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This topic comprises 4 pages: 1 2 3 4
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Topic: Auditorium Mess, getting worse ?
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Frank Angel
Film God
Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 05-15-2006 11:38 AM
quote: Ron Curran
Film distributors here want a percentage of ticket sales - that means the TOTAL price of admission. So if you include eats and drinks in that, the distributor gets a cut.
You know, that has always been the distrib's wet dream. Disney (surprise, surprise) in conjunction with one or two other studios once tried to legally get a percentage of the exhibs percapita. Their argument was, no one is coming to your theatre to buy your popcorn and soda; they are coming to see our movie; you would have NO concession sales if you weren't playing our picture, thus we should get a percentage of the concession sales.
Actually, as much as it was a damnedable move, I had to reluctantly admit that it did make some sense. Luckilly the court didn't agree. If it had, it would be a very different economic model today.
As far as cleaning up after one's self, first off, prices are relative; what is the reference when one claims that a price for a coke is "too high?" It is only too high in relation to cokes being sold at other venues. But you are not at other venues, you are at this theatre and here the price is exactly what it should be based on the economics of running that theatre. If you think it is too high in relationship to your wallet, then you don't have to purchase it or anything else at the concession bar. If I really want a coke and a box of popcorn, and I buy it, then the price is exactly right because if it wasn't, I would just walk away; I don't have to buy it. But once I do, even if I know it is over priced in relation to what I could get it at another venue, it simply never crosses my mind that it somehow that price gives me license to all of a sudden becoming a pig.
It seems there is a bit of dignity that has nothing to do with any external factors. The only issue is how I carry myself and what I think of myself; leaving my crap around for someone to clean up just isn't me. I wish more patrons thought that way, but evidently more and more of them seem to have no problem just dumping their crud where ever they happen to be -- the world is their garbage pail. It's the pig factor.
I wonder if they built trash recepticals along the walls, say one for every two rows, so exiting patrons would practically be facing a garbage bin as they exit the isles, if that wouldn't encourage them to carry their junk a few feet.
And how bout NATO making some trailers that emphasize depositing trash appropriately? Hey, the MPAA makes trailers about their problems -- that laughable anti-piracy trailer (which theatres were expected to run for them free of charge); why not give some screen time over to reduce these problems that plague theatre operations?
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Dennis Benjamin
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1445
From: Denton, MD
Registered: Feb 2002
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posted 05-15-2006 01:34 PM
My favorite quotes heard at at a concession stand:
"$2.00 for a bottle of water? That's damn expensive! Just give me seven bottles then!" (Buying for a group of people)
"Give me a jumbo popcorn with extra butter, a pack of goobers, a pack of twizzlers, a nachos, and a hot dog. Give me a jumbo sized diet coke too (gotta watch that diet) - Oh yeah, honey, do you want anything?"
Patron: "Who the hell charges $5.00 for a large popcorn, this is insane!" Concession worker: "Uh, we charge that much, sir, would you like butter on that?" Patron:"Yeah, give me two of 'em"
They will complain about the prices as they pull their wallet out to pay.
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Jack Ondracek
Film God
Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 05-16-2006 02:49 AM
I think Frank really said it best. While people may grumble from a distance, they'll make their final evaluation (and purchase decision) when they get inside your door.
For some reason, people won't make the connection. But look at what you're going to pay at, say, a place like "Outback Steakhouse". If you get an appetizer & a Maragarita, you aren't getting out of there for less than $30 or so... EACH. In reality, it's a meal. You'll digest it in 3 or 4 hours & be hitting the munchie bag while watching CSI... yet what you WON'T do is grumble about what you just paid.
The people who have this figured out will also apply it to the theatre. They understand that they're getting a couple hours of entertainment, and maybe some snacks, and it'll run them maybe $15... still a pretty good deal, if you compare it to other entertainment options.
We go to a couple of Mariner games a year, usually just for the hell of it. The game and whether we win or not is secondary to the experience. Safeco Field is a first-class ball park, and you know going in you're going to pay $40+ for a decent seat & $6 for a bottle of beer... and we do it, because we CAN!
So shut the heck up & pull out your plastic!!!
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Christopher Crouch
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 128
From: Holywood, ca, usa
Registered: May 2006
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posted 05-22-2006 04:16 AM
I haven't so much noticed the mess increasing in mass/volume, but the type of mess turning in a disturbing direction. Where once I primarily encountered cast off concession items and the occassional "outside" debris, I'm finding people leaving behind revolting messes more and more. Be it soiled diapers, chewed sunflower seeds, or even cups of urine, it seems too many people have developed a complete disregaurd for theatres. Even the more traditional garbage, while maintaining the same volume, apears to be cast off with less thought for who has to clean the theatre. Rather than placing their garbage in somewhat neat piles, as I used to see, people appear to almost deliberately spread the mess out, sometimes, literaly throwing it for distance.
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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene
Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 05-22-2006 09:24 PM
Back when I was an operator, I would do an in person and in front of the audience announcement on cell phones, pagers, courtesy, kicking seats, being kind to your wife and kids, and taking trash out when you leave. A few jokes and some hand holding always got their attention.
There was always some joker who would say "so are you are entertainment for the night", or some cynical or jackassed remark, which would envoke a response from me such as "yes I am, just for you" and blow him a kiss. Usually killed the room at that point.
At the end of the show, people would have their crap in hand, and it would take two people five minutes to clean an auditorium that had four hundred people in it.
Ciao
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