Can't agree more, specially about the "don’t dump people into the parking lot".
Theater have the amazing advantage of real space and hardly use it or badly. And people want to stay. Just look at the lobbies of Film Forum, Angelika, of Quad Cinema. They really do.
Small rectification: downtown it's not Bubby's anymore, unless you have a family with small children, it's Meadow Lane. How this 'groceries store/cafe' managed to have a line around the bloc any other day is a mystery. Heard there a shopper almost fainting in front of the cashier saying "I saw you on Instagram!". ... a cashier! A groceries store! We have a lot to learn.
You are onto something David. Thanks for such a thorough investigation! Instead of just investing in the tech of image & sound, or the comfort of better seats or food, we need a full redesign of the movie going experience. When I started writing on Substack three years ago it was one of my early posts:
David, you hit several nails on the head. I like Alamo's model of having the bar/lounge area attached. AMC would be wise to incorporate several of these redesign elements to help foster the community of film-lovers instead of trying to push them out the door and then begging them to return next week. The cinema should be the cultural hub. Your piece has inspired me as I dream of opening up my own small cinema!
I don’t mean to be obtuse, but how do you reach people after the credits when no one stays til the end of credits unless they’re expecting a post-credit scene? The streamers do picture-in-picture as soon as credits roll to recommend something else. This isn’t possible with DCP unless you cut off the end credits.
It’s a good point, but it would be easy to have display screens outside the theater lobby as people are exiting. As well as more engaging lobby displays. You wouldn’t need to go as far as building that interactive kiosk I described.
Beautiful analysis and great suggestions! I love classic movies and the current ones just don't match up. I don't need Marvel Universe part 2099. I miss acting as an art form, cinematography, and special effects not CGI. I want acting that makes me believe. I guess I'll sit my old ass down at the local Indie theater.
Well, I don’t disagree with you, but I don’t agree either. The art of drama has been engaging people since the amphitheaters of Ancient Greece. They would spend all day at the play. It consumed them utterly. The groundlings at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre were likewise engaged all day, straw underneath, food in hand or thrown, fights and romances ensuing during the show. Take away this “event” and yes, then you are left with merely a system, a processing market. Hence the perceived need to throw in video game arcades inside the popcorn factory.
Can't agree more, specially about the "don’t dump people into the parking lot".
Theater have the amazing advantage of real space and hardly use it or badly. And people want to stay. Just look at the lobbies of Film Forum, Angelika, of Quad Cinema. They really do.
Small rectification: downtown it's not Bubby's anymore, unless you have a family with small children, it's Meadow Lane. How this 'groceries store/cafe' managed to have a line around the bloc any other day is a mystery. Heard there a shopper almost fainting in front of the cashier saying "I saw you on Instagram!". ... a cashier! A groceries store! We have a lot to learn.
You are onto something David. Thanks for such a thorough investigation! Instead of just investing in the tech of image & sound, or the comfort of better seats or food, we need a full redesign of the movie going experience. When I started writing on Substack three years ago it was one of my early posts:
https://tedhope.substack.com/p/the-oh-so-many-ways-we-can-elevate
David, you hit several nails on the head. I like Alamo's model of having the bar/lounge area attached. AMC would be wise to incorporate several of these redesign elements to help foster the community of film-lovers instead of trying to push them out the door and then begging them to return next week. The cinema should be the cultural hub. Your piece has inspired me as I dream of opening up my own small cinema!
I don’t mean to be obtuse, but how do you reach people after the credits when no one stays til the end of credits unless they’re expecting a post-credit scene? The streamers do picture-in-picture as soon as credits roll to recommend something else. This isn’t possible with DCP unless you cut off the end credits.
It’s a good point, but it would be easy to have display screens outside the theater lobby as people are exiting. As well as more engaging lobby displays. You wouldn’t need to go as far as building that interactive kiosk I described.
Beautiful analysis and great suggestions! I love classic movies and the current ones just don't match up. I don't need Marvel Universe part 2099. I miss acting as an art form, cinematography, and special effects not CGI. I want acting that makes me believe. I guess I'll sit my old ass down at the local Indie theater.
Well, I don’t disagree with you, but I don’t agree either. The art of drama has been engaging people since the amphitheaters of Ancient Greece. They would spend all day at the play. It consumed them utterly. The groundlings at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre were likewise engaged all day, straw underneath, food in hand or thrown, fights and romances ensuing during the show. Take away this “event” and yes, then you are left with merely a system, a processing market. Hence the perceived need to throw in video game arcades inside the popcorn factory.