2014-2015

SPONSOR GUIDE

THE RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S PREMIER REGIONAL FILM FESTIVALS, WITH A GOAL OF UNITING PEOPLE THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY FILMS.

RiverRun International Film Festival, located in Winston-Salem, North

Carolina, is one of the region’s leading arts events and an important stop

on the film festival circuit for emerging films and filmmakers. RiverRun is

one of the country’s fastest-growing regional film festivals, with more than

18,000 tickets issued each year. The 17th Annual Festival, to be held April

16-26, 2015, will screen a wide variety of feature-length and short films

from all genres, and will present a broad range of special events, including

high-profile regional premieres of significant films, celebrity tributes,

family matinees and classic retrospectives as well as a full mixture of panel

discussions and parties. Be at the center of the Festival as our passionate

audiences gather and celebrate great films, meet filmmakers and explore the

world’s perspectives and cultures through cinema.

Gain powerful marketing exposure to enthusiastic, engaged and receptive audiences

Marketing impressions across widely-distributed Festival media, which may include print materials, social media, press releases, website visibility (www.riverrunfilm.com), banners and e-newsletters

Provide unique experiences to reward and entertain your employees and clients

Festival credentials, tickets (with Concierge service at some levels) and access to special events, receptions and parties that you can giveto employees and clients

Demonstrate your commitment to cultural arts and quality of lifein the region

Community recognition of your partnership with RiverRun, which may include advertising spots, verbal acknowledgement and your logo on Festival trailers and posters

As a sponsor of RiverRun, you can accomplish three goals: A standard sponsorship package includes:

We can also work with you to create a custom sponsorship based on your specific objectives.

WE’VE CRAFTED SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES THAT GIVE YOUR COMPANY A COMPELLING MIX OF BENEFITS AND ACCESS ACROSS THE FESTIVAL.

I love the creativity it brings to the city, the varied films I’d never see otherwise, and all the amazing filmmakers and actors who come to Winston.

Cyndi BriggsRiverRun Member since 2014

BY SPONSORING RIVERRUN, YOU ARE ALIGNING WITH A BELOVED, HIGH-ENERGY EVENT THAT IS HIGHLY-REGARDED AND RECOGNIZED.

BECOMING A RIVERRUN SPONSOR GIVES YOU POWERFUL MARKETING EXPOSURE TO IMPORTANT AUDIENCES

REWARD AND ENTERTAIN YOUR CLIENTS AND EMPLOYEES WITH UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

RiverRun annually provides a healthy selection

of family-friendly, independent, international and

celebrity driven films, so the Festival attracts

broad and diverse audiences, including local

film aficionados, young families, niche audiences

and cultural tourists. Sponsorship offers the

opportunity to draw positive attention to your

brand through media that our attendees choose

to view. Put simply, we can connect you, your

company and your brands to just about any

segment of our enthusiastic, engaged and

receptive audiences.

RiverRun sponsorship offers extraordinary

opportunities to cultivate, entertain and reward your

clients and employees. Be among the first to know

what will have everyone buzzing at the Festival with

your exclusive invitation to our Festival Preview and

Reception in March. Provide your valuable staff and

customers with hard-to-get tickets to a high profile

film - or sponsor a private screening and provide a

special exclusive event.

Bring a group to the Opening Night events. Offer

your constituents the opportunity to engage in

powerful discussions at panels and events scheduled

Our patrons have demonstrated time and time

again that they are passionate about supporting

the sponsors who support RiverRun. You can

gain exposure both during the Festival and year-

round with sponsorship packages that can be

affordably tailored to your budget and goals.

RiverRun sponsorship can provide you with tens

of thousands of media impressions and a wide

range of opportunities to strategically connect

your company with audiences that matter.

throughout the Festival, or sponsor one of our

cocktail receptions and invite your stakeholders to

mingle with filmmakers and other notable VIPs. As

always, we express our appreciation for our valuable

sponsors at the Sponsor Appreciation Party during

the Festival. And, we make it easy for Leadership

Sponsors to enjoy the Festival with our Festival

Concierge, private programming consultations and

parking passes among many other valuable benefits.

Let us know how you’d like to engage your people

and we will work with you to create a memorable

and inspiring experience.

DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO CULTURAL ARTS AND QUALITY OF LIFE

By sponsoring RiverRun, you are aligning with a

beloved, high-energy event that is recognized for

artistic merit, generating economic impact and

enhancing quality of life. As a leading 501(c)(3)

non-profit, RiverRun inspires a better world and is

well regarded by festivalgoers, filmmakers and the

community. Your company can proudly promote

how your support helps maintain the quality and

growth of this important cultural touchstone.

SPONSORSHIPS TAILORED FOR YOU:CUSTOMIZED PACKAGES

A customized sponsorship package can be

created to fulfill your objectives and budget.

We look forward to learning more about your

business and how RiverRun can provide the best

sponsorship opportunity. Whether you want to

focus on a specific area - such as underwriting the

Festival’s volunteer program - or want to create a

multi-faceted sponsorship, we look forward to the

opportunity to discuss a tailored sponsorship that

meets your interests and goals.

If you want to reach diverse or specialized

audiences, we can connect you. If you want to

engage discerning consumers, we can help you

do that. We can help you associate your staff and

clients, as well as your company and your brands,

with one of the most highly-regarded cultural

events in the region.

Depending upon the level of investment and your marketing objectives, RiverRun sponsorship benefits may include:

Wells Fargo is a proud supporter of the RiverRun International Film Festival, specifically the Films with Class program. A picture is worth 1000 words, so imagine the impression that a well-crafted film can have on an inquiring mind. Education is a key priority of the Wells Fargo Foundation and reaching our students through the use of film is an innovative and creative way to teach them about the world.

