How To Host a Screening in a Medical-Only State
Screening Panelists (Left to Right): Dr. Kyri Isaac, Dr. Felecia L. Dawson, Cass Odum, and Nicole Dillard. Photo courtesy of Lana Williams, @lwilliamfinance
“When I first saw ‘Mary Janes: The Women of Weed’, I thought every one of my patients and fellow healthcare workers should see this film. Now I know EVERYONE should see it! Who runs the world?!”
On April 20, 2019, Dr. Felecia L. Dawson hosted a sold-out screening of “Mary Janes: The Women of Weed” in Atlanta.
To set the stage, Georgia lawmakers approved medical access to low-THC products on April 18, 2019 (two days prior to her screening) as part of Georgia’s Hope Act. This means, cannabis advocates are really at Ground Zero doing the work, building support, and educating their community (and lawmakers).
“Screening ‘Mary Janes’ exceeded my expectations!” wrote Dawson. “The movie sold out in the last day. People were trying to pay at the door with credit cards and cash. The audience was engaged, laughed and commented out loud when so moved! You’d of thought they were watching a blockbuster.”
The film may be called “women of weed”, but there’s something for everyone. She added, “One gentleman actually in the cannabis space texted me later: ‘Enjoyed the hell out of that film, and the entire presentation. Beautifully done. Thank you for the invitation and opportunity’.”
Here are 3 Tips for Hosting a Successful Community Screening Event from Dr. Felecia:
- Don’t Be Shy. “Talk to as many people and share as many public posts as you can. Get help with spreading the word on social media. I did multiple interviews.”
- Explain Why They Should Care. “I tried to tie current happenings back to the event” to make it relatable to everyday people. “I tried to target my physician colleagues and regular folk who are not in the ‘choir’.”
- Have Fun. “Try to have fun with it and not worry too much about ticket sales. The day of the event was the biggest day for ticket sales. We ran out of seats. It became standing room only.”