How to organize a Come From Away
group video screening
Hundreds of regional and community theatres across the world are now producing licensed Come From Away musical productions. We invite them to join our charity as an official partner promoting kindness and unity in your community.
Our "Volunteer of the Year" Lydia Greatrix organized donation drives at more than a dozen UK theatres, where patrons brought canned goods for food banks, fresh socks for homeless shelters and more.
Consider using your theatre as a collection point for local charities for people in need (Think the song "Blankets and Bedding!").
If you're able to collect spare change for Pay it Forward 9/11, the money will donated will support our kindness education programs.
Learn more by emailing our founder and president (and the "real Kevin T" in Come From Away)
Greetings kindness spreader!
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Overview
This guide was created by Garret Shields, Pay It Forward 9/11 board member, to aid you in your mission of hosting your own ‘Come From Away’ screening:
As we have learned from hosting several screenings over the years, there are many pieces of the puzzle you will need to make your event successful.
The biggest disclaimer we must emphasize: For copyright reasons from Apple TV: you CANNOT charge any fee to patrons to view the film. We hope you'll agree the more people who experience this musical and learn the story, the better our world will be.
If you are going to have an event such as dinner beforehand, you can charge a fee for that, but the film screening must remain a free event.
It is acceptable and appreciated to solicit donations from event attendees for your own school or charity, as well as donations for Pay it Forward 9/11, Inc, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Quick Agenda:
1. Organizer: Welcome, provide event overview, emergency & cell phone instructions
2. Play Come From Away on Apple TV 1 hr 46 minutes, including photos of real characters with their doppelganger actors during credits
3. Invite volunteer representative of Pay it Forward 9/11 to facilitate group conversation on ways to "be like Gander" and participate in "11 Days of Kindness" each September. (10-15 minutes before, or after the video)
4. Optional: invite local first responders or those with a personal connection to the 9/11 tragedy to help us "never forget" the lives lost. (10-15 minutes)
Good luck in your mission to spread kindness!
Your "Come From Away" Screening Checklist
Secure Your Venue & Date (3+ Months Out): Choose an indoor location and confirm its maximum seating capacity. Consider partnering with a church or non-profit for donated space.
Set Up Ticketing (3+ Months Out): Use a platform like Eventbrite to "sell" free tickets to track attendance. You can charge for add-ons like pre-paid concessions or parking to raise funds.
Gather A/V Equipment (2 Months Out): You'll need an Apple TV subscription, a laptop with HDMI, a 1080P or higher projector, a large screen, speakers, and various cables. Optional items include wireless microphones, a sound mixing board, and an HDMI splitter.
Advertise Your Event (2 Months Out): Don't rely solely on Eventbrite's tools. Utilize social media (Facebook Ads are recommended), local flyers, and signage at your venue.
Staff Your Event (2 Months Out): Plan for at least two parking attendants, two door greeters/ticket scanners, an A/V person, concession stand workers, and at least three ushers.
Plan Concessions for Fundraising: This is a primary way to raise funds. Purchase items like bottled water, soda, coffee, hot dogs, pizza, chips, and popcorn from bulk retailers. Don't forget paper plates, napkins, and coffee supplies.
Finalize Details, Order Pay it Forward 9/11 promo items & Print Materials (1 Month Out): Confirm all donors and advertisements for your event program (optional, but a good way to secure sponsorships). Order Pay it Forward 9/11 wristbands and Smile cards and printed programs for the screening, if you're using them.
Pre-Event Setup & Testing (1 Week - 1 Day Out): If possible, begin setting up your A/V system and chairs. Crucially, test your A/V system and volume levels thoroughly by playing a portion of the film.
Day-Of Execution: Get to the venue early for final A/V checks. Have optional room decorations, concessions prepped an hour before doors open, and parking attendants in place 30 minutes prior. Play light music, open doors on time, and remind guests about the 100-minute film runtime and restroom availability before starting.
Post-Event Gratitude & Cleanup: Thank your guests and pick raffle winners (if applicable). Begin cleanup after guests leave. Send thank-you notes to all vendors and ensure your bank information is correct for any Eventbrite payouts.
Items you will need for the film screening:
1. Subscription to Apple TV (This is where the film lives; search "Come From Away")
2. Laptop with HDMI output or another device capable of plugging into a projector
3. Projector – Must be 1080P or higher to work with Apple TV Streaming
Large projection screen. If you purchase one from Amazon, it will only support front-facing projection. Higher-quality screens can accommodate rear projection.
4. Large speakers and stands – We rented 2 from Guitar Center rentals, they included speaker wires.
5. Chairs, if your event space does not already have them (or pews if at a church)
6. HDMI Cables – depending on your needs and set up, we used a 50’ cable between the tech booth and the projector and 30’ cables between the booth and TV monitors.
7. GFI Extension cords and power strips
8. Wireless Microphone(s) (Optional if you plan on having an MC or speakers for your event)
9. 6- or 8-foot tables for name tags, give aways, concessions
10. Eventbrite.com service (we used this to register and assign free tickets as our space had limited capacity)
Optional:
Design and print your own Playbill (Optional – used to sell advertisements)
Concession stand (optional)
Sound board and engineer (depending on the venue)
2-3 Months before your event
Decide on a location to host the screening. We suggest an indoor venue if you are not in an area where the weather always cooperates. We used the community hall at a fire station where a board member works. The event space was donated to us. Seek a church or other non-profit to partner with you on your event.
Secure the venue and date, and find out the maximum seating capacity. o Depending on your projection setup, determine how many people you can accommodate. If you use a rear projector, you will lose 10 to 15 feet of space. If the projector is front facing, account for the void space in front of it, unless you have a ceiling-mounted projector system.
Create your event in Eventbrite or another online platform where you can register and assign free tickets.
--Eventbrite can set up a free event for your guests where they do not pay for a ticket, but rather reserve the space so you can keep track of how many guests you are expecting. Do not use the “Donation” option when you create through Eventbrite, as this will not accurately count the number of individual people coming.
--You can have add-ons such as pre-paid concessions, razzle tickets, parking, etc.
If you use a venue that allows, charge for parking. This is a great way to raise funds and cover the overhead costs of your event.
o Eventbrite's website has many FAQs and “How To” sections. Pay It Forward 9/11 does not receive any financial support from them; we have just found their services to be the most useful for these screening events.
o Account for people needing space for wheelchairs or people who can transfer to a seat. You can set this up as a question when you create ticket options in Eventbrite.
o You can view our Eventbrite page from the 2024 event here.• Optional: Start working on an event program. We used Playbill’s Playbuilder to create authentic programs and posters for the event.
This was primarily used to sell advertisement space and sponsorships to local businesses who donated money, goods, and/or prizes to our charity raffle. If you go this route, you will need someone tech-savvy with Photoshop to create this.Order Pay it Forward 9/11 wristbands and Smile cards (1-3 for each attendee) and a pop-up banner for a small fee here.
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