In light of the shutdown what do you think will happen to movie theaters

[gorfias]

In another thread, started this discussion:

Yeah well there is one thing movies will never have: always-online DRM enforcement like Denuvo. Everything leaks immediately with full quality options. Cinema business might shrink, yeah, but they have distinct advantages. Cinema-going will probably become more of an elitist pastime.

Not heard of Denuvo before, thanks. Reviewing.
EDIT: Dang, is this stuff true?!?!? https://whyisdenuvobad.github.io/

Not sure about the elite part. I used to think movie theaters would be the live theater of the next gen. How often do you go to the live theater? And that is expensive. But it offers something you cannot get otherwise: live performances right in front of you.

I used to think this when 36" 4x3 was a big TV. Today 16x9 8K 85" TVs are a thing. What can the theater give you home viewing cannot?

Given the experience we're having during lock down, what do you think the future of movie theaters is?

 

[Hawki]

They'll still exist.

Stage plays still occur, despite movies. Physical media endures, despite downloads. Opera still endures, despite pop. Literary works endure, despite genre fiction. Libraries still endure, despite the Internet.

I don't think movie theatres will go the way of the dodo. Maybe the way of the bison though.

 

[BrawlMan]

They'll still exist.

Stage plays still occur, despite movies. Physical media endures, despite downloads. Opera still endures, despite pop. Literary works endure, despite genre fiction. Libraries still endure, despite the Internet.

I don't think movie theatres will go the way of the dodo. Maybe the way of the bison though.

Mostly this. As soon the pandemic ends, they will be many people who want to go outside and do whatever they want. The theater business will be getting extra boom for quite a while.

 

[Agema]

Given the experience we're having during lock down, what do you think the future of movie theaters is?

Cinemas haven't been doing well for a while - in my country, annual admissions stopped growing ~2000 - although they've not declined either. I don't see that the current virus outbreak will do much long-term damage, as there's still things people can get from the big screen that their home entertainment system won't provide, including just the idea of a night out.

I think office workplaces might change a lot, as people are going to look at productivity from stay at home workers and the ability to deliver some services (e.g. education) throughout the crisis and if it looks good, potentially shut a lot of offices.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Movie theaters will be fine. There was an older thread from a few months back wherein we discussed this; they simply offer an experience you can?t get at home, no matter the [practical] size of your home theater set up. Movie-going is an event, something to do, like dining out or going to a bar versus cooking or drinking at home. As long as the big budget films insist on an initial theatrical release, theaters will have their draw.

 

[gorfias]

Cinemas haven't been doing well for a while - in my country, annual admissions stopped growing ~2000 - although they've not declined either. I don't see that the current virus outbreak will do much long-term damage, as there's still things people can get from the big screen that their home entertainment system won't provide, including just the idea of a night out.

I think office workplaces might change a lot, as people are going to look at productivity from stay at home workers and the ability to deliver some services (e.g. education) throughout the crisis and if it looks good, potentially shut a lot of offices.

I will certainly resist my old routine. I think I'm more productive remote, not wasting hours per day on the road. This may have an impact on traffic congestion, wear and tear on cars, lower fuel use and smaller carbon foot print and more. We should have been telecommuting more years ago. (My internet got pretty good by around 2007).

 

[Xprimentyl]

Cinemas haven't been doing well for a while - in my country, annual admissions stopped growing ~2000 - although they've not declined either. I don't see that the current virus outbreak will do much long-term damage, as there's still things people can get from the big screen that their home entertainment system won't provide, including just the idea of a night out.

I think office workplaces might change a lot, as people are going to look at productivity from stay at home workers and the ability to deliver some services (e.g. education) throughout the crisis and if it looks good, potentially shut a lot of offices.

I will certainly resist my old routine. I think I'm more productive remote, not wasting hours per day on the road. This may have an impact on traffic congestion, wear and tear on cars, lower fuel use and smaller carbon foot print and more. We should have been telecommuting more years ago. (My internet got pretty good by around 2007).

In my line of work (corporate America,) we?ve always had an ability to work remotely via our VPN, but the infrastructure was never designed to support ALL of us (thousands of people) at the same time. Everything is running SLOWLY, so our overall productivity, coupled with the distractions of being home and away from supervised scrutiny, has suffered. I personally can?t wait to get back to the office as long as I need this job. If they decide to fix it and broaden the remote bandwidth, fine; I love a good nooner, working in my PJs and drinking a beer during a conference call, but if everything I need to do is going to take 4-5 times longer than it should, I?d rather be at my desk and laughing at whatever corny joke the 6-7 figure salary we all report to cracks, if only to get back home to stress-free sex, PJs and alcohol.

