my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Cinemark to buy Century (Page 7)

This topic comprises 9 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Author Topic: Cinemark to buy Century Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 11-13-2006 04:04 PM                        Public ranting about internal company communications/policies is probably not the surest way to ensure job security... We get it guys...you don't like the transition.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 11-13-2006 05:27 PM                     Jared, I really don't like ads of any kind, but you need to look at the silver linning here-at least you're not playing screenvision ads. I'd kill to have only 2 minutes of crap before my trailers. As far as St. Jude is concerned-that is a public service announcement, Cinemark doesn't recieve any money for running that. Your statements on THX seem to be contradictory. On the one hand you lambast Cinemark for not paying the licensing fee due to greed, but on the other hand you acknowledge that THX is worthless. The only thing THX means any more is that your theatre was built to a certain set of standards, standards anyone who cares about presentation can build to regardless. THX techs do not do recerts any more-or at least they don't have too. The only thing paying the licensing fee does is enable you to market your auditorium as THX certified. Since 99% of the public has no idea what THX means anyway, I'd say Cinemark made the right move.  |  IP: Logged Jared Thornton Film Handler Posts: 58 From: las vegas, NV, USA Registered: Jan 2006 posted 11-14-2006 02:22 AM                     I apologize to all for ranting, but so far the transition has not been fun. Everyday we are told something different or contradictory to whats already been said, and when we ask for clarification we are told to wait until next year and all will be explained, very frustrating. With Century, it was one way and only one way, equally frustrating, but at least it was consistant. Dustin, yeah I was inconsistant about THX as I was ranting/rambling on. THX may be worthless today as it was never really explained to people on what it actually is (other than a 30 second snipe with a good sound mix) but Century already paid the licensing fee for next year, so we might as well advertise it until the agreement ends. Cinemark, like any other company, is in business to make money. So it does not seem like good business sense to stop advertising or taking advantage of something that has already been paid for. Something that helps the business stand out from its competitors, thus possibly generating additional revenue. I'm still inconsistant on this I know. As far as ads go you're right it could be worse, its just change is hard to accept when it's something you don't agree with. I'll have to accept that it's somebody else's sandbox I'm playing in. Hopefully the ads will go away once the new digital pre-show arrives at christmas.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 11-14-2006 12:45 PM                     Those THX trailers sure look good with scratches on 'em (proving that THX standards don't require competent people running the booth, among other things.)  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 11-15-2006 11:01 AM                     All of the branding banners on Fandango have been changed over to Cinemark now...  |  IP: Logged Jim Ziegler Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 753 From: West Hollywood, CA Registered: Jul 99 posted 11-22-2006 05:02 AM                     Having worked for both Cinemark and Century I can say that there are things each company does a great job with, and things that each company doesn't do quite so well. I can tell you that, in my opinion, Cinemark was the better company to work for.  |  IP: Logged Jake Buck Film Handler Posts: 2 From: Sherman, TX, USA Registered: May 2006 posted 11-25-2006 02:33 AM                        . [ 12-12-2006, 02:29 AM: Message edited by: Jake Buck ]  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 11-28-2006 11:44 PM                     Jake, Is your theatre the sub-run? Cinemark is likely waiting for the lease to run out before they shut it down. It's often more costly to break a lease and close than to keep plugging along until the lease runs out.  |  IP: Logged Chad Lindsey Film Handler Posts: 38 From: Ada, OK, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 12-03-2006 05:28 AM                     For what it's worth, and since it's an opinion that's probably not much, I believe that some are being a bit pessimistic. As far as the aquisition, I think that we just need to give them time. Merging the two companies is a HUGE deal. In my wildest dreams I wouldn't expect the blending process to be an easy one. I just don't think there is a smooth way to do it. I do agree that it seems to be very one-sided, and that Century is going through more changes, but I just think we need to wait it out. Yes, things are different.. there are ads, and new policies, and who-knows-what, but I have been around Cinemark for around 8 years and I still have faith. I've seen the company go through good times and bad times (very bad times) and I think that they, with the added help of the talented Century team, will pull this off in the end. Let's let the company finish this process and get everything written in stone, then see what we all think! Jake, do remember that money is