How to start a film society in 60 questions

Why do people start a film society?

People start film societies because they feel that bringing people together to see a movie will provide a benefit or fulfil a need in their community that nothing else will. The benefits that a film society provide Include:

Affordability – It allows you the chance to watch films in a group without paying the high rates of a commercial cinema.
Choice – If you are a fan of independent films, foreign films or anything other than the latest commercial releases, those films may not be available at your local cinema.
Connections and Community – film societies play an important role in their communities by bring people together socially and recreationally when they might otherwise be isolated
Promote film culture –film societies bring world cinema, film history and film culture to people for discussion and debate.
Availability – Many film societies operate in small and remote towns where the nearest cinema is hours away. With a film society you can see films just minutes away in the local hall or community centre
Atmosphere – film societies provide a warm and friendly atmosphere where every member can feel welcomed.
Provide activity for local families – Going to the movies is something that the whole family can do together and enjoy.
You love film – You are a film geek and you think that being able to show your own movies is the coolest thing possible.

Here are some things to think about when starting a film society

What is a Film Society and what must a Film Society do?

Here is a link to what Wikipedia says about film societies.

Wikipedia – Film Societies

Do I need to start a film society in order to show films?

No, you don’t. It could be that you want to show films but because of your circumstances forming a film society is not the best option. But there are other options:

The Roadshow Blanket & Co-Curricular Licence. For around $360 you can buy a yearly license from Roadshow Entertainment. This licence is designed for Caravan Parks, Buses and Coaches, Banks, retail stores and waiting rooms. You can find out more information here https://ppl.roadshow.com.au/blanket_licensing
The Big Studio Movie Licence. This provides Religious Institutions, Aged Care & Retirement Village facilities the legal coverage to show films from many studios including Disney, Sony, Paramount, MGM, 20th Century Fox and Roadshow. You can find out about it Here https://www.bsml.com.au/
Commercial screenings. If you want to make money from showing films, you want to charge an entry fee or you want to show a film that is open to the public you will need to get a commercial licence for each film you show. This can be gotten from any distributor but can be costly. The cost varies from distributor to distributor but expect $250 to $275.00 minimum guarantee against 30% to 35% of your ticket sales whichever is greater. We can give you the contact details for those distributors. Just go to our Australian Distributors page. https://ausfilm.org.au/where-to-get-films/90-2/

What are five criteria a film society must meet to join the Federation?

You have to be a not-for-profit organisation.
You have members and screenings are for members only.
You do not charge for entry to single screenings at the door.
You have an organising committee that (at a minimum) consists of a president, secretary and treasurer, along with two other committee members.
Film screenings are held in an enclosed area where only members can see them.

Do I have to call my organisation a film society?

No, many film societies call themselves film clubs or film groups and give themselves whatever name they like. They sometimes name themselves after their town or location, after their umbrella organisation or after their favourite movie.

Does my film society need to have a constitution?

No, not unless you want one. In a small society, rules can be less formal but as the society grows it will be important to set up rules of conduct for the society. We do recommend a constitution which is a statement of the aims and rules which the members of the society agree to follow. A constitution is necessary if you ever want to become ‘incorporated’ i.e. become a legal entity.

The NSW Department of Fair Trading supplies a model constitution

It is worth checking with your state’s version of the department to see if they can supply one.

Does my film society need to be incorporated?

No, you do not need to be incorporated to function as a film society. but you can look at the benefits of registering as an incorporated association here https://asic.gov.au/for-business/registering-a-company/steps-to-register-a-company/registering-not-for-profit-or-charitable-organisations/

Are film societies not-for-profit groups?

Yes, they are. A not-for-profit is an organisation that does not operate for the profit, personal gain or other benefit of particular people. Not-for-profits can make profit, but any profit made must be applied for the organisation’s purpose(s). Organisations can retain profits (instead of applying it towards their purpose), as long as there is for a genuine reason for this. For example, a good reason to retain money may be to buy new equipment, provide another service to members or accumulate a reserve to ensure your film society can deals with future problems.

Does my film society need to have an Australian Business Number?

Not unless you make $150,000 a year but if you want one go to this website: https://www.abr.gov.au/business-super-funds-charities/applying-abn

Fill in the online form and remember these details:

When they ask you what sort of entity you are tell them you are a “Company” and then an “Other Unincorporated Entity”.
When they ask you what your main business activity is type “Film” and then “Film Distribution”.
Also tell them that the reason you are getting the ABN is because you are “A new business in Australia” This is true because you haven’t had an ABN before.

