Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The multiplex was once a force, but it’s gone over to the dark side

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Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-08-2016, 11:35 PM:

The multiplex was once a force, but it’s gone over to the dark side

quote:
The multiplex was once a force, but it’s gone over to the dark side

Marsha Lederman

The Globe and Mail

Published Friday, Jan. 08, 2016 7:59PM EST

Last updated Friday, Jan. 08, 2016 11:32PM EST

There’s a good chance you returned to an old flame over the holidays, figures suggest. But was something awakened in you?

I’m referring, of course, to Star Wars: The Force Awakens – a force in the universe so strong that it drew people back to that old love, the movie theatre, after years of neglect. This week it became the highest-grossing film of all time in North America.

Many of you have probably been involved in a new, comfortable situation – holed up under the covers at home with Netflix (and perhaps BitTorrent, shame on you). In 2014, attendance at North American movie theatres hit a nearly two-decade low. Things are expected to bounce back somewhat this year; The Force Awakens is obviously a factor.

The film presented an enormous opportunity. Here was a chance for theatres to woo back audiences, by showing them what they’ve been missing. Think midnight mass: You’ve got a once-a-year audience packed into the pews and you want to be welcoming and impressive enough that they’ll consider returning on some regular Sunday.

So this reunion with the theatre for Star Wars should have been an easy and spectacular encounter. Perhaps you discovered that it wasn’t.

You may have wondered what the heck D-Box 3-D UltraAVX Atmos was, and why it cost $23.50 per ticket – or how it differed from UltraAVX 3-D, regular 3-D, or just “regular.” Perhaps you balked, as I did, at the $46.38 spent on popcorn and sugary drinks – a total that did not seem to reflect the fact that you ordered family members to share, and even applied your Scene Card discount.

That’s when you, who have not been to the theatre in some time, were introduced to the fresh hell of the self-serve beverage machine. (Depending on your location.) You may have been surprised, after lining up for popcorn, when the person behind the counter handed over paper cups that were, alas, empty and directed you and your brood over to yet another line-up.

There you performed a balancing act – popcorn, children, movie tickets – while you searched for space on the inadequately sized counter and selected from infinite flavour offerings on a touch screen that may have thrilled your seven-year-old, but probably provoked a different reaction in you, the thirsty adult breaking out into a sweat as the queue behind you grew ever longer.

There are some aspects of the movie-theatre experience that are beyond the theatre’s control: the bathroom stall spoilers (it happened to us), the play-by-play plot-breakdown whispers from the couple behind you, the last-bit-of-pop slurpers at key emotional moments, the Tommy Texters.

But 15 minutes (approx.) of commercials? After living through those inane interactive quizzes? Followed by a similarly long block of trailers? While I did thoroughly enjoy a mock trailer for Chicken Squad – an ad from the B.C. Chicken Marketing Board – one line from it seemed to sum up the endurance test of this movie-going experience: “Oh, cluck.”

It seems to me if they want to lure audiences back to the theatres and away from their couches and all the binge-watching they can manage for $9.99 a month, exhibitors are going to have to do better. Otherwise it’s just too easy to stay home and watch Making a Murderer or 134 episodes of The Good Wife.

A film diet consumed entirely at home is a viable option, with a film and TV landscape that is pretty much unrecognizable from the previous time a Star Wars movie whisked us to a galaxy far, far away.

On iTunes, you can already order recent blockbusters such as The Martian or Mad Max: Fury Road – both of which are up for Best Picture awards at this weekend’s Golden Globes and are likely to score Oscar nominations when they’re announced on Thursday.

In 2015, Netflix subscribers watched 42.5 billion hours of programming. This week, Netflix announced a huge global expansion into more than 130 new countries (with the notable exception of China – and they’re working on that). “You are witnessing the birth of a global TV network,” said chief executive officer Reed Hastings.

That birth comes with all kinds of potential carnage. In Canada, pick-and-pay, cord-cutting (and cord-nevers – people who have never subscribed to cable and don’t plan to) are of grave concern to cable and satellite providers and the television industry. A report out this week predicts funding and job losses with the great cable unbundling to come – even a threat to the survival of some Canadian channels.

Sure, giant releases such as Star Wars and 3-D technology you can’t get at home will always be a draw. But if it’s unpleasant at the multiplex, it’s pretty easy to just stay home; there’s always something to watch. I love going to the movies, and I hate being a Marsha Moaner, but I fear the industry is losing the plot – and is in danger of losing the audience, too.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 01-09-2016, 02:13 AM:

Welp, there ya have it.

