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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Topic: Using SDDS-8 or EX to attract business?
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Greg Anderson
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 766
From: Ogden Valley, Utah
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-10-2002 01:27 PM
As has been stated so many times on this forum, the answer to attracting a higher quality/quantity of customers is showmanship. This means "Film Done Right" and a staff which recognizes itself as a part of the entertainment industry.Most of what I've learned about management has been from working with bad managers. There's a certain management style which believes that when the staff is "too happy" then the manager isn't doing his job right. Or, perhaps, they simply want the staff to be afraid of the big, mighty boss. Of course, the customer can sense when the staff is unhappy. The customer is going to the movies to have a good time. The complete environment should reflect that yours is a place to go for a good time. The staff should be bright, happy and fun to be around. So... what am I really saying? Assuming you already have the digital sound which the customer expects (in whatever format you can afford to have and maintain properly), the money you'd spend on an SDDS-8 upgrade might be better invested in comfortable, clean accomodations or, even better, on the staff. A small, hourly raise here and there can go a long way when it comes with a handshake, a pat on the back and a "I wish I could afford to give you more" speech (if you're really sincere about it... because the staff knows when you're sincere). By the year 1987, you couldn't buy a VCR without a remote control included. Yet, well into the 1990s, I saw ads for "A 4-head VCR with remote!" The "with remote" seemed silly but some marketing guy must have figured it helped sell VCRs or they wouldn't have spent the money to print it. So maybe if you have a phrase like "Digital Sound in all auditoriums" in every one of your ads or signs at the box office, that constant reminder will be enough to assure the customers that you have met their technical needs. Personally, the phrase "regularly-maintained projection and sound systems in all auditoriums" would mean a lot to me. That's probably why I go to the newer theatres and, after the places are two or three years old, I get really picky about which ones I'll keep going to.
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 03-10-2002 05:15 PM
It really depends on the market. If in the newspaper yours is the only theater with the SDDS-8 channel astrisk next to it, then there is a stand out that will make the less informed curious as to what is better. Same with EX. Ask the average movie goer (and I did) why they chose going to a film presented in 70mm and 9 times out of ten (more like 95 times out of 100) they will respond "because it is a bigger picture). You show a 70mm film on a small screen and you will get complaints (and we did). The fact that the 70mm ratio is smaller than scope means nothing to John Q public. Sometimes, home association will help...such as Dolby in the 70s and 80s. Many people had Dolby on their cassette decks (remember cassettes?) and could associate the brand of Dolby. I would still say that Dolby has more brand familiarity than DTS or SDDS though Sony may be a better marketing name (or worse if you dislike Sony) nowadays than SDDS...ie Sony-SDDS-8. But back to the original question, I can see some additional patrons resulting from advertising a more unique format or the THX good housekeeping sign of approval. How many people it will affect really does depend on the market though. I know that places like the Senator in Baltimore really do promote the various formats the films play in with it right up there on their HUGE curved marquee. Steve ------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
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David Stambaugh
Film God
Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002
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posted 03-10-2002 05:35 PM
Appreciate everyone's comments. To fill in some of the blanks, Regal Cinema World 8 and Cinemark 17 go head-to-head here. Cinemark has cleaned Regal's clock, stolen a lot of the business, mostly due to stadium seating and being in a major regional mall (several other older locations were driven into shutdown by Cinemark). Regal is finally trying to fight back I guess. They have a viable location and some technical advantages, and they seem to be trying hard to win back customers. I talked to the Regal manager for about 10 mins. yesterday. She was very polite, pleasant, and enthusiastic about improving the entire customer experience. She said they are trying hard to make their presentation as good as possible. IMHO, their sound systems have always been much better than Cinemark's, and image quality is excellent lately in the 2 large auditoriums. I know they're working on things because many of their screens had shutter ghosting for a long time, and they have fixed them recently. The Regal location seems very clean and well-maintained, staff is pleasant, etc. so I don't think they have any blatant problems that would drive people away, just no stadium seating and not being in a mall.
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Mark Lensenmayer
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1605
From: Upper Arlington, OH
Registered: Sep 1999
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posted 04-20-2002 04:17 PM
Brian Hogan said, "as for advertising the sound formats... i dont think it really matters."Well, it matters to me, Brian, and unless you can tell me a way I can get accurate information about SDDS-8 in AMC theatres, I will spend my money at another theatre. I want to know for sure when I walk in the door that the film I want to see at the time I am there is in SDDS-8...the newspaper and phone system certainly doesn't tell me. I'd ask a manager but I usually get a blank look.
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Jeff Akin
Film Handler
Posts: 48
From: Salem, OR, USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 04-21-2002 03:49 AM
I know the manager of Cinema World pretty well. She really is fighting down there.As far as our advertising, we just specify "digital." It is up to showtime lines and word of mouth to spread the specifics. ------------------
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2 Time ICWF Champion 2 Time ICWF Hardcore Champion
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