ICO: How to start a cinema

The essential guide to help you to start a cinema, or show films in your community.

This guide from the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) covers all aspects you need to consider, from suitable buildings to technical considerations, to costs, programming, marketing, staffing and finding an audience.

It also includes a number of case studies, from very large to very small venues, where you can hear the personal experiences, tips and insights of people who have actually done it. It’s a comprehensive guide to everything you need to consider, with a series of easy-to-use chapter headings and summaries for each section. These include:

• Planning & Strategy
• Understanding audiences
• Organisation and constitution
• Premises issues & building design
• Technical and Equipment Issues

→ Read the guide