"The Big Picture"
This week KRCW's "The Buisness" took a look at Hollywood's declining boxoffice. I have a few things to say about there assessment of the "problem."
Host Claude Brodesser asked in the first half of his discussion with John Pithian(sp) what theatre owners can do to bring patrons back. Mr. Pithian(sp) was very helpful in explaining some of the ideas theatre owners are starting to "explore" that will help get people back into the movies. Like blocking cell phones, more ushers in the theatre and better digital projection. Mr. Pithian was confident and honest about who was going to be in there way while theatre owner are try to improve the viewing experience for there patrons. He explained that as they explore ideas like blocking cell phones the cellular company's lobbiests would be there biggest fight.
As for this movie patron let me quote a golden icon of film: "Shut them all down hurry!" Most of the theatres are so far back and under so much steel my phone never works there anyways. All the complaining about how people "have to access to there phone for emergencies" is BS. If your so worried call before you go in and as soon as you come out. This wouldn't be an issue if people walked out of the movie to make or take a call. So don't point fingers at the movie owners. Blame yourselves for not all getting together and booing or shouting at the 14 year old or the large asshole man/girl for sitting in there seat and talking loud. YOU let them get away with it patron. You just want the theatre owners to do it for you. If you were at a play and someone got on there phone during the performance the cascade of Shhhhhhh that would intrude on the phone user would because them to want to find a quite place to talk, like the lobby!
On the second half of the show, and this killed me. Host Brodesser went to some advertising agency and asked them for a slogan like the "Got Milk" ads to help get people back. This kills me. Advertising is what is making entertainment so shitty. Yea shitty. Sure I've made most of my own money in advertising. But this is like going to cat and asking it how to get more mice in the house. The cat is always going to say "More mice." While the owner of the house the actual client, doesn't want mice in the house at all. That's why the cat is there in the first place. Ok, that's a little convoluted but my point is Advertisers want to find ways to make money not fix the problem. Listen to the show. By the end the "ad guys" are pitching ideas like, "Myspace nights" and Laptop/DVD style nights were your laptop is with you while you watch the movie. Ooo that sounds like fun. Cause I want a room full of computers in a darkspace. I don't want a CELL PHONE on while I watch the film cause the light is harsh. Now you want to add a laptop?
Advertising has sunk there money sucking claw-hoses into everything. I have commented in the post before this that content is changing. It is. Due to advertisers. About 6 or 7 years ago in Time or Newsweek, a rather important adguy said in an op-ed report that in the next 5 years advertisers would "leave no blank space." Well, they succeeded. Ad pollution is everywhere. But let me get back on track and address the issue at hand, movies.
Movie owners hurt us with adds in front of our movies cause you were selfish. We already liked the advertising that was there! TRAILERS!!! That is actually a lot if not most everyone's favorite part of going to the movies! Don't you like to watch the trailers? Sure you do and you always try to get there for them aren't they advertising what you need to come and see next Friday or this summer? Hello, FREE ADVERTISING! And we showed up for them! Crazy huh. But I wouldn't change it. I'm not going to get into the studio system and there whole thing with sequels. Nor and I going to address how film cost more to make cause the cooperation's have to load a movie with all the expenses of running a studio. No lets stick with theatre owners.
They took the money from advertisers and nothing helped us the person paying $14.00 to see the film. We have to pay to see your commercials/promotions/PSA's. I don't want them. Make them go away. If you have to have them, limit them. People go to the movies and will always go to the movies because its unique. Film is like baseball in a lot of ways. Sure I can watch baseball on TV but I like to go to games to. The game hasn't changed much it's still the same old baseball. Sure players have changed and there is advertising in baseball. But the balls, bats and most of the players don't were add's. Film is a classic. Traditional. Film effects us deeply as a media and it always will. Why do people go to revival film houses? They want to be touched emotionally by the film on the big screen. Same as theatre is and shall always be. Connections. Connections with our fellow patron and the director who is Manipulating you with story and player.
You want more people to go to the movies? Keep it simple, clean, safe and people will always go. Get cheap and greedy and it will be gone faster then a Turner color version of It's A Wonderful Life.