Posted by James Biggins (Member # 8574) on 01-09-2016, 03:53 AM:

That article nails it. Excellent!

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-09-2016, 02:29 PM:

These kinds of articles are so annoying because the writer always insists that the theater industry has to "do better."

Do what better? She had no complaints at all about the movie, just the ads and the prices and the "other people." And the movie was the thing they went to see -- if the theater "did that" right, most everything else could be dealt with.

Such as, a lot of the gripes she had could have been addressed by just waiting a little while to go to that movie. Want shorter lines and less people to deal with? Simple - avoid the opening weekend.

Want to not "juggle?" Take the kids to the auditorium first, get them settled and then send Dad out for snacks.

Don't like the ads? Pull out the ever-present cellphone and ignore them, but recognize they're a fact of life for many places. Every theater ad package should periodically have a slide that says "Thank you for watching these ads. If we didn't have them, your ticket price would have to be higher and we might not be able to afford to stay in business." (Our ads are going to help pay for our next digital upgrade.)

And then maybe another one explaining how movie ticket prices have actually gone up LESS than other things, given inflation.

These "gripe" articles are always written from an uninformed point of view that never takes the nuts-and-bolts of theater operation into consideration. And they NEVER go interview a theater manager to get their take on it.

The industry's main failing is not educating people and the media as to WHY prices are what they are. They're too busy touting ridiculous opening weekend ticket sales.

I agree with her about the self serve soda machine though. (Obviously one of those Coke Freestyle disasters.) But even that -- maybe multiplex owners are just tired of people holding up the line by going "I need more ice! That's not full enough! Oh wait, I meant a large, not a medium! Wait, could I change that to a Dr. Pepper?

I'm always ready to hear suggestions on what the industry could "do better." But they have to be realistic and suggest things that we could actually DO without putting ourselves out of business.

Posted by Manny Montes (Member # 5639) on 01-09-2016, 02:32 PM:

quote:
On iTunes, you can already order recent blockbusters such as The Martian or Mad Max: Fury Road – both of which are up for Best Picture awards at this weekend’s Golden Globes and are likely to score Oscar nominations when they’re announced on Thursday.

I think this is the most pertinent part of the article, people don't see it worth going to the movies because you can wait a few months and download it and watch it on a 5" screen. Unfortunately for us, people have put convenience over any sort of real experience.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-09-2016, 02:53 PM:

With regard to the ads, I think that saying "it's a fact of life" so deal with it is, in fact, the problem.

On all of my shows, I play a "turn off your cellphone" notice, then between one and three appropriate movie trailers, then "Our Feature Presentation" or "Welcome", and then the movie. No ads here for anything other than forthcoming movies that I intend to play here. People can see ads on television for free, they don't want to pay to watch more ads here.

If it's really and truly necessary to raise the prices to not have to play ads, then raise the prices. Otherwise you're degrading the experience that you're providing for your customers and people will "deal with it" by staying home.

Same thing with cell phones. Clamp down on cell phones in the auditorium. Hard and consistently. People learn that they can't have a cellphone blazing away in the auditorium, and everyone's experience is improved. Excessive talking? Feet up on the back of the seats? Kids bouncing around at a non-kiddy show? This must STOP and if you toss a couple of customers out once in a while to make that point, then so be it! Your other customers will appreciate it and will probably come back again next week; otherwise they may not.

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 01-09-2016, 03:03 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
Every theater ad package should periodically have a slide that says "Thank you for watching these ads. If we didn't have them, your ticket price would have to be higher

Case in point:
The theater I've been running Hatful Eight at does not show ads ("roadshow" or not).

But, for the privilege of not having to endure any extra advertising, they add an
"amenities fee",which, depending on day of week & time of performance can add
as much as $3.50 to the the ticket price. According to the theaters' website, this
extra fee covers an assortment of things, including lack of advertising, and the
extra costs associated with being "environmentally politically correct"

(To be fair, that last phrase is mine; but it's essentially what the corporate-speak
explanation on their website boils down to)

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 01-09-2016, 03:55 PM:

Mike: I think it's the chain multiplex she has in her sights, not the independent, neighborhood exhibitor or arthouse theater. Her argument is that ticket prices have risen a lot in real terms, but the audience experience has degraded: standing in line for self-service, poor hygiene standards, etc. etc. Image and sound technology by itself will not draw theater audiences, especially as the increasing ticket and concessions prices mean that going to the movies is no longer the cheapest option for mass audience entertainment. The price now is approaching that of some live theater, music or sports events, meaning that movie theaters are now in competition with other sectors of the entertainment industry that they could once easily undercut on price.