Recognition as a Screening Sponsor

Logo on the RiverRun trailer preceding 100+ screenings

20-30 second advertisement spots prior to film screening(s)

Recognition on www.riverrunfilm.com with links to your business website

Complimentary vouchers and invites to films, panels and parties

Logo placement on t-shirts, Festival passes, lanyards or tickets

Prominent signage at RiverRun headquarters, hospitality suites, lounges and/or theatres

Presenting or Naming rights to a variety of events and programs, such as Opening Night, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Pitch Fest, parties, venues, or sections of programming

Branding of RiverRun’s Education, Community Cinema and/or Green Initiatives

Branded product sampling space(s)

Logo inclusion in RiverRun’s widely-distributed print materials such as brochures & the collectible Film Guide

Mentions on RiverRun social media

Sponsor spotlights in RiverRun’s e-newletters

Complimentary ad space in RiverRun’s widely-distributed print materials

Naming exclusivity

Some benefits subject to sponsorship confirmation by January 1, 2015.

Peggy S. Reingold, Community Affairs Officer, Wells Fargo

We’ve found that RiverRun gives us the opportunity to be associated with a dynamic event that has something for everyone’s tastes. As a company that’s seeking to expand our presence throughout the Triad, RiverRun allows us to connect with people of many different walks of life. We’ve enjoyed using RiverRun as a unique occasion to entertain existing customers, meet new prospects and reward employees. The whole event brings an energy to town that we enjoy being a part of.

Mark Found,Senior Vice President and Marketing Director,High Point Bank

LET US HELP YOU CONNECT

DEMOGRAPHICS

22% 64%

36%

52%

22%

26%

24%

22%

40%

44%

16%

14%

14%

13%

6%

4%

3%

40%

41%

25%

38%

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTEMPLOYMENTINCOME

AGE

40-59

Female Post-Graduate

$40K-$79K

Full Time

Part Time

Student

60+

Male Bachelor’s

$80K-119K

$120K $159K Retired

Homemaker

Unemployed

18*-39 Other

$160K +

Less than $40K

* We do not collect survey data from attendees under the age of 18.

GENDER EDUCATION

Travel to Greensborofor dining and shopping

84%OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS

Say They Are Likely To Support Local Businesses Because They Know They Are Sponsors

Travel to Charlotte for dining and shopping

SPONSORSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE

SPONSORSHIP STORIES

The 2015 Festival has a cash budget of $613,000, the bulk of which must be raised from corporations, cultural institutions, individuals and government sources to support the organization and underwrite a lower ticket price. Like other international film festivals, if RiverRun had to rely on ticket sales alone, the average ticket price would be considerably higher - in our case, each ticket would cost $57.60! Fortunately, because of the broad financial support the organization receives, the average ticket for 2015 will be priced at $12.

$57.60 $12

UNSPONSORED TICKET PRICE

TICKET PRICEWITH DONATIONS

VS

HIGH POINT BANK

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY

KILPATRICK, TOWNSEND,& STOCKTON, LLP

RiverRun has helped High Point Bank achieve their

community and marketing goals by customizing

a sponsorship package in 2014. High Point

Bank shows their deep commitment to the

local community by sponsoring the NC Shorts

programs, which showcase our state in narrative

and documentary formats and demonstrate

the wealth of exciting talent we have in our

own backyard. Prior to the Festival, a RiverRun

programmer provides a personal consultation at

High Point Bank about the NC Shorts programs,

In 2014, we entered into an exciting partnership

with Wake Forest University, and through their

sponsorship we were able to present our Master

of Cinema Award to Kartemquin Films in the

beautiful new Farrell Hall on the Wake Forest

campus. Our affiliation with universities and

student filmmakers is all part of a broader goal

As the sponsor of our Audience Awards, Kilpatrick, Townsend & Stockton, LLP is verbally

recognized before 50+ film screenings during the Festival and noted in all RiverRun materials,

publications and press releases. Following the Festival, the named award continues to receive

substantial media attention.

plus a preview of the Festival’s lineup.

This unique package is complemented by High

Point Bank’s sponsorship of one of RiverRun’s VIP

cocktail receptions. The VIP cocktail reception,

to which they have the opportunity to invite up

to 40 clients and staff, offers the opportunity to

mingle with Festival VIPs, community leaders and

filmmakers. High Point Bank has strong visibility

at the reception which is bookended by the NC

Shorts screenings.

to facilitate the learning and creative process

that results in great film from emerging talents.

This special event – which included a film

screening and reception – coupled with WFU

student participation in the third annual Pitch

Fest, showcased the Documentary Film Program

launched at Wake Forest in 2010.

TITLE SPONSORS

THERE’S A LEVEL OF SPONSORSHIP FOR EVERYONE.

We look forward to working with you to create an integrated sponsorship designed to meet your company’s unique marketing objectives.

Please contact Amy Clemmons:336-724-1502 x102 or amy@riverrunfilm.com with questions or to receive detailed benefit information.

I love the diversity in films... I love the vibe of the festival. I love clearing my calendar for nine days just to attend films.

Julie Hutton, Patron Circle Member since 2014 and RiverRun attendee since 2010.

Movies, like novels, enrich our lives by helping us understand what’s going on, who we are. RiverRun chooses important films we might not otherwise see and gives us an early look at some of the most significant films of the year.

Jo Dawson,RiverRun supporter since 2010

305 West Fourth Street #1A, Winston-Salem NC 27101 www.riverrunfilm.com 336.724.1502 info@riverrunfilm.com