"Oh, hey. What are the new movies?" This is more than just a question but a weekly, if brief, ritual for thousands of UB students living in the on-campus residence halls and apartment complexes.
As screenshots of the new films cycle through, most give a "thumbs up" or a "thumbs down." When the verdict is negative, a variation of the question "Who picked that?" inevitably follows.
The answer: students did.
By participating in a little electronic democracy, students have the ability to choose what movies will air, though it's rare they actually take advantage of the opportunity.
"Not many people make requests," said Brian Haggerty, Governors Complex coordinator.
The selection process begins when a list of roughly 50 films is compiled that, when completed, will be pared down to the 12 shown each month. The films on the list come from a variety of different sources. Those dying to see such hits as "Batman and Robin" or "Anaconda" can e-mail their desires to cableguys@acsu.buffalo.edu.
Swank Motion Pictures Inc. provides the Residence Halls Association with all the films aired on university television. Swank, which specializes in supplying entertainment services to universities, cruise lines, churches, high schools and hospitals, among other institutions, has exclusive distribution rights for ten motion picture corporations, including Walt Disney, Warner Brothers and Paramount.
According to Haggerty, the only time a request cannot be taken into consideration is when the film is unavailable through Swank. Otherwise, "we haven't received a request we haven't put on [the list]," Haggerty said.
In addition to student suggestions, Swank's Web site records what films are in demand at other universities across the nation. "If they're popular at other schools, then they are popular here," Haggerty continued.
Due to the summer recess, members of the residence hall staff and the executive board were polled about suggestions for the films to be shown in September. "We try and get a gauge of interests, movies that will appeal to various groups in the halls," Haggerty said.
Once generated, the list is posted on the National Residence Hall Honorary Web site, accessible through the UB Wings page. April 2001's list - running the categorical gamut from "Spaceballs" to "Mission: Impossible" to "Mississippi Burning" - is the most recent posting.
Students then can e-mail their favorite picks based on the offered selection. When the voting is completed and the most popular candidates emerge from the field, a title package of 12 to 16 films is sent to Swank. "We actually have to submit more than we get because some schools beat us to it," Haggerty added.
Assuming they have the requested films in stock, Swank sends the videotapes to the university. Then Residence Hall staff organizes the line up for each week of the month.
While a balance of differing genres is attempted - comedy and action, for example - "there's no real rhyme or reason" to how films are paired, according to Pete Niland, assistant director for residence halls. Niland and two student assistants are responsible for bringing the movies from tape to tube.
The first three weeks of a month feature four new films every seven days. Week four is a "Best Of" - movies run again based on word of mouth and commercial popularity. "Sometimes I'll get e-mails through cableguys@acsu.buffalo.edu and they'll say, 'Please put back on 'Gladiator,'" said Niland.
RHA's contract with Swank calls for 12 films per month at a cost of $20,000 per year. The money comes from the Residence Hall budget. Broadcasting the films from rented tapes would violate copyright laws.
The contract - recently expanded to include summer months to accommodate residents of on-campus apartments - does not allow UB to make a profit off showing the films.