Does my film society need to be registered as a not-for-profit?

No. but you can look at the benefits of registering and see if any of them would be useful to you. https://www.acnc.gov.au/for-charities/start-charity/you-start-charity/why-register

Can my film society show films without worrying about paying copyright?

No, you can’t. if you want to watch a film anywhere outside your home you will need to get screening permission from the Australian film distributor who is responsible for that film. They need to be paid a license fee for any public screening regardless of whether you are charging admission or not. If you are charging for admission, they will charge you the commercial rate (the same as cinemas pay) which we have mentioned above or the discounted rate that registered film societies get. Film societies are given a significant discount because they are not-for-profit organisations who show non-theatrical screenings that do not compete with the cinemas

Can one person run a film society?

It is impossible to run a film society by yourself which is why you must have a committee to share the workload, sustain morale and bring more than one point of view to any decisions that need to be made. It is a requirement of belonging to the Federation that each society have at least five Committee members https://ausfilm.org.au/film-societies/

How do I organise a committee to run my film society?

At the very beginning you will need a working group to get your society off the ground. A working group can discuss ideas and aims and plans that they are willing to support (and work to accomplish). Formal roles don’t need to be decided then but you can draw up an initial task plan to make sure everyone involved knows what needs to be done, by whom and when.

Here is a list of potential committee roles, you do not need to fill all of them, some can be combined and you could fill these roles with people who aren’t on the committee:

The President – plans, leads and directs. The President allocates tasks and makes sure they are done.
The Secretary – handles correspondence for the society, meeting agendas and minutes.
The Treasurer – financial management and oversight and prepares and annual report.
The Membership Secretary – maintains the register of film society members.
The Booking Officer – manages the bookings made with film distributors.
The Publicity Officer – Lets people know what films you are showing and when.
The Front of House Officer – checks that people are members and sells new memberships.
The Projectionist – works the equipment to show the film with a concentration on the viewing experience. You should have more than one. Train as many people as you can to use your projection equipment.

You may also need people to help you choose films and people to organise and provide catering such as tea, coffees and biscuits but we talk about those things later.

This is a link to information about committees and how to run them https://www.diycommitteeguide.org/

And here is a link to information about managing teams https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/ten-ways-support-your-team-at-work

What sort of films should my film society show?

You probably started with an idea of what you want to show. Your film program will be determined by what you and your committee want to show, what your audience wants to see and what films are available for you to get.

It is best if you have six months or one years’ worth of film screenings planned and booked with titles and dates before you launch your film society. Here are some things you should consider:

What can you offer audiences that they are not getting now? Is there a type of film that people can’t see around where you are?

What is the aim of your film society? What films can you screen to achieve that goal?
What films would the people in your town or city be interested in?
You want to offer variety without too many similar films next to each other. Space out the genres, the decades of release or the countries (if you are dealing with foreign films).
It is important to strike a balance between comfort and growth. Do you want to only show the sort of films that your audience has seen before or do you want to show them new films that broaden their horizons.
When you choose your films have a reserve list of a few extra in case you can’t get one of your main choices.
Start the year with an attention grabber and end on a high note with a comedy.

What sort of films are other film societies showing?

Here are some examples of the films that some members of the Federation are showing. As you can see it is quite varied

The Illawarra Film Society https://www.ifs.org.au/programme
The ANU Film Group https://www.anufg.org.au/programme
The Hazelhurst film club https://cms.ssc.nsw.gov.au/Community/Hazelhurst/Film-Club
The Reel McCoy Film Group http://www.reelmccoy.org.au/

Who should choose the films for my film society?

There is no right answer to this but here are a few points to guide your thinking:

Film Societies depend on the committee members and people who do the work and society members who pay the membership fee and show up to screenings. Give them a voice. Not everyone likes the same films you do.
Get a suggestion box. Give your members a way to give you feedback and get the films that they want to see.
Don’t always listen to the Suggestion Box. A society member might want to see a film but it is not always practical. Maybe you can’t get a copy of the film, maybe you can’t get permission to screen the film. Maybe one society member likes it but no-one else will. Do your research.
Many societies establish a two level system where the members vote on options given to them by the programmers or the programmers take suggestions from the members but have the final say.

Does my film society need to worry about film classifications?

