It was 60 seconds to showtime when Greg TeGantvoort ('08) -- founder of Fort Worth Community Cinema and The Mutant Bazaar -- was approached by a regular audience member asking to propose to his girlfriend before the film started rolling.

"Absolutely," TeGantvoort recalls his answer. "She said yes."

The Rose Chapel at the Southside Preservation Hall in Fort Worth cheered for the couple, who then returned to their seats to watch The Human Tornado, an American blaxploitation film from 1976.

"'Weird Wednesday' was their bonding moment," TeGantvoort says. "Now they're married."

The engagement was a reminder of the reasons TeGantvoort organized "Weird Wednesday" in late 2021 -- to share his passion for strange and niche movies but also build lifelong bonds.

What premiered as a small showing at the Isis Theater on the first Wednesday of each month has grown into a popular event rebranded by TeGantvoort as "The Mutant Bazaar" -- a one-stop shop for fans of obscure media, art and collectibles.

TeGantvoort prepares a mystery movie with the goal of eliciting reactions -- good or bad -- and only provides a vague description of the plot prior to the screening. Admission is on a  "pay what you can" basis, with all donations going directly to Southside Preservation Hall to help with their efforts in maintaining and restoring the historic venue. "It's all about community," TeGantvoort says.

In just four years, "The Mutant Bazaar" evolved into an important part of life for TeGantvoort, who balances a busy schedule raising his family, running the nonprofit Fort Worth Community Cinema and working as a professional wrestling photographer.

A Career with Cameras

Forever a film fanatic, TeGantvoort was raised in Saginaw and spent his childhood making home movies with family and friends. As he grew, so did his interest in learning how to use cameras.

"Movies have always been my escape," TeGantvoort says. "My dad gave me his VHS camcorder, and I liked to make stop-motion shorts before I got my own camera in high school."

UNT was the perfect, close-to-home option for TeGantvoort to help turn cameras into his career. After attending community college, he transferred to UNT with a double major in history and radio, television and film, now media arts.

"The cool thing about my majors were the classes that recommended stuff I wouldn't have sought to watch on my own," TeGantvoort says. "We watched The Battle of the Algiers in one of my history courses and thought, 'Yeah, this is going to open up a new pathway for me.'"

With his dual degree, TeGantvoort landed a position after graduation as an assistant editor for Fast Cuts, a local post-production company, before securing a full-time job as a video producer for RadioShack.

In This Corner…

When RadioShack went under, TeGantvoort moved on to a contract creating content for Dell.

Once it ended, he became a stay-at-home father freelancing as a photographer. In 2019, he struck gold with the discovery of an untapped market where TeGantvoort could blend his skills with his love for professional wrestling.

"I've always been a big fan," TeGantvoort says. "While going to local shows and visiting merch tables, I noticed their awful, phone-quality 8x10s and saw some potential."

TeGantvoort began asking wrestlers if anyone wanted free promo pictures to get his name out. Following dozens of rejections, he finally received a yes from one known as Big Fitz.

With these portraits, TeGantvoort was able to get his foot in the door and has been the trusted, go-to photographer for professional wrestlers across the DFW metroplex for over six years.

"My favorite aspect is collaboration in the studio," TeGantvoort says. "We're able to dive into their persona and character."

The Show Goes On

As the world began to reopen once the height of the pandemic was over, TeGeantvoort found a position through a mutual connection as the marketing director at the struggling -- now permanently closed -- Isis Theater in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

In an effort to attract visitors during the week, TeGantvoort brainstormed "Weird Wednesday" not just to get people through the door but to fill a void he noticed within Fort Worth.

The first Wednesday may not have been sold out, but it left a mark on those who showed.

"People walked out like 'That was amazing," TeGantvoort says. "'You need to do this again.'"

Attendance grew with each week, and due to creative differences at the Isis Theater, TeGantvoort thought his run reached an end in June 2022 -- but then a friend reminded him of how much it meant to the community and suggested moving to the Southside Preservation Hall.

TeGantvoort held his wedding reception at the historic venue and pitched his idea to the owners the day after his tenth anniversary with his wife, Lauren TeGantvoort ('08).

"It felt like I was supposed to be there," TeGantvoort says.

Without missing a month, TeGantvoort was able to find "Weird Wednesday" a new home for his audience with more room for them and the vendors -- outgrowing its name in no time.

Movies With Meaning

After relocating, TeGantvoort organized Fort Worth Community Cinema to provide educational and cultural programming, support local and underrepresented filmmakers, create equitable access to the arts and strengthen the local creative economy.

"The Mutant Bazaar" is only one of many events TeGantvoort has planned. On June 20, he is hosting what he wishes to be his biggest yet -- the Southside Monster Market. While The Mutant Bazaar aims towards adult audiences on a weeknight, this Saturday show is catered to audiences of all ages.

As always, the movie remains a mystery.

"It's a collaboration between everyone involved. Many vendors have been here for over three years," TeGantvoort says. "Patrons are able to meet new friends or bring old ones. I like to say I've made lifelong friendships along the way."