly suggestions we think you might enjoy.
Turning Red
Rating: PG
Trailer: Turning Red (Movie Trailer)
Duration: 1 Hour 47 Minutes
American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story
Rating: PG
Trailer: American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story (Movie Trailer)
Duration: 1 Hour 52 Minutes
Space Jam: A New Legacy
Rating: PG
Trailer: Space Jam: A New Legacy (Movie Trailer)
Duration: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
Getting Your Community Involved
Once you’ve selected a movie and submitted an inquiry to Swank Motion Pictures, Inc., you’ll need to choose a date and time for your event. We recommend a Friday or Saturday night to avoid bedtime conflicts with families who have small children. As for time, check to see what time the sun will set in your area. For most, we recommend putting a 7:00 p.m. start time for the movie. You can always open the gates early to allow people to settle in, use the restroom, purchase snacks at the concession stand, mingle with friends, and walk around vendor booths.
Admission Packages, Ticketing, and Budget Tracking
You should consider using this opportunity to fundraise for your program. Put together different admission packages and use the budget spreadsheet below to track revenue and cost. We've provided an example of what an admission package might look like. We also created a template for tickets you can print out.
Ticket Stub Template: A Night Under the Stars Event
Player of the Year (General Admission)
Cost: $5 per Person
Included: Entrance Ticket
Put Me in, Coach! (Premium Admission)
Cost: $10 per Person
Included: Entrance Ticket with Food & Beverage Voucher at Concession Stand
There is No I in Team (Platinum Admission)
Cost: $20 per Person
Included: Reserved Group Seating, Unlimited Popcorn and Beverages at Concessions, and Food Voucher for Additional Snacks.
Food Voucher Template: A Night Under the Stars Event
Drink Voucher Template: A Night Under the Stars Event
Budget Template: A Night Under the Stars Event
Advertising Your Event
Lastly, you'll want to advertise this fantastic event. You can do so through several channels, including social media, bulletin boards, an email to parents, or local television and radio stations. Notifying the public about your event will boost attendance and the morale surrounding your program. Creating advertising content can be time-consuming, and since your students are out of school for the summer, you may need some help putting everything together. Below is a template you can use for a poster. You can also modify the template size to create similar social media posts.
Poster Template: A Night Under the Stars Event
We know an event like this requires a lot of time and energy, but over the last two years, we've realized the importance of connection. Providing your organization with the opportunity to create memorable moments is really at the foundation of why athletics exist. We hope you find this guide to be helpful and encouraging. If you're interested in learning more about our software solutions, feel free to give us a shout. Until then, we hope you enjoy the show!
