Can Cinemas Still Exist?
Image Source: Wallpaperscraft
Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the movie industry hard, especially movie theaters. There are thousands of cinemas, both big and small, that have suffered from loss of revenue. An additional hit to the movie theater industry is that studios have shifted to exclusively releasing their films on streaming services instead of in addition to releasing them in theaters. When faced with such challenges, one might wonder how cinemas might survive. There are several things to consider in ensuring the survival of cinemas.
Good Movies Can Play At Any Theater
There are big commercial cinemas, there are mid-size independent cinemas, and there are smaller repertory cinemas. If a movie is good, it can be played at any of them. Giant theaters attract big crowds, which is all well and good, but the stifling crowds may put off a large portion of consumers from visiting said theaters, putting the business at a stalemate. If smaller cinemas play new and popular movies alongside larger cinemas, they can ensure both the longevity and profitability of a film, and a more manageable number and continuous stream of customers.
RELATED:
Prolonging A Movie’s Lifespan
Big-ticket movies may last a few weeks in bigger theaters before they disappear. Even independent movies can have limited big-ticket runs. But what happens when those first few weeks are over?
Theaters can solve this problem. Smaller theaters can take big-ticket films that have lived out their original lifespans and continue playing them, ensuring their continued enjoyment by moviegoers as well as continued revenue for the theaters. Small cinemas can also give longer lifespans to more independent, meaningful films, ensuring their message reaches a broader audience.
Location
Image Source: Wallpapersden
A theater’s lifespan can also depend on its location. In more urban areas, theaters can ensure their continued existence by playing a variety of films. Likewise, in an urban setting, repertory theaters and second-run cinemas can extend their lifespan by playing a mix of films to draw a varied crowd.
In more suburban or even rural settings, theaters have to put in more effort for their continued existence. They might have to rely more on gimmicks and themes to ensure their survival and quick turnaround. They might only play new and/or popular releases for very limited runs and have a specialty, such as being a drive-in theatre.
Concessions
Concessions are an important part of a cinema’s business, meaning they can be a major factor in its success. To be consistently profitable, concessions will need to be multi-faceted. For example, they can offer staple items like popular candies and popcorn but also use quirky elements like making that popcorn in an old-fashioned machine or having nifty souvenirs available.
System Capabilities
Image Source: Wallpapersden
If theaters want to survive, they must play movies on the best systems possible. Theaters will want to keep up-to-date with technology if they want to show films in 3D or IMAX formats.
Comfort And Atmosphere
Image Source: Wallpaperscraft
To attract clientele, theaters must ensure that their patrons are comfortable. They may have to upgrade their seats or upgrade the systems they use to play the movies. They would have to pay attention to the overall atmosphere. The theater also needs to feel welcoming to draw in people for an enjoyable experience and keep them coming back.
Upgrades And Transformation
With the downturn in business over the past couple of years and the advent of alternative viewing methods, cinemas may need to put some extra work into upgrading and transforming their businesses to attract a large clientele once again. They will need to invest in system maintenance, system upgrades, interior upgrades, and service upgrades, to name a few.
Can cinemas still exist? All signs point to yes. They just need to put in the work.
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
