Movies Studios vs. Cinemas = Shooting Each Other In the Foot

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Regal Cinemas, in retaliation for movie studios moving ahead with on-demand style movies for $30, plans on playing less trailers for movies from those studios.

Regal is threatening to drastically reduce the amount of play time for each of the 4 studios' movie trailers in every Regal cinema. And since this comes right before the all-important summer movie season, when balmy ticket sales usually account for 40% of the film industry's annual revenue, it's a counter-attack with some real power behind it.
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Hmmm, I think we all agree that studios are planning on asking too much / too long of a wait ($30 / 2 months) for on-demand movies. So the Regal Cinemas decided the best plan of action is to retaliate (lose more revenue) by playing less trailers...for movies that will be playing in their own theaters. Wow. How these mental midgets stay in business is beyond me.
 
Regal cinemas is retaliating because it's not long enough of a wait for them, not because it's too long or costs too much.
 
Well, it's nothing special for a theater, but the fact that it's less than a mile from me is pretty sweet.
 
hmmm... it's not a bad idea, actually. Probably the only real bargaining power that the theatres have.

While I'd like to be able to see movies on demand shortly after their released, I can completely see where Regal (and others, I'm sure) are coming from. It might not hurt them too bad initially, but in the long term, this can ruin them.

The writing is on the walls... another decade or two before theatres share the same fate as drive-in movies.
 
obs said:
Regal cinemas is retaliating because it's not long enough of a wait for them, not because it's too long or costs too much.
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Exactly, they are concerned because it will further reduce the time before movies are available to the general public.

Consider that some movies, especially the popular ones are still getting a lot of people in the theater for several weeks after release, often even for a second or third viewing, and you will see why they see this as a threat since.

Ten years ago the time between a movie being released to theaters and on DVD was an average was almost 6 months, today it's about 4 months, which of course makes the shelf life of a movie in the theater much shorter as well.

Now combine the above with a option to see a movie in the home for as little as $30 and with an average ticket price in the US of more then $8 (with many areas with prices over $10) you should see that it could result in a large decrease in theater revenues.
 
lol. I don't see how this is supposed to hurt anybody but Regal. It's not like I watch the trailers anyway, most people just talk straight through them. Given that, I'm not sure how much revenue studios get through people deciding to watch movies because of the shorts they saw while watching another movie.
 
I have a friend who use to manage a movie theater in Lawrence, Kansas. He would often talk about NATO, or, National Association of Theater Owners. The studios have been squeezing more and more profits from theater owners for years. This just didn't happen over night. I am also told that they do not want to charge the prices they do for drinks, popcorn and snacks but are forced to to generate income and stay in business. The movie studios want more and more money. Eventually it's expected that movie theaters in the US will decrease by up to 50% over the next decade due to in-home VOD.
 
When we pay to see a movie, that doesn't give the theater the right to waste our time with trailers beforehand. When are they going to pay me back for my time they burned watching trailers, which I really don't give a rip about.
 
Mr. Pedantic said:
lol. I don't see how this is supposed to hurt anybody but Regal. It's not like I watch the trailers anyway, most people just talk straight through them. Given that, I'm not sure how much revenue studios get through people deciding to watch movies because of the shorts they saw while watching another movie.
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Actually I've done just that several times over the last couple years. What your forgetting is that tv trailers used to carry far more weight then they do today, not only because there are far more channels, thus reducing the chances of you seeing a trailer on any giving channel, but the widescale use of DVRs has cut back the number of people watching trailers on tv considerably.

Yes, today we have the internet to watch trailers, but how often do you go watch a trailer for something you've never heard of? Normally unless a site or person links it, or points people to it, the vast majority of people will never see it.