EDIT: I?ve just been furloughed, so plenty of sex, PJs and alcohol in my future, but the stress levels just went through the roof.

 

[Agema]

I will certainly resist my old routine. I think I'm more productive remote, not wasting hours per day on the road. This may have an impact on traffic congestion, wear and tear on cars, lower fuel use and smaller carbon foot print and more. We should have been telecommuting more years ago. (My internet got pretty good by around 2007).

I'm not sure I'm as productive at home - too easily distracted. And I think I'd be driven insane by my wife's expectations I do could stuff round the house when I'm supposed to be working. However, I commute over 5h a day and at great expense, being spared that would be awesome. I also sort of like going in because it forces structure on my day when I might let it slide.

I don't think it'll make much difference for me. Too much of my job is face to face for me to stay at home that much, and my employer's always been pretty relaxed about allowing working from home when I'm not required in anyway.

I think there's been a lot of resistance to telecommuting from bosses who are concerned about productivity loss. And yes, there can be a chicken and egg issue where telecommuters need better net connections but telecoms companies don't have the economic drive to improve them if people aren't telecommuting, so both sides are waiting for the other to make the first move.

My internet's been pretty good since 2004, depending on provider. BT, the largest national provider, has consistently offered me quality way too far below their advertised speeds (the advertised top potential speed is always better than customers tend to get). Last time I was with them, a Steam download would be about 400kbps. I phoned them three times to say this was hopeless and they fiddled with something to eventually get it to ~7-800kbps. I switched to a new provider, was getting 2.5Mbps straight away - that's the right sort of territory I'd expect for the bandwidth I had.

 

[gorfias]

In my line of work (corporate America,) we?ve always had an ability to work remotely via our VPN, but the infrastructure was never designed to support ALL of us (thousands of people) at the same time. Everything is running SLOWLY, so our overall productivity, coupled with the distractions of being home and away from supervised scrutiny, has suffered. I personally can?t wait to get back to the office as long as I need this job. If they decide to fix it and broaden the remote bandwidth, fine; I love a good nooner, working in my PJs and drinking a beer during a conference call, but if everything I need to do is going to take 4-5 times longer than it should, I?d rather be at my desk and laughing at whatever corny joke the 6-7 figure salary we all report to cracks, if only to get back home to stress-free sex, PJs and alcohol.

EDIT: I?ve just been furloughed, so plenty of sex, PJs and alcohol in my future, but the stress levels just went through the roof.

So sorry to read that. There have been a few furloughs and outright layoffs around me and mine. A tense time. May it pass quickly for you. The sex and alcohol should help with that!

I'm not sure I'm as productive at home - too easily distracted. And I think I'd be driven insane by my wife's expectations I do could stuff round the house when I'm supposed to be working. However, I commute over 5h a day and at great expense, being spared that would be awesome. I also sort of like going in because it forces structure on my day when I might let it slide.

I don't think it'll make much difference for me. Too much of my job is face to face for me to stay at home that much, and my employer's always been pretty relaxed about allowing working from home when I'm not required in anyway.

I think there's been a lot of resistance to telecommuting from bosses who are concerned about productivity loss. And yes, there can be a chicken and egg issue where telecommuters need better net connections but telecoms companies don't have the economic drive to improve them if people aren't telecommuting, so both sides are waiting for the other to make the first move.

My internet's been pretty good since 2004, depending on provider. BT, the largest national provider, has consistently offered me quality way too far below their advertised speeds (the advertised top potential speed is always better than customers tend to get). Last time I was with them, a Steam download would be about 400kbps. I phoned them three times to say this was hopeless and they fiddled with something to eventually get it to ~7-800kbps. I switched to a new provider, was getting 2.5Mbps straight away - that's the right sort of territory I'd expect for the bandwidth I had.

Five hours!?!?! I drive in very early to avoid traffic. Round trip is about 2.5 hours. I am productive as 9/10s of my work are meetings. Zoom is as good or better for this than face to face. A problem: I did have my mike on while having a snack during an extended meeting I did not have to speak in. Wish someone had said something!!!! Aside from that, I have to worry about the other 1/10th. There are some things that must be done on site and they have deadlines. I can't do it now as we're in lock down!

ITMT: https://www.cinemablend.com/podcasts/theater-owners-on-the-future-of-movie-theaters/2493311/

 

[bluegate]

I used to think this when 36" 4x3 was a big TV. Today 16x9 8K 85" TVs are a thing. What can the theater give you home viewing cannot?

Seeing a movie a couple of months earlier than the people who wait for it to be available at home.

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

I used to think this when 36" 4x3 was a big TV. Today 16x9 8K 85" TVs are a thing. What can the theater give you home viewing cannot?