I very rarely go to a typical suburban multiplex (precisely once during 2015, in fact), but from my limited experience of doing so, I think the reporter has a valid point, even if she does exaggerate it a bit. Furthermore, audiences aren't stupid. Most moviegoers will have no problem with an independent theater in a remote location showing a few minutes of ads to help fund a badly needed upgrade (especially if some of them are local ads), but are likely to be irritated by a mega-chain multiplex playing as many minutes of ads as they were charged bucks for their ticket.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 01-09-2016, 04:35 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
Such as, a lot of the gripes she had could have been addressed by just waiting a little while to go to that movie. Want shorter lines and less people to deal with? Simple - avoid the opening weekend.

That's one of the few perks of going to a theater to see a movie anymore.... seeing it immediately. Wait a week or two and you might as well wait for Netflix.

If the megaplex corps weren't so stingy with payroll, lines wouldn't be so long.......

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-09-2016, 06:21 PM:

You don't have to wait a week or two. Wait a couple of days. We're still getting people at Star Wars: TFA who have waited until the "crowds diminished" to see it.

quote: Leo Enticknap
Most moviegoers will have no problem with an independent theater in a remote location showing a few minutes of ads to help fund a badly needed upgrade (especially if some of them are local ads), but are likely to be irritated by a mega-chain multiplex playing as many minutes of ads as they were charged bucks for their ticket.

This is true. We've been running ads now for 3 years and I have never had one single complaint or snide remark about them -- in fact I've had some compliments because there are local people in all of the ads.

I haven't done a poll but I would bet just about any amount of money that if I asked people, Would you rather see these ads or pay 50 cents to a buck more for each ticket? that an overwhelming majority of people would opt to keep the ads.

Don't get me wrong, I don't LIKE showing ads. I resisted it with every fiber of my being. But, I'm no dummy about this computer-related digital stuff. We're probably going to have to buy another new projector within 5 to 10 years. We already had to buy a new server. And while I enjoy putting profits back into the business, I don't want to put 100% of the profits back into it! So the ads pay for upgrades and anyone who asks me why we run them will find that out.

I don't quite get why theaters are supposed to be sacred ad-free zones anyway. Pay $100 or more to see a sporting event, there is advertising playing on multiple screens and plastered across every available surface, including the back of your ticket.

We play our ads at soft volume and they run before the advertised showtime, so anyone who wants to visit, or look at their phone, or even arrive exactly at showtime, can do that without being distracted by the ads if they so choose.

Posted by James Wyrembelski (Member # 9037) on 01-09-2016, 10:30 PM:

Leo hit the nail on the head. I'd agree the article's sights are not on the little guy.

And I'd bet Mike is right as well....people will put up with the ads if it means even 50 cents off the ticket price. And yes, sporting events basically are just one big advertisement.....

From what I've observed it's pretty much "commercials" that patrons have an issue with as far as the ads go. A silent slideshow or with soft music featuring local merchants and business people are often welcomed....especially in small towns. Usually these theaters play the ads starting 30 minutes before show time and run till the advertised time the movie is to play. A multiplex near me actually plays what is pretty much TV commercials at near deafening volume WHEN the show time is advertised....we no longer go there and patronize the 3 single screens near me within a stone's throw. Many in this area are following that trend. They're more personal and feel more like a theater.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 01-10-2016, 11:12 AM:

The article focuses on the extreme worst-case scenarios. But the truth is...

You can still see any release in 2-D in a mostly empty auditorium, even opening weekend, for around seven bucks in most of the US.

There is no requirement to buy snacks. You are not going to die of hunger in two hours.

The pre-show commercial content doesn't matter because nobody's paying attention to it. They're all on their smart phones catching up on social media or even watching TV shows.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-10-2016, 03:59 PM:

I think the length of trailers is probably the most problematic part of what I see at Regal or Cinemark locations. Just because you CAN program 20-25 minutes of trailers doesn't mean you should. We have always stuck to 'about 10 minutes' of trailers. Sometimes it will be a little more and sometimes a little less. It depends on the running time of the movie and whether there are multiple trailers which 'deserve' to be on a movie.

Our customers know we run 10 minutes of trailers and we frequently see people taking advantage of that when running behind, or if they just don't want to watch the trailers.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-10-2016, 07:22 PM:

quote: James Wyrembelski
A multiplex near me actually plays what is pretty much TV commercials at near deafening volume WHEN the show time is advertised.

See now that's a cardinal sin in my book. Ads have no place past the advertised showtime and should be played at soft level, I think. I know there are some places that play ads mixed into the trailers. These places should be burned down.