Yes, film societies are required to comply with the legal requirements of classification regarding film. Film Classifications are:

General — Suitable for all ages
Parental Guidance — Parental guidance recommended for persons under15 years
Mature — Recommended for mature audiences 15 years & over
Mature Accompanied — Restrictions apply to persons under the age of 15 years
Restricted — Restricted to adults 18 years and over

You can see more information about the classification system here https://www.classification.gov.au/classification-ratings/what-do-ratings-mean

How should my film society organise a programming meeting?

Set up some rules to guide how you will choose films for the society. With many more films available than you will be able to show, any programming will involve different opinions and disagreements. You will need a process that results in a fair mutually agreed outcome. Some film societies alternate between one unknown film for every Hollywood blockbuster. Others make sure to have an Australian film every year. Another has a rule that films will not be screened twice until a certain time has passed.

People should prepare for a programming meeting in the following ways:

Look at the films in the suggestion box or get feedback from your members.
Research films that might be suitable. Go to websites like IMDB https://www.imdb.com/?ref_=nv_home or Rotten Tomatoes https://www.rottentomatoes.com/
Be familiar with running time and classification. Are there external restrictions on how long your screening can last or who can watch it
Make sure you can get a physical copy of the film. And know the cost.
Identify which film distributor controls the copyright and can give you permission to screen it. And know the cost.
Make sure that the film is of sufficient quality that the audience will like it and not just you
Think about the chances of offending or insulting anyone. There may be scenes that strangers to the movie will not expect.
Make the film has not been shown somewhere else recently.

The Federation provides links that will help you research films before the programming meeting here https://ausfilm.org.au/how-to-find-the-distributor-of-the-film-you-want-to-show/

Three film clubs in the UK have gone public with how they choose their films and might be good examples

King’s Lynn Community Cinema Club https://www.klccc.uk/members-contributions/how-do-we-choose-films-for-the-club
Cheltenham Film Society https://cheltenhamfilmsociety.com/contact-details/how-we-choose-and-source-the-films/
Harrowgate Film Society https://www.harrogatefilmsociety.org/how-we-choose-our-films

How far ahead should my film society program films?

Keep in mind that the best way to advertise the films you are showing is with a film program that list the films you will be showing over the next 3, 6 or 12 months. This allows your members to plan ahead and feel informed. Depending on what is convenient for your group and how often you screen, two programming meetings a year, both covering six month is reasonable.

Where can I get films for my film society?

In Australia, films can have three sources:

The Non-Theatrical Lending Collection (NTLC) at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). We provide information about the collection here https://ausfilm.org.au/where-to-get-films/lending-collection/
Australian film distributors. We provide information here on how to identify the film distributor you want https://ausfilm.org.au/how-to-find-the-distributor-of-the-film-you-want-to-show/ and we provide their contact details here: https://ausfilm.org.au/where-to-get-films/90-2/
Overseas distributors. These do not offer a discount to film societies and can be very expensive.

How do I book the films that my film society has chosen?

By now you should have joined the Federation. That means you are eligible for the film society discount and you do not have to pay commercial rates.

Tell the distributor that you are a film society. The distributor will have access to our online database and will be able to check. If there are any problems with this, have them contact us. Usually, they will ask you to start an account with them. They will send you a form to fill in and when the screening date approaches, they will send you an invoice. Start this process as soon as possible. Do not wait until a week before the screening because not all films are available or with the distributor that you think they are with.

What should I do if my film society has a dispute with a distributor?

Firstly, contact the Federation and we will try to mediate. This solves 99% of problems. As a last resort you can contact The Film Exhibition and Distribution Code Administration Committee (FEDAC). Their website sets out the provisions of the Code, information about the make up of the Committee which administers it and how to use the Code to help resolve disputes. https://filmcode.info/

What would be a good venue for a film society?

When choosing a venue for your film society you have a couple of options. You can choose an existing space already set up with the equipment you need or an empty space where you can bring in the equipment and set it up. We will tell you about equipment later.

Possible locations for a film society are

Local halls
Community Centres
Schools
Libraries
Local cinemas
Clubs
Museums
Galleries
Churches
Theatres

Many potential venues such as cultural institutions have under-utilised cinema spaces of very high standards. If your proposed venue already has equipment, look at how well it works, the seating and how much the venue will cost to hire. While some places have the resources to let you use their spaces for free in exchange for a culturally valid program of entertainment some will charge you. This can be expensive and one of the major costs of running the film society.

What are the requirements for any place that you want to show films in?