Does you massive flat screen come with the built-in options of getting out of the house and away from the people that are driving you nuts that day? Also, even if you aren't dealing with someone getting on your nerves or the need to just get out for a while, does it come with a built-in Andy's Custard next to it?

If the answer to those questions is no, then the physical movie theater holds the advantage.

 

[gorfias]

Seeing a movie a couple of months earlier than the people who wait for it to be available at home.

That's the big debate going on. Currently, you can get new releases streamed to your home. It cost like $20 for something that otherwise should still be in the theater. If you are going to watch with a couple of people, it is worth it. When the crisis is over, I will not be surprised if this continues which will be a huge challenge to the theater system.

Does you massive flat screen come with the built-in options of getting out of the house and away from the people that are driving you nuts that day? Also, even if you aren't dealing with someone getting on your nerves or the need to just get out for a while, does it come with a built-in Andy's Custard next to it?

If the answer to those questions is no, then the physical movie theater holds the advantage.

Getting one out of the house is an advantage of the cinema to home theater. But there are other things to take you out of the house, and if this movies at home thing outlasts the crisis, I expect the new paradigm to take a huge bite out of the industry. Like another poster noted, I can see it becoming an elitist sort of thing, like live theater.

I do like to get out. This is aggrevating in that a new theater opened 18 min. from my house and is the most luxurious I've ever been to (biggest recliner seats I've ever experienced at a theater that have electric warmers like in newer cars!). They've been open for maybe 2 months. And now this.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

I used to think this when 36" 4x3 was a big TV. Today 16x9 8K 85" TVs are a thing. What can the theater give you home viewing cannot?

Does you massive flat screen come with the built-in options of getting out of the house and away from the people that are driving you nuts that day? Also, even if you aren't dealing with someone getting on your nerves or the need to just get out for a while, does it come with a built-in Andy's Custard next to it?

If the answer to those questions is no, then the physical movie theater holds the advantage.

No but it also means I don?t have to threaten to garrotte aggravating teenagers or put up with morons who bring their babies to non-parents and babies showings. Being at home also means having the ultimate power:

The pause button.

Wanna take a shit? Pause the movie. Wanna go to your freezer and get your own ice cream and alcohol? Pause the movie. You are no longer held hostage by your bladder or your bowels and their gastronomic terrorism.

 

[SupahEwok]

Theaters' death will accelerate. They've been struggling to stay afloat for over 10 years. They don't have the cash reserves to survive societal shutdown. They'll go the way of live theater and arthouse theaters today: niche, small audience focused, curated movie showings.

 

[Agema]

No but it also means I don't have to threaten to garrotte aggravating teenagers or put up with morons who bring their babies to non-parents and babies showings. Being at home also means having the ultimate power:

The pause button.

Wanna take a shit? Pause the movie. Wanna go to your freezer and get your own ice cream and alcohol? Pause the movie. You are no longer held hostage by your bladder or your bowels and their gastronomic terrorism.

I like the cinema because it's immersive and drives attention. And that the movies I tend to watch at the cinema are ones shitty teens aren't go to go anywhere near - I save the blockbusters for home. At home, I get more easily distracted: play a strategy game on the laptop, read the news / Facebook / etc. at the same time as watch the movie: can go and get drinks and food and toilet breaks, but every time I do, the break disrupts and diminishes the experience.

I also think films with particularly impressive cinematography deserve a really big screen. I had this very sudden realisation in the 90s (I think it was actually after watching Blood Simple) about just how much some films are made for cinemas. It's not heavy SFX, but something about the way the expanse of the cinema screen vastly magnifies the impact of the shot: in Blood Simple, the shots of the vast stretches of terrain are hopelessly diminished on a TV screen.

 

[gorfias]

Theaters' death will accelerate. They've been struggling to stay afloat for over 10 years. They don't have the cash reserves to survive societal shutdown. They'll go the way of live theater and arthouse theaters today: niche, small audience focused, curated movie showings.

Agreed. For me, the saddest thing about their relative demise will be that while at the theater, I do think you focus in a way you tend not to do at home. I tend to multi task at home a lot in a way that no doubt detracts from the director's vision. Course, that is my problem. Others, and I often do, tell myself: this is supposed to be a great experience. Focus dang it! First time I recall telling myself to do so was with "Memento". Only paying 1/2 attention would have harmed that experience.

 

[Tiger King]

I hope cinemas stay a thing, I imagine they would as they offer a better experience than the average large flat screen viewing at home.
This just got me thinking though, are there even going to be any movies out next year? if everything non-essential is shut down I guess films aren't being produced?