FAVp009 Movie Theatre Business

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/0/6. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Radek Pernica, DiS. (lecturer)
PhDr. Jaromír Blažejovský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Ondřej Pavlík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Patrycja Astrid Twardowska (assistant)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Jaromír Blažejovský, Ph.D.
Department of Film Studies and Audiovisual Culture – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Patrycja Astrid Twardowska
Supplier department: Department of Film Studies and Audiovisual Culture – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
SOUHLAS
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 29 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/29, only registered: 0/29, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/29
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to prepare and realize a team project of Student Cinema at the University Cinema Scala. Students are divided into two groups, one of which is realizing the current project, while the other one is taking a series of lectures and preparing the Student Cinema project for the following semester.
The course is tied to the operation of the University Cinema Scala. We see cinema as a classic platform for watching a shared audiovisual experience, which has not yet been fully replaced by any alternative.

Preparation
• Within the course of the lectures, the various aspects of cinema management will be discussed: economics, technology, dramaturgy, copyright and other disciplines closely related to cinema management.
• Guests (professionals) who are involved in cinema matters will be invited to selected lectures.
• Field trips to cinemas will be part of the course.

Realization
• With selected students, practical solution will follow the previous semester in which the preparation was carried out.
• Student Cinema project (usually) means a cycle of ten screenings realized during the semester every week at a specified time, as a special space within the normal operation of the Scala cinema.
• The project is carried out in a team of 5 – 10 students of which at least a half should be from the parent discipline and at least one member from another discipline or faculty of MU.
• The implementation team ensures the project in terms of the program, organization, promotion, operation, economic solutions and administration (technical service is provided by the cinema).
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course, students will be able to:
• Get an overview of the map of Czech cinemas.
• Understand the essential dramaturgical, operational and economic principles of cinemas.
• Understand the technological solution of cinema projection.
• Create a cinema program including an accompanying program.
• Negotiate with distributors and secure movie rights.
• Negotiate with authors and guests as part of the accompanying program.
• Promote the program in the media.
• Have lecturing introductions and moderate discussions.
• Ensure the operation and economy of the project.
• Work in team and practice interdisciplinary cooperation.
Syllabus
  • The course has two concurrent, but follow-up phases for students; they correspond to these basic steps:
  • 1. Preparation:
  • Introduction to the cinema operation, presentation of the current project, setting assignments
  • Formal structure of cinema
  • Cinema dramaturgy
  • Cinema operation
  • Cinema economy
  • Possibilities of obtaining funds for cinema operation
  • Film distribution
  • Copyright
  • Marketing and cinema PR
  • Field trips to cinemas
  • Continuous assessment
  • Presentation and evaluation of prepared projects
  • 2. Realization:
  • Project preparation, i.e. elaboration of a written project and setting up a team
  • Implementation of the project, i.e. realization of the projection cycle including the accompanying program.
  • Evaluation of the project, elaboration of the final report and defense of the realized project.
  • The project must include:
  • Name of the project (program, cycle).
  • Implementation team: project manager and his/her assistants – names (including field of study, year/semester of study, e-mail and phone number in case of the project manager).
  • Dramaturgical concept and nominal dramaturgical plan with a list of intended film screenings (a list of films including alternative titles for each evening) and the so-called “added value” to individual screenings. Added value means imaginative addition to a film projection by various means, such as introduction, discussion with a guest, etc.
  • Sources from which the films are to be obtained and the costs of distribution rights.
  • Promotion plan.
  • • Economic plan: breakdown of financial costs (rental and transport of films, guest fees, mandatory admission fees, operating costs of Scala cinema, promotion, production expenses, etc.) and expected revenues (admission, grants, sponsorship, etc.), in the form of a table (the template is available in the study materials for the course). The project must be elaborated in a detailed and realistic way according to the given specification.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • DAVID, Ivan. Filmové právo : autorskoprávní perspektiva. 1. vydání. Praha: Nová beseda, 2015, 239 stran. ISBN 9788090608900. info
  • DANIELIS, Aleš. Česká filmová distribuce po roce 1989. Iluminace, 19, 2007, č. 1, s. 53-104. Vyd. Praha: Národní filmový archiv. ISSN 0862-397X.
  • DANIELIS, Aleš. Svět filmu bez perforace. Hrozby a příležitosti digitální filmové distribuce. Iluminace, 25, 2013, č. 2, s. 89-101. Vyd. Praha: Národní filmových archiv. ISSN 0862-397X.
Teaching methods
• Lectures
• Discussions, presentations of guests
• Homework
Assessment methods
Preparation:
• Elaboration and presentation of independently assigned task.
• Final exam. Discussion with the teacher.

Realization:
• Selection and evaluation of projects will be decided by a committee consisting of  teachers and representatives of the Scala cinema.
• The final evaluation round is based on the final report and takes the form of a defense of the project carried out by the realization team and a discussion with the committee.
• Success is measured by the cultural value of the program offer and how it is delivered (with regard to added value), production and economic management of the project, the viewership and response.
• The project is rated as a team work, so all team members usually, not necessarily, get the same grade.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught each semester.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: Kombinovaná forma: 16 hodin/semestr.
Teacher's information
http://fav.phil.muni.cz/studentskekino
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2019, Spring 2020, Autumn 2020, Spring 2021, Autumn 2021, Spring 2022, Autumn 2022, Spring 2023, Autumn 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/FAVp009