First-run cinema

A film moves through cinemas in stages. First run is the release itself: the opening weeks, the national marketing, the busiest screens. After that come later runs, which bookers still describe in tiers. The US buying service Clark Film Buying, for example, lists the films it books for exhibitors as first run, intermediate and sub run, alongside independent and documentary titles.

A second-run or sub-run cinema waits until the first run is over, pays less for the film and charges less for the ticket. A first-run cinema accepts the opposite trade: the most expensive film rental in exchange for the audience at its peak.

Rental terms are front-loaded. Box Office Mojo's glossary puts it simply: the split generally favours the distributor in early weeks and shifts toward the exhibitor later on. A first-run cinema therefore earns its margin in two places, the later weeks of a long run and concessions, which the distributor has no share in.

First run also comes with conditions. Distributors set minimum playing time, holdover figures and showtime policies, and in a crowded zone they may grant the title to only one cinema through clearance. Getting first-run product is as much about access as about price, which is why booking and the relationship behind it matter.

Many independents mix the two: first run for the titles their audience will not wait for, later dates for everything else. The arithmetic is per title. Estimate admissions at each stage, apply the likely rental percentage and add concession margin. The film rental calculator and screening break-even calculator do the sums, and the software for independent cinemas page covers the box office side.