Out on DVD Already?

[mtechthang]

Interesting - - but we've been here before.

I wasn't joking about 3D.

The New York Times piece is not a lot of information. It is more hype (note the Las Vegas). This is what they want to project (sorry!!!) Seriously, 3D is new? The problems before were relating to a technology that was flawed, stories that worked well with our with-out 3D (thus not justifying the costs) and style over substance. Note this little ditty of a quote from the Times article: "Theater owners are spending heavily to be ready with new projectors, screens, eyeglasses and higher ticket prices when those films start to arrive in multiplexes." All that for what, exactly. (Excuse me for a mo. "Theater owners are spending heavily to be ready with [ ] higher ticket prices"- it actually said that!!!)

Beyond a little hype, as the article points out, the 3D idea demands stories that need/require 3D. Those would be what? The technology for 3D has been around for decades but no stories yet. If we want to compare this to talkies, I think that's a huge leap to make. Talkies took a completely visual media and transformed it into a different sense(s). I put the "s" because it actually involved the emotions and the tactile senses (not an immersion but it is there- witness the importance of the sub-woofer etc.) Digital certainly puts a new spin and opportunity. But only time will tell if it is worth the costs (see the quote) and I mean the costs to the consumer. If HD is that much better (if you don't have it, listen, it IS that much better!!!) and people can upgrade to digital sound too I just don't see that much in 3D. Most folks I know who have seen the fare so far actually 1) hate the glasses (what about those who already wear them?) and 2) say they grow tired of it before the movie is over. Most of the hype isn't coming from viewers (some is, just not that much, imho). I don't want to be totally pessimistic though. I think the point made that the theaters that think in terms of any single experience are going to miss out- that's the problem with digital right now is that each iteration requires retooling the theater and I just don't see that much money as it is the theater that has to absorb it all (I find it difficult to be that sarcastic- of course it is we the consumers!). Then the digital becomes affordable to the home (doesn't take that long) and so on and so on. Something get's lost in all that. It is the story that matters! Just my (long) two cents. (I do have a PhD in psychology and teach the psychology of film but that just makes me informed on what was!!) :eusa_doh:

 

[mtechthang]

That's a great point!!!

I hear that a small amount of the movie theatre's ticket price actually goes to the theatre, they make most of the money at concessions. The tricky thing is, after I've paid to get my family into the cinema the last thing I want to do is pay $4 for a popcorn.

You are absolutely correct. Follow the profit train further. As I pointed out just above the theaters are going to have to charge more and more to absorb the costs of the upgrades to technology. Thus, as the Times article pointed out, the prices will go higher and higher (catch where this is going yet?). They are NOT getting more profit from those price increases.

Now where is their profit? Exactly as The Wolf identified it! The concessions. But the stomach of the average viewer isn't going to increase in size (we aren't going to eat more pop-corn or drink more Coke/Pepsi because the movie is 3D!). So the concessions have to rise at the same rate as the ticket prices (if The Wolf is a typical viewer and evidence says yes, he thinks the prices of the experience are high now and that he doesn't want to buy concessions on top of that). (Simply put, if the concession prices stay the same and the ticket prices go up without increasing the profit, then the profit margin has, gulp, fallen!) Hmmmmm.

 

[LizzieMaine]

You are absolutely correct. Follow the profit train further. As I pointed out just above the theaters are going to have to charge more and more to absorb the costs of the upgrades to technology. Thus, as the Times article pointed out, the prices will go higher and higher (catch where this is going yet?). They are NOT getting more profit from those price increases.

Hence my point that, eventually, the studios or the MPAA itself will eventually have to come up with a program to subsidize the cost of digital conversion. At over $100,000 a screen, the average suburban multiplex would be bankrupt before it started.

Another reason why concessions and ticket prices go up is simply that the bigger a multiplex is, the higher the overhead in operating and staffing costs. Practically all the ticket price is eaten up by rental fees and film shipping costs, leaving a very thin margin for the exhibitor. So, basically, the concessions have to pay the entire bill for everything else -- that's why when you go to the East Side Googolplex you shell out four bucks for a small Coke (and almost every penny of that is profit -- fountain syrup is one of the highest-margin items you can sell.)

Because we only have a single screen, on the other hand, our overhead is that much lower. We're only showing one film, we have minimal staffing requirements, and we can charge two dollars for that same Coke without hurting ourselves. Yet another reason to support your local indie house!

 

[Twitch]

We can all agree that the concessions are a profit maker. And we all realize that the costs are ridiculously high. I don't buy anything at the theater. How long will it be till that stuff raises so much that fewer and fewer will purchase it either?

I think we a moving towards a day when the 1st run movie will be available through your satellite, cable or other TV provider as well as the theater. I'd bet somebody tries it within 5 years.

 

[rebelgtp]

As far as downloads are concerned, well, I'd be more than happy to collect the $500 reward the MPAA offers for conviction of film pirates.

Yeah at my old job we would have people call in all the time because they received letters about pirating music or movies, claiming to know nothing about it. After a minute or so of asking them questions you find out oh they really were downloading stuff or at least their kids or someone else in the house hold was.

However I'm not talking about the people that put up some very bad copy they recorded with a camcorder. I'm talking about the supposed "trusted" people that rip copies of DVD screeners and the like. In cases like I am Legend their were perfect DVD screeners only weeks after the movie was released, I'm sure that cut into the box office sales for the movie quite a bit.

 

[Jovan]

Yet another reason to support your local indie house!

Wish Gainesville had one.