Go beyond the Oscars for your own movie feature

By Flicker user Craig Talbert

With the countdown to Sunday’s presentation of the 82^nd Academy Awards underway, now might be a good time to produce a blockbuster  feature yourself, focusing on new developments affecting local movie theaters and related industries.

It’s a fun, kind of glamorous story that will give you a welcome break from chronicling unemployment, bank failures and plunging home prices.  And the movie biz has lots of scope for quirky statistics, offbeat sidebars and fun facts.

Just as in the earlier Great Depression, American consumers apparently are using cinema as an escape from the rigors of daily life.  According to this late 2009 Los Angeles Times story, box office for the year was up, just as it was in the post Sept. 11, 2001 recession.

Get more industry info from the National Association of Theater Owners;  be sure to check out the helpful blog.

One thing to look out for: admission cost changes.  I saw a number of ads in my area trumpeting “reduced ticket prices” at first-run theaters.  Be sure to do a round-up (sidebar, box, interactive online guide) of promotions, specials and coupons available in your region.

Consider a look at alternative uses for theaters – I thinks some chains and independents hire themselves out for conferences, live shows and parties; some hold special family-friendly showing in off-peak morning hours (to get the screaming kids out of the way early in the day).  Check around to see if any chains and independents near you are marketing themselves differently in an effort to squeeze revenue out of downtime.

(Conversely, here’s a corporate meeting space, Big Picture,  that’s patterned itself after a glitzy movie theater instead of a hotel banquet room.  Oh, and it also shows current feature films.)

Movie theater suppliers would be an interesting piece.  I imagine most of the concessions are purchased and distributed at the corporate level but there may be some local favorites purchase regionally, and at any rate it would be fun to interview the woman or man who goes around fixing popcorn machines.  There’s an industry trade show coming up in two weeks in Las Vegas; even if you can’t wrangle a plane ticket to get there, you can review the ShoWest site for agenda information, exhibitor lists and other food for biz-story thought.

Employment is another angle you’ll want to hit, either on a statistical basis or by taking a job-specific feature approach.

Here’s an interesting post from The Movie Blog about the economics of movie theaters, or where your $10 entrance fee goes.  I can’t vouch for its objectivity but it’s a worthwhile read that will prime you with plenty of questions for theater owners, Cineplex managers, real estate developers, independent movie theater operators and others in the industry.

Technology is another important facet: What comes next after the digital and 3D revolutions?  What customer-comfort research is in the works?  I recently saw a blog rant against the poor placement of cupholders in stadium seating theaters.  Dinner theater and bar service is another growing trend; check to see if companies like Movie Tavern and Alamo Drafthouse are coming to a strip near you.