The End Of Cinema.

[Healer Flame]

The bottom line after I had researched on this business is that, the cinema business IS FAR FROM DEATH

Nothing is certain really, it might be far but its not impossible. Overall its not looking good.

 

[iluvmacs99]

Nothing is certain really, it might be far but its not impossible. Overall its not looking good.

In order for Cinema to be completely dead, home entertainment has to supersede Cinema in all ways including the ability to re-create the Imax effect, UltraAVX/DBOX/4DX effect, 8K digital projection and all of this require one common thing. That is "space" and lots of space which is something home entertainment and streaming can never do nor replicate. This is the same with a digital professional camera, whereby a smartphone can not at the moment re-create identical image quality like a professional digital camera and the reason is similar -- a bigger sensor (size) matters. In fact, Huawei got caught twice trying to pass off sample photos taken off their Huawei P20 when in fact, they were actually taken with a professional digital camera. Those things that involve size favor Cinema best. The reason you see Cinema theatres closing down was because, it takes a lot of money to modernize. Even the best managed theatre company like Cineplex is actually bleeding off so much cash that it is paying their dividend through debt financing for about 3 years now! I haven't looked at AMC yet, but probably they are in a similar predicament as Cineplex. If you rely on debt to pay rent and food, then you know something just isn't right. But I see a possible future with Cineplex as their expansion into VR/AR/and immersion experience I think will pay off in the coming few decades, because the younger crowd puts a lot of emphasis on "experience"; the willingness to spend on experience while consuming media. So yes, overall right now it is not looking good and with the looming global recession on the horizon; it's not looking great. Although traditionally, recessions have been great for theatre companies as people tend to spend money locally and still, even in a doom and gloom scenario, people need some form of luxury spending to keep their hopes positive and cinema had traditionally been the place to escape the doom and gloom.

In fact, I usually go down to my local Imax theatre to watch at least 2 Imax movies per year with a high ticket price. I will also be watching Top Gun "Maverick" in 2020 in digital Imax or 4DX. I don't mind that because I enjoy it being in a bigger space which my room can't duplicate, but for most movies I watch, my home system is more than adequate or on par with normal theatre screening technology; those which are closing now.

 

[Healer Flame]

Very well said and informative.

and cinema had traditionally been the place to escape the doom and gloom

The smell of the beach , sunshine and greens help me escape the doom and the gloom
Indoor dark places like cinema stress me out more if I am in bad mood specially during the day.

Never been to the movies on day time. For me, the best time to go to the cinema is after 8 pm in winter cold nights.

 

[JagdTiger]

In order for Cinema to be completely dead, home entertainment has to supersede Cinema in all ways including the ability to re-create the Imax effect, UltraAVX/DBOX/4DX effect, 8K digital projection and all of this require one common thing. That is "space" and lots of space which is something home entertainment and streaming can never do nor replicate. This is the same with a digital professional camera, whereby a smartphone can not at the moment re-create identical image quality like a professional digital camera and the reason is similar -- a bigger sensor (size) matters. In fact, Huawei got caught twice trying to pass off sample photos taken off their Huawei P20 when in fact, they were actually taken with a professional digital camera. Those things that involve size favor Cinema best. The reason you see Cinema theatres closing down was because, it takes a lot of money to modernize. Even the best managed theatre company like Cineplex is actually bleeding off so much cash that it is paying their dividend through debt financing for about 3 years now! I haven't looked at AMC yet, but probably they are in a similar predicament as Cineplex. If you rely on debt to pay rent and food, then you know something just isn't right. But I see a possible future with Cineplex as their expansion into VR/AR/and immersion experience I think will pay off in the coming few decades, because the younger crowd puts a lot of emphasis on "experience"; the willingness to spend on experience while consuming media. So yes, overall right now it is not looking good and with the looming global recession on the horizon; it's not looking great. Although traditionally, recessions have been great for theatre companies as people tend to spend money locally and still, even in a doom and gloom scenario, people need some form of luxury spending to keep their hopes positive and cinema had traditionally been the place to escape the doom and gloom.

In fact, I usually go down to my local Imax theatre to watch at least 2 Imax movies per year with a high ticket price. I will also be watching Top Gun "Maverick" in 2020 in digital Imax or 4DX. I don't mind that because I enjoy it being in a bigger space which my room can't duplicate, but for most movies I watch, my home system is more than adequate or on par with normal theatre screening technology; those which are closing now.