Posted by Brian DeCiancio (Member # 1422) on 01-10-2016, 09:49 PM:

quote:
Mike Blakesley said:

This is true. We've been running ads now for 3 years and I have never had one single complaint or snide remark about them -- in fact I've had some compliments because there are local people in all of the ads.

I haven't done a poll but I would bet just about any amount of money that if I asked people, Would you rather see these ads or pay 50 cents to a buck more for each ticket? that an overwhelming majority of people would opt to keep the ads.

Don't get me wrong, I don't LIKE showing ads. I resisted it with every fiber of my being. But, I'm no dummy about this computer-related digital stuff. We're probably going to have to buy another new projector within 5 to 10 years. We already had to buy a new server. And while I enjoy putting profits back into the business, I don't want to put 100% of the profits back into it! So the ads pay for upgrades and anyone who asks me why we run them will find that out.

I don't quite get why theaters are supposed to be sacred ad-free zones anyway. Pay $100 or more to see a sporting event, there is advertising playing on multiple screens and plastered across every available surface, including the back of your ticket.

We play our ads at soft volume and they run before the advertised showtime, so anyone who wants to visit, or look at their phone, or even arrive exactly at showtime, can do that without being distracted by the ads if they so choose.

I agree 100% with every statement here. I too resisted for 10+ years until thinking about the upgrades the extra revenue can go toward from a 6 and 8 plex. I do not run them at my DI.

The ads are scheduled to be finished before the advertised start time.

quote:
Buck Wilson said:
If the megaplex corps weren't so stingy with payroll, lines wouldn't be so long.......

While that is often the case, extra staff does not always eliminate lines. My theaters are neither part of a big chain, nor are they first-run, but we can have every station manned with efficient staff and still have long lines. Sometimes there just isn't much you can do except apologize and thank people for their patience.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 01-10-2016, 10:19 PM:

The following probably explains why I happily run a drive-in and not an indoor house...

Personally, I hate 95% of theatre ad programs with a passion.
However, if I was to ever run screen advertising, it would have to be for local merchants. That, I would consider, and there would be darn little of it.

When I go to see a movie that says it starts at 7, I'll tolerate 4 or 5 trailers for movies that might actually show at that theatre. But the showtime should be reasonably close to when they say it'll be. If you want to punish your patrons with mind-numbing advertising that they can see on their own TV set (for free, mind you), put it well before the start time. If they really want to see that stuff, they can show up early for it.

As for adding a premium for not showing the ads... Can a theatre really get $3.50 for every set of eyeballs that might otherwise see them, and possibly also consume their concessions out of compostable containers? Seriously? I'd be surprised if the actual number was anywhere near a dime, but even an extra quarter might be acceptable, if it meant a drastic reduction in the screen merchandising package. Actually, that could be a promotional attraction itself.

The problem I have with that stuff is the balance. I didn't pay $11+ to see adds for Ford, Trojan, Crest white strips and Geico insurance, followed by 6 trailers for movies so obscure, you'd bet the theatre got paid to run them, too. Bleh.

It seems some theatres have gone out of their way to look like a great big TV set, then they complain that their former customers have figured out they can just sit at home and watch their own.

Of course, I realize this is a battle I've already lost, and my attitude is a product of a time long past. However, there are theatres around here I won't go to because their pre-show circus runs for nearly a half-hour after the published show time. Sorry... needed income or not, your advertising is not more important, nor appealing than the feature film I went there to see.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 01-11-2016, 01:41 AM:

WELCOME TO FIRSTLOOK! The only in-cinema pre-feature show that takes you behind the scenes of what's new in entertainment! FIRSTLOOK! Entertainment starts here!

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 01-11-2016, 01:47 PM:

That's the exact script, usually said by a seemingly tall brunet woman wearing black leather pants and heels. We try to get the auditorium clean and ready for the patrons before she appears.

Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 01-11-2016, 07:40 PM:

I also agree that she's going after the big chains, such as Cineplex, which now controls 77% of our screens in Canada from coast-to-coast.

What ticks me off is they've replaced all their auditorium light bulbs with non-dimming LEDs, so now the lights just shut off and turn on (and sometimes don't turn on at all during the credits). It's very jarring and totally shows a lack of showmanship. Every different person I go to the movies with says something about it without me even prompting it.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-11-2016, 08:38 PM:

That's odd they would use non-dimmable LEDs. Our aisle lights are LED and they are dimmable.

Maybe they have dimmable lights but their dimmer is not working.

