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Author Topic: Stupid Showtimes (AKA You Suck: Outing bad showtime schedulers) Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 11-16-2008 11:07 AM                     The original idea of this thread was to point out silly showtime scheduling errors. Anyone who thinks it was a good business decision to schedule Skeleton Key, a 1h:44m film with showtimes of 1:10pm, 4:10pm, 7:10pm, and then 10:40pm, or Burn Without Reading, a 1h:36m film with showtimes of 1:00pm, 4:00pm, 7:00pm, 10:15pm in my opinion would be an idiot, and deserves to be fired or have their theatre closed due to lack of customers. With so many other entertainment options out there these days, and movie theatres struggling to attract customers away from these other entertainment options, scheduling inconvenient showtimes and having your auditorium sit there empty during prime time and paying staff to just sit there and then also have to pay them to work later is, in my opinon, not very good business decisions. Maybe these theatres did this on purpose? Maybe they want to "close early" and "cancel" the later shows, hoping not many customers show up for them? Maybe they wanted to stretch the operating hours out longer so the hourly employees can get paid more by working longer hours? And PS, I like the Stonestown Twin also. Would like to see them succeed and hate to see them shooting themselves in the foot with stupid showtimes. I think it's clear that Regal wants out of the lease when it expires. Hopefully the mall can find another operator for the theatre when Regal does exit. (Calling Landmark, Gary Meyer, or Frank Lee..) Maybe even remodel a bit and put in some new seats that don't face the wall.  |  IP: Logged Robert Harrison Expert Film Handler Posts: 239 From: Harwood Heights, Illinois, USA Registered: Jun 2005 posted 11-27-2008 10:57 AM                     I run film projectors at four screens in two separate buildings. 1400 seats in Theatre 1. Screen 2 (200 seats) and screen 3 (100 seats) are on the ground floor of the other building (in a common booth), with screen 4 (280 seats) on the second floor. Here is my weekend schedule: #1) - Madagascar 2 - 1:00 Four Christmases - 2:45, 4:45, 7:00, 9:00 #2) - Quantum of Solace - 12:45 Madagascar 2 - 3:00, 5:00 Twilight - 7:00, 9:30 #3) - Twilight - 2:00 Quantum of Solace - 4:30, 7:00, 9:15 #4) - Bolt - 1:30, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00 Madagascar 2 - 9:45 WHY????!!!!  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 11-27-2008 01:52 PM                     That is a lot of print moving there, Robert, with Madagascar running in 3 different houses. We did some of that in the early 80s at UA, running 5 movies on 4 screens. Quite cumbersome.  |  IP: Logged Damien Taylor Master Film Handler Posts: 493 From: Perth, Western Australia Registered: Apr 2007 posted 11-27-2008 05:40 PM                     I got Australia moving daily next week... down 2 flights of stairs, a lobby, two more flights of stairs, another lobby, through an auditorium  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 11-28-2008 02:00 PM                     Australia is the LAST movie currently playing I would want to move around on a daily basis. Who decides when and where these prints get shifted around? The manager? The booking department? I suspect that SOMEONE isn't moving the prints themselves.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 11-28-2008 02:32 PM                     We move prints between auditoriums every day. Sometimes between each show.  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 11-28-2008 06:50 PM                     At least your system is designed properly for SMG to maximize attendance. This is far less fraught with peril than someone having to clamp Australia and fight the forces of gravity by hauling it downstairs and upstairs again.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 12-25-2012 08:41 PM                 It has been 1488 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 12-25-2012 08:41 PM                     3 Screen Theater: Django Unchained at about 2:30 running time: 11:00am, 2:50pm, 6:45pm, 10:30pm Jack Reacher at about 2:20 running time: 11:15am, 2:15pm, 7:00pm, 10:05pm This is 40 at about 2:25 running time: 12:15pm, 4:15pm, 7:15pm, 10:20pm I really don't understand........  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 12-26-2012 12:53 AM                     Really not that bad. Django is actually 165 minutes without previews, so call it 3 hours even. If the theater has a pre-show, they may be contractually obligated to run it for a set time before the advertised start time-usually I think its between 15 and 30 minutes. And finally, you want to space out your shows-especially at a smaller theater with probably less staff/lobby capacity than a big multi-plex-to avoid having to many customers at once, thus increasing line sizes, thus decreasing your concession per cap, thus the 6:45, 7:00, and 7:15 spread. Throw about 15 minutes of cleaning time in there, and you get your showtimes. Or maybe this theater has no pre-show, is slower than average so lines/cleaning isn't that big of a deal, and is just wasting payroll. Who knows.  |  IP: Logged

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