Q&A  11am Saturday Q&A Ezgi Eren, Founder & Writer, 11am Saturday About 11am Saturday Can you tell us the story behind 11am Saturday and what you set out to create? I love that it's framed as a movie theater preservation project — where did that mission come from? Ezgi: 11am Saturday began at a time when I felt the people around me weren't going to the movie theater anymore, when it was still my most cherished past time activity. I felt called to be a part of the solution and uplift the voices who were still championing the theatrical experience. I've always been curious about other people's rituals, so asking people their favorite time to go to the movies and their go-to snacks felt like a no-brainer. How would you describe the 11am Saturday reader? So our audience knows exactly who they'd be reaching. Ezgi: Someone who goes to the movies at least once a week. Someone who drags their friends and family to the movies with them and turns them into a “movie person” as well. Someone who respects the movie theater and doesn't talk or take their phone out during the movie. You're at 140+ guests and counting — how has the project evolved since you started? Ezgi: 150 and counting, now! It's evolved immensely. I started by interviewing friends and now find myself getting pitched by people in the industry I've admired for a long time. It truly showed me the strength of the film community, and how eager everyone is to connect and share. How would you describe the tone of 11am Saturday to a first-time reader? Ezgi: Very casual and personal. My favorite thing about the questionnaire is that it offers readers a chance to see a more relatable side of the guest, get to know them not through talking points but through their moviegoing routines. The Moviegoing Questionnaire  Your guests run the gamut — comedian Alison Leiby, film critic David Thomson, filmmaker Ben Proudfoot. Does someone need to work in film to be a fit, or is loving the theater enough? Ezgi: Loving the theatrical experience and having a strong point of view is enough. The best answers are pure confession — “seeing a movie a lil hungover is ideal,” popcorn “of the butterfly, not mushroom, variety." How do you steer guests away from safe answers and toward the good stuff? Ezgi: To be frank, I don't do any steering — the questions are designed in a way that more often than not produce interesting answers. The 15 questions, in full Every guest gets the same ones. Read them as a fit test for your client. 1. What's your favorite day & time to go to the movies?
2. What's your favorite movie theater?
3. What's your go-to movie theater snack & drink combo?
4. What's your dream movie theater snack & drink combo, if noise and sound weren't an issue?
5. First movie you remember seeing in a theater?
6. Last movie you saw in a theater?
7. Is there a movie you wish you could have seen in a theater?
8. Have you ever seen a movie more than once in theaters?
9. Do you stay through the credits or leave once the film ends?
10. What's one thing you would change to make movie theaters better?
11. Tell me about an especially memorable moviegoing experience that stands out in your mind.
12. What's a movie you're looking forward to seeing?
13. What's your dream combination of director and lead(s)?
14. If you could live in a movie, which one would it be?
15. Why do you think people should continue seeing movies in theaters? Beyond the Questionnaire Do you ever build around a film opening, a festival, or a specific theater? If a client has a movie coming out — or just a genuinely great moviegoing story — are you game to do something creative? How a Placement Works A few practical details for anyone weighing this as a placement. These come from the brief 11am Saturday sends to reps. 📄 From the 11am Saturday placement brief How it works: the questions arrive in a Google Doc talent can fill out in their own time, with a short Zoom or phone call available instead. Answers can be as short or as in depth as talent wishes.
Timing: there is an option to publish on a specific date to align with a project, and a test draft goes to talent or reps to review before publishing.
What to send: one photo of talent (headshot or candid), preferred professional title and location, and any links to include.
Cadence: a dedicated questionnaire several times a week.
Reach: 3,500+ subscribers, 6,400+ Substack followers, ~18,900 monthly views, 36% open rate.
Who's reading: notable writers, critics, studio executives, and other film industry professionals.
Press: mentioned or quoted in i-D, PAPER Magazine, Salon, Roger Ebert, The Ankler, The Guardian, and L.A. Material.
Based in: Los Angeles. Pitching Ezgi What's the best way to pitch you? | 
