Struggling to meet the costs of bringing blockbuster movies to campus, the University Film Organization has relinquished its financial autonomy to the USG.
UFO opened this year as a completely funded subsidiary of the USG, but the student group that shows second-run movies on weekends will otherwise retain control.
The funding will allow UFO to decrease its ticket price and show its foreign and artistic UFO films in Frist Theatre.
Beginning early last year, former UFO President Jon Ewalt '02 sought to secure long-term funding for the organization. While UFO had been funded by the Trustees' Alcohol Initiative and the Frist Campus Center in the past, Ewalt wanted more reliable financial support.
This year the USG will provide UFO with a set $50,000 budget, said Mike Kimberly '03, USG treasurer.
Current UFO President Sal Butt '03 said most students do not realize how expensive it is to screen popular films on campus.
The rights to show the films can cost up to $850, and the shipping of film canisters can total several hundred dollars as well. UFO's ticket revenues typically total $16,000 annually. That money will partially reimburse the USG for its investment.
UFO will still show movies on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in the Frist Theatre. In addition, UFO has retained its board of officers and its name.
"The USG really wants UFO to continue and to do well," Butt said. "I think it's a great relationship."
In addition, Butt said the assured funding from the USG is a chance for UFO to expand its services and lower its prices.
While the tickets were $3 last year, the price this year is $2.
"The price decrease is part of the fact that funding is secured," Butt said. "We're less concerned about making a profit, and now we're able to show a lot more films, particularly international and artsy."
Butt said he hopes the well-known location of Frist will attract more people this year, as last year's attendance at UFO's artistic films was poor.
UFO kicked off this year's screenings with "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Spiderman" the first weekend and "About a Boy" this past weekend. Butt said the attendance was fair.
Butt and USG President Nina Langsam '03 agree that the financial objective this year is to break even. However, Butt said UFO hopes to do more than just stay afloat.
"Our other goal is to solidify UFO in students' minds," he said. "We want everyone to know that every weekend there is a movie playing in Frist."
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