At the Cinemacon of Las Vegas, where the experts meet to talk about the future of cinema, CEO of United Cinema Michael O’Leary He did not chop the words while he said that the theatrical experience needs consistency, clarity and commitment.
He asks for an exclusive basic theatrical window of 45 days for all films and a serious re-emphasis on marketing films such as “only in cinemas”. This comes when the theatrical versions of the film seem to become shorter.
O’Leary warned: “If we continue to shorten the windows and crowd the small and medium -sized films, creating the impression that the only reason to go to the theater are the great successes. So in the end, the same network had to make the successes of success, atrophy.”
O’Leary has made a tough tone for a more sustainable exhibition model, which does not sacrifice the long game for short -term digital revenues.
“A clear and coherent period of exclusivity, supported by a significant marketing at national level both by the distribution and from the exhibition, is essential for all the films released theatricals,” he said. “It is the rocky substrate on which our collective prosperity is built.”
O’Lary sees the window of 45 days not as a hard stop, but as a healthy base. “For most films, the last success at the box office and the demand for consumers cannot actually be determined by a 45 -day window,” he said. “A compelling film … it will do the same well, perhaps better, on Pvod at 45 days as it would do at 20”.
He stressed that a big problem is the messaging on availability. Streaming is becoming the fallback. “The house should never be the option of the predefined app while a film can still be seen in thousands of salt across the country,” he said. “A good starting point would be an aggressive filling to emphasize” only in cinemas “on all marketing platforms”.
The erosion of exclusivity is not only only damaging the sale of tickets, it is also destroying awareness. The shorter windows reduce the marketing tail and for smaller films, that tail is everything. O’Leary also invited distributors to stop promoting streaming while a film is still in its theatrical race.
An update on the marketing experience within the theater has even floated: “Imagine the positive response if, hypothetically, the preshow was personalized, the evaluation of the green band, depending on the case, appeared only before the first trailer, the trailers were 90 seconds long and the exhibition played between four and six before a movie?”
Another hot topic are the premium screens in large format (PLF). O’Leary recognized their value but warned against the vision of the tunnel.
“Investments in large formats cannot be at the expense of other auditorium,” he said. “If, in our collective zeal to promote large experiences, we guide cinema lovers to believe that the only reason to go to the theater is for large formats, we are destroying the heart of our business.”
He also insisted on more flexibility in programming, in particular for independent theaters. Do you request a family movie to play at 10:15 pm on a school night? This does not help anyone.
“The programming requirements that, for example, translate into a family film classified G or PG which is played at 10:15 pm on a school night … does not make sense for fans of cinema, exhibitor or distributor.”
And what about the suspension rules that force Indie theaters to cling to the titles long after interest? Those must go. “If an independent operator feels passionate about playing a film, he should be able to confirm it in advance, so they have the same opportunity as their competitors to market it properly to their guests.”
O’Leary wants to see the system evolving, do not erode. “We need a system that recognizes our common goals and does not put one sector against another in one shortstent in search of an immediate financial return at the cost of long -term success.”
“Everyone feels the pressure of the market of today’s greatest studies for independent screen. But clinging to the rules of a pre-plays or temporary adjustments made during that period, threatens the general health of this large industry.”
By Joey Gour
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
