Month: May 2026

{Left to Right: Angela Smetana of Marcus Theatres, Melissa Boudreau of Emagine Entertainment, Todd Halstead of Cinema United, Brian Anderson of Dells Theatre, Kelli Brown of Dakota Cinema]

Cinema United’s Andrew Stewart, Chief Communications Officer, and Todd Halstead, Director of Government Relations and Independent Theatre Owner Engagement, joined North Central Cinema United for its annual convention during the second week of May.

It was a great few days of studio presentations, movie screenings, vendor conversations, and time with theatre owners and managers from across the region. Andrew and Todd especially enjoyed connecting with members and sharing updates on Cinema United’s industry work, CinemaCon, and the issues most important to independent cinemas.

The convention featured valuable networking and education opportunities, including an independent owners roundtable hosted by Lee and Diane Akin of Silver Screen Magic. The discussion gave operators a chance to compare notes, talk about what they are seeing in their markets, and share practical ideas with peers who understand the day-to-day realities of running cinemas.

One of the many highlights was the Social Media Marketing seminar, moderated by Melissa Boudreau of Emagine Entertainment and featuring Brian Anderson of Dells Theatre, Kelli Brown of Dakota Cinema, and Angela Smetana of Marcus Theatres.

The conversation showed how smart, creative marketing is happening at every level of exhibition, from Main Street cinemas to the industry’s leading circuits. The takeaway was simple: with a phone and some creativity, any theatre can use social media to reach moviegoers in the communities they serve and beyond.

The convention also raised more than $4,500 for the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, a wonderful show of support for an amazing organization that has long helped people across the exhibition community when they need it most.

Cinema United also thanks Alamo Drafthouse and Marcus Theatres for hosting events and screenings featuring Ketchup Entertainment’s Coyote vs. Acme, Walt Disney Studios’ The Mandalorian and Grogu, and Angel Studios’ Brink of War. Their teams delivered the kind of hospitality, service, and theatre experience that reflects the best of exhibition.

And finally, a special thank you to Dave Quincer, Dale Haider, Russell Vannorsdel, Lee Akin, Diane Akin, and the entire North Central Cinema United leadership team for welcoming Cinema United and bringing the region’s exhibition community together.

[Left to right: Cinema United’s Harry Medved, Cinema Association of California/Nevada’s Todd Vradenburg, and CineLux’s Paul Gunsky]

On Thursday, April 30, Cinema United’s Harry Medved joined the Cinema Association of California/Nevada at their Spring Managers Meeting & Studio Products Seminar at Cinemark’s beautiful Century 20 Oakridge in San Jose, CA.

Cinema Association of CA/NV hosts the Spring Managers Meeting as a way to bring local theatre managers together to see many of the films previously previewed at CinemaCon and to hear presentations from the top studio and industry partners. Managers had the opportunity to meet and greet representatives from the major studios, along with The Will Rogers Foundation, Deluxe, Onni Creative, Paper Airplane, P3 Global Services, and many more partners.

Attendees heard presentations from reps from the studio, including Amazon MGM Studios, Paramount, Sony, and Universal. Universal’s Luke D’Agnese talked about the importance of in-theatre collabs including movie-themed food & beverage presentations, saying “from custom cocktails or local brand collaborations to premium concessions, you have that power to create next level combinations that can ignite superfans and casual guests alike.” 

As part of the meeting, Cinema Association of CA/NV presented new research, prepared in partnership with Morning Consult, to understand what drives local moviegoers. According to a survey of 1,025 Californian adults, moviegoers are looking for a wider experience at the cinema, places where they can spend special time with friends and family. More than 73% said they saw at least one movie on the big screen over the last twelve months, while 27% saw more than five movies during that time. 

Managers also had the chance to see the “Behind the Screens: Faces of Exhibition” spotlights on Texas Theatre’s Barak Epstein and Belcourt Theatre’s Stephanie Silverman.

A special thank you to Todd Vradenburg and Maura Ortega and the Board of Cinema Association of CA/NV for always including Cinema United in these great events and for continuing to do all they do to move forward the exhibition industry.