Learn how to set strategic Film screening fees, automate booking confirmations with Instant Book, and customize pricing by host type to maximize reach, revenue, and efficiency across theatrical, non-theatrical, and virtual screenings.
Why Film Fees Matter
Film fees are more than just numbers on a page—they’re a foundational tool to:
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Guarantee revenue
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Streamline the booking process
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Match pricing to host budgets
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Fully automate your screening request flow with Instant Booking
By customizing fees based on host type, event format, and confirmation method, you gain granular control over your distribution strategy without sacrificing ease or accessibility.
1. Theatrical Screenings: One Control Panel, Instant Results
Theatrical screenings—whether through Theatrical On Demand® or pre-booked venues—are powerful tools for both visibility and revenue. When you enable theatrical availability, follow these steps:
🔁 Enable Auto-Accept (Instant Confirmation)
As soon as you activate theatrical requests, Instant Confirmation is turned on by default. This means any host can confirm a screening instantly—as long as you’ve set fees. You won’t have to manually approve events unless you choose to, since they'll arrive as inquiries to your Inbox if you haven't yet added fees.
💵 Choose Your Fee Type
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Fixed Fee: Charge a flat rate regardless of attendance
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% Share of Ticket Sales: Perfect for paid events—get a cut of profits
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Per-Person Fee: Ideal for grassroots or community-driven screenings
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Minimum Guarantee: Lock in a baseline amount to protect your costs
🎯 Pro Tip: Set a minimum guarantee with ticket revenue share to combine upside potential with financial security.
📅 Set an Availability Window
Control when your Film is available—or keep it open-ended to capture more demand.
2. Non-Theatrical Screenings: Flexibility Meets Control
Want your Film shown at universities, libraries, or community centers? Enable Non-Theatrical bookings to reach new audiences beyond the cinema. Unlike theatrical bookings, non-theatrical events support host-type-specific pricing—a game-changer for equity and customization.
👥 Customize Fees by Host Type
Offer tailored pricing for:
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Educational (requires .edu email address)
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Non-Profit (requires EIN + .org email address)
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Faith Organizations
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For-Profits
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Individuals
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Custom Groups (seniors, donors, veterans, etc.)
This ensures institutions with limited budgets still have access—while commercial or corporate hosts pay fair market rates.
⚡ Auto-Accept with Screening Fees
Set fees for each host type, and incoming requests will confirm automatically. No fees? No problem—you’ll receive inquiries for manual approval.
3. Virtual Screenings: Scalable, Interactive, Global
Virtual screenings allow you to reach anyone, anywhere. Add interactive Q&As, live panels, or pre-recorded intros—and configure your screening settings to match your distribution goals.
🖥️ Enable Auto-Accept + Virtual Host Fees
Just like non-theatrical screenings, you can define different fees for different types of virtual hosts—and automate the rest. Add fees, and your virtual bookings confirm instantly, minimizing administrative overhead.
4. Full Automation = Maximum Efficiency
By combining the following three levers, you can build a fully automated Film distribution engine:
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✅ Enable Screening Requests (theatrical, non-theatrical, virtual)
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⚙️ Set Host-Type-Specific Fees
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⚡ Turn On Auto-Accept / Instant Confirmation
This setup eliminates the bottlenecks of manual approval, prevents underpricing, and ensures the right hosts are paying fair, predictable rates based on their classification.
💡 Final Thoughts: Configure Once, Book Forever
Setting up your Film fees and availability windows may take 15–30 minutes—but the impact can last the lifetime of your Film. Whether you want to empower local organizers, maximize revenue, or create a long tail of virtual and community screenings, Gathr gives you the tools to automate, scale, and succeed.
Ready to configure your Film’s fees and unlock more bookings?
Head to your Film Settings and customize your screening fee tiers, host types, and availability today.
Let your Film work for you—anytime, anywhere.