Tiff Special! Host the perfect Movie premier at home!
It’s that time of the year again when Hollywood takes over Toronto for TIFF, running from Sept 8-18th. Exciting starlet sightings and celebrity selfies make this festival a not-to-miss yearly event. Film aficionados are treated to an international-class festival with global cache, that draws the year’s hottest movies. Whether you’re attending one of the numerous screenings, the happening events going on throughout the city, or missing out on the fest, you can bring the TIFF spirit to you and yours with an at-home movie premier. SkyHomes’ TIFF Special offers you these tips to make the perfect movie premier at home.
Plan
You don’t have to have the event-planning skills of TIFF’s festival committee to pull this evening off without a hitch–but it will take some planning. Planning your movie premier ahead of time helps build excitement for something truly special. Do you want it an adult-only or kid-friendly evening? This will impact the movie selection as well as the food and beverage menu. Your premier can incorporate a theme–such as dressing as your favourite movie star. Alternatively a black tie dress code exudes the glam spirit of a fancy film fest. Or stick to something simple and go to the comfortable route with a pyjama party.
Send Invitations
Invitations are key to the success of your movie premier–this allows your guest list to RSVP for the event, and for your to gauge how many attendees you’ll have. If you’re looking for this evening to stand out, you might even considering crafting and handing out personal invitations. Who doesn’t love getting mail? Additionally, you can impress your guest by including a homemade cinema ticket to get past your door. This is the place to give the the low-down: the attire, timeline, and details such as which movie will be showing, or the selections they will have to vote on.
Prepare Food & Drinks
That theatre classic of freshly popped kernels is a must for a movie themed party. For an extra touch, include a variety of popcorn toppings–from real butter to herbs to cheesy flavouring. Set up a full concession area for your guests with a variety of candies, pops and beverages. Your guests will be floored by a presentation like this! You may even consider a sundae bar with bowls of typical movie candy set out for the ice cream toppings. A signature drink will up the class factor of your soiree, and a non-alcoholic version can be made if young ones will be in attendance.
Set Up The Perfect Space
The last thing you need to worry about before the event is the comfort of your guests. An entertainment room is an ideal space to host a movie premier. You may want to lay down a red carpet leading to your “theatre” and play paparazzi by taking pictures of your guests to remember the night and get into the premier theme. Mood matters, so matching the scene to the movie can make it even more memorable. Take advantage of all your space by adding cozy pillows and super soft blankets on the floor if you run out of seating. Encourage everyone to turn off their cell phones and tablets, or silence them, to keep extra noise distractions away and help everyone bond together as friends and family.
Schedule an Intermission
Keep pauses to a minimum by scheduling an intermission–it allows everyone to use the restroom, refill their plates, get drinks and stretch. After you’ve taken a break yourself, assess the food and comfort situation. Take this opportunity to observe what’s happening in the room and make some minor adjustments—add another pillow or blanket, clean up a potential mess, or refill snacks and put away food no one is eating, to cut down on the clean-up. Before un-pausing, ask the room (especially young children) if everyone remembers what’s happening in the movie to keep everyone on track of the plot!
After-Show
The screening is done but the party isn’t over. If you chose an evening screening–it maybe be the perfect time to put the little ones to bed if they were joining you. Let your attendees play movie critic by talking about the film over cocktails. Doing so will give everyone a chance to express their opinion, mingle and make conversation.
TIFF is not just Canada’s hottest movie festival, but is international, drawing major Hollywood stars. With busy schedules, kid’s recitals and the day to day grind–a home movie premier with a gathering of your own personal superstars–friends and family–can rival meeting Tom Cruise himself. SkyHomes wishes you a happy ten days of TIFF 2016!