The requirement for any space where you show films are:

Equipment to show a film including sound and screen. If the venue does not come with this equipment you will have to collect it from scratch. There is information about this later
Blackout – you should be able to turn off the lights and show the film in reasonable darkness. darkness.
A venue of the right size – both for projection, the projector will need to be a certain distance from the screen and for capacity to fit the size of your audience
Soundproofing – you should not be able to hear noise from outside the cinema space.
Good comfortable seating – you will be expecting your audience to sit down for around two hours straight.
Easy access for all people including those with disabilities. Is there enough room in the aisles? Can people get to the exit or toilet without disrupting the screening
Adjustable heating or air conditioning.
Facilities for catering (tea, coffee, popcorn, wine and dinner or whatever you are planning to provide).
Fire exits and toilets
Convenient car parking
Compliance with (local) regulations regarding gatherings of people in enclosed spaces.

Can we hold film society screenings in a bar or a restaurant?

If you are screening in a pub, club, café restaurant or some other business with paying customers you need to isolate your screenings from the customers of that other business so that they cannot see or hear the film you are showing. The reason for this, apart from not wanting to annoy those people is that film societies must screen to members only. Not to members of the public and it must not be seen as a free benefit to the customers of that other business to promote that other business. An example would be a pub owner showing a film so that people will buy more beer. The Australian Copyright Council has very firm views on this https://www.copyright.org.au/browse/book/ACC-Films,-DVDs,-TV-&-Streaming-Services:-Screening-in-Public-INFO031 and we talk about screening rights here https://ausfilm.org.au/screening-rights/

Can I hold film society screenings outdoors?

No, your venue cannot be an outdoor space. It must be in an enclosed space. Australian film distributors consider an outdoor screening to be a public screening and not a film society screening. That is why one of our requirements for joining the Federation is that film screenings are held in an enclosed area where only members can see them. See our what is a film society page https://ausfilm.org.au/film-societies/

Does my film society need public Liability Insurance?

You do not need to have it in order to be a film society and many venues already have public Liability Insurance that will cover you as well. However, some venues will insist that you take out your own. The Federation recommends Dansurance which is currently (in 2023) the cheapest on the market. For $280 a year you can get cover up to 10 million. The costs vary slightly depending on where your society is based because of different Stamp Duty rates. Every film society that joins Dansurance gets a $10 introductory discount. You can go here for more details https://dancesurance.com/

What equipment does a film society need?

The equipment you will need to set up your own cinema is a DVD or Blu-ray Disc player, a sound system, a projector and a screen. Many potential venues already have this equipment. Some film societies outsource the technical requirements and have a professional projectionist come in and set up their own equipment. This can cost $300 to $400 per screening and will obviously be more expensive in the long run.

If you want to buy the equipment the first thing to do is online research because this technology is getting better and cheaper every year, However, here is a rough guide to what you will need and how much it will cost as at 2023. You will need to balance the cost against the quality according to your budget.

What are the factors to consider when buying a DVD/Blu-ray player?

Region free is best if you can get one. This will allow you to show DVDs made in countries other than Australia. Laptops can also play DVDs as well. All Blu-ray players will also play DVDs and Blu-rays have higher definition which means a sharper image. The cost of a player ranges from $40 to $600 but spending over $100 should ensure quality. Reliable brands are Sony, Panasonic and LG. This link might help:

Resolution – Try to get at least a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. These values are the number of horizontal pixels x the number of vertical pixels/lines.
Aspect Ratios – You will be showing films with different aspect ratios. Make sure your projector can show those different aspect ratios. Most can but the cheapest ones can’t.
Brightness – the brightness of a projector is measured in Lumens. For a film shown in a dark room 2,000 Lumens is usually sufficient but remember that the bigger the venue, the more lumens you need.

What are the factors to consider when buying a Digital projector?

Projectors used to be expensive but prices have dropped and quality has improved. Now there’s a range of projectors available at many different price points and video quality from $100 to $6000. If you want one installed professionally it can cost around $3,500.

Epson, Panasonic and BenQ are reliable brands. You can find more information on digital projectors here

What are the factors to consider when buying a screen?

There is no good answer to how big your screen should be. It depends on the size of your venue and how far away you want to put the projector. That is because of the Throw Ratio (that we talk about below). Screen sizes are measured diagonally (from the bottom left to the top right) and are available in many sizes. However, 3 metres, 3.5 metres and 4.3 metres seem to be the most common.