not the only factor involved in the upkeep of theatres. You can pour money into a theatre and still have a terrible operation. On the other hand, you can have a theatre thats falling apart, but still doing the best they can with what they have. Maybe the conc stand is held together with duct tape, but the customer service is outstanding! Maybe the booth equipment was built 100 years ago, but every movie starts on-time, in frame, and scratch-free! Personally, if it were my company I would send the money in that direction, knowing that it would not be wasted. I'm not saying your operation is less than perfect, after all, I believe you've had a few upgrades lately! Yeah, there are always things to complain about, but I think "welcome to Hell" might be a bit harsh... I think that I am going to reserve judgement until I see the final product...  |  IP: Logged Jake Buck Film Handler Posts: 2 From: Sherman, TX, USA Registered: May 2006 posted 12-05-2006 05:45 PM                        . [ 12-12-2006, 02:28 AM: Message edited by: Jake Buck ]  |  IP: Logged Paul Konen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 981 From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-06-2006 09:12 AM                     Careful Jake, Careful.  |  IP: Logged Alex Grueneberg Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Chicago, IL Registered: Aug 2004 posted 12-09-2006 07:11 PM                        The plasmas in the lobby are up and running. However they are having a few issues with the theater related side of the preshow system. Although the preshow might come off a bit more intrusive, its nice to know once things are up and running we wont have to run any rolling stock on the main show at all. Plus now we have this guy who comes around every 3 months to just take care of the video projectors.  |  IP: Logged Brian Woods Film Handler Posts: 32 From: Memphis, TN Registered: Dec 2005 posted 12-11-2006 09:02 AM                    I would have to agree with Mike Spaeth on voicing your negative opinions about your new employer in a public form to outsiders of your company, you may end up biting the hand that feeds you. There have been comments about the transition not going smoothly, well no ! Any merger, takeover, or buyout never goes smoothly in the first months, or even sometimes a year. People who sit around complaining about a coke ad, plasma tv, or God forbid a rolling stock have more issues than just new management problems. Yeah, it may be frustrating to see your old ways of doing things go away, but what you don't realize is that you just started a new job? How so you say? Well, when there is this kind of transition, they more or less hit the reset button for everyone working there. Instead of them letting you go, they rehired you on and kept you as an employee. They weed out the bad employees and keep the good ones with their time served and benefits in place. They could have came in and said, sorry, your services are not needed, and you would be celebrating your new job at Wal-Mart as a door greeter. All in all, does some of the things that any company does seem like it's the best idea? No, there are some really ideas out there, but until it says "Insert your name here" Theaters, you are an employee, and you need to act like one. If you have issues, voice it to your management, not on a public form for everyone to see your company's dirty laundry. If you don't like working there anymore, leave, quit, jump out a port hole....no one is making you stay. I am sure if you bought a house, you would like to do things your way since you just paid for it, and your the one responsible for the upkeep and management of the place. If you need to make some extra money for the upkeep, you have a yard sale, aka on screen ad presentations. Your new company has to make money, and this is a form that they have chosen to do so. The ads you see on the screen go towards your paycheck in some way or how. I agree, some customers may not like it, but there are some who do. I have seen a lot of people complain when there is nothing playing before the show, and they go into insulin shock from the two pound box of Butterfinger Bites they just ate. Over all again, speak to your management team, let them work it out. If things are so bad, maybe Wal-Mart isn't such a bad idea? Quote for the day" "Welcome to Wal-Mart. Would you like a cart?"  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-11-2006 01:16 PM                        What Brian said. A couple of you guys who are now Cinemarkers might need to restrain your negative comments here on a public forum that is certainly closely watched by your new employer, whether they actually post here or not. Just my 2 cents.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 12-11-2006 06:40 PM                     Given how little attention most of the big chain higher-ups pay to the operation of their actual theater, I doubt they have much time to read message boards, and if they are they should be in their theaters instead! (Though I can't comment on how Cinemark has been running things lately since I haven't been to any of their theaters in more than a decade. I'll probably check out a couple of the Centurys here eventually; I wasn't too impressed with how those theaters were being run before Cinemark took over so we'll have to see what happens.)  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 9 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.