Stompers Cinema reels in Maverick support
The Stompers Cinema really knows how to end the week in a classy fashion by entertaining the student population of Minnesota State University, Mankato to a thrilling movie from Wednesday night with re-runs up to the weekend.
“Its just a great way for students to have a good time and enjoy campus activities,” Stompers Cinema President Brandin Schmidt said, who is more than pleased with the successes that the cinema has began showing early in the year.
Majoring in Business Management and minoring in Film Studies, Schmidt, together with the cinema faculty, has made great efforts in making the cinema a more friendly and cheerful place for people of all ages. The Stompers Cinema is quickly becoming the place to be for a late night movie or a relaxing weekend.
“Just this year we have had a 200 percent increase in attendance,” said Schmidt. “Last year the attendance was low and concession sales were not doing so well.”
After a meeting that took place last year, combos were introduced at the concession stand and have been driving most of the sales. Schmidt said that the sale of candy was the problem as most people prefer having popcorn and a cold drink. He says that a larger popcorn bag along with two different combos really made a difference in sales and getting concessions more available to customers coming in for the movies. The two combos are a large and small with each having popcorn, candy and a drink, both just depending on what the customer requires.
“The movies picked are between theater release and TV,” Schmidt says. “This is thanks to a deal Swank Motion Picture Incorporated which ensured a reservation for all the movies that will be aired by the cinema all year.”
Schmidt said that last year the cinema was paying per movie, thus making the change was a smart move.
The light up poster just outside Carkoski Dining area has really aided in bringing the different movies aired by the cinema to the attention of students. The consistent screening of movies outdoors during last semester also helped bring in more students. The cinema is making great efforts to broadcast Sisters and Star Wars outside as the temperatures have started getting more and more favorable therefore the probability is very high.
The cinema also has some amazing plans for the future; two screenings on Thursday nights is one of them. Another is the possibility of having a drive-in showing at one of the various parking lots around the school. This could be a huge step in the future of Stompers Cinema with the university being more of a suit case college. More students will be willing to stick around during weekends and it could even start a trend.
Stompers Cinema has played a great role in entertaining students and engaging them in their activities. In just a few weeks they will be hosting Students Shorts, which is short films courtesy of the students and offering great prizes to the participants. These are just a few things that the cinema is doing to liven up students’ time at the university.
Stompers Cinema is becoming more than a cinema; it’s slowly and steadily creating an image of its own and setting a brand name together with a place in the minds of all students at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Photo: (Nicole Schmidt/The Reporter)