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Topic: Independent theater owners

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-15-2011 11:32 AM

Another thing you could do is, since you're open only on weekends, build up that art crowd by playing those kinds of movies, say on Wed-Thur.

There I go again, adding more hours to your work schedule! [Big Grin]

Regarding booking, we do a similar thing with our booker -- he sends me an email every week with the next 4 to 6 weeks penciled in, but only the current week is the "fer sure" booking...everything else is changeable, except in the case of those on-break titles.

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 09-15-2011 01:26 PM

quote: Mike Frese
Bob, 2 issues: 1) No studio rep will guarantee you that you will get a mainstream movie 4 weeks out let alone 4 weeks out from it's initial release. 2) Film, which you still insist is a viable format for some time to come; makes counting on a movie even more difficult.

Well Frank got it done for me.

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Melanie Loggins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 154
From: Wayne, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2011

posted 09-15-2011 01:33 PM

Robert, perhaps things have changed that much since 06? It's Frank that can't get me what I'd like right now. And it's not his fault; we can't get word until the last minute on movies, at least not movies that I want to show.

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Mike Frese
Master Film Handler

Posts: 465
From: Holts Summit, MO
Registered: Jun 2007

posted 09-15-2011 02:34 PM

Hi Melanie,

This time of the year is usually pretty easy to book move-over due to the large number of movies that came out this summer. I would imagine you would be like most theaters in small rural towns and do well with mostly the bigger mainstream movies. Right now, those would be Apes, Smurfs, Crazy Stupid Love, Cowboys & aliens, etc. Or are you trying to more arthouse/hybrid theater?

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Melanie Loggins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 154
From: Wayne, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2011

posted 09-15-2011 03:38 PM

Nope, trying to be mostly move-over. Tree of Life was a gamble that didn't pay off.

Trouble, is, I've already had most of those movies! People just aren't willing to wait 6-8 weeks for a movie. We've had very good luck getting them 3-4 weeks later. I've noticed that movies like Planet of the Apes, the kind that are aimed at the young male demo, do very poorly for us. If you're the kind of person who wants to see it, you're the kind of person who will drive opening weekend. In a small town like ours, people just take it in stride that we'll have to drive to the big city for all kinds of things, and driving to see a movie becomes an excuse to eat out, go to Wal-Mart/Sam's/the mall/big box, etc. It's so frustrating to me, when I'm considering a movie, to talk to people who say, "Oh, it was so good! You should get it!" Well, sounds like you already saw it! Did you like it so much you'll see it again? Oh, no? Oh, ok.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-15-2011 05:57 PM

quote: Melanie Loggins
driving to see a movie becomes an excuse to eat out, go to Wal-Mart/Sam's/the mall/big box, etc. It's so frustrating to me, when I'm considering a movie, to talk to people who say, "Oh, it was so good! You should get it!" Well, sounds like you already saw it! Did you like it so much you'll see it again? Oh, no? Oh, ok.

That describes my life on a daily basis and it's why we try to play as many of the "big ones" on the break as we can. Gotta jump on 'em before the bloom falls off the rose. What you (and we) need is more movies like "The Help," "The Blind Side," "True Grit," and so on where they're really good and have legs and virtually everybody wants to see them, rather than just some small group of the population. Too bad there are only one or two of those in an average year -- if that.

What really gets me is people who say "Yeah, I already saw it...but I'll see it again when it's here." Yeah, right. That doesn't happen.

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Melanie Loggins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 154
From: Wayne, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2011

posted 09-15-2011 07:31 PM

Mike, exactly. I've already been burned so many times by movies that should have done well and didn't. And if I don't get The Help soon, my book club ladies are going to give up and go somewhere else to see it.

So, when you get movies on the break, do you just log extra hours? Do you have an assistant? Or.... are you already open every day?

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-15-2011 08:31 PM

We're open every day, except we're usually closed Thursdays. If we're playing something for 2 weeks, we'll be open the "middle" Thursday. We only do two shows on Fri-Sat, the rest of the week it's one show, so it's not too grueling a schedule.

We have a couple of assistants who can handle the place for us when we go on vacation or want a night off, but generally I'm almost always there every night. I'm lucky to have a wife who understands and is also willing to work at the theatre with me. I've owned it since I was 22 and started working there just out of high school so it's part of my DNA at this point...I would probably go out of my mind if we stayed home every night. The theatre is a huge part of our social life and the staff is part of our family, since we have no kids of our own.

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Ron Funderburg
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 814
From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA
Registered: Nov 2007

posted 09-17-2011 09:26 AM

I run a six-screen theater in Chickasha Oklahoma just 30 minutes from Major Chains. My theater is part of a three-town chain with a central office but the central office doesn’t mean a home office or control of the local theater. The owners leave many of the decisions to the local managers. There is not a lot of communication between owners and managers. Good thing or bad thing is not relevant as it is both.

I am bothered by the lack of communication but not to the point of irritation. It becomes an obvious no or you make up your mind on many issues but some you are just hanging in a grey area. You can make up your own mind on but you fear if it doesn’t work out you might signing your own pink slip.

Still it has been a good run with them overall. The business has grown every year but one this year might be a second if we don’t bounce up in numbers soon. There is only so much a holiday season can pull your grosses up still I am hopeful.

Any if you get to Chickasha OK just drop in to the Heritage Park Theater and say hey!

