Aug. 1, 2010
Hollywood Bobbling (a little) in Summer 2010; Big 3D Christmas Coming
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Hollywood has a knack for stubbing its toe when it comes to playing demographic roulette. Some of that flaw may be the amount of time it takes to ‘green light’ a movie and get it on screens nationwide.
Last year, the weekly media hype blared how the megaplexes defied the depths of the recession. At the same time, trade publications --- Hollywood Reporter, Boxoffice, Variety --- suggested that the major distributors were cutting back their release schedules.
Movies have a tradition of defying the economic norm --- they are the most inexpensive form of entertainment. However, the studios are no longer ‘independent’ of corporate America. Thus, when the boon played out on screens, corporate offices feared recession and cut back on production.
The result? Summer 2010. The franchises and sequels came in May and early June, then, the films looking to find an audience. Fortunately, the “Twilight Saga”, “Inception” and “Last Airbender” have lived up to expectations. “Dinner with the Smucks” appears the sleeper.
(Editor’s Note: According to a box office tracking service, domestic revenue is up about 2% and ticket sales down about 2% from 2009.)
Looking back, in 2009, 3D ruled as a new, innovative concept that had benefitted from technologies growth along with continuing widespread digital presentations replacing 35mm projection. “Avatar” established the 3D medium as an awesome ‘add on’ for extraordinary flicks --- something like the addition of wide screen or the defunct Cinerama process.
Checking Summer 2010 schedules, 3D has a family friendly flair, perhaps, a little too much of a good thing? As with computer generated effects (CGI) and other cinematic technologies, most play to specific plot lines or genres. I’m not sure either cinemas or viewers are ready for every flick with a 3D option.
The same may be true for IMAX (which I haven’t personally experienced), but it seems particularly palatable for the fantasy/science fiction epics. Family friendly 3D generally has “legs” (i.e. staying in theatres longer), but, when studios dump 3D flicks back-to-back , many cinemas do not have enough 3D capable screens to fully take advantage of those ‘legs.’
Regionally, nearly all theatres have one or two 3D capable digital screens. Marquee’s clearly in the forefront, though, with the number of 3D capable auditoriums and nearly all their theatres have digital presentations. GHTC has stadium seating in Charleston (one digital 3D auditorium) and Logan (two digital 3D auditoriums). Teays Valley 10 has the Sony digital system and stadium seats. Although it’s the largest national chain, Cinemark at the Huntington Mall has only a couple of digital screens and none in Ashland. Phoenix 10 at the Galleria has stadium seats, but not the state of the art projection and 3D.
(Huntington’s Cinema 4 shows Flash Back flicks in high definition.)
UNIVERSALITY FOR DIGITAL PROJECTION… COMING
Considering all cinemas tack on a surcharge for 3D presentations, the ‘event’ nature needs to be maintained, at least for now. “Inception,” “Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” and “Iron Man II” will have hit the excusive $200-$300 million dollar domestic gross level without a third dimension.
Instead, digital projection is solidly the format for movie going future, rivaling the rush to Dolby surround sound which is now nearly standard on all films. Digital overcomes the universal presentation flubs that 35mm film cannot offset --- deterioration of the print as it continues to pass through a projector; the huge costs of both producing and shipping prints (plus what happens to them after the first two 4,000 screen weeks?); and the splicing together of the presentation.
With the digital “print” costs less, inevitably this will (hopefully) lead to wider discrimination of so-called ‘art’ and ‘indie’ films, which usually face an astronomical ‘conversion’ to 35mm cost. At about $3,000 per print, studios , distributors and filmmakers wisely place the niche productions in larger cities and/or college towns where audiences are receptive to less mainstream flicks that build a reputation through reviews, word of mouth and the internet.
The latter prompted the wide release of “Paranormal Activity” , where favorable approval reached viral levels.
Computer generated perfect pictures ensure an on time and 99% flawless (and uninterrupted) showing. No film breaks. No delays to put it back together. No accidentally putting the film’s reels together so the ending is the middle and vice versa.
