Tell us how to save the cinema!

Saving the cinema :

Well, to me the cinema’s been declining for a while even though I, myself rarely go there. And with the sudden arrival of the pandemic a few years ago and with the rise of many streaming services, the cinema has been kind of meaningless. Some ideas that came to mind would be to adjust what they show on screen alongside strategic ticket planning.

Movies

So, I would propose a more diverse range of films being shown, like documentaries, independent movies, and many foreign films which would probably attract many audiences that have different tastes and interests, thus providing a little something for everyone.

You know, I think that should a movie be popular enough and hasn’t been in screening for a very long time, they could replay them since those types of movies could potentially attract many audiences that seek the nostalgic experience. Those old movies could also appeal to multiple generations, those that seek the nostalgia by revisiting their favourite old films and those that would only know about said film through hearsay and want to experience them.

Tickets

To me the pricing and structure of cinema tickets are some crucial aspects that can significantly impact attendance and overall popularity. And maybe they could add a system similar to concerts? Where the tickets themselves would change depending on the popularity of the film, the current hype, the time of day, and how long has it been since the movie first came out in the cinema (?). Lower prices during off-peak times can attract audiences with low budget, while premium pricings for peak times can maximize revenue.

As an addition maybe during specific day of the week the cinema could offer discounts, though highly unlikely I think. They could also add discounts for family or for seniors, so that they can encourage families to visit more often.

Others

Some cinemas could also organize some themed nights, retrospectives of classic films, or marathons of popular franchises can create unique experiences that could entice people. Those events could also do live broadcasts of sport events, gaming tournaments, and other productions since they could draw in many different kinds of people and turning cinemas into multi-purpose entertainment hubs.

By doing these events in the cinema, they could also advertise these events by collaborating with radio stations, merchandises, or maybe specific refreshments. They could promote them using social media, the local news, and maybe a community board.

That is all.

It is up to you to save cinema!

This is a very interesting one because I don’t think cinemas themselves are actually that crazily priced now that you look at it with how much things just cost these days, especially with the cost-of-living crisis that were in. I have meerkat movies so on a Tuesday and Wednesday, I get two for one tickets.

There are those who favour a certain cinema over another and we are super lucky in the U.K. we have a mad variety of where we can go.

Vue, is my local cinema and all the theatres have got reclining chairs so I love going to that cinema because of the comfort.

Odeon has a much better food selection.

Everyman cinema, which is a bit on the higher end of pricing, prioritises comfort and easiness when you go to watch a movie.

Cineworld has the novelty of going to see a film in 4D.

So in the UK, we are quite spoiled with the variety of cinemas we can attend, so that then takes me back to the original question, how can we save cinema?

And I think the answer could vary, but I absolutely don’t think that the problem is with the cinemas itself based off all the different examples that I have presented. The Cost is normal pricing in line with the cost of living, and almost doesn’t feel like the cinema is such a luxury anymore because of how cheap it is. I once viewed going to the cinema as a special event but now I don’t.

I think it comes back to the actual films themselves. Just films in general just haven’t been as good as they once were, I think the pandemic really impacted the way we see films, and all the hype that comes around a new release just isn’t a strong as it was. Previously, pre-pandemic you would see movie stars doing interviews, appearing on late night talk shows and doing so much press before hand to build up hype on the film and we’re just not really seeing the same level so it’s hard to almost get it excited for it.

I will say that I think recently, I’ve seen more of a spike with the promotional side of it, more notably with the Barbie film with the new Deadpool/Wolverine film.

Another think is the ease of being able to sit at home and rent a film that’s in the cinemas probably to 3 or two months after it’s come out. why would people go to the cinema when they can just watch it in the comfort of their own home?.

The quality of films aren’t the same either - not really seeing anything anymore. Constantly seeing remakes, sequels and prequals, it can get quite tiring. It almost as if it’s affecting cinema in a negative way because why do we want to go and see another remake?

And don’t get me wrong some remakes are amazing, I loved the new hunger games recently, but people are bored and they want to see originality.