SixFootDuo said:
I have a friend who use to manage a movie theater in Lawrence, Kansas. He would often talk about NATO, or, National Association of Theater Owners. The studios have been squeezing more and more profits from theater owners for years. This just didn't happen over night. I am also told that they do not want to charge the prices they do for drinks, popcorn and snacks but are forced to to generate income and stay in business. The movie studios want more and more money. Eventually it's expected that movie theaters in the US will decrease by up to 50% over the next decade due to in-home VOD.
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True, and at the same time that movie studios are pushing theaters to equip their theaters with new and expensive digital equipment to help reduce the studios costs even more.
 
It makes sense to play fewer trailers if it allows another screening when attendance is heavy.
 
The faster Theaters sink themselves and movies simply go straight to blu-ray/Stream the better.

At this point it costs $12 a pop to see a movie at regal here, not even talking about IMAX at $15 a pop. So I am at $24 for 2 to share this "magical" experience of stupidly priced snacks, assholes on their cellphone, sticky floors and quite frankly uncomfortable seats. My other option is to simply buy it on blu-ray for $20-$30 out right and if I hate it, trade it in for 50% or better of its value...

Why would I want to go to a theater again? Almost no incentive anymore. 55" LED set at the correct distance from the couch with just a good quality surround system and frankly my experience is better. Snacks (Meals) are cheap, I can drink if I want, pause if I need and watch it as many bloody times as I please.
 
Less trailers when movies start?

GOOD

Let me paint a picture

I am a severe schizophrenic, the second last movie I saw in the theaters was Austin Powers 3, till I went with my stepdad to go see The Green Hornet

The movie trailers etc we sat through before the movie started was TWENTY TWO MINUTES of crap thrown at us

Twenty two minutes of commercials before the movie even started

Tickets were $14.50 each, they wanted us to pay $4 for a MEDIUM bag of popcorn, and 22 minutes of commercials

Other then the fact I am schizophrenic, this is the number one reason I don't goto theaters, because they rip you off severely to see them and overprice everything in them and then bombard you with endless commercials when all you want to do is see a freaking movie
 
hasoos said:
When we pay to see a movie, that doesn't give the theater the right to waste our time with trailers beforehand. When are they going to pay me back for my time they burned watching trailers, which I really don't give a rip about.
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Never heard anyone so hostile about trailers, personally I don't mind them, I wouldn't even mind a quick "visit our snackstand' type add but the 5 minutes of so of cola, car or whatever commercial are what drive me nuts.

Although I will admit that often the person deciding what trailers go with what movies should be drug tested. I can't remember what it was but last summer my son and I went to a G rated movie and every trailer was for R rated films. The next week my wife and I went to an R rated shoot 'em up and every trailer but one was for family movies. Huh? :confused:
 
Movie theaters at a whole will be a think of the past because of streaming technology.
They can now market the movies directly to the customers.
Why bother with a middle man. The theaters don't make a dime on the movies anyway accept for the concessions. They is why pack of M&M is $3.
Much like convenience stores. They give a way the gasoline at cost to get you in to buy cokes and junk food at high prices. The model works because there is no easy way to deliver gasoline to you except you stop by a 'filling station'.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
The faster Theaters sink themselves and movies simply go straight to blu-ray/Stream the better.

At this point it costs $12 a pop to see a movie at regal here, not even talking about IMAX at $15 a pop. So I am at $24 for 2 to share this "magical" experience of stupidly priced snacks, assholes on their cellphone, sticky floors and quite frankly uncomfortable seats. My other option is to simply buy it on blu-ray for $20-$30 out right and if I hate it, trade it in for 50% or better of its value...

Why would I want to go to a theater again? Almost no incentive anymore. 55" LED set at the correct distance from the couch with just a good quality surround system and frankly my experience is better. Snacks (Meals) are cheap, I can drink if I want, pause if I need and watch it as many bloody times as I please.
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it's a social experience as much as it is entertainment though.