Digital and 3D have opened the cinema as a setting for special events, such as operas and concerts. Although “rights” issues remain, the vibe is great for big screen, 3D, digital, live sports. Wouldn’t you like to see the Herd away games in 3D /HD in a packed theatre?
FALL AND CHRISTMAS 3D
However, the releases are horror (Saw types), dance (Step Up II) and other kid friendly items, as well as a “Special Edition of Avatar 3D.”
Christmas, though, appears a true determinative period for the process --- Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia and Tron capture the apparently young adults and their escorts and two animated flicks, Yogi Bear and Tangled play to the younger audiences.
All tentatively open between Nov 19 and Dec 17, which will dilute the ‘legs’ aspect of 3D features, which will compete for open screens. The same 3D traffic jam occurred in the Spring of 2010 when Paramount told theatres to play “How to Train Your Dragon” in 3D or they would not get “Shrek 3D.”
Have cinemas caught up with the 3D cash cow, which could exhibit a trait often cringed by success --- a $300 million dollar domestic gross on, for example, a “disaster” movie means that within 12-18 months, studios will line up to imitate that success. Some succeed; others fail.
Frankly, this is a don’t put all your eggs in one basket argument, especially baskets that are virtual clones of other baskets.
How large is the segment of moviegoers who’d in this deep recession rather watch 2D than a 3D version, at least on some selections? Will the impending 3D lob jam result in more films whose opening weeks are 3D, then, drop to 2D for the completion of the run?
Let’s play devil’s advocate. What genre would be least likely to matter whether it was shot in or retrofitted for 3D? Animation and horror are naturals for the process; same with large scale action/adventure. How much of an attendance spike does 3D add ? Answer—on appropriate pictures, the 3D attendance generates added sales which also help theatre recoup their investment in this expensive technology.
FULL CIRCLE?
Just as the recession loomed, megaplexes in upscale markets began experimenting with amenities ---i.e. valet parking, hot menus, alcoholic beverages, and pristine presentation. IMAX, 3D, and digital were always part of the package.
But during the height of moviegoing in the 30s and 40s, the theatre itself became a palace at which attendees could for fifty cents forget their worries for two hours. The downturn of urban amenities slaughtered many of the 2,000-5,000 seat “palaces..” The renovated survivors no longer show first run flicks, they are live performing arts center venues.
After the small squeezed auditorium at suburban theatres (and mall theatres ) started, moviegoers began complaining of small screens and screening room size auditoriums (except for those who enjoy the ‘artsy’ and ‘indie’ of ‘classic’ films --- they just want to see the movie playing for a week or two on a screen nearby!)
Theatre owners could improve sound and picture quality, but the auditorium size related to business. What viewer often fail to comprehend is that the movie production economic complex i.e. Hollywood insiders control what’s playing in NYC and Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Rivalry amongst studios often mean unofficially dedicating an auditorium to a specific supplier (ex. WB, Universal). As a quirk, the distributor generally receives the bulk of the first two weeks ticket sales (the theatre owner rakes in on concessions), then , the owners gradually get to keep more of the money from box office sales. If a picture (ex. “Hangover”) generates repeat business or business after the firsts couple of weeks, the percentage swings in the theater owners favor (all the while generally the number of attendees drop.)
MULTIPLE PRINTS
Our instant gratification culture has popularized the significance of seeing the #1 buzzing release. Previously, the auditorium capacity produced sell outs, which saw moviegoers choose other films as an alternative then return the next week when business slowed on the hot item.
Multiple print and multiple times would appear a gift to Hollywood, which has assisted in fronting costs or incentives to upgrade to the ‘state of the art.’
CROWDED MARKETS
If you live in a city like Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, or Columbus, you find multiple theatre chains competing for your ticket dollar. They have to offer amenities as the studio system limits the number of product titles.