As well as the size, you will need to think about the aspect ratio of the screen. Film screens, like films come in different shapes. Don’t buy a square screen if you are going to show widescreen films. An aspect ratio of 16:9 is usually a safe choice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16:9_aspect_ratio

Screens can cost from $1,000 all the way up to $2,300 if you want to have it professionally installed.

Are there cheaper alternatives to buying a screen?

If you have complete control over your venue, you can paint a white screen on one wall and use that. You need to use flat latex (water based) paint. If you want to spend more money, there are specialist paints designed for just this purpose. They cost around $200 to $300 a quart (.94 Litres). Information about painting your screen can be found here: https://www.movienightsathome.com/best-paint-for-movie-screen/

If you have a very small budget, maybe you should think of using an old white sheet. That is explored here: https://visualfinds.com/projector/can-you-use-a-sheet-as-a-projector-screen/ And here https://projectortop.com/what-can-i-use-for-a-projector-screen/

What is the Throw Ratio?

The Throw Ratio is how you calculate the position of your projector in relationship to the screen.

It is very important to calculate how big your screen needs to be and how far away your projector needs to be before you buy anything. If the projector is too far away the image will be too big. If the projector is too close the image will be too small. You want the image to fill your screen but not go over it.

Use the projector’s throw ratio information to decide where to put the projector or how big the screen needs to be. Just divide the distance between the projector and screen by the throw ratio and you’ll get the image width. It would be sensible to make your screen as big as possible. It’s important to note that the image width is measured from side to side and not diagonally (the method you use to measure screens).

Image Width x Throw ratio = Distance from screen

So, if you have a screen that is 2.6m wide and a projector with a throw ratio of 1.3 you’ll need to put the projector 3.38m away from the screen.

Here are three online calculators that will help you work it out.

Should I get a Stereo Amplifier or a 5.1 amplifier or an AV Receiver?

If you are setting up and taking down the sound system for every screening simpler is better, so we recommend just having two speakers.

An amplifier is a component of a sound system that powers your speakers and also lets you select the sound source and control the volume. In its simplest form, a stereo amplifier handles two channels, the left and the right which go to two speakers, The cost of a new one can be $450 to $700. A 5.1 amplifier is used in surround sound audio systems. 5.1 is the most commonly used layout in home theatres. You can buy one for $480 t0 $1020

An AV (Audio/Video) receiver is an amplifier with much more power. Instead of the usual two channels found on a regular amplifier, a receiver has the ability to output audio into five to 13 different channels. It also has the ability to handle video data, usually through an HDMI connection. The cost of a new one can be $470 to $900

What about speakers?

A two speaker (stereo) or a three speaker set up (Left Centre Right or LCR) is usually fine for most venues They cost between $200 to $800. If you want surround sound then you will need to buy 5.1 channel speakers at a cost of $200 to $1,000.

What are the factors to consider when buying seating?

Fold Out Chairs cost from $10 to $60 each. Remember people will need to sit on these chairs for 2 hours and comfort is important. You can add seat cushions.

How far should the audience sit from the screen?

If your chairs are fixed in place, there is not much you can do and if you can move them you can experiment and discover your own answer. However, a rough guide is that the minimum distance for chairs is 1.5 x screen size = Viewing Distance. Projector Central has a nice article.

How Do I Calculate Screen Size and Seating Distance for My Home Theater?

What are the factors to consider when buying blackout blinds?

Blackout blinds (as the name suggests) stop light from coming into your cinema. If your venue has already been set up, they will be there as the curtains or blinds. If you are starting from scratch, try to avoid a venue with too many windows and cover the windows with material. You can get the material for $12 per metre. Here are some commercially available examples https://www.spotlightstores.com/curtains/curtain-fabrics/blockout-curtain-fabrics

You will need to find out if the venue will let you install the equipment permanently or if you will have to set it up and take it down at each screening.

Does my film society need to worry about Digital Cinema Packages (DCP)?

Most commercial cinemas in Australia use a Digital Cinema Package (DCP) system where the film is stored in a hard disk designed specifically for digital cinema servers use. This is very expensive both with the cost of equipment and the fact that the film society discount provided by Australian film distributors does not apply to DCP films.

How do I organise the budget of my film society?

Now that you have looked at your possible venue and the equipment you will have a much clearer idea of the start-up and running costs for your society. Look at the following things:

Try to estimate your expenditure and your income.
Look at the number of times you plan to screen in a year and what will each one will cost.
Remember that the society’s funds can only be used for the society and to further the aims set out in the constitution (if you have one).
Aim for a modest surplus at the end of the financial year to spend later on new equipment and emergencies.