I used to love getting together with friends or with my girlfriend and going to see a movie at the theatres (or when they were still open, drive-ins). I don't go nearly as much as I used to and to some degree, you're right... you can get a better experience at home, but most people go to the movies to get OUT of the house :D
 
obs said:
Regal cinemas is retaliating because it's not long enough of a wait for them, not because it's too long or costs too much.
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From the repeated discussions we've had here on this topic, this is what I've gathered:

Although we like the idea....studios are shooting themselves in the foot wanting $30 / two month wait. ($25 and 30 days is more like it)

Regal is shooting itself in the foot because it is refusing to advertsie movies that will eventually be playing in their own theaters...that's just stupid. (Regal will play the same ammount of trailers, just trailers from other studios)
 
dr.stevil said:
it's a social experience as much as it is entertainment though.

I used to love getting together with friends or with my girlfriend and going to see a movie at the theatres (or when they were still open, drive-ins). I don't go nearly as much as I used to and to some degree, you're right... you can get a better experience at home, but most people go to the movies to get OUT of the house :D
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Social experience? Maybe people socially want to murder you for talking, giggling like a little school girl to eachother, and distracting with large glowy screens that make me want to stab my eyes out in a pitch dark room.
 
Cyraxx said:
Social experience? Maybe people socially want to murder you for talking, giggling like a little school girl to eachother, and distracting with large glowy screens that make me want to stab my eyes out in a pitch dark room.
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lol I'm not talking about talking during the movie.
 
I haven't seen a movie in a theater since 2004-ish (whenever the last LOTR trilogy was out). The ridiculous prices, and wasting my time with ads at the scheduled movie time after I'd already paid to see a bloody movie and ONLY a bloody movie, are the primary reasons.

Beyond that, there haven't been any 'good' films since then IMO, and definitely none that I'd part with over $5 to see, let alone in a sticky-floored theater full of crying kids and street trash that seem to think yelling at the screen allows the characters to magically hear them.
 
Cellphones
Babies
Loud People
Trash People (yo yo yo wassup mah xxxxxxx)
The guy with the annoying laugh
The guy/girl who thinks it's okay to talk on the phone (max volume) just because it's a preview.
Annoying previews
Advertisements for products (Used to be only movie previews)
Sticky Floors
Overpriced Tickets
Rising Ticket Prices
Overpriced Food (Always has been)
The simple fact that your ticket is simply for your view. An obvious disadvantage to Streaming a $30 movie and bringing your family of 50 is clearly a winner
Uncomfortable Seating
Fact: Movies today are horrible. I cringe every time someone says something like "The Hangover" was the best movie of the decade

It's like a symphony. I could make a song out of all of those.
 
Cyraxx said:
Cellphones
Babies
Loud People
Trash People (yo yo yo wassup mah xxxxxxx)
The guy with the annoying laugh
The guy/girl who thinks it's okay to talk on the phone (max volume) just because it's a preview.
Annoying previews
Advertisements for products (Used to be only movie previews)
Sticky Floors
Overpriced Tickets
Rising Ticket Prices
Overpriced Food (Always has been)
The simple fact that your ticket is simply for your view. An obvious disadvantage to Streaming a $30 movie and bringing your family of 50 is clearly a winner
Uncomfortable Seating
Fact: Movies today are horrible. I cringe every time someone says something like "The Hangover" was the best movie of the decade

It's like a symphony. I could make a song out of all of those.
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WHERE do you go to the theater!!??
 
My system goes like this.

Wait till a movie is out for a month.
Go on that Tuesday
Have lunch around 11am-noon
Show up at 1pm to buy ticket.
Be the only person in theater and enjoy the private showing :cool:
 
Sounds good to me. Who wants to watch 20 minutes of commercials to see a movie you paid for.
 
DarkStar_WNY said:
Never heard anyone so hostile about trailers, personally I don't mind them, I wouldn't even mind a quick "visit our snackstand' type add but the 5 minutes of so of cola, car or whatever commercial are what drive me nuts.

