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Author
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Topic: Average head count per screen
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Richard C. Wolfe
Master Film Handler
Posts: 250
From: Northampton, PA, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 03-24-2005 12:25 AM
As Mike already stated, there are so many different theatres that it would be difficult to come up with figures that would be usuable for your situation. Everyone is different. However, this is a very interesting question. One that I and other exhibitor friends of mine have discussed on many an occasion.
If you go to one of the sites such as boxoffice mojo that lists all the figures for the industry, you can get somewhat of an idea by using averages. Of course averages don't hone in on what you're looking for, but may give somewhat of an idea.
If you break down those figues they can be pretty depressing. Lets take for example: this past weekend, the number one picture was "The Ring Two" which grossed $35,065,237 at 3,332 locations for an average gross of $10,523 per location. I have always been somewhat confused by that "Theatre count" and that's why I say locations. I believe if it's on 3 screens that it still counts as one location in the theatre count. Since this film just opened it's only playing in first run theatres, so the average ticket price should be higher then the industry average ticket price of around $6.25, but I'll use that figure anyway. Using a higher average of just first run prices would only make things look worse. With that ticket price in mind, each location would be averaging 1,683 admissions (people) for that film for the 3 day weekend. Divide that by 3 and you get 561 people per day. Most 1st run theatres run 5 shows a day, but there are small towns and other areas that run less, so lets say the average is only 3 shows a day. That would give us an average of 187 people per show per location for the number one top grossing movie in the market place. Remember that is for the best film. All the others are less, and it goes downhill fast as you get to the 4th or 5th place film. Using this formula, the 5th place film which was Hitch, averaged only about 43 people per show.
Now I happen to run a small town single screen 2nd run theatre. When I run a film it's usually about 6 to 8 weeks old (or more)and is somewhere between numbers 15 to 20 on the charts. Usually where the the average gross for the weekend is near or under $1,000. What always amazes me is that my gross is usually always two to three times as much as the posted average gross. I'm a $3.00 house with $2.00 matinees and usually average around 1,100 people per week for a gross of around $3,000. A bad week will see my gross dip down to $1,500, or once in a while even less, while a really good week will come in at $5,000 or more. My average ticket price is $2.73. So what I see from this is that on my really good weeks I often draw more people on my 10 week old movie, then the number 1 new first run film draws on it's opening weekend.
I find it somewhat depressing from an industry standpoint to see the admission numbers so low at first run theatres. I know of many multiplexes in my area that on any given weekday afternoon have less then 50 people in at any given time for 15 screens. Sometimes they have less then 25 people. Even the weeknight figures aren't much better. Most of the time when I run weekday matinees I get between 50 to 100 people to my single screen.
What does this say about the state of the industry? Are prices too high? Are there just too many screens competeing for only so may potential patrons? Is it that many people don't like the multiplex theatre experience? I don't have the answer. I can see why it IS necessary that concession prices are so high, and video games are needed, and of course why preshow screen advertising has become the norm. You can't expect theatres that cost multi millions of dollars to build and operate to be profitable on so few patrons.
Sure, just as Mike said, there are theatres that draw thousands of people a day, but when you break it down to per picture and per show the numbers aren't that impressive.
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