It’s more difficult to have a true widescreen cinema, that would take a CinemaScope lens from a rear projector and enough room for 100” to 200” screen...although low cost sound systems can duplicate the theater experience.

 

[ejb190]

The reason you see Cinema theatres closing down was because, it takes a lot of money to modernize.

Agreed. But in addition, there is a huge overhead to running a business. There is a certain truth to "get big or get out". If you can run 6-8 screens on about the same staff that run 2 and labor is your biggest expense, you can start to see where the one and two screen houses are suffering. The other "hurt" is the larger percentage studios are demanding for new releases. I was told by a theater manager that nearly 100 percent of ticket prices goes back to the studio while the theater survives on concessions.

But I see a possible future with Cineplex as their expansion into VR/AR/and immersion experience I think will pay off in the coming few decades, because the younger crowd puts a lot of emphasis on "experience"; the willingness to spend on experience while consuming media.

Notice the increase in recliner seats and "dine-in" theaters? Even theaters serving alcohol, hosting special screenings (low volume or captioned), or even the use of theaters for showing streamed "live" concerts and events are becoming more common. Anything to expand beyond just movies.

 

[iluvmacs99]

Agreed. But in addition, there is a huge overhead to running a business. There is a certain truth to "get big or get out". If you can run 6-8 screens on about the same staff that run 2 and labor is your biggest expense, you can start to see where the one and two screen houses are suffering. The other "hurt" is the larger percentage studios are demanding for new releases. I was told by a theater manager that nearly 100 percent of ticket prices goes back to the studio while the theater survives on concessions.

Notice the increase in recliner seats and "dine-in" theaters? Even theaters serving alcohol, hosting special screenings (low volume or captioned), or even the use of theaters for showing streamed "live" concerts and events are becoming more common. Anything to expand beyond just movies.

Yeap -- they are all turning like a Dave & Buster's (a modern day version of the Arcade parlour). It's interesting that the Arcade industry was going downhill about a decade ago because of home consoles and now the cinema industry is going the ways of the do-do like the Arcade parlour a decade earlier because of home entertainment, unless they adapt or they die.

 

[MacBH928]

You are right, I don't think they will totally vanish like video rental stores but probably shrink in size like record stores.

There is just too much entertainment today and every one is so busy, a lot of the movies released are not worth the "cinema" experience (Mall Cop) others do (End Game). The movie industry will probably switch from boxoffice sales to digital/subscription sales as we see tech companies like Apple and Amazon are the producers now.

 

[Huntn]

You are right, I don't think they will totally vanish like video rental stores but probably shrink in size like record stores.

There is just too much entertainment today and every one is so busy, a lot of the movies released are not worth the "cinema" experience (Mall Cop) others do (End Game). The movie industry will probably switch from boxoffice sales to digital/subscription sales as we see tech companies like Apple and Amazon are the producers now.

I’d be curious to know how Apple and Amazon work when it comes to movie sales and rentals as far as how much of that money goes back to the movie studio.

 

[MacBH928]

I’d be curious to know how Apple and Amazon work when it comes to movie sales and rentals as far as how much of that money goes back to the movie studio.

I think there will not be a movie studio, they will be the movie studio. They will release exclusive movies on their platform to keep you subscribed to their service.

 

[MattG]

Going to a theater and seeing a sea of cell phones in the audience, people texting instead of watching the movie...that puts me off. Light and sound pollution.

 

[Healer Flame]

Going to a theater and seeing a sea of cell phones in the audience, people texting instead of watching the movie...that puts me off. Light and sound pollution.

That shows people are more attracted and addicted to the entertainment of their phones than cinema.
This places attract rude, inconsiderate and noisy people we just have to deal with.

 

[Huntn]

I think there will not be a movie studio, they will be the movie studio. They will release exclusive movies on their platform to keep you subscribed to their service.

That’s a possibility, but anyooe how this works now, with them?

 

[icanhazmac]

I don't think there is a single thing that could make me go to a theater. All of the reasons listed here by others apply but the single largest factor is rude idiots who cannot shutup and/or put their phones away.

On second thought I will add one:

The one idiot in every theater that has a cold and coughs up a lung the entire film.