No more adds, more ushers, blocked cellphones. Well, in general, more like Arclight.
Host Claude Brodesser asked in the first half of his discussion with John Pithian(sp) what theatre owners can do to bring patrons back. Mr. Pithian(sp) was very helpful in explaining some of the ideas theatre owners are starting to "explore" that will help get people back into the movies. Like blocking cell phones, more ushers in the theatre and better digital projection. Mr. Pithian was confident and honest about who was going to be in there way while theatre owner are try to improve the viewing experience for there patrons. He explained that as they explore ideas like blocking cell phones the cellular company's lobbiests would be there biggest fight.
As for this movie patron let me quote a golden icon of film: "Shut them all down hurry!" Most of the theatres are so far back and under so much steel my phone never works there anyways. All the complaining about how people "have to access to there phone for emergencies" is BS. If your so worried call before you go in and as soon as you come out. This wouldn't be an issue if people walked out of the movie to make or take a call. So don't point fingers at the movie owners. Blame yourselves for not all getting together and booing or shouting at the 14 year old or the large asshole man/girl for sitting in there seat and talking loud. YOU let them get away with it patron. You just want the theatre owners to do it for you. If you were at a play and someone got on there phone during the performance the cascade of Shhhhhhh that would intrude on the phone user would because them to want to find a quite place to talk, like the lobby!
On the second half of the show, and this killed me. Host Brodesser went to some advertising agency and asked them for a slogan like the "Got Milk" ads to help get people back. This kills me. Advertising is what is making entertainment so shitty. Yea shitty. Sure I've made most of my own money in advertising. But this is like going to cat and asking it how to get more mice in the house. The cat is always going to say "More mice." While the owner of the house the actual client, doesn't want mice in the house at all. That's why the cat is there in the first place. Ok, that's a little convoluted but my point is Advertisers want to find ways to make money not fix the problem. Listen to the show. By the end the "ad guys" are pitching ideas like, "Myspace nights" and Laptop/DVD style nights were your laptop is with you while you watch the movie. Ooo that sounds like fun. Cause I want a room full of computers in a darkspace. I don't want a CELL PHONE on while I watch the film cause the light is harsh. Now you want to add a laptop?
Advertising has sunk there money sucking claw-hoses into everything. I have commented in the post before this that content is changing. It is. Due to advertisers. About 6 or 7 years ago in Time or Newsweek, a rather important adguy said in an op-ed report that in the next 5 years advertisers would "leave no blank space." Well, they succeeded. Ad pollution is everywhere. But let me get back on track and address the issue at hand, movies.
Movie owners hurt us with adds in front of our movies cause you were selfish. We already liked the advertising that was there! TRAILERS!!! That is actually a lot if not most everyone's favorite part of going to the movies! Don't you like to watch the trailers? Sure you do and you always try to get there for them aren't they advertising what you need to come and see next Friday or this summer? Hello, FREE ADVERTISING! And we showed up for them! Crazy huh. But I wouldn't change it. I'm not going to get into the studio system and there whole thing with sequels. Nor and I going to address how film cost more to make cause the cooperation's have to load a movie with all the expenses of running a studio. No lets stick with theatre owners.
They took the money from advertisers and nothing helped us the person paying $14.00 to see the film. We have to pay to see your commercials/promotions/PSA's. I don't want them. Make them go away. If you have to have them, limit them. People go to the movies and will always go to the movies because its unique. Film is like baseball in a lot of ways. Sure I can watch baseball on TV but I like to go to games to. The game hasn't changed much it's still the same old baseball. Sure players have changed and there is advertising in baseball. But the balls, bats and most of the players don't were add's. Film is a classic. Traditional. Film effects us deeply as a media and it always will. Why do people go to revival film houses? They want to be touched emotionally by the film on the big screen. Same as theatre is and shall always be. Connections. Connections with our fellow patron and the director who is Manipulating you with story and player.
You want more people to go to the movies? Keep it simple, clean, safe and people will always go. Get cheap and greedy and it will be gone faster then a Turner color version of It's A Wonderful Life.
No more adds, more ushers, blocked cellphones. Well, in general, more like Arclight.
posted by Chic Geek at 7:52 AM
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