Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Drive-Ins adding 2nd screen: did you increase sales?

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Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 01-29-2014, 09:53 PM:

For any drive-ins who've added screens (and particularly going from a single to two), what, if any, sales increases have you seen and has it been sustainable? We're somewhere close to where I think we can justify it, but curious to know others' experience. Thanks.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 01-30-2014, 06:25 AM:

Every time we added a drive in screen, business improved on the original screen. It allowed booking films for two weeks because of the move-over possibility. It does not matter if anyone even shows up at the second screen, but some will.

Moneywise, there is no question that #2 and #3 make sense. Digital cinema aside, your overhead does not increase that much. Louis

Posted by Mike Frese (Member # 4361) on 01-30-2014, 08:22 AM:

Every theater that I am aware of that added screens (especially going from 3 or less) has added more than enough revenue to justify the initial expense.

Posted by Barry Floyd (Member # 385) on 02-12-2014, 02:22 PM:

Dave... when we went from single screen to two screens back in 2005, it bumped us up for the yearly gross by 40% by the end of the 2006 season. Got the numbers somewhere with a month by month comparison if I can find them I'll send them your way.

We got the second screen up towards the end of September, so it didn't really make that much of an impact in 2005.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 02-12-2014, 09:31 PM:

Interesting, been chatting with an owner up here, he figured 40%. Actually 25-40, due to the fact he's built too small a field for screen 2 (he has main field of 250 and second of 50). Says they're up 40% "most nights" but on holidays sells out.

For us, we could take our 350 car field and make that 300 + 100, and it might hurt our main field a couple times a year (we finally started selling out on holiday Sundays last year). The issue would be I have no good way of separating the lot, nor blocking sound from one field to the other. Getting folks in and out of that field would be disruptive to "Field 1". Lots to think about.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-12-2014, 11:56 PM:

Dave, do you have any plans or photos of the site you could post? Perhaps we could make suggestions you may not have thought of.

Either way, it's a very good idea. You won't look back if you can get it done.

EDIT:

How much of this land do you own? That spot next to the ticket booth could work without too much change to your main field.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 02-13-2014, 10:05 AM:

Well you found us! We have about 10 acres. If you make it a rectangle straight back from the road ending roughly at the bottom right point of this picture (the two back corners are missing). We've discussed using the back (bottom right) corner as it's mostly cleared and we would use some of the existing ramps behind the snack bar there, but it would be kind of a "mob rules" thing, people coming and going in front of patrons watching "Screen 1". I've seen a place do what you're saying, using the "front triangles" for additional screens, it's not the worst idea either, there's a tree buffer there and quite a bit of room without hurting the main field. The ability to "dump" films after one week might be more valuable than capacity, though I'm not sure...

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 02-14-2014, 10:08 AM:

No buffer required. Sound by FM radio; let them choose. The film company gets paid based on what they say at the box office.

It is possible that middle ramps might have cars parked both ways; where is the harm. It will look normal after they leave.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-14-2014, 08:18 PM:

Always improved it!

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 02-14-2014, 09:40 PM:

Few more trees to cut, but I'm thinking more and more about using that bottom LEFT corner. I could run new gravel lane to the left side of those "entrance trees" almost all the way back. This would let people enter and leave Screen 2 without bothering Screen 1 patrons for the most part. Those back few rows that already exist could "float" from one screen to another (either "casually" on slower nights, or barricaded off and opened one way or the other according to ticket sales on busier nights). The old Simplex (still operational, I've always thought it would be cool but completely unnecessary to have the digital automation make it go for old intermission trailers, but I digress) will need to bite the dust for another digi-box....

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-14-2014, 10:13 PM:

While it IS possible to have the DCS fire up a 35mm projector for intermission, at the end of the day it would be easier to just run the intermission clips on DCP. They ARE available. Tim Reed has some excellent ones.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 02-15-2014, 02:19 AM:

Plus, if you really want the old one for nostalgia, you could look for it in DCP or take the 35mm you've got to some place that does transfers...

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 02-15-2014, 08:47 AM:

We do have a bunch of Tim's trailers, this was always just a silly idea that was fun to talk about! The XL is sitting there greased up and waiting for Godot.