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Author Topic: My theatre design idea
Brandon Willis
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 216
From: Richmond, VA, USA
Registered: Apr 2004


 - posted 06-17-2008 03:32 PM      Profile for Brandon Willis   Email Brandon Willis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Just wanted to see what people think of one of my ideas for a "fantasy theatre."

I would build a theatre with 18 screens but only book films on 14 of them. The extra screens would be used as needed for promotional screenings, rentals, and things like that. We could use them for interlocks. If one of the main theatres goes down for whatever reason (bulb exploded, platter trouble, etc.) we could move the print into one of the extra ones. When the extra ones aren't in use, we would leave the lights off and not run the HVAC in them. A strict policy would be in place of not cannibalizing parts off of the extra machines for the main ones.

The idea is that customers will never come to my theatre and find that the film they want to see has been "canceled" due to a special event, "technical difficulties," etc. What does everyone think of this?

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Edwin Schwing
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 116
From: Las Vegas NV
Registered: May 2002


 - posted 06-17-2008 03:35 PM      Profile for Edwin Schwing   Email Edwin Schwing   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Do you really need 4 extra screens for that?

E

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: Boulder Creek, CA.
Registered: Jan 2004


 - posted 06-17-2008 03:36 PM      Profile for Dominic Espinosa   Email Dominic Espinosa   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That's an ok idea.

Your greatest challenge is keeping enough special activity going in the auxiliary screens to satisfy the rent.
And what if your special event requires the print that's showing in one of your regular houses?
This would cut your flexibility way down unless of course you were running DLP...

--dom

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Brandon Willis
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 216
From: Richmond, VA, USA
Registered: Apr 2004


 - posted 06-17-2008 03:45 PM      Profile for Brandon Willis   Email Brandon Willis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
We'll just make rent by charging so much at the concession stand that you have to take out a second mortgage on your home if you want snacks. And by playing commercials on every single reflective surface in the building (except the extra screens of course.) My theatre wouldn't be too much different from others. Maybe have them DLP equipped so we wouldn't have to take a print off of a main theatre for a private screening.

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Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002


 - posted 06-17-2008 04:55 PM      Profile for Lyle Romer   Email Lyle Romer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You will be killed in construction costs and/or rental payment. You're basically going to be building or leasing extra space that you only need for some special events. Rent and building costs are done on a per square foot basis. The goal is to have a building that is just big enough to handle the business. The extra 10-15% space that you have (I'm assuming these are going to be relatively small auditoriums) is going to translate to 10-15% more overhead for the same business.

Unless you can have those screens booked solid with rentals it will not justify the expense. It is very easy to work rentals in with normal shows in a multiplex.

As for the technical difficulties. A decently run and maintained theatre should very rarely have technical issues that cost shows. The most common issue that will cost shows is power outages which don't care how many screens you have. Unless you have a (very high capacity) generator, if there is a power outage longer than 1/2 hour, you're going to lose shows.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-17-2008 05:17 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Brandon Willis
We'll just make rent by charging so much at the concession stand that you have to take out a second mortgage on your home if you want snacks. And by playing commercials on every single reflective surface in the building
So much for taking this thread seriously.

Seriously, anyone who would put in 4 extra screens and basically plan to never use them except in extreme circumstances, doesn't have any business sense. It's all about producing $ per square foot and your lender will never sit still for you having thousands of square feet sitting there producing $0.

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999


 - posted 06-17-2008 05:51 PM      Profile for John Walsh   Email John Walsh   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I agree; it doesn't make business sense. A suggestion is to design every auditorium such that the entire sound system or projector console could be swapped out. I worked out a system for someone where every auditorium had a spare window and a spare projector could be rolled up and plugged in for changeover operation. That same spare projector could also be used to replace the 'main' projector if it broke. Plugging it in would tell the system that it was a 70/35mm or just 35mm, DTS or Dolby, bulb wattaage, etc. A special base I designed would allow you to drop the any projector down at any auditorium and the angle would be correct. It wasn't cheap, but would be less than the money lost on several unused auditoriums. But the guy decided not to go for it.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005


 - posted 06-17-2008 06:29 PM      Profile for Louis Bornwasser   Author's Homepage   Email Louis Bornwasser   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Buy good stuff; maintain it, have spare parts, and don't employ the village idiot to run it: Magic; no lost shows.

