July/August 2008 NATO of California/Nevada July-August2008 NATO of California/Nevada Information for the California and Nevada Motion Picture Theatre Industry CALENDAR Over 200 Attend of EVENTS & HOLIDAYS Annual Membership Meeting A record 200-plus corporate and theatre em- she further commented, “You are the end users Federal minimum ployees of NATO of California/Nevada member - - the impresarios - - everything we do leads to wage increase companies attended the Association’s 2008 an- you and the way you present the films - - how you July 24 nual membership meeting on Wednesday, June market them and the environment you provide is Labor Day 19, at ArcLight Cinemas in Sherman Oaks. as important as the content we create.” September 1 Following a con- Ms. Ziskin also spoke briefly about the im- Patriot Day tinental breakfast in portant charitable project she is presently involved September 9 the theatre lobby, the in, Stand Up To Cancer, which will be showcased meeting was called to in a landmark telethon to air simultaneously on National NATO Board order at 10:00 a.m. CBS, NBC and ABC television on September Meeting, Austin, TX by Milton Moritz, As- 5. In honor of her efforts, Mr. Syufy presented September 17&18 sociation President and Ms. Ziskin with a check for $10,000 toward the Chief Executive Of- fundraising effort on behalf of the Association. Rosh Hashanah Ray Syufy begins at sundown ficer. Raymond Syufy, Also addressing September 29 the Association’s Chairman presided over the the audience was John session. Horn, a staff writer for Sexual Harassment Before commencing with the official busi- the Los Angeles Times’ Prevention Training ness portion of the meeting, Mr. Syufy intro- Calendar Section, who Seminar duced prominent movie producer Laura Ziskin, covers theatrical pro- October Date TBD the meeting’s keynote speaker. duction, distribution, John Horn exhibition, celebrities Yom Kippur begins at Ms. Ziskin, whose credits include the and related areas. Mr. sundown Horn spoke about how the newspaper covers October 8 “Spiderman” movies, “As Good as it Gets,” the movie business and, in what is essentially a Columbus Day, and “Pretty Woman,” company town, the challenges of reporting indus- observed recounted how much try news in a way that is appealing to a broader, October 13 she enjoyed going to non-industry readership. Laura Ziskin the movies as a child In the business portion of the meeting, Mr. Halloween and how her ambition Syufy acknowledged the Association’s officers, October 31 to make movies was seeded by those experiences. directors and board members and thanked them Daylight Saving Time Ms. Ziskin remarked “The theatrical experience for their service. ends will and must continue - - every report of its im- Next on the agenda was a review of Associa- November 2 minent demise over the decades has proven false, tion news and activities over the past year pre- because there is nothing like sitting in a dark sented by Mr. Moritz. Among the items noted Election Day theatre in the community of your other moviego- November 4 was the Association’s continued growth and rep- ers when those lights go down and you feel that resentation of almost 4,300 screens throughout Veterans Day sense of anticipation . .” In acknowledging the California and Nevada, the largest of the national partnership between production and exhibition, November 11 Membership Meeting, continued on page 2 NATO of California/Nevada July-August 2008 Membership Meeting, continued from page 1 association’s regional units. Mention was made of the enthusiastic reception of the Spring and Fall Previews product seminars, the Food Manager Safety Certification Workshops that were attended by food is published by the managers from over 300 theatres, and the Sexual Harassment Prevention Training workshops. Mr. National Association of Theatre Owners of Moritz also provided a status update on a recent proposal by the California State Board of Equalization California/Nevada to expand the list of services subject to the state sales tax which would include a tax on movie tickets. In addition, Mr. Moritz noted that the Association’s post-secondary education scholarship program 11661 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 830 Los Angeles, CA 90049 has to date awarded over $1,250,000 to eligible Association member employees and dependents as Phone: 310/460-2900 well as graduate film students at UCLA and USC. Fax: 310/460-2901 E-mail: Offi[email protected] Mr. Syufy then proceeded to introduce the new slate of Officers and Board of Directors of the www.NATOCalNev.org Association for the 2008-2009 year. They are: Chairman, Raymond W. Syufy, West Wind Drive Ins; Vice President, David Corwin, Metropolitan Theatres; Treasurer, Frank Rimkus, Galaxy Theatres; and Secretary, Alan Grossberg, Ultra Star