Olympia Film Society

Act now! Your support is crucial for our audio system replacement project at the Capitol Theater. Give during the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound's Give Local 2025, running until November 21st. 

Our current audio systems are in a critical state, with ongoing issues that have led to additional expenses for repairs on multiple blown speakers, amplifiers, and some equipment that needs full replacement. The outdated system has caused a constant hum/ buzz and pops throughout certain parts of the movie. Our cinema system is on its last leg and hanging by a wire; we are one blown speaker or amplifier away from being unable to enjoy cinema sound at the movies. The transition from film to live music is inefficient due to the non-plug-and-play nature of OFS systems. Weakening cables and connectors every time we tear down and set up further risks the quality of sound and reliability of our equipment at every presentation.  

These multiple sound issues have not only resulted in lost screenings but also significantly impacted the quality of our shows. With your support, we can ensure that every screening and event at the Capitol Theater is of the highest quality. 

GIVE LOCAL CAMPAIGN GOAL PART 1 - $15,000

OVERALL GOAL - $80,000

WHAT? I CANNOT HEAR YOU!
With your support, we can implement a state-of-the-art audio system upgrade. This upgrade will not only streamline setup and use between cinema and live audio but also significantly improve the quality, clarity, and overall experience at all our events. It will also provide additional equipment to meet the AV accessibility needs of our broad and diverse community, which OFS aims to serve.

WHY
The audio upgrade will lend a depth of clarity and fidelity to the movie-going and live event experience that will not only make OFS one of the best venues in the PNW but will finally reach the high standard that our nationally recognized programming and community deserve! This upgrade would provide much-needed complete AV accessibility… our current assistive listening system is only one part of that need. There’s also closed captioning, hearing-impaired, and visually impaired technologies that are long overdue at the Capitol Theater!

WHAT YOUR FUNDS COVER

• A full calibration and room tuning of the existing equipment for use in both cinema and live events. 

• The alignment of our current sound system will give proper coverage from the first row on the main floor to the last row of the upper balcony.

• Equipment to be able to set up and switch audio to seamlessly go from cinema to live event sources through our existing sound system. 

• A significant upgrade in the cinema audio system in the form of a new state-of-the-art Trinnov Ovation 2 cinema processor, an elaborate and powerful new center channel line array optimized for full house coverage, and a new discrete subwoofer system for cinema.

•  Prepares our systems for easier integration and purchase of closed captioning devices and audio descriptive systems.

P.S. THERE'S A BONUS FUND TOO!
Every dollar donated will be stretched with a Bonus Fund seeded by the Dawkins Charitable Trust—if OFS reaches its goal, we could receive an additional $7500!

"We must understand ourselves as cinema activists to collectively advocate across all geographical, political, and social boundaries for the expansion of our horizons and viewpoints: with the intelligent, exciting, and moving stories, and the history that (arthouse) cinema has to offer" --- Wim Wenders