Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: question about # of movies per theatre...

This is topic question about # of movies per theatre... in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=001913

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 08-12-2007, 02:54 PM:

Got a quick question....when I was at the Vogue my manager thought he'd show 3 movies, even though we have 2 screens, and just alternate the two older movies....apparently he got in big toruble for that.
I was wondering why....is there a stipulation that you can only show one movie per screen your theatre has and is it different if you are showing all 2nd run movies? Also, who even keeps track of that sort of thing?

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 08-12-2007, 03:13 PM:

'Doubling up' two movies-either having them play every other show (one at 1 and 7 and one at 4 and 10 for example) or playing one for matinees and one in the evening is quite common. Normally setting it up-like all program changes-is handled by a theatres booker. The manager likely got in trouble because permission was not recieved from the film companies first.

Posted by Thomas Pitt (Member # 4322) on 08-12-2007, 03:17 PM:

I don't see any reason why you couldn't have more than one movie running in any given screen. As long as the showing times don't clash (i.e. trying to show movie 2 before movie 1 has finished), you should be able to get away with it. Just keep the two movies on separate platters, have one platter 'free' and alternate threading between the two movies.

In fact, some single/double cinemas actually DO run this way because of their equipment! I hear that Cinemeccanica makes a giant tower thing on which you can have just over 3 hours of film on a reel, rather than a platter. The tower is double-sided, and can hold two reels of two different movies. Once a movie has finished, the whole tower can twist round 180 degrees and the movie on the other side can be laced up. This second movie can then run while the first one is left to rewind.

Have you tried asking the manager exactly why he got in trouble for showing 3 movies in a 2-screen cinema?

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 08-12-2007, 03:18 PM:

The studios keep track of it. If the booking agreement calls for the film to play clean (Not with anything else) then that is the way they want it. If they find out that you have been playing another title with their feature then you could get into trouble for not following the agreements set forth by them. I have seen it happen several times where one film company agrees to sharing a screen only to come back and say you have to play it clean so it forces you to have to figure out what the other movie can play with or you are forced to have to drop the title all together.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 08-12-2007, 03:19 PM:

Thomas, I think we made our replies at the same time so you didn't see my post, but to reiterate/clarify what I said above-to do a double up you need the permission of both studios. Someone who knows more about master agreements and bookings can probably go into more detail.

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 08-12-2007, 04:17 PM:

We always run at least two films on any day on a single screen; on Saturdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at least three (children's film on Saturday and an extra one for just two screenings on the other two days. Sometimes we have four, this is mainly during school holidays, on Wednesday this week for example we have four screenings, four different films; 'Happy Feet', 'Flyboys', 'The Golden Door' and 'Away From Her'. It's rare, but I have run five different films on a single screen in a day a few times. There's no technical problem with doing it.

Cinemas which have towers, and only one projector often run the adverts and trailers on a small spool on the projector while the feature is rewinding on the tower, so they can repeat the same film for the next screning. Places that can't do this, and can only run film from the tower are usually multi-purpose venues that only run film occasionally. It's still much easier to run two machines with changeovers if you're doing this sort of thing. Many cinemas will not allow one person to lift a full tower spool on their own. I've even seen a tower that could take 70mm, though I've never seen a 70mm tower spool, and wouldn't want to lift one!

As for not being allowed to do it, I assume this is with new releases. I'm opposed to this sort of restriction; I think that cinemas should be allowed to book, and run, whatever they like, if there is a print available.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-12-2007, 06:27 PM:

Stephen is right, it's mostly for new releases. The studios want every show time that's available. Once a movie is three or four weeks old, the studio is more forgiving.

When you're dealing with two movies that are "underacheivers," it's even possible to get permission to do two movies from the same studio on the same screen. We did it earlier this year with two films from Paramount. Both films were several weeks old.

Sometimes you can book a kids show for "matinees" only if the main show for that screen is an adult movie (PG-13 or R).

If you do it on a new (or very popular) movie and get caught, you can get taken off service by the studios involved. I heard of a situation in northern Montana where Universal (I think) took them off service for a year.

The company that is the stricted on this issue is Disney. They usually want you to play clean, even with a G-rated movie that's been out for a while.

Posted by Bill Enos (Member # 440) on 08-12-2007, 06:32 PM:

We're sub run and frequently must run films clean, Friday we opened "Live Free or Die Hard" and it must play it single the first week evenings, we can run something else Sat. and Sun.
matinees.

Posted by Kara Tillotson (Member # 3899) on 08-12-2007, 07:11 PM:

Hmmm
Ok....so the reasoning varies somewhat.
I cant ask the manager because none of us are there anymore....yeah they are all older movies...chuck n larry, transformers and ratatouille

Posted by Wyatt Copeland (Member # 4433) on 08-12-2007, 10:34 PM:

Every once and a while, we get a booking from head office that puts four prints in one house. We have Christie AW-3s so we can only have 2 prints per tier. The other prints end up going into other houses and then come show time, we clamp one movie, move it, and move another in. Its a pain in the neck and I hate it to death, but I do it..cuz I'm a zombie haha.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 08-12-2007, 11:40 PM:

Kara, if the manager made the decision that's the answer to what happened right there. Booking decisions like doubling up titles are not a manager level decision-if he was authorized to make such decisions he was really more than a manager. Even with a movie that is several weeks into release you need studio permission before you double it up with another feature. As has been stated, such permission is usually not hard to get, but that doesn't mean you don't have to get it.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-13-2007, 12:18 AM:

Well and some places they do it without the studio's blessing...that's risky but it's done frequently.

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 08-13-2007, 10:18 PM:

Fox will take a theatre off service in a heart beat if they catch a theatre doubling up one of their films. And they very rarely give the ok to do so.