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Author Topic: The Window Closes Some More Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-15-2014 06:45 PM                        There's a big difference between them "taking more than 100% of the boxoffice" and the movie not grossing enough to pay the minimum. You knew the risk going in.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-15-2014 07:35 PM                        I wasn't in the industry when the practice was normal, but I know theatres in competitive markets used to have to bid to get movies. I have heard of more than one theatre bidding over 100% of the gross of Star Wars, and other titles, knowing the snack bar sales would cover expenses. I've also theatres would have to pay advances for certain titles that were in the tens of thousands. So I agree with Mike, there is a big difference between a movie not grossing enough to make the minimum, and the studio taking more than 100% of the gross.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-15-2014 11:31 PM                     quote: Mike Blakesley Many people who watch movies want the theater experience (a little behind on this thread, but to add to this comment..) During the Depression, there was only one business still making money and that was the Movie Industry. Why? The theatre is a place for one can go and forget about the world around them - it's a 'fantasy portal' that the entertainment world contains for people to go for their entertainment needs. Thus, people want to get out of the house (reality) and go to their favorite 'fantasy portal' to be entertained-and this is a general topic in itself. Just not the same waiting for "x" amount of months for the video to come out to be seen on our home screens since you're still reminded of your "world of reality." Lately, in some areas, there has evolved a "$5.00 Tuesday" and wonder if the studios are allowing this, or just a way for cinemas to get their attendance up during the middle of the week. Heard that attendance on these days is just about as strong as a good Friday opening day (but percap suffers due to nobody's buying concession and just head to the auditoriums..), where unfortunately, this Tuesday thing can takes away from the strong weekend grosses.  |  IP: Logged Frank B. McLaughlin Film Handler Posts: 76 From: Denver, CO Registered: Dec 2011 posted 05-16-2014 10:45 AM                        IF you think that is bad you will find that in the larger cities, especially the movie/dinner category prime (evening) admission prices on Sunday-Thursday (or Monday-Thursday) are the same as the matinee price. They simply want to get the bodies in the door for the expensive food.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-16-2014 11:44 AM                        quote: Monte L Fullmer Lately, in some areas, there has evolved a "$5.00 Tuesday" and wonder if the studios are allowing this, or just a way for cinemas to get their attendance up during the middle of the week. Heard that attendance on these days is just about as strong as a good Friday opening day (but percap suffers due to nobody's buying concession and just head to the auditoriums..), where unfortunately, this Tuesday thing can takes away from the strong weekend grosses. I have heard rumors of a possible initiative thru the studios and NATO to have an officially sanctioned discount night, and also there is talk of having "non blockbusters" priced lower than more popular movies.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-16-2014 05:15 PM                        The first theatre I worked for (starting in 1996) offered a Tightwad Tuesday every week. The brand new movies were excluded, but everything else was $2.00. Although this was a brand new theatre at that time, this was something they brought with them from other theatres they had operated in the past. Although the price has increased, they are still offering the discount night. When I worked for them, the per capita usually hovered around $3.00. But on Tuesdays it would drop to under $2.00. And if you were someone who went for the movie experience, it was not an idea day to go. Many of the people who attended the discount day had absolutely no etiquette and contributed to a poor environment to enjoy the movie.  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 05-21-2014 08:50 AM                        Marcus Theatres started doing a $5 Tuesday promotion about a year ago, and I think the response has been very positive. Every time I drive past one of their locations on a Tuesday, the parking lots are quite full and when I've seen a movie on those nights, the auditorium is usually 50-75% of capacity.  |  IP: Logged Terry Lynn-Stevens Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1081 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Dec 2012 posted 05-21-2014 09:27 AM                     We have had cheap Tuesdays since the 1980s, it is nothing new around here.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-21-2014 11:34 AM                        The difference is the new "thing" will be endorsed by the studios and would hopefully be coordinated industrywide, whereas now everyone is on their own. We used to have a discount night and it used to be our busiest weeknight but some time ago we noticed that most patrons didn't even seem to know it was discount night (they would be "surprised" when their ticket was cheaper than normal) so we finally just discontinued it without notice. Nobody said a word. I attribute it to our prices being so reasonable that nobody can imagine how we would discount them any further!  |  IP: Logged

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