Nova Vento Entertainment

Outside of theater

FAQ for Exhibitors

This list of Frequently Asked Questions is a general catch-all for the most frequently asked exhibitor questions. If there are any other questions more in depth or specifically related to technical questions regarding our Carousel Program then please contact either theatrical sales or customer service directly.

What do you mean when you say your “business model is collaborative, not competitive.”

We developed our model with both Exhibitors and filmmakers in mind. Filmmakers and theater owners are not on opposite sides of the moat in a battle of tug of war, they have both typically sat in the mud while distributors pulled on both sides of the rope telling the filmmakers and exhibitors to blame each other for their problems.

All that we have done is to figure out what each part of the machine needs to work. Filmmakers are one gear, Exhibitors are the other and we are the grease that keeps it all moving.

We find the movies, market them and get them seen in the right venues. Our concern is to find high quality films that have an appeal to movie goers. While a Halloween movie might trade flash for fun, a period piece should be beautifully shot and acted to perfection. All movies are vetted through our process and approved by multiple team members, including some theater owners, before becoming a part of our distribution process.

How is Nova Vento’s strategy different from the general audience distributors?

There are so many ways that we are different, let’s explore a few.

  • We work specifically with independent filmmakers and independent theaters. General Distributors focus on blockbusters.
  • We market regionally or locally, not nationally. General distributors will market nationally to make a first weekend impact. We are more concerned about the slow burn that allows us to create a more grassroots marketing approach.
  • Our marketing is event based. When we open a feature at a venue we always recommend letting Nova Vento work with the theater on creating an event. These events get the dialogue going about the movie which tends to carry over into the week, bringing more people to the theater.
  • We focus on the indie crowd not general audiences.
  • We make independent films too so we understand where everyone is coming from. It’s a tough road. The filmmakers have a hard time getting their films to distributors and theaters have a difficult time vetting independent films. So we do that work for everyone on both sides.

How many releases do you do per year?

This actually varies quite a bit by year, what is available and what program we are discussing specifically. If you are in our carousel program then you will have access to a different set of films but typically in our featured set of films we try to keep to 2-6 films per year. Too few films and we fall out of the realm of daily visibility, too many and we wind up trying to do too much and are not as effective. Since we do not market nationally, we really want to be as effective in each and every location as is possible.

What is the typical split?

The simple split is 50/50. The more complete answer: Gross ticket split: Theater 50% / Nova Vento 25% / Filmmakers 25% (or agency)

What does my 50% get me as an exhibitor?

There is a lot to the Nova Vento side but in the interest of transparency, this is what we try to achieve as often as possible.
The marketing package includes branded information including links to trailers, interviews, behind the scenes information (when available) and it also includes social media elements that are plug and play. For example: This is the message to post on Facebook and Instagram 2 weeks before the release at your theater, This is the message to post one day before the release at your theater, etc. In addition, we will be buying social media ad spots directed at customers in the independent film viewing demographic in your area.

We also bring in experts to assist the filmmakers in their own marketing efforts so that any materials and efforts on the part of a films released through us will be consistent form film to film.

We also process the submitted films thoroughly to make sure that they follow our strict guidelines:

  • Must be a high-quality movie – Good picture, good sound, good story
  • Must be clear and free of all encumbrances (music, deal memos, debts, etc.)
  • We accept no films that have appeared in whole online either for free or as paid VOD
  • All films must have a theatrical window of a minimum of 30 days though typically 45-60

This split also allows us access to high quality films by great independent filmmakers such that they can continue to create beautiful stories that should be shown in a theater and not on a TV screen. Yes we could, and probably should, take more of the split, but that runs counter to the idea of being an agent of success for both filmmakers and exhibitors.

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