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Film Premiere Venues in London

Find and book a cinema or film premiere venue

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Welcome to our list of featured film premiere venues currently available for hire across the length and breadth of London. Here at Canvas we are regularly asked for the next hip red carpet cinema or a location for the next London movie premiere and we have a generous range of event venues that tick all the boxes, no matter the style you had in mind. We have highly contemporary venues that come complete with the very latest architectural design and cutting edge technology, as well as historic spaces that are steeped in London’s rich cultural heritage. This means we have got you covered regardless of if you are in search of an empty shell ripe for transformation or a ready-to-go movie theatre. So, whether you want your film premier to have a classic feel or be totally unique, look no further than these top picks and get ready to roll out the red carpet.

How to Organise an Independent Film Premiere

If you’ve just completed work on an independent film, it’s only right that you want to show it to the world. What better way to do so than at its very own red-carpet premiere event? It’s a chance for everyone involved to see the finished product, as well as all of your family and friends. It’s also a great opportunity to promote your work, and you’ll never get another quite like it.


When to Have Your Premiere


You might be eager to have the premiere as soon as possible. But it’s always better to wait a little bit longer. As events like this need to be booked in advance, you might want to wait until the movie is completely finished before organising the premiere for the following month. While you can have the date set whilst you’re still filming, this doesn’t take into account any unexpected delays during post production. If you have the premiere as a deadline, you might run out of time to give your movie the final edit that it really needs, putting pressure on you to complete it before the premiere date. It’s much better to take your time, and let your opening event happen later to save any stress.


Where to Have Your Premiere


A theatre is the obvious choice of venue for a film premiere, and many are very accommodating to independent filmmakers who want to hire out a screen for the night. They can even take care of ticket sales for you and recommend good caterers for you to use. However, there are many unique film premiere venues for hire in London. As it’s an independent film, you can have a premiere that really shows off what you’re all about.  A great way to do this is by choosing an alternative venue to host your event in. Anywhere that can project your movie will work. It can be quirky, atmospheric, or chic the style is completely down to you.


Who to Invite to Your Premiere


The short answer is, everyone! While it’s tradition to have a separate free screening for the crew, this doesn’t need to happen with independent films. Everyone has worked so hard bringing your idea to life, that they deserve the chance to celebrate with you. They won’t mind if they need to buy a ticket for it, especially if you’re a hosting a proper red-carpet event. You should invite as many people as possible. Try and fill your venue to capacity and encourage everyone to post about it on social media. You should also invite a few local celebrities and press to come along to give you evening an added boost.


Things to Remember


There is a bit more to a film premiere than just booking the venue and inviting people to attend. Like all events, you’ll need to think carefully about what your guests are going to expect out of the evening, and what it is that you want to gain from having a premiere in the first place. Once you understand this, you’ll be able to plan it in a way that ensures everyone will be pleased.


Organise a Red Carpet


To make your premiere really high-class, you should rent a red carpet for your guests to walk down. This will make it seem as if they’re in Hollywood and they’ll certainly appreciate the attention to detail. Hiring a carpet isn’t expensive, but really adds a touch of glamour to the night. Similarly, guests should be greeted with a glass of bubbly on arrival. This will get the whole night off to a great start.


Have a Dress Code


If you are going for the red-carpet look, then all of your guests need to be aware of this beforehand so that they dress to impress. If you don’t let people know that it is a formal occasion, you’ll have a very mismatched crowd, and half of your guests will feel out of place. Of course, you don’t need to go for a formal event. Your premiere should be whatever suits you best, and if that’s casual, then you should stick to it.


Introduce Your Film


One thing about premieres, independent or not, is that people will expect to hear from its creator. It’s important that you plan your speech in advance and deliver it to the audience before the film screening. It doesn’t need to be very long but should explain a little about your inspiration and add in some thanks to the important people who contributed to it.


Make Sure You Have Food


A good premiere will keep people there long after the screening is over and the best way to do this is to make sure that there is food available for everyone to enjoy after the event. Hiring in some caterers to have either a sit-down meal or a buffet will really bring the whole evening together in the best way.


Promote Your Movie


You’re not going to sell many tickets to your premiere unless you promote your movie early. Advertise the theme of the night, whether it is red-carpet or not, and what your audience can expect. Do interviews with local magazines and bloggers to get the word out and don’t forget the power that social media has when it comes to creating a buzz. Having a well edited film trailer is essential to promoting your movie well.


No matter what your film genre, having a premiere can really get your name and your work out there, and might lead to bigger and better things in the future! As a filmmaker, you want the public to have the chance to enjoy your work on the big screen, which is why organising a premiere is such an intrinsic part of the process. Plus, it’s an excellent reward for a job well done.

FAQs Film Premiere Venues in London

How do you organise a film premiere in London?

Congratulations! You’ve made an amazing movie, and now you’d like everyone to know about it. The first thing you need to do is find the perfect venue for hire in London. Have a think about the kind of event you’re organising – is it going to be a large and lavish event, or small and intimate? There are amazing cinema and film venues for hire all over London, so narrow it down by figuring out how much capacity you’ll need. You’d be surprised how quickly an independent cinema can fill up, so you might need to be strategic about your guest list.



Who is invited to a film premiere in London?

The first guests to a movie premiere is to share your new movie with the cast and crew, as well as journalists, PR associates and notable figures in the industry. The more famous people you can get to come along to your premiere, the more press coverage you’re likely to have. Reach out to PR agencies with invites, and make sure they know it’s the event of the season! If you can snag even one or two big names to come along to your film premiere, it can make a big difference.



What is the purpose of a movie premiere?

You’re looking to get as much press coverage from the event as you can, to start getting audiences familiar with and excited about your movie. If you’re organising a move premiere for a small or independent film, it’s a good idea to include a drinks reception if you can - to keep your guests happy and encourage them to have a great time! Larger films are normally very difficult to get in to, so you need to do less work to ensure all of your guests are talking about it later.



What facilities does a venue need to have to host a film premiere?

The most important equipment you’ll need are the screen and the speakers – that will come under audio-visual equipment. You want your guests to see your film at its best, so check in with the venue manager about the quality of their equipment and run a test screening at your site visit. If they are experienced in organising film events, this will be easy for them to arrange. It’s also a good idea to think about other space you’ll need if you’d like to do a drinks reception, or even a red carpet!



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