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 01-11-2016, 09:40 PM:

The article is spot on about those self serve free style fountains that have no place in a good cinema. I recently went to the AMC Northpark here in Dallas for Hateful Eight. I stood diligently in line to get my corn and soda. I then have to wait in line AGAIN while people decided between hundreds of flavor options, fumble with the controls, and then make a mess all over the place. When I finally get up to get my soda, the machine is sticky, messy, and I want to hold the cup while I fill it so it doesn't sit in that hot mess. But oh wait, I have a large popcorn in my other hand. Well, maybe I can just set the popcorn down on the counter? Oh wait, there isn't one or one that is clean nearby. All I wanted was a damn Sprite.

As for ads prior to the show, yeah, they just suck. Besides, many of the ads are for things that one will never ever see in that cinema: they're advertising television programming. What's the point?

Now I wouldn't be doom and gloom on exhibition like the article seems to be, but I think things need to start changing eventually, otherwise the business will suffer. In fact, the first person to nail a new concept is going to do very well. I do find it interesting that the current race seems to be recliners, which have proven immensely popular with customers, despite the fact that capacity is dropping anywhere from 50% or more. My personal hope is it brings back the sloped house, seat of seats, which recliners work much much better in than stadium seating configurations.

AJG

Posted by James Wyrembelski (Member # 9037) on 01-11-2016, 10:16 PM:

Many people that have went with me to the older style theaters near here always comment on how much more they like the sloped floors. You can let your legs out more.

Posted by Buck Wilson (Member # 5885) on 01-12-2016, 06:43 AM:

quote: James Westbrook
That's the exact script, usually said by a seemingly tall brunet woman wearing black leather pants and heels. We try to get the auditorium clean and ready for the patrons before she appears.

Maria Menounos!

And absolutely! If I'm not outta there before Firstlook starts blasting, I get super super sad. And scream. As loud as I can. And die a little inside each and every time.

Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 01-12-2016, 07:38 AM:

quote: Aaron Garman
As for ads prior to the show, yeah, they just suck. Besides, many of the ads are for things that one will never ever see in that cinema: they're advertising television programming. What's the point?

The point of those ads is: You should stay home and watch TV.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-12-2016, 08:05 PM:

That was one of the requirements I had when we started our ad program - no national anything, just local area businesses.

We did the Parrot Productions program (I think that was the name of it) back in the 90s for a brief period just because it was only one 15 second spot and it changed every month, so I didn't see any huge harm in it; but then first they sent a "Sprite" spot (we sell 7-Up) and then a Pontiac spot (the only car dealer in this town is a Ford dealer) and then an ad for a TV show, so we bailed on that program. Ever since then I was anti-ads until they became sort of a necessity.

Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 01-13-2016, 10:57 AM:

Maybe you're right, Mike. It might have something to do with the dimmers or maybe with the way the digital equipment interfaces with the old film automation system.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-13-2016, 11:15 AM:

We had a similar experience with a dimmer here. One of the triacs in it went out, so it would appear to function normally but the lights would either be full-on, or off. Never did figure out what caused it but it was an easy fix.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 01-13-2016, 01:09 PM:

quote: Brian DeCiancio
My theaters are neither part of a big chain, nor are they first-run, but we can have every station manned with efficient staff and still have long lines. Sometimes there just isn't much you can do except apologize and thank people for their patience.

It's amazing how one customer can really slow down a line.

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 01-13-2016, 02:10 PM:

I thought the advertising crossed the line recently at an AMC with a prescription medication ad, and the constant list of side effects including..., and tell your doctor if you.., blah blah.

Really?

Really?

Posted by Michael Riley (Member # 5693) on 01-13-2016, 03:26 PM:

For most people, the local AMC and Regal are your only local option to see movies. The things this woman is describing are not bugs, but features according to the people in charge of those companies. If Regal could replace all their staff with kiosks and lower their payroll to zero, they would do it yesterday.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 01-13-2016, 07:05 PM:

No problem here, we still supply all the mosquitoes and starlight you can handle, just like back "in the day". Sometimes I think all these multiplex issues are why we're still popular, because it IS still like it was. But also, I think I was only ever offered money for one on-screen ad, for egg producers, which we ran for a month or so....

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-13-2016, 09:42 PM:

quote: Dave Bird
I think all these multiplex issues are why we're still popular, because it IS still like it was.

I think that's us, too. Our movie experience is basically unchanged from 1930 to today, except in good ways: More legroom, better sound, larger screen, non-scratchy picture, newer movies.

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 01-14-2016, 10:00 PM:

Drove back to our theatre from BC via Denver this past summer. At one point I saw a sign for Forsyth "next left", and thought hey, I gotta see the Roxy! Next sign indicated it was 173 miles in the wrong direction for us....