“We Are Marshall” received top marks at pre-screenings where moviegoers rated the picture. Unfortunately, the strengths could not overcome a second sports film (“Rocky Balboa”) and a strong inspirational sleeper (“Pursuit of Happiness”) in the short Christmas release time frame.
Often, you see a TV or cable preview for a film that ‘starts Friday’ but not everywhere. These are the films which have to earn a nationwide release, particularly to more medium mainstream cities, like Huntington and Charleston.
Releasing schedules are on-line, they separate titles by “wide” (nationwide, mainstream, nearly everywhere); “limited” ( depends on the distributor and the picture, the pattern could be only the top 30 markets, the top 30 plus college towns, or broader); and ‘exclusive’ releases which play NY, LA, Toronto, and one or two other large population centers.
Why?
The Bollywood film that gets great reviews will do well in towns with a large Indian sub-culture, but not in areas where such communities can be counted on one or two fingers.
FESTIVALS AND SPECIALS
Huntington, Charleston, Morgantown and Athens, Ohio, have demographics (and number of screens) that allow for experimentation with product not aimed at a broad audience. While you will occasionally (especially in non-prime periods such as fall, winter, and early spring) have the opportunity to see one or two of these at a digital multiplex for a minimum of a week, more often, these flicks make the specialized line-up of the WV International Film Festival, Appalachian Film Festival, or the Fall/Spring Marshall Artists Series International Film Festival.
Charleston has a larger city atmosphere,, but the three middle-major college towns attract specialty films looking for that demographic. Still, most of the “exclusives” get an at most two week run, if they are fortunate. They require greater advance notice and continued publicity to awaken fans of more intellectual and provocative films.
SUMMER 2011
Never fear, the franchises return strongly in the Summer of 2011 --- super heroes (Captain America, Green Lantern , Thor and X Men ), sequels ( the final Potter flick, Hangover II, Pirates of the Carribean ) and animation ( Kung Fu Panda II , Transformers, Cars II, and Winnie the Pooh )
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
Hollywood Bobbling (a little) in Summer 2010; Big 3D Christmas Coming
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Entertainment Editor
Huntington, WV (HNN) - Hollywood has a knack for stubbing its toe when it comes to playing demographic roulette. Some of that flaw may be the amount of time it takes to ‘green light’ a movie and get it on screens nationwide.
Last year, the weekly media hype blared how the megaplexes defied the depths of the recession. At the same time, trade publications --- Hollywood Reporter, Boxoffice, Variety --- suggested that the major distributors were cutting back their release schedules.
Movies have a tradition of defying the economic norm --- they are the most inexpensive form of entertainment. However, the studios are no longer ‘independent’ of corporate America. Thus, when the boon played out on screens, corporate offices feared recession and cut back on production.
The result? Summer 2010. The franchises and sequels came in May and early June, then, the films looking to find an audience. Fortunately, the “Twilight Saga”, “Inception” and “Last Airbender” have lived up to expectations. “Dinner with the Smucks” appears the sleeper.
(Editor’s Note: According to a box office tracking service, domestic revenue is up about 2% and ticket sales down about 2% from 2009.)
Looking back, in 2009, 3D ruled as a new, innovative concept that had benefitted from technologies growth along with continuing widespread digital presentations replacing 35mm projection. “Avatar” established the 3D medium as an awesome ‘add on’ for extraordinary flicks --- something like the addition of wide screen or the defunct Cinerama process.
Checking Summer 2010 schedules, 3D has a family friendly flair, perhaps, a little too much of a good thing? As with computer generated effects (CGI) and other cinematic technologies, most play to specific plot lines or genres. I’m not sure either cinemas or viewers are ready for every flick with a 3D option.
The same may be true for IMAX (which I haven’t personally experienced), but it seems particularly palatable for the fantasy/science fiction epics. Family friendly 3D generally has “legs” (i.e. staying in theatres longer), but, when studios dump 3D flicks back-to-back , many cinemas do not have enough 3D capable screens to fully take advantage of those ‘legs.’
