On March 1, 2013 by

Chasing Ice

  • CI-cover

Ticket Outreach Program

docimpact-stackCHASING ICE WON A DOC IMPACT AWARD in 2016 thanks to initiatives like the massive ‘grant ticket’ program Greg headed up in 2012 and 2013. Spanning 1,110 screenings in 78 theaters, the program used movie tickets as the incentive to build audiences. Our small team made contact with organizers of local, regional, and national groups offering access to a limited number of tickets to see the film on its premiere weekend in each theater. Each group organizer vetted the program, confirming that these were not promotional tickets with strings attached, but full-priced tickets purchased by supporters of the film and held in each guest’s name at the box office.

Over 120 groups offered these tickets to their members and fans, with the message reaching hundreds of thousands of people in total. We asked each of our 41,746 grant ticket recipients to pay it forward by promoting the film in advance to help fill theaters for each city’s opening weekend. The effort paid off hugely with record turnouts, 13,388 emails registered (8,864 opted in for updates), and hold-overs in 77% of all theaters.

2012 ticket outreach program

Unsolicited testimonials from the filmmakers’ team:

“I’ve never witnessed a better ticket management plan in my entire career! Bravo!” – Tierney Kelly, TKPR (PR Agency for Chasing Ice)

“You should be honored for the wonderful human pace and attitude you set for the Chasing Ice team. … I still marvel at how calm and able you proved …” – Ali Fujino, Outreach Coordinator, Chasing Ice

… plus more praise for the program from ticket recipients, venues, and the filmmaking team

2012-13 Chasing Ice Ticket Outreach Markets:

  • Anchorage, AK (Bear Tooth) Held over
  • Berkeley, CA (The California Theatre)
  • Encino, CA (Laemmle’s Town Center 5)
  • Irvine, CA (Edwards University Town Center 6) Held over
  • Los Angeles, CA (Landmark Nuart)
  • Modesto, CA (State Theatre) Held over
  • Nevada City, CA (Nevada Theatre) Held over
  • Oakland, CA (The New Parkway) Held over
  • Pasadena, CA (Laemmle’s Playhouse 7)
  • Sacramento, CA (Crest Theatre) Held over
  • San Diego, CA (Landmark Ken Cinema)
  • San Francisco, CA (Landmark Embarcadero Ctr)
  • San Francisco, CA (Castro Theatre) Held over
  • Santa Cruz, CA (Rio Theatre) Held over
  • Santa Monica, CA (Laemmle’s Monica Film Center) Held over
  • Sonoma, CA (Sebastiani Theatre)
  • West Hollywood, CA (Sundance Sunset Cinema)
  • Boulder, CO (Boulder Theater) Held over
  • Boulder, CO (Cinemark Century Boulder) Held over
  • Denver, CO (Chez Artiste) Held over
  • Montrose, CO (Fox Theater) Held over
  • Hartford, CT (Real Art Ways) Held over
  • Hartford, CT (Cinestudio)
  • Stamford, CT (Avon Theatre Film Center) Held over
  • Washington, DC (E Street Cinema) Held over
  • Boca Raton, FL (Living Room Theatres, FAU) Held over
  • Coral Gables, FL (Cosford Cinema at University of Miami) Held over
  • Daytona, FL (Cinematique)
  • Lake Park (W. Palm Beach), FL (Mos’Art Theatre)
  • Sarasota, FL (Burns Court Cinema) Held over
  • Tampa, FL (Tampa Theatre) Held over
  • Honolulu, HI (Museum of Art, Doris Duke Theatre)
  • Champaign, IL (The Art Theatre) Held over
  • Chicago, IL (Gene Siskel Film Center, Art Institute of Chicago) Held over
  • Chicago, IL (Music Box Theatre) Held over
  • Bloomington, IN (Ryder Film Series) Held over
  • Salina, KS (Salina Art Center)
  • Cambridge, MA (Landmark Kendall Square) Held over
  • Baltimore, MD (Charles Theater) Held over
  • Brunswick, ME (Frontier Cafe & Cinema) Held over
  • Portland, ME (SPACE Gallery) Held over
  • Ann Arbor, MI (Michigan Theater) Held over
  • Okemos (E Lansing), MI (Celebration! Cinema, Studio C!) Held over
  • Kansas City, MO (Tivoli Cinemas) Held over
  • Springfield, MO (Moxie Theater) Held over
  • Minneapolis, MN (Uptown Theatre) Held over
  • Bozeman, MT (Bozeman Film Festival – at the Emerson) Held over
  • Charlotte, NC (Regal Ballantyne Village Stadium 5) Held over
  • Lincoln, NE (Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center)
  • Omaha, NE (Film Streams at Ruth Sokolof Theater) Held over
  • Concord, NH (Red River Theatres) Held over
  • Toms River, NJ (Traco Theater)
  • Santa Fe, NM (Cinematheque at CCA) Held over
  • Ithaca, NY (Cinemapolis) Held over
  • New York City, NY (Cinema Village) Held over
  • New York City, NY (Lincoln Center Film Society) Held over
  • New York City, NY (Symphony Space) Held over
  • Patchogue (Long Island), NY (Plaza Cinema & Media Arts Center) Held over
  • Oklahoma City, OK (Museum of Art – Noble Theater)
  • Corvallis, OR (Darkside Cinema) Held over
  • Eugene, OR (Bijou Art Cinemas) Held over
  • Portland, OR (Hollywood Theatre) Held over
  • Salem, OR (Grand Theater)
  • Philadelphia, PA (Ritz at the Bourse)
  • Phoenixville, PA (The Colonial Theatre)
  • Pittsburgh, PA (Regent Square Theater) Held over
  • Knoxville, TN (Regal Downtown West Cinema 8) Held over
  • Nashville, TN (Belcourt Theatre) Held over
  • Austin, TX (Regal Arbor 8 at Great Hills) Held over
  • Park City, UT (Park City Film Series) Held over
  • Charlottesville, VA (Vinegar Hill Theatre) Held over
  • Burien, WA (Tin Theater)
  • Seattle, WA (Egyptian Theatre) Held over
  • Spokane, WA (Magic Lantern Theatre) Held over
  • Yelm, WA (Triad Theater) Held over
  • Milwaukee, WI (Oriental Theatre) Held over

Greg is continuing this work, evolving each new program to adapt to changing viewer habits, the increasingly fragmented entertainment landscape, and the outreach goals of each new film he partners with. Read more about his ticket outreach programs or contact Greg to put him to work for your film.