A film series is a special event, it's like a book club, it's a place for people to gather, relax, watch films and meet others who share the interest in independent cinema.

I believe there should be more film series, there is an audience and it's a wonderful privilege to be a part of.

Running a film series and/ or a film festival is very rewarding, the most rewarding part for me is seeing the audience walk away with something more then they did when they first sat down.

Details are what I love about programming films, you'll find that the longer you are running a film series, the easier everything becomes. It's difficult to start, but stay with it because things will get easier.

The most vital aspect of programming is making sure you see the film first, or if you don't see it, then have a trusting group or committee see the film (that is unless it's an open program). You want what is best for your audience, and if they are making an effort to attend your series, it's important to respect their time and their trust.

Another important aspect of having a film series is finding a niche and sticking to it. Whether you show docs, shorts, gay & lesbian, experimental, premieres, etc...

For example, the Reel Roundtable's niche lies within the guests. We take pride in our guests and try our best to introduce them to our audience. Our guests make a difference in the independent film community and so do the films which they showcase.

We try to introduce the Roundtable community to different areas of the industry and let them meet the people who we know and respect. There are many people working in the independent film industry and only few of them have recognition for their endless hours of hard work.

Another important part is location; where is your audience, which location is beneficial to them, is your series a bar-oriented film series or a theater-oriented film series?

Also, who is your audience? Is it public? Membership? Limited? Open?

How often does the film series occur? This is an important detail to work out with your location. Most theaters prefer to have a film series run for one week straight. It makes sense because it is easier for theaters to block out a week of programming and it's easier to advertise in blocks of time.

A once-a-month film series tend to take place in bars, restaurants and/ or screening rooms. Some theaters will participate in once-a-month series, but only if it's not on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

To have a weekly film series in a theater is difficult, because you're asking the theater to take a risk. If they are screening a film which is selling out every night then they may lose money.

At the end of the day, a film series is a wonderful thing to run and to program. It allows you to be creative, show films to a niche audience that they will enjoy. It's a community within a community.