Regionally, nearly all theatres have one or two 3D capable digital screens. Marquee’s clearly in the forefront, though, with the number of 3D capable auditoriums and nearly all their theatres have digital presentations. GHTC has stadium seating in Charleston (one digital 3D auditorium) and Logan (two digital 3D auditoriums). Teays Valley 10 has the Sony digital system and stadium seats. Although it’s the largest national chain, Cinemark at the Huntington Mall has only a couple of digital screens and none in Ashland. Phoenix 10 at the Galleria has stadium seats, but not the state of the art projection and 3D.
(Huntington’s Cinema 4 shows Flash Back flicks in high definition.)
UNIVERSALITY FOR DIGITAL PROJECTION… COMING
Considering all cinemas tack on a surcharge for 3D presentations, the ‘event’ nature needs to be maintained, at least for now. “Inception,” “Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” and “Iron Man II” will have hit the excusive $200-$300 million dollar domestic gross level without a third dimension.
Instead, digital projection is solidly the format for movie going future, rivaling the rush to Dolby surround sound which is now nearly standard on all films. Digital overcomes the universal presentation flubs that 35mm film cannot offset --- deterioration of the print as it continues to pass through a projector; the huge costs of both producing and shipping prints (plus what happens to them after the first two 4,000 screen weeks?); and the splicing together of the presentation.
With the digital “print” costs less, inevitably this will (hopefully) lead to wider discrimination of so-called ‘art’ and ‘indie’ films, which usually face an astronomical ‘conversion’ to 35mm cost. At about $3,000 per print, studios , distributors and filmmakers wisely place the niche productions in larger cities and/or college towns where audiences are receptive to less mainstream flicks that build a reputation through reviews, word of mouth and the internet.
The latter prompted the wide release of “Paranormal Activity” , where favorable approval reached viral levels.
Computer generated perfect pictures ensure an on time and 99% flawless (and uninterrupted) showing. No film breaks. No delays to put it back together. No accidentally putting the film’s reels together so the ending is the middle and vice versa.
Digital and 3D have opened the cinema as a setting for special events, such as operas and concerts. Although “rights” issues remain, the vibe is great for big screen, 3D, digital, live sports. Wouldn’t you like to see the Herd away games in 3D /HD in a packed theatre?
FALL AND CHRISTMAS 3D
However, the releases are horror (Saw types), dance (Step Up II) and other kid friendly items, as well as a “Special Edition of Avatar 3D.”
Christmas, though, appears a true determinative period for the process --- Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia and Tron capture the apparently young adults and their escorts and two animated flicks, Yogi Bear and Tangled play to the younger audiences.
All tentatively open between Nov 19 and Dec 17, which will dilute the ‘legs’ aspect of 3D features, which will compete for open screens. The same 3D traffic jam occurred in the Spring of 2010 when Paramount told theatres to play “How to Train Your Dragon” in 3D or they would not get “Shrek 3D.”
Have cinemas caught up with the 3D cash cow, which could exhibit a trait often cringed by success --- a $300 million dollar domestic gross on, for example, a “disaster” movie means that within 12-18 months, studios will line up to imitate that success. Some succeed; others fail.
Frankly, this is a don’t put all your eggs in one basket argument, especially baskets that are virtual clones of other baskets.
How large is the segment of moviegoers who’d in this deep recession rather watch 2D than a 3D version, at least on some selections? Will the impending 3D lob jam result in more films whose opening weeks are 3D, then, drop to 2D for the completion of the run?
Let’s play devil’s advocate. What genre would be least likely to matter whether it was shot in or retrofitted for 3D? Animation and horror are naturals for the process; same with large scale action/adventure. How much of an attendance spike does 3D add ? Answer—on appropriate pictures, the 3D attendance generates added sales which also help theatre recoup their investment in this expensive technology.
FULL CIRCLE?