Theatres. Members of the Board of Directors are Bruce OFFICERS Milton Moritz Coleman, Brendan Theatres; Nora Dashwood, Pacific Theatres; James Dubois, Regal Entertainment President & CEO Group; William F. Hertz, Sr., Mann Theatres; George Krikorian, Krikorian Theatres; Matt Lee, AMC Raymond W. Syufy Theatres; Scott Lotter, Paradise Cinemas; Ted Mundorff, Landmark Theatres; Bruce Sanborn, The Chairman Movie Experience; and Hal Sawyer, Cinemark USA. David Corwin Vice President Next to be introduced was Terri Thomas, the Association’s lobbyist in Sacramento. Ms. Thomas Frank Rimkus touched upon areas related to the state’s current budget shortfall, and reviewed various legislative mea- Treasurer sures before California state lawmakers. Particular attention was given to a piece of proposed legislation Alan Grossberg Secretary introduced by State Senator Alex Padilla (SB 1420), which would require posting of certain nutritional information of restaurant menu boards - - a measure being vigorously opposed by your Association. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The program continued with the introduction of Jay Swerdlow, Chairman of the NATO of Bruce Coleman Brenden Theatres California/Nevada Scholarship Committee. Mr. Swerdlow indicated that scholarships for post- David Corwin secondary education awarded to qualifying field level employees and dependents of home office Metropolitan Theatres personnel of member theatres, and grants to graduate film students at UCLA and USC, amounted Nora Dashwood Pacific Theatres to a total of $230,000 for this year. See Scholarship story on pages 6 and 7 for a list of this years’ award recipients. James DuBois Regal Entertainment Group Following Mr. Swerdlow’s remarks, Mr. Syufy thanked the members for attending the meet- Alan Grossberg UltraStar Cinemas ing and called for a motion to adjourn. With a motion received, and seconded, the meeting was ▼ William F. Hertz, Sr. adjourned. Mann Theatres George Krikorian Krikorian Premiere Cinemas Matt Lee AMC Theatres Sydney Pollack Said It So Well Scott Lotter Recently deceased, Producer, Director, Writer and Actor Sydney Pollack, a uniquely gifted Paradise Cinemas filmmaker whose screen legacy includes such memorable films as “Out of Africa,” “Tootsie,” Ted Mundorff Landmark Theatres “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?,” ”The Way We Were,” “Three Days of the Condor,” and most Frank Rimkus recently “Michael Clayton,” and so many more, reminds us that movies, as entertaining as they Galaxy Theatres may be, are far more than merely a brief escape from our everyday world with this eloquent Bruce Sanborn quote, taken from his Directors Guild of America Testimony to the US Senate Judiciary Com- The Movie Experience mittee in 1987. Hal Sawyer Cinemark USA “. Films are part of our cultural history. Like all accurate representations of who and what Raymond W. Syufy West Wind Drive-Ins we were, they deserve preservation in their authentic form. Like a building, a photograph, or a ❦ document it helps locate us in time and gives us a sense of the geography of our lives. We need Charlene Sievers an accurate understanding of the past in order to point us accurately toward the future.” Director, Member Services Like the films they show, exhibitors are similarly part of the cultural fabric of their communi- ties, and should be proud of the role they play. ▼ 2 NATO of California/Nevada July-August2008 Annual Membership Meeting NATO of CA/NV Board of Directors members Secretary Alan Grossberg, UltraStar Cinemas; Treasurer Frank Rimkus, Galaxy Theatres; Scott Lotter, Paradise Cinemas; Ted Mundorff, Landmark Theatres, Chairman Ray Syufy, West Wind Drive-Ins; Nora Dashwood, Pacific Theatres; Hal Sawyer, ArcLight Cinemas hosts and tour Cinemark USA; Bill Hertz, Mann Theatres; Chairman Emeritus Jerry guides Robert Brugeman, Forman, Pacific Theatres; President Milt Moritz and Vice President David Roc Hirano, Michael Blazer Bobby Gran, Jr., Cal-Gran Theatres Corwin, Metropolitan Theatres. and Erin Anderson. and Scott Lotter, Paradise Cinemas. Gary Richardson, The Movie Dale Davison, Metropolitan Experience; Jerry Forman, Pacific Frank Rimkus, Galaxy Theatres; Theatres; Hal Sawyer, Cinemark Charlene Sievers, NATO of CA- Theatres; Janet Grumer, Davis Milt Moritz, NATO of CA-NV USA and Ray Syufy, West-Wind NV and Terri Thomas, Thomas Wright Tremaine LLP and Jay and David Corwin, Metropolitan Drive-Ins. Advocacy Inc. Swerdlow, Pacific Theatres. Theatres. Jerry Van de Rydt, Rydt Jerry Forman, Pacific Theatres Los Angeles Times entertainment Entertainment with Frank Haffar, and Allen Gilbert, Metropolitan writer John Horn with Producer Milt Moritz, John Horn, Maya Cinemas. Theatres. Laura Ziskin. Laura Ziskin. Charlene Sievers, NATO of CA-NV; Scott Lotter, Paradise Cinemas; Milt Moritz, NATO