Oh, autumn. The time of year for sweaters, bonfires and nervous first dates with that cute kid in Chem 1100 you finally got up the courage to flirt with (here’s looking at you, guy in the second row). And whether you’re a wide-eyed freshman or a veteran senior, you know there’s no better place to take said date than Ragtag Cinema.
The independent cinema at 10 Hitt St. offers up that quirky, hipster vibe with its range of blockbuster hits and independent films (break out your plaid, people) while also providing a laid-back spot to spend the evening (did I mention that the two theaters inside come equipped with couches?).
However, if Ragtag isn’t able to raise $80,000 in the next six weeks, the economic standing of the institution will be in serious jeopardy.
Starting in January, many major film distributors will be shifting from the classic 35mm film to solely digital cinema. Long story short: if Ragtag isn’t able to switch over to fully digital equipment by the end of the year, they will no longer be able to show any of the high-profile films (think “Little Miss Sunshine”) provided by these distributors.
“We knew it was coming and have been planning for it, but the abrupt change to digital in 2013 requires us to speed up the process,” Ragtag Board Treasurer Kathy Love says.
In fact, the board has known about this revamp in the film industry for some time now and has been saving accordingly. This past February, Ragtag was able to purchase a digital projector for their large theater, a project that cost $80,000. However, to complete the transformation, the large theater will also need a server and a sound system, and the small theater will require the entire three-piece set.
“Film is changing,” Ragtag board president Connie Kingsley says. “Film as we know it will no longer exist. Digital is more economical for the distributors.”
Although this switch will lessen the economic burden for major movie distributors, the recent deadline has created urgency for the theater. The Ragtag staff and board of directors are now racing against the clock in order to procure the funds they need to make the transformation a reality.
One of many fundraisers planned will be Ragtag’s second Skedaddle, a city-wide scavenger hunt held Oct. 28. You can register your team now online to compete for the hunt’s cash prizes.
Ragtag also has a two-part campaign in place to help assure the future of the cinema. On Sunday, the theater introduced Lumen, a 7-foot tall robot, created by MU student and sculptures major Greg Orloff. A silent auction for Lumen is currently in place with a starting bid of $10,000. The proceeds from this auction will hopefully cover the costs of completing the large theater.
The second part of the campaign makes use of Kickstarter, a website that provides independent companies a platform for funding creative projects. Ragtag hopes to raise the rest of the money through its Kickstarter page. Donations and auction bids will both close at 5 p.m. Nov. 10.
“We need this to go viral,” says executive director Tracy Lane, who says she’s worried about what this might mean for Ragtag’s free community screenings and programs. “Everything we do that is mission-based is at risk.”
Without the blockbuster hits provided by these digital distributors, Ragtag will no longer have the revenue it needs to show lesser-known independent and foreign films.
“We don’t want the string of films to go away,” Lumen, the robot, says at the fundraiser’s kickoff event.
Columbia residents may not have to worry too much though. Just two days after the release of its Kickstarter page, Ragtag had already raised more than $10,000 in support of its cause.
However, if the theater doesn’t garner up enough support, our hometown cinema may take a turn for the worse. And first dates may resort to a plate of shared chili fries over at Broadway Diner (read: onion breath). And let’s face it, no one wants that.
