Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: 4:00pm or 5:00pm?

This is topic 4:00pm or 5:00pm? 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=002902

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 04-23-2015, 10:11 PM:

Which showtime do you find gets more business? When you schedule your showtimes, do you tend to schedule them in the 4:00pm hour (4:00pm, 4:15pm, 4:30pm, etc) or in the 5:00pm hour (5:00pm, 5:15pm, 5:30pm) based upon whether one attracts more business than the other?

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 04-24-2015, 01:38 AM:

I guess it is at least somewhat dependent on your local situation. The obvious problem here is that you cannot play multiple movies in the same auditorium at once, if you find a fix for that, then your problem is solved. [Smile]

Around here, on any given normal weekday, it wouldn't make a difference if you start your show at 4pm, 4:30pm, 5pm or 5:30pm, because everybody is either still at work, commuting home or just starting dinner. So, in that case it would be better to start the show earlier (4pm or 4:30pm), so your theater will guaranteed to be be free and properly cleaned between the only time slot that really matters on a normal business day around here: between 19:30pm and 20:30pm

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 04-24-2015, 07:57 AM:

We don't do a full day schedule, but I can safely say that during daylight savings time, with a movie aimed at little old broads, the 5:00 slot does really well. They get out before it is dark and in time to have supper.

Other wise, anytime before 7:00pm is pretty dead.

Posted by Ken Lackner (Member # 1002) on 04-24-2015, 08:01 AM:

Chicks don't like to be called broads, bro.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 04-24-2015, 09:00 AM:

Little Old Broad is neither age nor gender specific [evil]

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-24-2015, 01:42 PM:

During the off season, I never run anything in the 5:00 hour. Even if a movie is short enough for 5 shows a day (assuming the first show starts no earlier than about 12:30), I always program for 4 shows (roughly 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:30). I've found that generally speaking the shows in the 5:00 hour don't do nearly as much business.

My guess is that because it's around dinner time, or commute time on the week days.

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 04-24-2015, 02:08 PM:

I think it depends on two factors: Specific location (clientele) and how many screens you have

Here where I am the 1 o'clocks, 4 o'clocks, and 7 o'clocks work well. The only time we have a 5 o'clock show is for the short kid's shows: 1 something, 3 something, 5 something, 7 something, and as early as your 9 o'clock can be.

If you are a large multiplex or a megaplex, by default - you are going to have 5 something shows and 6 something shows.

I tend to steer clear of starting anything between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. if I can help it at all. I also try to keep 10 minutes in between start times of individual movies. Again, the larger your location is the more probability you are going to have to stagger start times differently (like 5 minutes in between). I never, ever, ever, start two movies at the same time.

I have done studies on these things and it is surprising how much the showtimes affect the per cap at the concession stand.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-24-2015, 03:55 PM:

Dennis, I agree with you about not starting movies at the same time. However, I find it's more important to keep the same show times week to week as people will look at the times on Wednesday or Thursday and expect them to be the same on Friday. Generally the only time I have two movies starting at the same time is when I have something in it's third or fourth week and the running time of the new movie makes it difficult to not overlap without setting a show time outside of what I consider to be the prime times.

The only time I change the show times on a holdover movie is when there is a change to the number of shows - for example when switching from two screens to one, or splitting a screen with another title.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 04-24-2015, 05:35 PM:

quote: Eric Hooper
When you schedule your showtimes, do you tend to schedule them in the 4:00pm hour (4:00pm, 4:15pm, 4:30pm, etc) or in the 5:00pm hour (5:00pm, 5:15pm, 5:30pm) based upon whether one attracts more business than the other?

Speaking from "old school" experiences, the 4pm set do better since it is in an area when some people are getting off of work and want to hit a show before dinner time.

And whereas, the 5pm sets are going to be slower due to people getting home and heading into dinner time.

Been this way for ages - good luck. Monte

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 04-30-2015, 09:07 AM:

I prefer 5 o'clock showings - good time afterwards for dinner.

thread digression:

I also wholeheartedly approve of pre-11am screenings - in the DC area, AMC Tysons, Angelika Mosaic, Cinema Arts all have early morning screenings which is great (and cheap) - some of us have later work hours and can pencil/work in a morning screening much more easier than the typical afternoon/evening screenings.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 04-30-2015, 07:21 PM:

quote: Jonathan Goeldner
I also wholeheartedly approve of pre-11am screenings

In major markets it makes sense to have the early shows. There will always be enough people who turn out to make it worth while. In my market we have found that anything starting before about 12:30 will have significantly less attendance then movies starting after 12:30. This is true even the opening weekend of a major blockbuster. As a rule I avoid scheduling anything to start before 12:30 for this reason. Plus it sometimes creates staffing issues with the weekdays.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 05-01-2015, 03:35 PM:

a 10:20am screening of 'Ex Machina' on a Monday no less, over at the Angelika last week - had close to maybe five dozen folk - I was very surprised (what? none of y'all have jobs? [Wink]

[I know I don't] ) - the one area of town I don't get is Bethesda Maryland, with the number of retirees living in and around downtown Bethesda - I'm sure the Landmark could easily do morning screenings; Arclight Bethesda might do them over the summer months

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 05-08-2015, 01:55 PM:

I see some theaters running 3:15 or 3:30 shows (on movies that are 1:45 in length), and then waiting to start their evening shows until 6:45, 7:00, 7:15, etc. Basically the 3:30 show ends about 5:15 or 5:30, and the auditorium sits empty until the 6:45, 7:00, 7:15 showtime. What would be the reason or advantage to do this?

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 05-08-2015, 04:35 PM:

Eric, the reason is that running another show in the 5:00 hour would cause the theatre to have to push the 7:00 show to a later time - more like 7:30. They may have found that the movies gross better if they can start around 6:45-7:00.

As I mentioned earlier, except in the summer season I only run 4 shows a day on all movies - meaning I have one around 4:00 and one around 7:00. Yes, that means the auditorium is sitting idle for longer periods, but it saves energy on the projector and life on the bulb, plus it allows me to save labor costs. Experience has shown that the shows in the 5:00 hour tend to have the lowest attendance numbers. Unless we're selling out, it's not like the 5th show of the day is going to result in a bunch of extra tickets sold.