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Economics of movie theaters
| November 26th, 2015 at 4:16:20 PM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 | I do like going to the movies. The sense of anticipation imparted when the theater goes dark and the movie starts cannot be replicated elsewhere. The majesty imparted by the BIG screen is inimitable, even with a FBS at home. But the many obstacles to attending a theater conspire against this. Traffic, even though there are several theaters within 2 miles of my place, crowds, traffic on the way back, etc. And after many disappointing movies (I'm looking at you, George Lucas), it's not worth the hassle for me any more. Just about any movie I want to watch eventually is on cable or Netflix. I will go for the new Star Wars movie (it's not directed or written by Lucas), though I think it's a gamble. The two Trek movies by Abrahams weren't what I'd call good or even very interesting. But I'm willing to give it a chance. If all else fails, I can wax sarcastic in many bitter reviews. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| November 27th, 2015 at 12:22:38 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
The figure that strikes me is that almost 60% of the population of USA and Canada goes to more than one movie a year. So if a movie like Jurassic World can be such a big hit by attracting 23% of the population, then there always is the possibility that Star Wars may drag over 30% of the population to the movies. |
| November 27th, 2015 at 12:07:37 PM permalink | |
| Dalex64 Member since: Mar 8, 2014 Threads: 3 Posts: 3687 | We rarely go to the movies. For many years we didn't go at all. Then we started going again - we saw all of the LOTR and hobbit movies, the new Star Trek films, and the later Harry Potter movies. We saw Interstellar. We are planning on seeing Star Wars. It probably averages to about one a year, looking at the most recent years. "Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Daniel Patrick Moynihan |
| November 27th, 2015 at 8:27:54 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
There are 360 million people in USA and Canada. Here are total tickets sales from some big movies to compare. Of course, some people see a movie more than one time. Jurassic World: June 12, 2015 Domestic Total Est. Tickets: 79.0 million Avatar: December 18, 2009 Domestic Total Est. Tickets: 95.9 million (just in initial release) Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace: May 19, 1999 Domestic Total Est. Tickets: 84.8 million (just in initial release) Star Wars:May 25, 1977 Domestic Total Est. Tickets: 142.7 million (just in initial release) Production Budget: $11 million Only 9 films in history have sold 100 million tickets in their initial release.
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| November 27th, 2015 at 8:47:50 PM permalink | |
| Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25011 | I walked out of ET halfway thru, it was making ill. I tried to watch it again a couple months ago and lasted about 20 min. What the heck is wrong with me. I got all the free passes I wanted because I had the bar in the early 80's. The manager of all the theaters in town was a customer. I walked out on a lot of movies. I sat thru the first Indiana Jones twice, and Polterguist. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
| May 5th, 2016 at 4:00:37 PM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | IMAX and Movie Theaters: Rip out the seats, but in upscale bicycle exercsers, show Imax videos as Yuppies work out in a non Big-Box gym atmosphere but a more muted, private and personal-trainer and computer oriented setting. Brooklyn test market is going very well. By the way, anyone ever see that Carlsberg Beer commercial. A man and woman are sold 'the last two seats' in a movie theater and then enter by the traditional side walkway and get their first view of the audience as they round the turn at the front of the seating area. The 'last two seats' are half way up the theater and in the middle of a row of seats but the entire theater is filled with 300 pound biker types with tattoos and chains and leather. Many customers bulk, but those who simply sit down suddenly have the lights go up and are handed two bottles of Carlsberg Beer. I thought it was entertaining. |
| July 21st, 2016 at 11:55:04 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | Unofficial guide to 2015 movie. Three unacknowledged budgets. There were 13/47 films with production budgets over $100 million. Massive flops were pretty low out of top 50 films Tomorrowland Terminator: Genisys The Good Dinosaur (budget not acknowledge) $4,233 production budget 47 films (average $90 million), domestic return 287% 2015 full year
Usually what happens in the film industry is that if there are not many disasters, the production budgets go up the next year. So only 7 months into the year, there are already 13 films with budgets over $100 million, and there are 14 films with unacknowledged production budgets (many of which are clearly over $100m). The number of flops seems to be much bigger this year. The Legend of Tarzan X-Men: Apocalypse Alice Through the Looking Glass Independence Day: Resurgence Warcraft The BFG Gods of Egypt Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows The Huntsman: Winter's War Ghostbusters (2016) 2016 seven months
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| July 22nd, 2016 at 10:26:00 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | A few more films over the next two weeks. Ice Age: Collision Course - Production Budget: $105 million Star Trek Beyond - Production Budget: $185 million Jason Bourne - Production Budget: $120 million Suicide Squad - Production Budget: N/A (but rumored to be over $250 million) I think it is just logical that you can't make so many multi million dollar computer graphic extravaganzas in one year. Gods of Egypt- Production Budget: $140 million $31.15m Domestic $35.60m China $11.36m Russia - CIS $6.53m South Korea $60.88m all other countries |
| July 23rd, 2016 at 12:13:12 AM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | Do you mean there is an insufficient market to absorb so many or that it is computationally impossible to churn them out and have them be good. I suggest that the talent is always there to write and to raster. Consider perhaps that first viral email that I mentioned in another thread. It was the "First Kiss" video of friends of a Los Angeles director and it went viral in its capacity as a simply made film about a series of first kisses. It was in fact a fashion show for an LA upscale merchandiser bringing out a line of simple chiaroscuro fashions. People who can make a fashion show go viral are what Bennett Cerf was to publishing: a man who could put a dictionary on the best seller list. I have a very low opinion of all this vampire invaders from Mars versus Earthling Zombies with Light Sabers but alas I have no doubt that the market is inexhaustible. NOTE: Upthread somewhere I posted a note about a Brooklyn Movie Theater turned into an Upscale Exercise Bike with Imax parlor. Has anyone seen any further financial data on that project? |
| July 23rd, 2016 at 1:27:10 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
I didn't mean "good", I meant profitable. In 1995 people bought 1.2626 billion movie tickets in Northern America @$4.35 apiece when Toy Story (the first computer generated animated film came out) In 2014 people bought 1.2682 billion movie tickets in Northern America @$8.17 apiece when the LEGO movie was the biggest animated movie In 1995 Batman Forever had a production budget of $100 million, and Waterworld had a production budget of $175 million. There is not a lot of growth in the industry. DVDs were introduced in 1996, and tickets sold around the world have increased, but the movie companies don't take as much from foreign sales since they must share with distribution companies. Every film is hoping to be popular in China or Russia or Japan, but you can't split the pie up so many ways.  A lot of films with half or a third of the budget end up making more money. |