This week, Russ and Rebecca talk with two executives from Charlotte Film Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing a dedicated art house space to the Charlotte, North Carolina, left without one after the closure of the decades-old Manor Theatre in spring 2020. 

President Brad Ritter and Program Director Jay Morong of the Charlotte Film Society talk about the rich history of the Manor Theatre as well as building a new art house space from the ground up—including their planned changes to the traditional programming model.

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Episode Resources:

• Charlotte Film Society
• The Fundraiser
• Manor Theatre History

What to Listen For

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:22 Latest news on AMC’s stock market price
• 04:00 What’s the end game for AMC’s latest stock price
• 07:13 The Little Things premiere week
• 08:58 We are joined today by Brad Ritter and Jay Morong of Charlotte Film Society
• 10:56 The lack of art houses in Charlotte
• 14:02 The Manor Theatre’s rich history
• 19:03 Efforts to bring back art houses in Charlotte
• 21:49 Finding the right space to revive an art house
• 24:12 Despite COVID, fundraising response has been positive
• 30:09 How theater programming has changed over time
• 36:05 Opening plans for the Manor Theatre
• 43:32 Programming plans for the opening
• 44:43 Consistency with what the audience would want to see
• 48:40 The target is to showcase as many unique films as possible
• 54:34 Theatrical window changes can reinvent film bookings