There is something to be said for premiering a movie in a theater in
Los Angeles post 1990. A producer can generate some press with
a theatrical premiere – the local press isn't interested in a YouTube
premiere. It's a great perk for cast and crew especially if they have
worked for no/low pay. Even if they were paid, seeing the result of
their work all together in a theater (especially one as nice as The
Crest) is a wonderful experience.
This is NOTHING like the pay-to-play nonsense of L.A. clubs. This is
a rental agreement just like renting a location. I always make the
effort (and spend the money) to do a cast and crew screening in a
local theater.
I've always wondered how much it would be to rent out a theatre for a private premiere in Los Angeles. Does anyone know what a non-discounted rate would be? And in other area's of the country?
Most theaters across the country offer rental deals. The cost varies
depending on the night of the week, the distributor agreement for
the current movie playing and (of course) the theater. Even the big
chains like AMC offer some theaters for rent. My advice is to check
the websites of the theater you're interested in and contact the
promotions person.