Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Agreements

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Posted by Kyle Conner (Member # 9793) on 12-28-2016, 04:37 PM:

Hello. I really appreciate all of the excellent wisdom on this forum. I have been a lurker for awhile and hope to start contributing what little I have to offer.

There is a chance I will start managing a small 1-screen theater in a nearby city in FL. The current manager is a friend. They are only able to carry one movie at a time, due to "studio restrictions". My question is this: Is there any way for a 1 screen theater to carry multiple movies at a time? Showing a 1st run kids movie at 6pm, and a 1st-run action flick at 9pm? Or showing a 1st run and 2nd run movie? Or is this simply not allowed by the studios?

Thank you for your time.
-
KC

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 12-28-2016, 05:49 PM:

The Master License Agreement (MLA) you sign with each major studio spells out what you can do with their product. Most of the majors will not let you split screens with a first run movie. The smaller and art studios can be more flexible.
If you are not interested in being a first run house, then the terms with the majors are more flexible.
So there are options, and everything is, supposedly, negotiable.
Good luck.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 12-28-2016, 06:24 PM:

If you want to play movies on the break, you are pretty much limited to dedicating your screen exclusively to one movie for a two week run. If you want to play more than one movie at a time, or not be limited to two week commitments, you will have to play movies several weeks off the break.

I run a 5 screen theatre and even 3-4 weeks out we have difficulty getting studies to A/B a screen. In fact some studios would rather lose the screen entirely than split time with another title. Many of these policies make no rational sense, but it's what we have to accept if we want the product.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-28-2016, 06:43 PM:

If you're a really low grosser, and IF you can get a title on the break, and IF that title doesn't go through the roof nationwide, you can often add another title onto the second week. However, as has been pointed out....like our booker told me, if you want to play in the big sandbox, you have to go by the rules.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-29-2016, 05:35 PM:

Some studios are rougher than the others for small venues.

I'd almost shoot for a sub-run up to discount operation - any way to get releases off the break.

This way, you can run twin, or even multi bill a lot more easier.

Just remember, that doing twin, or multi bill, you have to pay percentages on each release screened.
Plus, you might get lucky on a twin bill with certain studios: They'll give you a package deal that you run two releases with one being newer yet, get the second one dirt cheap.

Then, the sandbox is way easier to play in.

Good luck - Monte