What will the income of my film society be?

The majority of income for most film societies comes from membership fees. How much you charge for membership depends on many things and there is no right answer. However, you need to make them high enough to cover your ongoing expenses and a little more for unexpected events. At the same time, they need to be low enough that people are willing to pay.

Other sources of income are:

Selling refreshments (see our information on catering below).
Advertising local businesses in your programs.
Grants from your local council.
Donations.
Sponsorship.

Does my film society have to charge for membership?

If money is not an issue because you are completely funded by an umbrella organisation you do not have to charge your members anything or you can charge them a token amount. However, you must still have registered members that are recorded up to the minute in your membership list. We talk about that below.

Can I charge for entry to my film society?

No, You can’t. We have said that before but it is worth repeating. Do not ask for a gold coin donation upon entry as this is essentially the same as charging for admission.

What will the expenditure of my film society be?

Not all these things will apply:

DVD Purchases
Screening rights for films (you can find that information here https://ausfilm.org.au/where-to-get-films/90-2/)
Venue hire
Printing and advertising
Costs associated with any online presence
Federation membership of $50 per year https://ausfilm.org.au/membership-form/
Public liability insurance
Depreciation of equipment
Projectionist (if you want to hire one)

Does my film society need to pay GST?

No, because a film group is a not-for-profit organisation you do not need to register for the GST unless your annual income is over $150,000. You can find more information about this here: https://www.ato.gov.au/Non-profit/Your-organisation/GST-for-not-for-profits/GST-concessions-for-not-for-profits/#:~:text=The%20GST%20registration%20threshold%20for,turnover%20is%20less%20than%20%24150%2C000.

How does my film society accept credit card payments?

Fewer and Fewer people are using cash these days. This can be a problem because e-payment facilities have been expensive and beyond the budget of many film societies. However, there have recently been advances in technology that allow groups to take payments from credit cards and Debit cards at very low cost.

Most current mobile phones feature Near Field Communication (NFC) chips which allows them to communicate with other devices when they are held close together. This is the same technology used when you use your credit card to make payments by holding it near the reader. Since both phones and credit cards are equipped with NFC Chips, a number of businesses have started up to help people take electronic payments using either a phone or a small portable reader.

To use these, you will need to have access to the internet through Wi-Fi or Cellular Data. For the best performance, a network speed of 25 Mbps or higher is recommended as well as good bandwidth and signal strength.

Here are some options for you to explore:

Square

While there are a number of ways to use Square, the two we think are most relevant to film societies are the Square Reader and Tap to Pay. Both of these work on Apple and Android phones.

For either of these products, you will need to download the Square app that can be gotten free from the Apple App store or Google Play and create a Square account.

Square Reader: The Square Reader (2^nd Gen) is a small square device that attaches to your mobile phone using Bluetooth. The Square Reader has an NFC Chip which reads the NFC Chip in the credit cards (or phones) and then transmits the information to the Square software on your phone. This allows you to take credit cards, Apple pay and other NFC payments.

Square Reader is compatible with the following mobile phones:

For Apple Phones: Running iOS 15 or above. iPhone SE (1st and 2nd generations) and iPhone 6s onwards.
For Android Phones: running an operating system of 7.0 or above.

The cost of using the Square Reader is $65 for the Square Reader itself and a 1.6% processing fee except when manually entering card number or using a QR code which is 2.2%. There are no subscription fees or ongoing payments.

Tap to Pay: Square’s Tap to Pay system is a newer product that skips the Square Reader and allows you to process payments by using the NFC Chip in your phone to communicate with the NFC chip in the credit card.

Tap to Pay requires a newer more advanced phone than the Square Reader. But it will also work on both iphones and Android phones. To see if you can use your phone visit their compatibility page.

The cost of using Tap to Pay is a 1.6% processing fee except when manually entering card number or using a QR code which is 2.2%. There are no set up costs, subscription costs or ongoing payments.

Tips for Applying

The following details are required to activate a Square account:

First and last (legal) Name
Contact Phone Number
Date of Birth
Full Residential Street Adress
Business Role
Government issued ID such as Passport, Driver’s license or Medicare Card

You can sign up without an ABN/ACN. Simply leave that field blank and choose the Registered Business Type as Individual/Sole Trader.

