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April 25, 2012
CinemaCon Day Two: High Frame Rate, Mixed Appraisals
Warner Bros. and the Walt Disney Company rolled out their stars and their upcoming films for exhibitors attending CinemaCon yesterday, but it was the ten minutes of footage of “The Hobbit” that garnered much of the attention and division. Shown in 48 frames per second, the casino floor of Caesars Palace and the trade show floors above were humming with interest and derision for the footage. For a good breakdown of reactions, read this EW blog post.
Before the Warner Bros. presentation, Chris Dodd of the MPAA and John Fithian of NATO welcomed attendees to CinemaCon. Dodd reemphasized the importance of theatrical exhibition to the global industry and the need to combat piracy here and abroad. Fithian relayed the industry’s continued optimism in 2012, especially considering this year’s numbers to date, and argued for the relative affordability of ticket prices and the overall stability of the exhibition industry.
Across the convention, exhibitors, equipment manufacturers, and distributors seem to be in a very good mood. With box office up across North America—and tensions cooled after last year’s VOD announcement that took place on the last day of the convention—there seems to be little tension this year. In addition, for the first time in ten years, all six majors (plus Lionsgate) will present their slate of films to exhibitors. Yesterday’s tally of stars, directors, and executives greeting attendees included Johnny Depp, Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, John Lasseter, John C. Reilly, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Joe Roth, Sam Raimi, and many others. Is it a show of solidarity for theatrical exhibition or a smart use of CinemaCon to generate publicity for films such as “Brave”? Probably both.
Today’s big technology demonstration will be laser projection and, later, Sony Pictures will promote their upcoming slate to exhibitors. Grab some more coffee and see you at Caesars…
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April 24, 2012
ArcLight Cinemas redefines the moviegoing experience in L.A.
HOLLYWOOD, CA — It may not be for everyone but ArcLight Cinemas certainly built a recognizable brand in Los Angeles. The high-end complex opened ten years ago connected to the historic Cinerama Dome and its reserved seating and no-late-seating policies have inspired imitators around the world.
Read more about the start of the chain in the Los Angeles Times.
(Thanks to Kris for providing the photo.)
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Opening night at the US 23 DI in Flint
FLINT, MI — Opening night on April 6 attracted a crowd at the US 23 Drive-in Theatre, hundreds of cars rolled into the drive-in’s lot to take in one of three double features offered on the drive-in’s three screens.
More details are available from the Flint Journal.
(Thanks to Gary Flinn for providing the story.)
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CinemaCon Day 1: Pirates, Dictators, and the Global Box Office
The opening of this year’s CinemaCon featured a full lineup of speakers for “International Day,” with panels on the tremendous growth of the international exhibition market, and a gala opening night event from Paramount Pictures. During the day, panels focused on customer service, digital cinema, alternative content, and marketing, amongst other topics. Millard Ochs, President of Warner Bros. International Cinemas, noted that exhibitors need to pay more attention to younger audiences who are online, watching TV, and playing video games instead of going to the movies. In Japan, he noted, surveys show that sleeping is a more favorable activity for youth than going to Hollywood movies.
At night, Paramount’s presentation before a packed audience celebrated the company’s 100th anniversary and highlighted the studio’s 2012 product, including “Madagascar 3,” “GI Joe,” “Rise of the Guardians,” and “The Dictator.” Despite appearances by stars such as Chris Rock and The Rock, Sacha Baron Cohen staged the night’s most memorable moment when he appeared in character as “The Dictator.” Cohen skewered Hollywood (and the West) in his comedic appearance. You won’t find the routine on YouTube anytime soon, though, since cell phones were strictly prohibited. One attendee who ignored this warning was arrested, according to organizer Mitch Neuhauser, part of CinemaCon and the industry’s focus on piracy. A long and busy day ended for some at 1am after a screening of “The Dictator.” The trade show starts up again at 7:45am. Grab some coffee as the trade show floor opens today …
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April 23, 2012
Portage Theater fate still in suspense
CHICAGO, IL — The cornerstone of the Six Corners neighborhood, the Portage Theater is still in limbo. The zoning appeals board delayed their decision on the future of the the theatre with the Chicago Tabernacle still looking to purchase it.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
(Thanks to Norman Plant for providing the photo.)
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Movie trailers become a main event
A piece in the L.A. Times looked at the growing popularity of movie trailers thanks to the internet. What used to be an afterthought thrown into theaters for advertising, has now become an event on its own.
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April 20, 2012
The Varsity and Chelsea theaters keep costs low by showing releases later
CHAPEL HILL, NC — The Daily Tar Heel discusses the strategies of the second-run Chelsea and Varsity theatres. They keep prices down by waiting for titles and providing a less glitzy atmosphere.
(Thanks to wsasser for providing the photo.)
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Bucksport Cinema takes audience back in time
BUCKSPORT, ME — Built in 1916, the Alamo Theatre has held a special place in the hearts of Bucksport residents for quite awhile. A piece in WABI details how its loyal owner brought the charm back to the theatre.
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April 19, 2012
Congress Theater takes heat at City Hall hearing
CHICAGO, IL — The Congress Theater is in the spotlight in a bad way because of recent issues that came to the forefront following a sexual assault nearby on New Year’s Eve. Numerous complaints by neighbors about drunk and disorderly by concertgoers fueled a recent city hall meeting. They must turn things around and prove they’re improving security before another hearing in June.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
(Thanks to KenRoe for providing the photo.)
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CityStrata Cinemapping Project
BRISTOL, ENGLAND — The University of West England is currently working on an Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) funded REACT Hub ‘Heritage Sandbox’ project to create a mobile smartphone app linked to Bristol City Council’s Know Your Place arcGIS database which is used by the archaeological officer and planning department to inform the future development of the city.
‘City Strata’ is a new mobile curation / authoring platform which enables users to explore different layers of Bristol’s heritage, going back to the first maps of the city in 1750. The platform will enable developers to create different layers or ways of experiencing the city, that their users can then enhance by uploading their own content.
The platform will be protoyped with the ‘Cinemap’ layer – which provides a way of navigating the city and experiencing Bristol’s cinematic heritage in the spaces where it actually happened. From the ghost of Robert Partington-Jackson, the murdered manager of the Odeon, Union Street, to Cary Grant’s childhood cinema on Clare Street.