Just as the recession loomed, megaplexes in upscale markets began experimenting with amenities ---i.e. valet parking, hot menus, alcoholic beverages, and pristine presentation. IMAX, 3D, and digital were always part of the package.
But during the height of moviegoing in the 30s and 40s, the theatre itself became a palace at which attendees could for fifty cents forget their worries for two hours. The downturn of urban amenities slaughtered many of the 2,000-5,000 seat “palaces..” The renovated survivors no longer show first run flicks, they are live performing arts center venues.
After the small squeezed auditorium at suburban theatres (and mall theatres ) started, moviegoers began complaining of small screens and screening room size auditoriums (except for those who enjoy the ‘artsy’ and ‘indie’ of ‘classic’ films --- they just want to see the movie playing for a week or two on a screen nearby!)
Theatre owners could improve sound and picture quality, but the auditorium size related to business. What viewer often fail to comprehend is that the movie production economic complex i.e. Hollywood insiders control what’s playing in NYC and Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Rivalry amongst studios often mean unofficially dedicating an auditorium to a specific supplier (ex. WB, Universal). As a quirk, the distributor generally receives the bulk of the first two weeks ticket sales (the theatre owner rakes in on concessions), then , the owners gradually get to keep more of the money from box office sales. If a picture (ex. “Hangover”) generates repeat business or business after the firsts couple of weeks, the percentage swings in the theater owners favor (all the while generally the number of attendees drop.)
MULTIPLE PRINTS
Our instant gratification culture has popularized the significance of seeing the #1 buzzing release. Previously, the auditorium capacity produced sell outs, which saw moviegoers choose other films as an alternative then return the next week when business slowed on the hot item.
Multiple print and multiple times would appear a gift to Hollywood, which has assisted in fronting costs or incentives to upgrade to the ‘state of the art.’
CROWDED MARKETS
If you live in a city like Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati, or Columbus, you find multiple theatre chains competing for your ticket dollar. They have to offer amenities as the studio system limits the number of product titles.
“We Are Marshall” received top marks at pre-screenings where moviegoers rated the picture. Unfortunately, the strengths could not overcome a second sports film (“Rocky Balboa”) and a strong inspirational sleeper (“Pursuit of Happiness”) in the short Christmas release time frame.
Often, you see a TV or cable preview for a film that ‘starts Friday’ but not everywhere. These are the films which have to earn a nationwide release, particularly to more medium mainstream cities, like Huntington and Charleston.
Releasing schedules are on-line, they separate titles by “wide” (nationwide, mainstream, nearly everywhere); “limited” ( depends on the distributor and the picture, the pattern could be only the top 30 markets, the top 30 plus college towns, or broader); and ‘exclusive’ releases which play NY, LA, Toronto, and one or two other large population centers.
Why?
The Bollywood film that gets great reviews will do well in towns with a large Indian sub-culture, but not in areas where such communities can be counted on one or two fingers.
FESTIVALS AND SPECIALS
Huntington, Charleston, Morgantown and Athens, Ohio, have demographics (and number of screens) that allow for experimentation with product not aimed at a broad audience. While you will occasionally (especially in non-prime periods such as fall, winter, and early spring) have the opportunity to see one or two of these at a digital multiplex for a minimum of a week, more often, these flicks make the specialized line-up of the WV International Film Festival, Appalachian Film Festival, or the Fall/Spring Marshall Artists Series International Film Festival.
Charleston has a larger city atmosphere,, but the three middle-major college towns attract specialty films looking for that demographic. Still, most of the “exclusives” get an at most two week run, if they are fortunate. They require greater advance notice and continued publicity to awaken fans of more intellectual and provocative films.
SUMMER 2011
Never fear, the franchises return strongly in the Summer of 2011 --- super heroes (Captain America, Green Lantern , Thor and X Men ), sequels ( the final Potter flick, Hangover II, Pirates of the Carribean ) and animation ( Kung Fu Panda II , Transformers, Cars II, and Winnie the Pooh )
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