The Arts Cinema & "Filmanthropy"

f.november7.artscinema.storee
Logan Arts Cinema
By Storee Powell
Staff Writer

In a world that is ever increasing in commercial, profit-oriented entertainment, the Logan Arts Cinema takes a step back to offer a public service.
“We have been losing money for the last five years,” said Tony Jay Rudman, Vice President and General Councilman of Westates Theaters, “but we play the independent films as a community service.”
The downtown theater at 785 N. Main St. is operated by the Westates Theaters of Salt Lake City. The Arts Cinema offers a unique movie experience by playing independent art films, which aren’t offered anywhere else in Logan.
An article in Time magazine, titled, “Can a Film Change the World,” explains art films as made outside of the Hollywood system that often focus on political or humanitarian issues. They can raise awareness on important topics, including stereotypes.
Ted Leonsis states in the article, "Filmanthropy changes the metrics of measurement from box office and revenues to number of volunteers and amount of money raised."
“Filmanthropy” is what the Arts Cinema does. Despite requests from locals to keep the Arts Cinema open and playing art films, the theater often has a crowd 20 during the week, and an audience of 30 on the weekends, said Rudman.
“We would love to just break even, while we feel attached to the Logan community, we don’t have public funding, it is Westates’ money,” said Rudman.
With such small audiences, it is difficult for Westates’ to plan for the theater’s future. The most recent opening night, for a film called “Man on Wire,” the theater took in only $134, according to Rudman.
Richard Davidson, the Logan city manager for Westates, said that a film’s success depends on the movie itself. He also explained that they get many of choose many of their movies by customer requests, which can be made on the Westates’ web site.
“It can be like a roller coaster, some weeks are complete slumps,” Davidson said.
The theater has the most success with atypical demographics, not the usual 18 to 35-year-old audience. Usually they seat the same crowd every week, often including many elder folk, according to Davidson.
Whatever the movie, the cozy one-screen theater makes for a unique viewing experience. Though the theater was built in the seventies, it has been updated and kept up, while still retaining a few nostalgic qualities.
The psychedelic orange floors were replaced, as well as the seats when Westates bought the theater in 2003. The sound is offered in DTS (Digital Theater Systems) for quality. Tickets are taken inside, though the voice box on the glass window is intact, where tickets were taken from customers outside. Also, the projectors are not digital, but the old-fashioned, rather tricky thread- through type, said Davidson.
“We haven’t switched to digital yet, we will have to eventually,” said Rudman, “we haven’t done it not because of the money, but because we feel the film offers a certain quality that digital can’t, it captures the essence of what it is.”
Kate Black, a sophomore majoring in American Studies, is one of the employees who not only runs the theater on her shift solo, but also can thread the projector. She said, “It isn’t too hard to do,” despite all her other responsibilities. Black sells the tickets, concessions, threads the movie, and anything else that needs done.
Since there are only several employees, and the theater serves a regular crowd, the workers know almost everyone who comes in, offering a very personal service.
“Besides keeping Logan artsy, the Arts Cinema is personal, and that’s an important part in a commercial world,” said Black.
Black, Rudman and Davidson all speculated on why the Arts Cinema and its independent films are less popular.
Black mentioned that the theater is often cold, a complaint of customers. But it is difficult for Westates to funnel money into an unpacked theater.
Davidson said that besides being in old downtown, the independent films aren’t for the typical audience.
“Generally, our audience here know more about film and what’s out there, rather than just the top ten,” said Davidson.
Black also said, “The independent films I think are better quality, they are more intellectual.”
Rudman explained that while these films are quality, many people, including the new generations, just don’t seem to care about art films.
“We can make more on High School Musical in one night, than we can here at the Arts Cinema with a movie such as Duchess,” said Rudman.
Rudman pointed out that the theater doesn’t play movies that are unrated, or rated NC-17.
“It is frustrating,” said Rudman, “people ask us to stay open, and then they don’t support the films.”
Rudman thought that people had other things to do, and that the suffering economy might play a role in the small audiences. Although, the Arts Cinema is the only theater that offers a student discount, making tickets $5, said Rudman.
The lack of support is forcing Westates to think hard about the theater’s future. In March 2009, they may not extend the lease if the theater continues to lose money. The goal is to just break even, said Davidson.
The theater is still struggling, even after building owner, Jim Lindal, lowered the rent, according to Rudman.
“I am optimistic we will be open in the future, we are doing all we can,” said Rudman.
The Arts Cinema is a piece of Logan history, and a movie connoisseurs dream.
“There is value in not the norm,” said Davidson, “the quirky things like the Arts Cinema makes Cache Valley interesting.”