For more Information go to the Square Website: https://squareup.com/au/en

Trybooking Box Office

Trybooking is an online event ticketing software which has recently released Box Office, a mobile app that allows you to sell memberships at the door as tickets. This involves creating membership in your society as an event. This “event” can have different sorts of tickets based on the length of the membership you are selling.

Again, you are able to receive payments by using the NFC chip in your phone to communicate with the NFC chip in the credit card.

The software bills itself as an all in one point of sale system for event organisers to sell tickets, merchandise and food and is fully integrated with the larger Trybooking system.

You will need to download the Box Office app that can be gotten free from the Apple App store or Google Play. Trybooking Box Office requires an iPhone or an iPad with iOS 18 which is the iPhone XS or newer. It can also be used on an iPad that uses iOS 18.

It can also be used on Android devices if they are NFC enabled.

The cost of using Box Office is a processing fee of 2.5% of the payment made and a ticket fee of 15 cents for amounts under $5 and 50 cents for amounts over $5. While the payment settings are defaulted to you paying the processing fee and your member paying the ticketing fee, you can decide who pays what. There are no set up costs, subscription costs or ongoing payments.

Tips for applying

Signing up involves providing an email address and providing a bank account which they verify.

For more Information go to the Trybooking Box Office website: TryBooking Box Office

Live Tap

Live Tap is a product released by Live Payments that is currently available only on Android phones but they are expected to release an iPhone version in 2025. Again, you are able to receive payments by using the NFC Chip in your phone to communicate with the NFC chip in the credit card.

You will need an Android phone using OS 8.0 or above and the device must be NFC enabled. The device must also have Location Services enabled in order for the Live Tap App to function correctly.

The app can be downloaded for free. The cost for using the app is 1.4% per transaction for Visa and Mastercard. For any other credit card, the rate is 1.65% per transaction

Tips for applying

In order to get a Live Payment account, you will need to have an Australian Business Number (ABN).

You will also need to supply 100 point of I.D., a bank account under your trading name and pass a credit check.

Live Payments is unique in that you will earn 1 Qantas point for every $25 spent and you can use these with Qantas, restaurants and hotels.

For more information go to the Live payments website: https://livepayments.com/product/livetap

Direct Deposits

If these options don’t appeal to you, consider using direct deposits. Members can deposit money into your account using their phone’s banking app or later from home. Remember to make sure that every payment is identifiable and the details are correct.

How do I organise the first screening of my film society?

Your first screening is the launch of your film society. You want to attract as large an audience as possible and show them what you can do. Advertise widely to get people to “come and try” a free screening, show a film typical of the type you intend to screen and maybe have an interesting speaker to open the proceedings.

One tip is to go out and recruit members at events or groups that you know are inclined to be interested. Many film society launches have been announced at film festivals, film courses or other film societies.

Another important tip is to always make sure you give yourself enough time to get screening permission for the film you want and to test the DVD you are planning to use. Sometimes you get permission very quickly and sometimes you don’t. Don’t announce the film title until you have it in the bag. And test that DVD too.

At your first screening, do the following things:

Make people welcome – officially and informally.
Hold a brief AGM prior to the film.
Explain the aims of the society, types of films and proposed activities.
Tell everyone about your membership fees.
Present the first six months or 12 month’s program.
Ask for volunteers.
Select and vote on official positions on the committee.
Sign up new members using membership forms that are printed and ready to be signed.
Create a membership list.
Get contact details so you can tell them about upcoming films.
Issue membership card that shows name, start date of membership and end date of membership.
Hand out information sheets and flyers listing the films you will be showing. Put them at the front desk where you are selling memberships.

Further Information can be found here:

How should I organise the memberships of my film society?

The more members a film society has, the more viable it will be. Membership can be offered for any time period that covers three screening but the best lengths to offer are membership for 3 months, six months and 12 months. Remember, membership must be for a period of time not for a number of movie screenings.

How do I get new members for my film society?

Existing members of the society are allowed to bring non-members as their guests. This allows them to experience the screenings for themselves and decide if they want to join. Customarily, there is the limitation that a member cannot bring more than three guests a year and that no-one can be a guest more than three times. After that, they will be expected to join.

Societies can reduce these numbers if they choose to. They need to balance between enticing new members into the group and discouraging freeloaders. Decide what your rule is as soon as possible. It will prevent arguments later.

