Atom Tickets goes wide, EAO ‘Independence Day’ launch, Lobster defies VOD in Yorck cinemas, ‘Conjuring 2’ youth horror in French cinemas, Apple phone cam-cord blocking, Christie helps Odeon go laser in Spain, Ster-Kinekor XL2, new Tyneside CEO, Reseda revived, CineStar in Serbia and bad weather open-air cinema.
USA (CA) – Los Angeles Times profiles Atom Tickets whose “group-buying technology, discounts and data can help cinema owners fill more seats.” Having tested the concept in two markets the venture is now rolling out wider across the US in Southern California, Atlanta and Nashville in time for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Atom offers group bookings and also flexible ticket pricing. Studios and exhibitors are supportive, but this is still a fraught cultural shift for how cinema tickets are sold in the US, though territories like China are far ahead. LA Times – 28 June 2016
Belgium – The European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) has launched a free online database of European cinema admissions.
The aliens are back! Take a tour of our free European cinema admissions database – LUMIERE
Just using today’s Independence Day invasion to invite you to take a tour of our free LUMIERE cinema admissions database. Call up admissions data for all movies released in Europe since 1996 – totally free – here: http://lumiere.obs.coe.int
But the LinkedIn exchange between Alison Hindhaugh and Andre Lange is what caught our attention (see above). Clearly Mr Lange is not a fan of the Jeff Goldblum alien invasion blockbuster – or its sequel. LinkedIn – 1 July 2016
Germany – I was surprised to see art-house hit “The Lobster” on general release in Germany, assuming it was distributed later than in other territories. But it turns out that the film is out on DVD and download here too. Despite this Yorck Cinema has brought this back to the bog screen with good results: 3,320 viewers have seen it since it across eleven screens in Berlin taking it to 24th spot on the cinema chart according to Rushlike Media’s latest newsletter. Not the final word on release windows, but proof that people are prepared to chose cinema over the home couch for a good film. Yorck’s Lobster page
Law & Order
France – What it is with you running riot at screening sou horror films in France? After several incidents for films like “Sinister”, “Annabelle” and “Paranormal Activity” after which the films were pulled from programming but exhibitors, there has been yet more trouble for “The Conjuring 2”:
A young woman, interviewed by 20 Minutes , revealed that people began to scream standing on the seats when the trailers at a Gaumont cinema projection Aquaboulevard (Paris XV). At the MK2 Bastille, a screening degenerated into brawl five minutes before the end of the film.
Any suggestions as to why this is happening please leave a comment below. We are baffled. It’s like these youth are… possessed. Boulevard Voltaire (FR) – 1 July 2016
Technology
USA – Apple has patented a technology that would deactivate iPhones that are video recording something they are not supposed to, like a live concert or a cinema screening. Of course this would only block iPhones, but given their ubiquity it will stop regular consumers if not professional cam cording film thieves. Washington Post – 1 July 2016
Spain – Christie has signed a deal with Odeon Multicines to install its Solaria laser projectors and Christie Vive audio in the exhibitor’s new multiplex in Madrid. “This will make it the most advanced complex of its kind in Spain and the first in the country to be entirely equipped with Christie Vive Audio and Dolby Atmos together in every auditorium,” Adil Zerou, the director for cinema for Europe at Christie is quoted as saying. Projector Point – 1 July 2016
South Africa – Ster-Kinekor is launching XL2 Acoustic Analysers in all of its cinemas. Good to see an exhibitor care about good audio presentation. Screen Africa – 4 July 2016
People
UK – Tyneside Cinema has appointed Dutchman Thomas Peutz as its new CEO, taking over form Mark Dobson in September when the latter moves to run Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre. “I think they have done an amazing job at the Tyneside Cinema. When I saw they were looking for a director I jumped at it,” Putz is quoted as saying. Chronicle Live – 2 July 2016
Cinema Opening/Closings
USA (CA) – The long-ago closed Reseda Theatre has received approval from Los Angeles City Council to be re-developed as a new Reseda Laemmle Theater. Located at 18443 Sherman Way the new six-screen cinema will have 34 senior citizen units on top of and behind the theater building. LA Daily News – 1 July 2016
Serbia – CineStar is opening a new multiplex in Vojvodina, which will include Serbia’s first 4DX auditorium. It is the third CineStar multiplex in Serbia and will feature 10 screens with just under 1,400 seats. It will also have Dolby Digital EX and DTS sound systems, RealD Ultimate 3D screens, and a giant eXtreme screen. Film Journal – 1 July 2016
Finally
Germany – With atrocious summer weather over large parts of Europe with flooding and heavy rainfall, outdoor cinema has been hard hit.
The Southside festival had to be canceled, Rock am Ring also, and at the Marienplatz Festival in Stuttgart the space had to be evacuated due to a storm . No too intoxicating prospects for the organizers of open-air cinema, begins its season these days. Stefan Hart from Community Cinema in Esslingen , which operates the open-air cinema at the castle, is worried. “You do find yourself thinking about it,” he says.
In case of a downpour there are evacuation plans for how to quickly and safely get 3,000 spectators out of there. Sadly Euro 2016 means that regular cinemas (those with a roof) aren’t benefitting as they would be normally from bad weather. Stuttgart Zeitung – 3 July 2016
