For college students, finding ways to spend valuable free time without spending a pretty penny is a difficult task unless it involves wasting time on video games or reality television. However, a variety of organizations on campus offer a slew of low-cost options for the entertainment-seeking student. Melnitz Movies, the Campus Events Commission and the Office of Residential Life all offer film screenings as alternatives spending hours on Facebook.
Melnitz Movies, sponsored by the Graduate Student Association, offers free screenings while breaking down international borders as they bring foreign films and filmmakers to the James Bridges Theater in Melnitz Hall. With screenings on Tuesday and Thursday nights, Melnitz Movies provides about 60 screenings every year.
“The goal is to represent how wide the scope of film is,” said Andrew Hall, director of Melnitz Movies.
With films like “An Education,” “Child’s Play,” “Samson and Delilah” and “La Nana,” the film picks represent a wide assortment of genres and time periods.
Hall, a cinema studies graduate student, attends film festivals like Sundance in order to discover future selections.
“Having (the screenings) at UCLA is a big help; it is world renowned,” Hall said, regarding the ability to get directors to come to the screenings of their films. “Roughly one third from the directors we screen come to talk, from Taiwan, Congo, Portugal, Peru, Australia. … They’re happy to have an audience to talk with them about (their films).”
These picks generally aren’t number one at the box office, but Hall said he still sees the value.
“There are so many similar films out there and people miss out on the smaller films that are often very rewarding,” Hall said.
Students who are interested in the more mainstream can turn to the Campus Events Commission, which has a long tradition of serving students heaps of both big name blockbuster hits and little-known indie screenings for low or no fare. Established in 1965, the commission offers $2 movie nights and free sneaks, most of which are held in Ackerman Grand Ballroom.
The $2 movie night is a weekly event where the organization rents out movies that are no longer in theaters but still have yet to make the jump to DVD, whereas their free sneak program premieres yet-to-be-released films for free.
“The studio isn’t making any money off of it, but they are making money by word of mouth,” said Megan Lee, director of films for the commission.
Studios send films in hopes that the college crowd will talk about the film for a promotional boost.
“(We) contact (the studios) and take advantage of the fact that they’re looking for a college audience to get the buzz out there for their movies.”
Lee said the organization also hopes to instill some educational value to their screenings by incorporating guest speakers and question and answer sessions.
“We ask if there is anyone attached to the film that would like to do a Q&A,” Lee said, when seeking out potential guest speakers.
The Hill is also an option for all on-campus residents to catch a flick. Screenings on the Hill have been offered for more than 10 years and for many different reasons.
“Number one: stress reliever, community builder, another place to meet more people, social life and find a common interest,” said Karen Hedges, assistant director of the Office of Residential Life
Films screened by the Office of Residential Life are chosen based on a vote by the On-Campus Housing Council, which consists of a representative from every building.
“They vote and decide, so it is therefore a popular vote because they are representing all of the buildings,” Hedges said.
Film screenings are free to all on-campus residents because of the one-time 99 cent fee that students living on campus are required to pay as part of their activity fee. A video library makes titles available to students living on the floors. The video library is multipurpose, in that it allows for educational-related themes or a screening for fun in the halls.
In addition to the library, the Office of Residential Life hosts six annual movie nights open to all on-campus residents. The cost of a movie night is generally around $500, and the film is only shown once for the duration of the school year.
With the number of screenings available, a cheap or even free movie could literally be right around the corner.