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Industry
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June 1, 2009
Theater advertisers may consider deal
Consolidation in the theater advertising field could raise antitrust issues.
Two firms, National CineMedia (NCMI) and Screenvision, control the 20 minutes or so before showtime at the vast majority of theaters. But they soon may try to merge, which would raise the curtain on a debate about concentration of power in one of the few resilient media businesses in this miserable economy.
“I’m not sure that (a combination) is possible from an antitrust perspective,” says Lazard Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett. “It would affect some advertisers, studios and independent theater chains that like to play those two (companies) against each other.”
Read the full story in USA Today.
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May 29, 2009
DVD downturn panics film industry
A drop in DVD sales is giving industry execs a scare as they contemplate whether they can keep selling the public bad movies.
If box office is booming, why are so many top studio executives brooding about the future of the movie business? Let’s just say that in today’s increasingly complex film world, the cinema gods giveth at almost exactly the same time as they taketh away.
The studio bosses who should be celebrating the unprecedented upswing in moviegoing at theaters — with theater box office up roughly 15% this year — have been getting a big dose of bad news from the other end of the food chain. DVD revenues have cratered in the past six or so months, dropping off (depending upon whose figures you trust) as much as 15% to 18% overall.
What’s really scary for studio executives is that DVD sales, which have traditionally represented the biggest chunk of pure profits in the business, were the real safety net when it came to greenlighting movies. In the past, if you had an action film that made $150 million in domestic theatrical box office, you could relatively accurately predict what that movie would make in DVD sales. But in recent months, studios have been alarmed to discover that there is often a dramatic fluctuation between box-office revenues and DVD performance, with the highest erosion often coming from the highest-grossing films.
Read the full story in the Los Angeles Times.
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Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation on Facebook
For everyone who is interested in the LAHTF and the “All About…” series of theatre tours, join us on Facebook.
Or search on “Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation.” You’ll find photos from past events, videos, and news on future events.
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Controversy about whether new screens meet IMAX expectations
IMAX is responding to the outrage that erupted a few weeks ago when customers complained about specific screens being falsely advertised as IMAX.
“To some degree this is a product of our success,” Gelfond tells Variety, “because as we attract more customers that other 2% is more and more people.
“We are going to do something (about the complaints). We hear the people.”
But as yet he isn’t sure what. He says they’re not yet sure what portion of their customers are actually unhappy. They’re planning a further customer survey and will decide what to do after they see the results.
Read the full story at Variety.
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Mega-Plex Guzzo Taschereau 18’s owner ordered to pay $10,000 in damages for a search
GREENFIELD PARK, QUEBEC, CANADA — The Mega-Plex Guzzo Tascherau Cinema was ordered to pay $10K in damages for illegally searching a customer.
A Quebec court has ordered a cinema to pay $10,000 in damages after staff searched patrons' bags and turned up smuggled snacks and birth control pills — and in the process violated their privacy rights.
The incident happened in 2007 when a woman took her two daughters to Cinemas Guzzo in Montreal to watch the film “Shrek the Third,”.
Read more at CTV.
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May 20, 2009
Theater owners see upswing amid recession
According to an article from the LA Times' website amist a major downturn, the major chains have seen attendance climb 14% vs. a year ago on strength of movie product and concession sales amist a decline in DVD sales of movies.
A strong showing at the multiplex has been one of the few bright spots for the Hollywood studios, which have been buffeted by losses in DVD sales that have long propped up the movie business.
More beneficially, however, the upswing at the box office has lifted theater operators, or “exhibitors” as they call themselves. Despite the tinsel associated with Hollywood, movie theaters have never been a glamour business and still generate income much like they did three-quarters of a century ago: Two-thirds from ticket sales, one-third from selling popcorn, soda and candy.
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May 19, 2009
State senator proposes movie theater tax
Another great sign for the health of the film exhibition industry!
A bill introduced by Republican Jeff Piccola would take away a sales tax exemption that prevents movie theaters from having to pay tax on the movies they rent to show to the public.
How much you wanna bet this guy had a bad theater experience lately and he’s taking it out on the owners with this.
The full story is available at WGAL.
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Ford pushes its charitable efforts at the movies
A sign that the theater advertising medium is getting more powerful with rising numbers in the seats, Ford is doing a major campaign.
Ford Motor Co. has launched a nationwide advertising blitz touting its charitable giving as a way of further distinguishing itself from its cross-town rivals.
The two-minute video is being shown before “G” and “PG” rated films in 1,700 movie theaters across America. It highlights the philanthropic work of the Ford Motor Co. Fund — both its financial contributions and the thousands of hours of volunteer work performed by Ford employees on company time.
Read more in the Detroit News.
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May 14, 2009
Hollywood actor boycotts IMAX version of Star Trek at AMC
According to sources, Aziz Ansari, a movie actor best known for starring in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”, spent an extra $5 to see an IMAX screening of “Star Trek” at a 16-screen Burbank theater owned by AMC. After watching with disbelief, he posted a blog online calling for moviegoers to boycott the small IMAX screens, which he calls “fake”.
Read more at the pitch.
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May 12, 2009
Regal Entertainment CFO Miles to become CEO
Regal is promoting form within for its new CEO.
Movie theater chain Regal Entertainment Group said Wednesday that Chief Financial Officer Amy Miles will take over as chief executive from Mike Campbell, who will stay on as executive chairman.
Read more at MSN