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Topic: Cinemark to buy Century

Matt Barth
Film Handler

Posts: 46
From: Albuquerque, NM 87109
Registered: Oct 2005

posted 10-03-2006 07:53 AM

I'm just praying these new ad systems don't include Coke trailers and other BS that's exclusion made Century a much better experience.

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 10-03-2006 09:04 AM

Kind of odd to think there would be Anti-trust issues with this. First of all these are movie theaters, not oil companies phone companies. Secondly even if one company owned all the movie theaters in an entire town, it wouldn't be an actionable anti-trust issue because people can eventually see the same product on DVD or satellite or cable, so not an issue with price controls or anti competitiveness.

The only real issue I would think would be individual townships blocking the transfer of business licenses to incoming purchasers.

Century has been privately owned since inception, unless they went public recently and I missed that, which is possible, Cinemark aquiring them shouldn't be a problem at all. It would be the same as IBM buying copy paper.

Either way, it appears that Syufy's are out of the game, rich beyond belief, and now I definately will be buying that new big screen because the last of the better ones are now part of the bean counter culture.

Ciao

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Paul Konen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 981
From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-03-2006 09:50 AM

Matt, They will !! It's part of First Look. Get to know and love the freeze frame lady.

Oh yeah. This message brought to you by Cingular Wireless.
(You Firstlook people will understand)

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 10-03-2006 11:33 AM

quote: Alex Grueneberg
Cinemark will also be handling all rolling stock ads threw a new pre-show system to be set up over the coming months at the Century’s and not on 35mm after the lights dim. National screen media will be installing new flat panels in the lobbys and a new video pre-show system using the current digital projectors on site. Not sure about you guys, but that’s a huge relief for me. I can't stand the ads on film.

You will appreciate the new system....as Paul states get used to the First Look Freezeframe lady......Please silence your cell phones and pagers.....and what's funny is when you see a sold out auditorium light up from all the cell phones being silenced.

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Alex Grueneberg
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Chicago, IL
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 10-03-2006 01:39 PM

Matt, I'm afraid Paul is correct. I know for a fact that there will be coke ads [Frown]

. I assume this new system will be much like how Regal's is? ..Some half assed sneak peak promo and then a bombardment of ads just prior to the start?

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2006 03:04 PM

quote: Alex Grueneberg
Some half assed sneak peak promo and then a bombardment of ads just prior to the start?

Well, when you put it THAT way... Yes! [Wink]

I must be brainwashed (or braindead). I don't think Cinemark's version of FirstLook is all that bad.

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Matt Barth
Film Handler

Posts: 46
From: Albuquerque, NM 87109
Registered: Oct 2005

posted 10-03-2006 07:38 PM

Call me spoiled but I really did avoid most other theaters because of those idiotic Coke and Ford commercials. I feel ike I'm watching American Idol before my movie. Well maybe this will lead to Albuquerque finally getting at least another Indie theater.

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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 10-03-2006 09:29 PM

The only thing I really dislike about Cinemark's "First Look" ads is the "videos by Braille" dimness coming from those low-end video projectors. When the house lights are up and that First Look stuff is showing it's barely even visible.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-03-2006 09:57 PM

quote: Bobby Henderson
The only thing I really dislike about Cinemark's "First Look" ads is the "videos by Braille" dimness coming from those low-end video projectors. When the house lights are up and that First Look stuff is showing it's barely even visible.

True, but it also accentuates the difference in quality when the REAL show starts. That's not a bad thing.

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Kenneth Wuepper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1026
From: Saginaw, MI, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 10-04-2006 06:51 AM

David,

Thank you for explaining something that has annoyed me for years.

I always wondered why the symphony orchestra made so much unorganised noise before the concert began. Your explaination is excellent. [Wink]

Thanks, KEN

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Jesse Skeen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 10-04-2006 01:02 PM

quote: David Stambaugh
True, but it also accentuates the difference in quality when the REAL show starts. That's not a bad thing.

I think it is- ONLY the highest-quality picture should be on the screen. Some people think if the pre-show looks like crap, then the movie will look that way too. You don't want the first thing someone sees on your screen to look bad and give them a bad impression of your theater. The video projectors I've seen at one of the Centurys here look worse than the slides did, the sound quality from the preshow also seems very compressed. Of course I haven't been back there since they ruined the ending of "Star Wars Episode III" but that's another story.

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Jared Thornton
Film Handler

Posts: 58
From: las vegas, NV, USA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 10-04-2006 06:20 PM

quote: David Stambaugh
True, but it also accentuates the difference in quality when the REAL show starts. That's not a bad thing.

The sad thing is most customers can't tell the difference between the digital pre-show and the actual movie they came to see. So it doesn't matter what the content of the pre-show is or what it looks like, as they already think it is the movie they paid to see.

To get back on topic Century will be running 35mm ads in the trailer packs in the very near future. Right now we are waiting on Coke ads to arrive [Mad]

, with the possibility of more coming after the first of the year.

Also, look for overall presentation at Century's to decline as it is becoming more apparent by the day that projection is not very high on their priority list. I'll probably get in trouble for saying that but oh well.

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Alex Grueneberg
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Chicago, IL
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 10-04-2006 09:43 PM

Jared, my coke ads just came in. [Mad]

All 90 seccond ads. I'm furious. I love the fact that nothing else has changed in light of the buy out, and this is the first thing they do. My GM was dead wrong about everything being on the pre-show. This is bad news, and all I can say is I’m glad I'm taking a leave of absence from work tomorrow to travel abroad in Europe for 3 months to think about what I want to do with my life. I’ve pretty much had it with these large cinema chains. They just don’t understand.

[fu]

Cinemark. You lost one who cares.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 10-04-2006 09:51 PM

Alex, don't do anything too crazy. We all have to put up with things we don't like at our jobs. Maybe your theater needs you now more than ever! [Big Grin]

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Emma Tomiak
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 238
From: Carrollton, TX, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 10-05-2006 01:21 AM

Alex, listen to David. Corporate may make changes to things in your booth that may not be the best (or that you don't agree with), but if you really enjoy the work, try to make the best of the situation. It was quite a change for me when Regal bought UA, but I dealt with all the changes (good or bad). I'm really pround of how I run our booth and putting on the best presentation I can.

Also, be prepared for quite a few "Please come back!!!" phone calls and e-mails while you're in Europe. I got plenty while I was studying in New Zealand. It boosted my ego a wee bit. [Wink]

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