Planning

A great casual reason to get a group of friends together is the release of a new movie - whether it,s at the theater or on DVD.  You can have a pre-theater party for a new release at your local cinema or you can have a viewing for a film that just released on DVD.  It's an informal get together that has built in entertainment. If you want to host a party but are intimidated by entertaining your guests for 3 or 4 hours a Movie Premier is a great "toe in the water" party. The conversation and entertainment are already set, all you have to do is bring everyone together.   You can create a movie theater environment in your party space as your "theme" or you can work with the movie you are viewing for inspiration.  Casual food is all that’s necessary and you can get away with beer and wine if you are serving drinks (although a good Bond flick deserves a Martini bar, don't you think??) 

What is your "Party Picture"?

• When planning a Movie Premier, the first question is, are you going out to the movies, or staying in? 
• If you are going out - then your pre-party can be anywhere.  Is there a local pub nearby where everyone can enjoy a beer and some food?  What about an ice cream parlor for a little chocolate decadence? 
• If you are staying in - then by definition you are hosting a party at home (unless you've got some great off-site space with a big screen TV that is!) 
• Seating, seating, seating!  Unlike a Cocktail Party, your guests are not going to stand while watching the movie!  Make sure you have enough comfortable seating to accommodate all of your guests.

• Inspirations for your party can come from the Movie Theater ambience, or from the Movie itself - it's up to you. 
• Movie Theater - consider renting a popcorn machine, have hot dogs, nachos, even slushees…  You can make it old-fashioned glamour like Mann's Chinese Theater, or you can just have fun with a trip to the movies with fun food and candy.  It's as over the top as you want to make it.
• Movie - you can use the movie as inspiration as well - whether it's the time period, the plot or even the location! 

• Key considerations are going to be comfortable seating, snacks and refreshments, and a good TV/Sound system so that everyone can enjoy the movie. 
  
  
• You can incorporate some little activities or games that are inspired by the Movie.
• You can have trivia if it's a franchise movie or a remake, or even trivia about the genre the movie is in.
• You can have questions posed that create fun discussion (if you could have selected the actors for the movie, who would you have chosen, and why...

• Consider all five of your senses.  The smell of popcorn, the soundtrack playing in the background pre-premier, fun décor that evokes the feel of a movie theater, there are so many ways to inject this theme into your party! 
  
  
• If you are having a premier at the theater, contact the theater in advance.  They may have a package for you and your guests and will typically rope off a section so that your entire group can sit together without the need to show up an hour before the movie start time to stake out seats! 
• Your local theater may also have an agreement with a local restaurant that provides discounts at the eatery if your guests have tickets to the theater.  For example, most ice cream parlors around theaters offer customers a discount if they present a movie ticket stub.

 

 

Invitations

Communicating with your Guests

 

You can have a lot of fun with an invitation to a movie premier.    Send your guests tickets or press releases.  You can even roll up a mini-poster that highlights your movie  selection.  What about a fake newspaper page that shows movie listings and times, with your house as one of the possible theaters?  Get creative!  If you are sending a Treevite include a movie review or even a clip with your party details. 

 

Invitations	Thank You Notes
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Dress It Up

Decorations

Decorations can be based on a movie theater generally, or the movie you have selected.  This is a fairly informal party, so you don't have to deck everything out, unless you want to of course!  Go to your local theater and look around for inspiration - red or purple velvet, hot dog and popcorn stands, movie posters and rope lighting.  Toss in some high tables spaced here and there so guests can enjoy snacks without having to sit - you can have a lot of fun with this.  Set up a concessions table that has every type of movie candy and rent a slushee machine as well! 

• Instead of streamers, consider strings of ticket stubs.  You can even hang them like 70s beads at your doorway!
• Purchase inexpensive velvet material and cut to fit tables.  Add some film lengths as trim.
• Rent a popcorn stand as a focal point and a refreshment!
• Get some posters that have movie information and hang in key areas.

Tablescapes

• Table - you probably aren't sitting down for a meal at a Movie Premier party.  Rather, snacking is the way to go.  Select fun movie food, but if you want to mix it up, go a little gourmet!
• Create a table that is a buffet of movie food, with lots of colors and containers typical of what you would have a the movies.
• Centerpiece - get a popcorn bucket and weight it down.  Then attach movie candies to sticks and create a massive "floral" arrangement with candy instead of flowers.
• Remember, it's not just the movie food but the movie containers.  Popcorn buckets, red coke paper cups, even the little nacho paper dishes - have fun!

Decorations	Tablescapes
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Food/Drink

Refreshments

If you are going with the movie theater, well, have fun with movie theater food!

• Popcorn - you can have gourmet seasonings and have a popcorn table.
• Hot dogs with fun sauces and condiments
• Build your own nachos bar
• A slushee machine (you can "adult" it up by having frozen margaritas or pina coladas!)
• A candy concession with all the types of candies you could or would get at the theater!!

The other option is to get inspired by the movie you are viewing.  Add some elements that fit the movie.  If you are viewing a Harry Potter make your own "Pumpkin Juice" (something orange..), if it's Bond, go with a Martini Bar.  Sex and the City - cosmos right?  Food or drink inspired by the movie can be a fun addition for the movie watching experience!

Food	Beverages
Title Name State	Title Name State

 

Entertainment

Activities

 

Share your ideas!!!

 

 

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Prizes / Favors

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