The connections between exhibition/fiscal sponsorship and societal change are rarely linear. The impacts tend to emanate in concentric circles, or cyclically, and can depend upon many factors, including: quality of the material, curatorial style and presentation, sophistication of marketing, audience receptivity, and timing and relevance to current events on a local, national or international level. By understanding our role in the ecology of film production and exhibition, the Film Society strives to provide an even more robust platform for filmmakers to find their audiences and to effect change.

Exhibition
The Film Society has a number of exhibition strategies to reach out to its wide and diverse Bay Area audiences: the annual SF International Film Festival; smaller festivals such as French Cinema Now, New Italian Cinema and the SF International Animation Festival; the SFFS Screen at the Sundance Cinemas Kabuki (daily programming with some blackout periods); one-time special previews and member screenings; live and onstage performances; and other new media events.

For quantitative measurements of the impacts of a film’s SFFS exhibition, we look at attendance numbers, articles generated by our exhibition and other data such as webiste hits and awards or recognition from SFFS or other organizations, where available. While these data provide important information, filmmakers, funders and other interested stakeholders are working on new ways to measure the impacts of film and other creative media on social change.

Youth Education
The presentation of cause-related films is at the very heart of our year-round Youth Education program. Serving approximately 7,500 students every year through in-school and theatrical events, the program’s primary objective is using film as a uniquely effective educational tool for creating true world citizens. As a result, the scope and quality of our outreach efforts to schools not only expands Bay Area youth’s global and cultural awareness, but helps to develop their awareness to issues that may affect their lives well into the future. The Film Society curates Youth Education programs based upon the value of their subject matter and their relevance to current school curricula, and each program involves direct interaction with filmmakers, scholars, critics and subject area experts who further engage students with the material they experience on screen.

Fiscal Sponsorship
Dedicated to supporting emerging and established filmmakers nationwide, Fiscal Sponsorship staff works closely with filmmakers in developing their project proposals, provide guidance and advice regarding all stages of production, fundraising, distribution and outreach strategies.

In the ever-changing world of distribution, the Fiscal Sponsorship staff stresses the importance of having a complex and multi-faceted distribution plan which will build and engage audiences much earlier in a projects life. The staff specifically helps filmmakers create strategies that utilize both online and offline ways of interacting with individuals, foundations, community groups and activists with an goal of not only cultivating relationships but maximizing the opportunities to impact real social change in the areas the film is exploring.  

Please see Cause-Related Projects for more information on SFFS exhibition, fiscal sponsorhip and the latest thinking on how to maximize the impact of creative media.