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 09-17-2011 03:47 PM

quote: Melanie Loggins
Robert, perhaps things have changed that much since 06? It's Frank that can't get me what I'd like right now. And it's not his fault; we can't get word until the last minute on movies, at least not movies that I want to show.

Glad to hear Frank is still active. He is a great guy and was a real help to me. I'm concerned that the manager who took over after I left may have stiffed him. I've referred several people to him since then. I hope his phone is the same 'cause his email has changed.

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Jen Pelto
Film Handler

Posts: 30
From: Muskegon, MI, USA
Registered: Aug 2011

posted 09-20-2011 06:32 PM

LONG RAMBLE:

Melanie: Your theater sounds like my theater, the Harbor Theater, although we are an art-house theater. (Don't you love the newbies that came out to see Tree of Life? It's too bad a lot of them left stumped or disappointed. We actually printed some thoughts on the movie from Ebert's blog, laminated them, and kept them in the lobby -- this helped some people "cope" with the artsy-ness after reading a bit "more" about it).

We are also a non-profit. I understand the "ownership" or entitlement patrons have -- especially if you make "promises" that movies will come this week or that week, and they don't (for a thousand reasons, usually not your choice or doing). Because things can change literally last minute when dealing with limited print copies, we try to use the disclaimer that "all times subject to change" and invite people to log on to our website or call the showtimes hotline to get the most up-to-date info.

I know it sounds unstable, but through trial-and-error (and honestly, to our surprise!) our patrons would rather have pre-printed flyers that give them upcoming titles/descriptions/showtimes for a month or two ahead of time than to not know when something is coming. This also helps advertise our lesser-known movies early. On the top is printed in bold "TENTATIVE SCHEDULE -- SUBJECT TO CHANGE". People like reading the descriptions and familiarizing themselves with the titles. Sometimes they read something in the Times or hear something on NPR and say AHA! I've HEARD of that movie!

Also, talking with people one-on-one when they ask why a certain movie was delayed a week helps, too -- most people have NO idea how prints are obtained and all of the behind-the-scenes stuff. People usually find it interesting when they learn that the movie they are anxiously awaiting for was delayed because of THIS-OR-THAT. That usually staves off the anger.

We went through a few different film bookers in the beginning, which I recommend, especially if you are just starting out. But once you get the feel of your business and client base, consider trying to book a few films on your own. My husband (co-owner of the theater) now books ALL of our films. It saves us money, but it also gives us complete control of knowing when things are going to come and when things "might" be coming our way. A good booker will tell you all of this as well. But we have a lot invested in our business, and sometimes we didn't like hearing "no" and not understanding "why not". That was our biggest incentive to wanting to book ourselves. When we are told NO, we can quickly and directly ask why, and sometimes we can explain ourselves and get a "yes", and sometimes we can get a "not this week, but next week" in writing. Sometimes it's just a slight negotiation that is needed to get it "our way".

Another thing to note: in time you will learn what people ACTUALLY want to see. I can't tell you how many people were "SO EXCITED!!" to see (insert foreign-languaged Asian film here) and did NOT come see it. The numbers don't lie. In the beginning, we really thought "Oh, it's because of football starting up, or the kids going back to school, or because it was way too wintery that month", etc, and we would PLAY THE MOVIE ANOTHER TIME, just to see the same end result. My audience may be totally different than yours. But we can say that we know them better than they know themselves. We knew how Buck was going to do this week. We knew how Midnight in Paris was going to do and we cancelled all plans for bringing in many new movies for a little while.

It may be stereotyping, and in some cases, reading in to some possible slight audience rasicm, but it's what makes our xenon lamp turn on each day. Actions speak louder than words. Once you get "burned" enough by your patrons, you will learn how long they are willing to wait to see a movie and when they make that drive to your competition. And for some movies, you're right: they drive opening night to see it where it's playing within a 2 hour radius. For other movies, giving it longer than a one-week run is pushing it. It's a lot of trial-and-error.

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Justin Hamaker
Film God

Posts: 2253
From: Lakeport, CA USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 09-20-2011 07:17 PM

Although I'm in a large enough market that I get most of the wide releases on the break, I'm in the same boat when it comes to arty film. I take a lot of flack for not playing more of them, but we are close enough to a city with a good art house that our customers will drive to see them. Then when we do get something, most of the people who wanted to see it have already gone out of town and so we don't do any business.

I might be able to develop an art film following if I could at least get a confirmed date within 4-6 weeks of the initial release which I could advertise. At best, I'm lucky if I know 10 days in advance.

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Melanie Loggins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 154
From: Wayne, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2011

posted 09-22-2011 08:17 PM

Jen, thank you so much for your reply! I keep reminding myself: we haven't even been open a year. I will eventually learn. But, man, I have to say, September is kicking our @ss. I hope things get better soon!

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-23-2011 12:29 AM

September's always that way here (and most places, I reckon) because the kids get back into school and sports start taking everyone's attention. Plus, outside of the Oscar hopefuls, the movies this time of year sometimes seem to have that "leftovers" feel to them. Sept-Oct and the first part of November is the worst time of year for us, every year. At least you know you're not alone in that boat!

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Martin McCaffery
Film God

Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99

posted 09-23-2011 08:00 AM

Yeah, September sucks. I can take solace looking at the grosses of the multiplexes in town. This week's movie grossed a little under average for us, but we outgrossed almost every screen in town Monday thru Thursday.

You take you little victories where you can.

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