Although I will admit that often the person deciding what trailers go with what movies should be drug tested. I can't remember what it was but last summer my son and I went to a G rated movie and every trailer was for R rated films. The next week my wife and I went to an R rated shoot 'em up and every trailer but one was for family movies. Huh? :confused:
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Appealing to the adults who spend the money.
 
yea ok i can go spend $40 to go to the movies whit my wife 25ish to get in and then 15 for drinks and shit or i can wait 2 months and get it on demand for 30 or i can go buy the thing for 20 in 6 months year any one see a problem hear? its not the movies doing it it the studios asking way to much for there movies if i could go to the show for $20 for tickets and drinks i would go a hell of a lot more
 
I stopped going to regal when they went up to $11 a ticket and reduced the size of their drinks while keeping the same price. It almost used to be a weekly thing for me (went during matinees or early afternoon where you are less likely to deal with crowds or kids) The price raise was supposed to be for DLP screens and they have absolutely dragged ass on upgrading. Before they had two digital screens, now a year later it's three. AMC is no better. most of the sets are digital, but I can see them starting to want to raise prices too. Their frequent watcher program is $12 a year now for example.

I still go but I go to Movie Tavern where it's $8 and the food is decent and they serve alcohol. Since the ticket is cheaper I spend more on concessions (where they make their money anyways) and every screen is digital. You gotta give people incentive to go. Serve real food, give a better viewing experience, eject problem viewers. It's not that hard.
 
Ok, two things come to mind here...

1. I am NOT Ever going to pay $30 to see a movie "on Demand".

2. I don't care if they even have previews. I watch most of that stuff on the web anyway.

In conclusion, I hardly ever watch a movie in the Theaters anymore. I'd rather wait till they arrive on Netflix. Then I can watch them at home where the floors aren't "sticky", and other people aren't there to forget to silence their Cell Phone, or talk during the show... Oh and the popcorn is soo much cheaper! :p
 
Everyone is in such a hurry it seems. It is more affordable to wait. Studios and game publishers are only really concerned with the opening week of sales. I have the patience to outlast the masses and buck the trends.

If the floors are sticky and people are talking, then they obviously do not put enough value in the presentation they paid for. Could it be said that ticket prices are not high enough?

We have 52" plasma screen, but it still is no comparison to a three story theater in a windowless room with great speakers. I rarely have the freedom to crank the stereo, or the money to build a home theater room, or even just getting everyone to watch the same thing at the same time. I do not care to see some movies in a theater environment anyway, but the major one with all the special effects, definitely. I just like to wait a couple of months.

I've got all the Star Wars DVD's, so I can watch whenever I want to. But I can't go to a theater to watch them when I want. That's a thought, what about a Netflix Theater? You rent the space and watch whatever is on your Netflix account.

Truly, the theaters do not make much at all from ticket sales, that's like 90% studio take, so snacks are what they must use to pay for the building, employees, and equipment. It does appear that the studios are shutting out their primary venue, and that is shooting yourself in the foot!
 
I can say that since I do not watch TV, and skip commercials with DVR when I do, I had no idea Green Lantern was coming out until it was posted here. I was never even into Green Lantern, but the trailer was impressive. Kinda reminded me of The Last Starfighter in a way. That I will definitely watch in a theater.
 
Cyraxx said:
Fact: Movies today are horrible. I cringe every time someone says something like "The Hangover" was the best movie of the decade
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This. I saw the Hangover...I laughed maybe twice.

Theaters have been the same for as long as I can remember. I can still get into a Regal for $7.50 on a matinee. I always sneak food in. There used to be a mom and pop soft pretzel place near this one theater- best soft-pretzels ever- hot and fresh. Open-up your handbag, baby. We'z has pretzels for de moviez.:D


There's also a second-run $2 movie theater around me...good for an occasional double-feature.
 
$30 for video on demand 2 months after release?

People are going to pay that? Really?
 
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