Marvel absolutely dominated cinema at one point, but they completely exhausted their audiences with the amount of content they released on Disney+, so all the TV shows and movies, it was a lot to follow as a fan so some people just dropped out of it. It’s nice to see that they are rebuilding the hype with this new Deadpool/wolverine film, but it took a lot of work for them to get there.

I honestly don’t think that there is much more cinemas can really do - you can see that they are really trying to build it back up by releasing limited edition Merch and popcorn buckets which you can only get at the cinema, but even with that, we are seeing people come to the cinema, purchase the merchandise and leave without even watching the film.

So I don’t really know what else Cinemas can do. I think it’s the films themselves. The whole idea of films and Hollywood needs to be looked at, bring back some originality, stop with the constant remakes, reunions, prequels and sequels. Rebuild the foundation of a good film. I think this is essential to rebuilding the infrastructure of what everyone once loved about the cinema.

I think it is a complex problem, and maybe we should experiment by fixing a few and see how that helps, rather then the whole.

Accessibility and pricing

It's not just the ticket price, it's also the addition costs of parking (unless the mall offers free parking for the audience) or public transport. Many local, smaller cinemas have closed down, so people spend time and money to get to a cinema. With public transport being unreliable, I have to think twice if I want to make the journey to the cinema, or wait until the movie becomes available from other sources.

Timings are also not the best, even though some films will have multiple showings a day, they might be when people are still at work or they finish too late.

I wouldn't mind the current prices for the cinema, if there was one more local to me, where I can just walk to. I doesn't even have to be a big fancy one, just you know like the old school one screen cinemas. They were fine in our childhood, why are they not fine now?

People

This seems to be a growing trend lately everywhere, that people don't know how to behave in public. Last few times I've been to the cinema, people were constantly chatting, kicking my seat, kids been let in to screenings for mature audiences, people on their phones constantly and especially in the dark setting a glowing white screen is very disturbing, let alone when the phone rings and someone actually picks it up and holds a full conversation! Staff doesn't care about it all because they are underpaid. Which is not an excuse, I was underpaid too, still did my job to my best.

Honestly if people can't behave, I would introduce lockers which you must use and have to leave your phone there. And "but I'm waiting an important call, but what if my kids at home need me? etc" is not an excuse. Why are you going to the cinema then if you can't enjoy the experience fully? We didn't have mobile phones or mobile internet back in the days and we got along just fine... Surely we can do without them for a couple of hours.

Facilities

Most cinemas are dirt and full of rubbish because once again people can't keep their surroundings clean and staff doesn't care or doesn't have time between the screening to clean up the mess. Since cinemas have so many screens now, there shouldn't be back to back screenings, give time for cleaning as well.

What else does a cinema offer? Nothing really. Overpriced drinks and junk food. Nothing special about it really, and if I really wanted to have snacks during the movie, I would rather bring my own bottle of water and a pack of crisps.

Most cinemas still have some very small and uncomfortable seats, why would someone go there when their sofa in the living room is more comfortable? We would need more cinemas which have reclining seats, maybe wider rows and tables where you can put your food and drink comfortably, or those big sofas some expensive theatres have.

What if the cinema shop would sell merchandise related to the movies? Posters, books, T-shirts, mugs, all the stuff you can buy at places like Forbidden Planet. You can buy merchandise at a concert venue or theatre, why can't we do the same in the cinema? Again it would provide another income source for the movie makers and the venue as well, and making these items more accessible for fans.

Special screenings

I'm not even sure if this is a thing anymore, but I used to go to midnight premiers which were great atmosphere and a fan gathering really. In London often actors attended these too. Last time I've been to the cinema, it was for Gundam Seed Freedom, which only had one weekend screenings in the UK. It was in Japanese with subtitles, and probably due to that plus having a very niche audience it was a much better experience than being among the usual cinema audience.

