Chip Sawyer
Member Profile
How has NATO membership been impactful to you and/or your business?NATO membership has been extremely impactful to my role as a drive-in owner! I have been able to meet so many different people involved with a variety of roles in the film industry. Establishing these relationships helps me understand the interworkings of the industry, along with building a network of people with many different perspectives. I’ve found CinemaCon is the most valuable opportunity to learn so much from so many!
My grandfather was the President of Floyd Theatres, a chain of drive-ins & walk ins, mostly in Florida. His father was in the exhibition business too, around the Atlanta area. My grandfather, Harold Spears, established Sun South Theatres in the mid-90s purchasing two former Floyd Theatres (two drive-ins). Today, we continue to operate those theatres in Central Florida. I started at one of the theatres, the Silver Moon, when I was 15 working the box office. I began to appreciate the historical significance of drive-in (& of course the paycheck!), so I hung around working there with him through high school & college in all sorts of roles. He passed away in 2017 but left me with an abundance of knowledge and stellar managers, many of which still work for us today
I enjoy running such an interesting, historical business! When I tell people I work at a drive-in theatre, people usually either have questions or memories they enjoy sharing with me. I love hearing them & am honored to be apart of such a unique industry.
I enjoy the time I spent with my grandfather at the drive-in theatres. He always knew what to look for when going to a theatre and taught me how to run a small business. I really loved greeting customers in front of the theatre with him on a busy night & seeing the smiling faces of people that recognized his warm wave as they drove into the theatre.
Member Gallery
I can’t think of just one. I always enjoy traveling to different drive-ins and seeing the differences & similarities. We are all so unique.
I love our industry because we are all so unique & have the ability to be very creative! I am encouraged by the positive traction that recent films have been garnering from all sorts of audiences. Young consumers have proven they are interested in movies, especially the experience of a drive in, which points to a great future for the industry!
Be patient & continue to work hard! In this industry many factors are out of your control, so you must focus on what you can control & believe it will work out in the long term. There are so many people with so much knowledge in the industry so don’t be scared to ask questions!
