Creating sessions in Showtime Manager

To set up the showtime schedule for your site, you must create film screening sessions in Showtime Manager. When you create a session, you set the start time, the screen it will play on, the price card, and other properties that affect how the session is sold and played. 

This article covers the basic method of creating sessions using the film palette. 

Before you begin

• If your site uses a holdover sheet to make bookings, make sure that you have received the latest holdover sheet. 

Steps

1. In Film Manager or Cinema Manager, go to Showtime Manager.
2. Open the week and day you want to programme. 
3. Optional (Film Manager): Click the Draft button in the toolbar to create draft sessions.
4. Open the Film Palette from the sidebar.

5. In the film palette, you can see the films that are available to schedule. There are two main methods for finding films:

   • Film: Create sessions for any film. The tabs display new, recent, scheduled and dropped films. You can also search for past and future films. 
   • Holdover: Create sessions from the bookings on the holdover sheet. 

   Note: Depending on your system settings, you may only have access to one of these methods.

6. Drag and drop your chosen film onto the schedule, setting the screen and start time for the session. 

   Tip: To add a film multiple times, hold Control as you select the film and click to paste it onto the canvas several times. Alternatively, drag and drop it onto the screen's name to fill that screen for the entire week. 

7. Double-click the new session or open the Session Properties from the sidebar. 
8. The session's properties are filled in automatically, but may need some updates. Check and update the properties, including:
   • Attributes: Assigned automatically based on the attributes of the screen and film. Add any other relevant attributes, such as the subtitle language. 
   • Price Card: Assigned automatically based on the cinema, time of day, film duration, attributes, and other factors. For example, a new release film on a Saturday would be assigned the Weekend Blockbuster price card. Change the price card if needed. 
   • Film Format: Assigned automatically based on the attributes of the film and the screen (for example, 2D, 3D, or IMAX). If there is more than one film format available, select the correct format. 
   • Trailer Duration and Cleanup Duration: Set automatically based on the screen's settings. Update if required. 
9. Click Save. 

Note: For more about session properties, see Viewing and updating session properties in Showtime Manager. 

Other ways to create sessions

Showtime Manager offers a variety of methods for creating sessions. You can choose whichever method suits your circuit's procedures and helps you work efficiently. These include:

• Assisted scheduling: Automatically create a schedule with AI assistance. The schedule is based on forecasting and the policies set in the holdover sheet. See Create an assisted schedule from a film forecast. 
• Showtime builder: Automatically create a rough draft schedule based on the policies in the holdover sheet. See Creating sessions from a holdover sheet. 
• Bulk copy: Copy sessions from one site, week, or day to another. See Copying sessions in Showtime Manager. 
• Session entry: Create a rough draft schedule quickly using a form rather than dragging and dropping. See Creating sessions in bulk. 

See also:

• Showtime Manager overview
• Creating and publishing draft sessions in Film Manager
• Opening sessions for sale
• Automatic price card allocation
• Movie Format to Screen matching