There used to be marathons like when the latest part of The Hunger Games came out, there was a special screening which included the previous movies as well, and then you could watch the new one. Since we have so many relating movies now like the Marvel MCU, this could be a thing again.

What's going on with the 3D and Imax screenings? There was a huge hype around them for a while, but now there seem to be less and less of them.

Or could also be special screenings for different audience types, like family friendly screenings where it's not a problem if kids are running around and chatting, but then have some "quiet" screenings as well, where there is no noise of munching on food, no phones, no kids, no loudly talking adults.

Content and advertisements

Lots of movies these days are remakes. While some of them can be good, as they give an old classic a refreshed look, others just seem to be trying to live from the prestige of the original while don't really provide anything new. We need more fresh, unique ideas. Less money spent on shiny effects and more effort put into telling a story.

I love the trailers before the movies, that used to be my source of what to watch next. But I absolutely hate all the adverts and there seems to be more and more. Last time there was 40! minutes of adverts and trailers before the movie started. I try to go later, but then have to fumble around in the dark looking for my seat, because some cinemas didn't even bother to upgrade their lighting to display a row number visibly on the stairs as you go up. How should I know on the spot if they start counting their rows from the bottom or the top and which side the seat numbering starts?

Alternative screening

Before covid at least in London they used to show theatre plays or concert recordings in the cinema as well, which gave you a chance to see something you have missed or couldn't attend because of the location being far away. I haven't really seen them doing these anymore, which is a shame, because they were a very good use of the space.

How to Save the Cinema

As many have pointed out, the decline in cinema attendance over recent years can be attributed to several factors: the pandemic, shifts in behavior and priorities, early DVD/Blu-ray releases, and, of course, the rise of streaming services. These elements combined offer plenty of entertainment options without the need to leave home.

Challenges Facing Cinemas

If delve deeper, additional difficulties become visible.

High ticket prices and the need to physically go to the cinema are significant deterrents. Watching a movie on Netflix takes just 30 seconds to press the power button on the remote and jumping on the couch. In contrast, a trip to the cinema easily adds 2-3 extra hours for preparations like showering, dressing up, makeup, travel, getting tickets, walking to the hall, and sitting through ads.

Over the past two months, I've been using an exclusive offer with a 50% discount on daily sessions and have been taking my son. We're creating a small family habit, but there are only three shows currently running that I can watch with a child. This highlights another issue: absence of content variety.

A Different Perspective

Interestingly, there are more classic theatres than movie theatres, and tickets are much more expensive and often sold out well in advance, some sold for shows in November. This suggests that theatres have shifted their focus to selling an experience rather than just the stage content. And demand is quite high!

For certain groups of people, attending the theatre is an opportunity to meet others, showcase themselves, and have an exclusive experience together. This approach is something movie theatres could learn from.

Solutions for Cinemas

To save cinemas, they need to think in this direction and explore what they could offer beyond just showing movies.

1. Cinemas should aim to provide an exclusive experience similar to what theatres offer. This could involve offering themed events, meet-and-greets with filmmakers or actors, and interactive elements that enhance the movie-going experience.

2. Lowering ticket prices. If tickets were reduced from 9.99 to 3, it might attract more people. Currently, many sessions only have 4-12 attendees. Lower prices could lead to higher overall attendance and revenue.

3. Run themed marathons or cons, classic movie sessions, and networking events weekly. This would create a habit for people to attend not just to re-watch a favorite film but to meet other fans, make new connections, and share their passion. Cinemas could also host festivals a few times a year, like anime-cosplay events. Modern cinemas have multiple rooms for shows and spacious hallways perfect for creating a marketplace for selling merchandise, hosting cosplay photoshoots, and signing autographs.

Adapting to Modern Trends

Ultimately, for cinemas to survive, they need to adapt to the new ways content is produced and consumed. This might mean embracing technology, offering unique experiences, and making strategic changes to pricing and programming. By doing so, cinemas can transform into dynamic social hubs that offer more than just a place to watch movies - they can become destinations for co-op community, culture, and entertainment.