We’ve all seen a movie at the Askew Student Life Cinema (ASLC), but have you ever known what the process is like on the programming side? This week I had the opportunity to sit down with the ASLC’s very own Blockbuster Chair, Lexi Boynes.
Her Campus (HC): Welcome Lexi! To start, can you tell us a little about yourself?
Lexi Boynes (LB): My name is Lexi Boynes! I’m a junior at FSU studying Public Relations with a double minor in International Affairs and Film Studies. I am from Trinidad, so I’m here as an international student. I’m involved on campus as a resident assistant in Landis Hall and as a member of the Service Scholar program. In Service Scholars, I volunteer at the PACE Center for Girls where I tutor at-risk girls. I also serve on the Junior Class Council as president, and I recently joined Lady Spirithunters! In my free time, I love to appreciate the arts by writing, watching movies, catching up on T.V or seeing a musical or play.
HC: How and when did you first become involved with the Askew Student Life Center (ASLC)?
LB: In high school, I was really involved. When I came to college, I wanted to do everything. But my first semester, I went to the Involvement Fair and nothing clicked. That semester I went to the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the ASLC and it never left my memory. I remembered how fun and engaging it was, and I couldn’t believe the theatre was entirely student-run. When the spring Involvement Fair came around, once again I thought I didn’t find anything until I was leaving and saw the table for the ASLC. I went over and they told me about how they put on all the movies that we see. I asked, “Like Rocky Horror?” “Like Rocky Horror.” And so I said, “Okay, I’ll see you at the Film Committee meeting.”
HC: How did you become involved with leadership in the ASLC?
LB: At Film Committee meetings, anyone can nominate a film, but only a few select people can vote on the film. Voting rights are determined by a card you get when you join. You have to attend a certain number of meetings and help out at events. Then, you submit an application and the programming board reviews it and you’ll get your voting rights. Usually, it will take a semester or a year to complete the card, depending on how active you are, but I was on top of it and got it done in less than a semester. At the end of my first semester, I remember talking to the current Blockbuster Chair at the time. At this point, the leadership applications had already gone out, but it was my first semester and I didn’t want to jump the gun anyway. But I asked him if he were in my shoes if he would apply for the Vice Blockbuster Chair position. He said yes definitely, and I got the position! What drew me specifically to blockbusters was the community feeling you get through it. I feel like all my best memories are from blockbuster films.
HC: What is the process for selecting films?
LB: So for instance, for spring semester we schedule films for “Early Spring,” “Mid Spring” and “Late Spring.” It’s easier to guess which blockbusters the campus wants to see because it’s usually what’s already out in theatres. That’s a nice advantage. The most movies we’ll ever program per schedule is three because we also have to schedule midnights, alternatives and classics. Our distributors for blockbusters are Swank, Universal and Criterion – they hand movies to second-hand cinemas like the ASLC. For “Early Spring,” we scheduled Knives Out, Hustlers and Joker. Before we narrowed it down to those three, my Vice Blockbuster Chair Evan and I compiled a list of about eight movies. We e-mailed the distributors for quotes because we have to stay in budget. The average blockbuster is about $1,100 for three nights. After we get the quotes, we’ll schedule a meeting with the Film Committee and present the movies to them and then lead a discussion so everyone can talk about the movies. At the end, the voting members will vote, and we’ll place the films on the schedule.
HC: What is your favorite thing about the ASLC?
LB: My favorite thing about the ASLC became apparent to me this year. The whole aspect of reaching out to distributors and writing purchase requests was something we just started to do with our advisor Amy, and it introduced me to a whole new aspect of the film business that I never thought I’d be interested in. Working with these distributors and analyzing marketing campaigns for films changed my whole trajectory. I’ve even considered whether or not I want to do film publicity. I’ve become more interested in mass media law and intellectual property. There are so many different avenues to work directly with films besides just acting or producing.
HC: Do you have a favorite memory from a screening?
LB: I have two favorite memories: the most recent one was Knives Out, the first time our blockbuster committee had a sold-out show this year. We realized from a programing standpoint that the first week of spring is a really good spot for films. But not only that, the movie was just a lot of fun. I saw it three times! I think it reminds me of why I love blockbusters specifically: if you’re with good people, and you’re at a good movie, you’re going to leave happy. My other favorite memory was the Aladdin showing. We reached out to the FSU Belly Dancers about performing before the show. It was so cool to see how coordinating with another organization pans out. Not only did it help with their exposure, but a lot of people in the audience had fun! And the screening that they performed at was the highest attended screening.
HC: Finally, what is your favorite movie?
LB: Moonlight is so beautiful. It has a different way of storytelling and everything has a deeper meaning behind it. That’s what I appreciate about artists: their ability to communicate their thoughts and feelings in ways that a lot of us don’t know how. It’s so amazing. After that, The Incredibles. I love it. It’s very nostalgic!
The next time you’re at the ASLC for an Open-Mic night, midnight movie or a caffeine fix from the Grindhouse, be sure to look out for Lexi Boynes!
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