Rentals? Cancel underperforming shows. Louis

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 06-17-2008 07:22 PM      Profile for Bill Enos   Email Bill Enos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
If you had a lectern, decent PA, a projector to do power points, etc. house lighting bright enough for people to read easily a flip up desk surface to write on, available as early as 7AM and as late as your regular closing, allow the renters to serve their
own refreshments. All at a price that is no higher than a hotel charges for a room that seats what your auditorium seats. Do this and you will rent it two or three times a week. These are what potential renters as us about most often.

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-17-2008 07:49 PM      Profile for Frank Angel   Author's Homepage   Email Frank Angel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
In a theatre where patrons perceived the management to be gouging them on concessions (more than the competition already does), ALL the shows, no matter what is playing, will be "underachievers" because the rooms will be empty. Any one of those rooms will be able to be used for rentals and "specials."

As for your wall-to-wall ads -- Brandon...I guess you haven't heard -- people HATE ads on the screen or on the walls or anywhere else in their faces. People don't appreciate an atmosphere where they feel you are trying to constantly sell to them. Walking thru the place you describe, I would be holding onto my wallet for fear management would happily steal money out of it if they got the chance.

I was in a Regal in Sarasota and walked into the men's room only to find an 11x14 framed ad in my face as I stood at the urinal. How totally crass. And I guess a few others thought so too, because a number of these urinal ads had some pretty obscene (but quite hilarious) graffiti written on them.

What's lacking in your description is any reference to the quality of the image and sound presentation or the overall atmosphere and the experience you want your patrons to walk away with and which hopefully will be what motivates them to choose your theatre over your competition. That will be much more important to your success than a few extra, empty screens.

If you want to try something unique and different from what the majority of the run-of-th-mill, assembly-line gigaplex is doing these days? How 'bout trying this: try hiring really well-qualified booth staff who respect the equipment, know how to keep it running flawlessly and who are competent film handlers who know how to do Film-Done-Right. You want a professional booth staff who are capable of running a booth in a way so the people watching the last show after a month's run (or more) are seeing the same pristine presentation that those who came the first night saw (to steal an over-used phrase). Give digital a run for its money....and without even needing to spend the money on it -- spend a lot less on film cleaners and a supply of FilmGuard for each screen instead.

Oh yah...pay your booth staff a decent wage. How's THAT for a fantasy theatre?! [thumbsup]

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 06-17-2008 08:02 PM      Profile for Bill Enos   Email Bill Enos   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Those above the urinal and inside the stall door ads actually can pay pretty well. The agency does all the work and sends a check. We get solicited a couple times a month for them. It's tempting but don't do it.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 06-17-2008 08:29 PM      Profile for Mark Gulbrandsen   Email Mark Gulbrandsen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Nope, I'd make Pizza theaters out of them like Brad's customer did. Keep in mind you've got to have really good pizza and other food to keep em comming back! You can still rent em out too! Make sure you skip film and go straight to digital so you're not tossing out lots of semi-expensive gear in a short while [thumbsup] .

Mark

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Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 06-17-2008 08:39 PM      Profile for Bill Gabel   Email Bill Gabel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Frank Angel
I guess you haven't heard -- people HATE ads on the screen
Cinema Advertising Council, a trade org repping 82% of the U.S. screens, show a hefty 18.5% gain in revenue to just under $540 million in 2007.

So those ads are not going to be going away any time soon.

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Frank Angel
Film God

Posts: 5305
From: Brooklyn NY USA
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 06-18-2008 02:15 AM      Profile for Frank Angel   Author's Homepage   Email Frank Angel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bill Gabel
Cinema Advertising Council, a trade org repping 82% of the U.S. screens, show a hefty 18.5% gain in revenue to just under $540 million in 2007.

So those ads are not going to be going away any time soon.

Oh no doubt, and the price of gas is $4.29 (and it's not going to go back down any time soon as well) but that doesn't mean that the public is happy with either.

A fantasy theatre is one which money is no object and you can dream up anything you want and it would work. In such a case, I would certainly eliminate screen ads. Or ads anyplace else in the theatre, for that matter. I've never had a patron complain that we don't have ads on our screen. But I have got loyal patrons who send in UNSOLICITED donations because they love what we do.

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Jesse Skeen
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Posts: 1517
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Aug 2000


 - posted 06-18-2008 05:27 PM      Profile for Jesse Skeen   Email Jesse Skeen   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Bill Gabel
So those ads are not going to be going away any time soon.
But the customers who pay to see them WILL be going away.

If you're going to have unused screens, why not use them to show continuous trailers, or even ads if there's no charge to get in? Of course it'd be hard to keep people from sneaking into the screens showing actual movies without paying. In the old days some theaters had screens that just ran newsreels all day.

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