I Exhibited Films For A Year. I Lost Money, but I Think I Made My Point

If there is hope, it lies in the micro-cinemas. I first learned about

micro-cinema from a theater management class I took when getting my

minor in film at the University of Arizona. U of A is a party school, I

could not have gotten into a better school even if I knew how to party

better. They have a decent English department and they offer the option

of studying film as a minor. We're approaching a time in history where

we are debating the usefulness of a college education. If you do decide to

pursue a degree, look into ways to get the education you want. I feel like

U of A trained me for the things I wanted to do. No one has ever asked

to see the paper, or see my GPA.

I love the idea of having a small screen through which I can push

my own taste and agenda. Like a personal radio station. The romance

of micro-cinema was further instilled in me when I read the book A Year

at the Movies: One Man's Filmgoing Odyssey by Mystery Science Theater's

Kevin Murphy. Murphy talks about film exhibition in a lot of contexts.

This book really speaks to the experience of going to the movies. I'd love

to have a theater that doesn't have to produce much. One where I could

go wild with the programming. But the problem with that is alcohol.

Alcohol makes the world go 'round. You gotta sell alcohol to make that

business model work. Every single person I speak to eventually reminds

me of alcohol. I get it. But I have, nor have I ever, had any desire to run a

bar. Maybe that's why I chose The Lamplighter. They sell alcohol. I hope

alcohol will be a draw.

Billups Allen spent his formative years in and around the WashingtonD.C. punk scene. He graduated from the University of Arizona with acreative writing major and a film minor. He has worked in seven differentrecord stores around the country and currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee where he works for Goner Records, publishes Cramholezine, contributes music and movie writing regularly to Razorcake, UglyThings, and Lunchmeat magazines, and writes fiction. His most recentbook 101 Films You Could See Before You Die is available from GonerRecords. (cramholezine.com, billupsallen@gmail.com)