Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Disney is screwing up our show times

This is topic Disney is screwing up our show times in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Patrick McDonough (Member # 1363) on 03-21-2003, 09:19 AM:

I was talking with the owner of our theater, he told me that Disney has requested that we start there evening movies at 7pm for the first show, I can't see a clan of kids comming to see piglets big movie, at 7pm.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 03-21-2003, 09:49 AM:

When would you start it, Patrick?

We try to run those kid shows somewhere between 6:05 [Big Grin]

& 6:30. There's pretty much no point to a 9pm show around here for a pic like that.

Posted by Patrick McDonough (Member # 1363) on 03-21-2003, 09:59 AM:

We run our show as followed, 6:00,6:15,6:30 for the first set. And 9:00,9:15,9:30 for the second set of night shows.I would run an animated picture as early as possible 6:00 or so.

Posted by Daryl C. W. O'Shea (Member # 1303) on 03-21-2003, 12:24 PM:

I've never heard of a studio demanding an exact showtime, save for sneaks. Sometimes they'll refer to the second last show of the night or your first post 6:00pm show as the "7 o'clock show". Basically they want to make sure that it gets played once a day during the week.

If you only want to run 'kids movies' for matinees, wait a month, book flat rates and play it when you want.

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 751) on 03-21-2003, 12:40 PM:

I think that you misunderstand what Disney requires, which is that you get at least one show in at 7pm or later. They do this to hinder theatres from doubling up auditoriums with kids shows in the afternoon and adult shows at night. They do not wish to become known as a "kiddie show" company.

Posted by Rick Stowell (Member # 1624) on 03-21-2003, 01:47 PM:

Mitchell is right. I received a letter at home from Disney. They were appalled at the abuse to playing "Jungle Book 2" no earlier than 6 PM (for the last show). "Piglet" definitely has a 7 PM requirement for the last show (or later).

We would ordinarily play "Piglet" at 12:30 2:30 4:30 6:30 and follow with something else later. We are now required to play "Piglet" at 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00. Even though we consider our 6:30 show our "7:00 showing", Disney does not.

If anybody from Disney is reading this, in my nine years, no other film company has been harder to work with, not even close.

Posted by Patrick McDonough (Member # 1363) on 03-21-2003, 02:58 PM:

Well we do have pigglet doubled up with the pianist, so we are running only one show of the pianist at 8:30.

Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 03-21-2003, 04:38 PM:

Reading Cinemas in Manville has Piglet at 10 AM, 12:15, 2:30, 4:45 and 7 -- with Willard last show only. The AMC Bridgewater Commons has Piglet at 1, 3:15, 5:10 and 7:10 with Gangs of New York last show only.

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 03-21-2003, 06:42 PM:

generally we schedule the disney animated films to run between 7 and 7:30 for start times. We have not received anything from Disney in reguards to there wanting us to stat the film at 7 and only 7. Just so happens though that I scheduled the film for 7 anyway.

Posted by Patrick McDonough (Member # 1363) on 03-21-2003, 11:27 PM:

I talked to the owner again about this and he is going to look at the contract more closely.

Posted by Nicholas Roznovsky (Member # 861) on 03-21-2003, 11:55 PM:

I always interpreted their "7 or later" requirement as making sure that they get at least one show at regular full-blown evening admission prices. A lot of theaters run "rush-hour" or "twilight" admissions for shows between 5 and 7. Making sure that there's at least one show at regular admission guarantees that Disney gets the maximum amount of green from some hapless parent who gets sucked into taking their kids to one of their films after they get off work.

When dealing with Disney, always assume evil. [evil]

Posted by Rick Stowell (Member # 1624) on 03-22-2003, 10:15 AM:

Nicholas - I made the same interpretation, but Disney told me it was wrong. We charge "full admission" for any showing after 6PM (we try to avoid starting a film right at 6PM for the confusion), so I assumed starting "Piglet" at 6:30 would be fine. It MUST start at 7:00 or later. 7:10 is okay, 7:15 is okay, 9:00 is okay. They just informed me that 6:59 is not okay.

Posted by Don Anderson (Member # 397) on 03-22-2003, 11:19 AM:

I had Disney call me on Friday morning and told me the same thing, change your 6:30 showtime or else face no product this summer! Its the dumbest thing I've ever heard, but we pushed it back to 7pm to comply.

Posted by Don Bruechert (Member # 1538) on 03-22-2003, 11:25 AM:

I didn't reply to this yesterday because I thought I was getting away with something and I didn't want the spies to catch us.... The owener sets up the schedule and auditoriums, which I then correct his errors when he has 3 films starting at the same time and sometimes move films around because he only goes by number of seats and not by picture format or soundtrack of the movie. Anyway, he had this one set up for 630 and never said a word about it. Of course we got a really nasty phone call yesterday afternoon and a threat letter from them, so I get to go fix the schedule today - good thing I didn't activate the whole week yet. We have tears of the sun right behind it at 830, and everything is piled right around it. I think I can just squeeze it in. If all else fails I'll just have to yank the trailers off I guess... wouldn't be the frist time - I had to do that with recruit. Of course the damn thing is in our suckiest house and there is no make-up table in there so I'll have to drag it to another booth if that becomes necessary....

Anyway.... this blows....

PS. Rachel - I'm gonna get you for giving Brad that pic!! [Smile]

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 03-22-2003, 11:58 AM:

why would you need the make-up table to take the trailers off of the film? Just pull them out or run them onto the ring and move the ring to another area where there is a table and pull them off. No need to move the whole print.

Posted by Don Bruechert (Member # 1538) on 03-22-2003, 01:40 PM:

You know... I just got off the cellphone with a co-worker, and after saying that out loud I decided how stupid it was and came to the same conclusion!!! Just yank them off and reattach the leader will work just fine.... Maybe when you type it instead of thinking it your IQ drops or something!