Keep a list of the contact email of every person who has ever been a member and let them know what films are coming up. Importantly, you need to make it easy for them to unsubscribe from this list. If they ask to be taken off the list, do it.

Also:

Popular guest speakers are good
Some film societies give out door prizes to encourage attendance.

When should my film society show films?

This depends on a lot of things like:

When is your venue available?
When is the Committee available to work?
When are the people you want to come going to be free?
Look at the competition from other places that show film. When are they on? Schedule your screenings to avoid clashes with them.
Is there any other activity that your target audience might be doing at a particular time? Avoid that too.

Should my film society serve refreshments?

This depends on what your venue allows and how you want to run your screenings. Can you eat inside the theatre or only at the interval or after the screening? Tailor your refreshments to suit the limitations. You can offer tea, coffee and biscuits or popcorn and chocolate bars and coke. Some film societies offer complete meals after the screening. This serves two important functions:

It will help create a relaxed atmosphere and give your audience a chance to talk about the film. Encouraging the social aspect is an important part of film societies.
Selling refreshments can help in raising money for your society.

What is the best way to sell online memberships to my film society?

Many film Societies use trybooking to sell memberships online. You can see how they do it here: Search Events | TryBooking Australia

Can I publicise my film society?

Film societies can advertise their screenings. However, it is important that you advertise the screenings as being not-for-profit and for members only. Generally, film society publicity contains phrases such as “exclusively to members and guests” and “memberships available at screenings” and “New members always welcome” and it can state the cost of fees for 3 months, 6 months and yearly membership. You should not give the impression that tickets for entry can be bought at the door.

Why are there restrictions on advertising a film society?

The Film Society discount received by Australian film societies is conditional on Non-theatrical screenings which are only to members of a film society

How do I publicise my film society?

Word of mouth is the most effective and inexpensive form of promotion. Your members will tell their friend and invite them along.

Nearly all film societies produce a film program that list the films they will be showing over the next 3, 6 or 12 months. This allows your members to plan ahead and feel informed.

Things to Remember:

Give sufficient time between when you program the films and when you need to publicise the films by putting out a new list. It will take a while to confirm that the films have been booked.
Giving them the film titles are important but you also want to emphasise the benefits of Membership and the unique benefits of a film society.
Include basic information about where you meet, when and how often as well as membership costs. All the information that potential members would like to know

Other possible ways to advertise your film society are:

Brochures: produce a brochure for distribution to your members and local community. Distribute it in Libraries, theatres, arts centres
Always make sure your front desk always has a good supply for members who want to distribute them for you
Posters: attractive informative posters can be placed in local venues
Local radio stations
Local papers
Attractive annual calendar of films
Leaflets
Target paces where you think your potential members will be.
Utilise Social media to build a membership and share information on future screenings.
Email newsletters – Inform your members of screenings.

How do I build a website for my film society?

Although this is much easier than you think, it is too complicated to go into details here. However, here are some resources to get you started:

What should my film society’s website look like?

They come in all shapes and sizes. Here are some examples:

Can I use Facebook to promote my film society online?

Yes, This is very easy to set up and will allow you to provide information about yourselves and your screenings. Here are some examples of Film societies with Facebook pages

How do I utilise social media to the film society’s advantage?

These days, social media platforms emphasise accounts that are posting frequently, and are posting short-form video content. Posting videos over photos means users can come across your content via Instagram or Facebook Reels, leading to higher views and engagement.

How can I create a buzzing social media community for my film group?

Utilising Instagram or Facebook stories is a great idea as it allows users to engage with your content quickly and easily. You can use poll stickers, Q&A cards, hashtags, tag accounts, repost other accounts’ content, and more. Your stories will always pop up at the top of each user’s feeds.

How can the Federation help people find my film society online?

The Federation’s website rates highly on Trust, Authority and Expertise, the three things that Google Search looks for, consequently our website gets a lot of traffic.

In order to give our members a web presence if they do not have one and to increase the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) of their website if they do have one, the Federation gives each member film society an entry on our website that provides information, contact details and a link to their website Facebook page or whatever online presence they have. This helps anyone looking for them online.

The Federation also has a map of member film societies which is based on location. This map links to both their entry on our website and to the website of the society or the Federation. It allows visitors to the Federation ‘s website to know what film societies are nearby while increasing the SEO presence of the Group.

The Federation also encourages its members to link to the Federation website with text that says

We are members of the Australian Film Societies Federation. Contact them to learn how

Where can I get more information about starting a film society?

These links might be helpful:

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