Cineworld and Picturehouse 'temporarily' close all UK and US cinemas

[Lord Camomile]

I don't think cinemas as a concept are dead. I honestly believe after all this people will still want to gather to watch a film, usually somewhere with better specs than at home.

Quite how much rebuilding is needed, though...

 

[Lord Camomile]

Also, what form that takes might likely be different, at least for a while, both in terms of what cinemas are like and what the films the industry provides them with are like.

 

[Orang Utan]

Aye, there is no compare to watching on the big screen with an audience.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Also, what form that takes might likely be different, at least for a while, both in terms of what cinemas are like and what the films the industry provides them with are like.

I reckon we'll see a lot of drive-in cinemas popping up in the not too distant.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

As others have mentioned, there will be a Knock on effect and most other cinemas will end up closing soon too. My nephew is starting at film school this year. A notoriously hard industry at the best of times, but now?

Closing cinemas doesn't really affect the amount of filmed content, does it?

 

[Orang Utan]

Closing cinemas doesn't really affect the amount of filmed content, does it?

Of course it does

 

[Lord Camomile]

Closing cinemas doesn't really affect the amount of filmed content, does it?

If there are fewer cinemas, fewer screens, fewer seats, there are fewer opportunities to make money. If the amount of money you can make is smaller, the amount of money you're going to spend will be likewise smaller.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Of course it does

Surely there's more filmed content now than there's ever been? When I say filmed content, I include netflix productions, etc.

 

[Orang Utan]

Surely there's more filmed content now than there's ever been? When I say filmed content, I include netflix productions, etc.

If cinemas close, future productions will be massively jeopardised

 

[Lord Camomile]

Surely there's more filmed content now than there's ever been? When I say filmed content, I include netflix productions, etc.

It's certainly a better situation than had this happened in decades hence, but cinemas are still a massive part (I'd presume still the majority) a film's earnings, and streaming isn't totally secure; Netflix are very infamously (and somewhat inexplicably) running at a huge loss.

You have to think Disney, though, will be fine. Although there's probably a ceiling for £5.99 subscriptions, so they may well do more 'premium releases' like the £20 Mulan. Will be interesting to find out how that all played out and just how viable it is for future releases.

 

[t0bytoo]

Closing cinemas doesn't really affect the amount of filmed content, does it?

I think it does. If there are less screens showing films, there'll be less money spent on production. The industry will shrink

 

[Orang Utan]

Disney have lost shitloads from releasing Mulan online

 

[Johnny Vodka]

IDK. Things change. It's been a long time since I've been in a cinema. Do people go to the cinema as much as they used to? I would have thought streaming services and bigger, better TVs at home would have taken their toll on cinema visits anyway? This is me just speculating.

 

[Orang Utan]

IDK. Things change. It's been a long time since I've been in a cinema. Do people go to the cinema as much as they used to? I would have thought streaming services and bigger, better TVs at home would have taken their toll on cinema visits anyway? This is me just speculating.

Some people still enjoy the cinema experience and value it enormously. It’s just not the same at home

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Some people still enjoy the cinema experience and value it enormously. It’s just not the same at home

You're right - at home, I can pause the film while I get up for a wee, plus have a glass of wine. Also don't need to deal with any unruly riff-raff.

 

[Lord Camomile]

IDK. Things change. It's been a long time since I've been in a cinema. Do people go to the cinema as much as they used to? I would have thought streaming services and bigger, better TVs at home would have taken their toll on cinema visits anyway? This is me just speculating.

They probably have, to a certain extent, but nowhere, nowhere near enough to make the closing of cinemas a non-issue. Otherwise you'd have seen many more 'straight to streaming' releases while cinemas have been closed, and arguably while they were open too!

 

[kebabking]

Some people still enjoy the cinema experience and value it enormously. It’s just not the same at home

It's not the same, it is less enjoyable - but that's not the point.

Going to the cinema, however enjoyable it may be, now carries the potential/probable cost of having to self isolate for two weeks. You may think that that's a price worth paying, but I don't, and it appears from the empty cinemas that lots of other people don't either.

It's called cost/benefit. Benefit is the same, cost has rocketed - you don't need to have a PhD in capitalism to work out that far fewer people will purchase the product.

 

[Sue]

IDK. Things change. It's been a long time since I've been in a cinema. Do people go to the cinema as much as they used to? I would have thought streaming services and bigger, better TVs at home would have taken their toll on cinema visits anyway? This is me just speculating.

I normally go to the cinema a couple of times a week. I much prefer seeing films in a cinema to watching at home.

Eta Pre-Covid.

 

[Lord Camomile]

It's not the same, it is less enjoyable - but that's not the point.

Going to the cinema, however enjoyable it may be, now carries the potential/probable cost of having to self isolate for two weeks. You may think that that's a price worth paying, but I don't, and it appears from the empty cinemas that lots of other people don't either.

It's called cost/benefit. Benefit is the same, cost has rocketed - you don't need to have a PhD in capitalism to work out that far fewer people will purchase the product.

I think Orang Utan was talking more in general terms with regards to cinemas vs home viewing, rather than the specificities of the current situation.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's not the same, it is less enjoyable - but that's not the point.

Going to the cinema, however enjoyable it may be, now carries the potential/probable cost of having to self isolate for two weeks. You may think that that's a price worth paying, but I don't, and it appears from the empty cinemas that lots of other people don't either.

It's called cost/benefit. Benefit is the same, cost has rocketed - you don't need to have a PhD in capitalism to work out that far fewer people will purchase the product.

tbf the risk in cinemas is minimal compared to pubs/public transport/work etc

 

[Orang Utan]

There are too many distractions at home to fully appreciate a film. Johnny Vodka talked about the ability to pause as a positive. I see this as a negative. It takes me 3 hours to watch a 90 minute film at home.

 

[Saul Goodman]

There are too many distractions at home to fully appreciate a film. Johnny Vodka talked about the ability to pause as a positive. I see this as a negative. It takes me 3 hours to watch a 90 minute film at home.

I reckon busting for a piss is far more distracting than a cat walking past.

 

[belboid]

Cinemas are dead, so releasing a really expensive new movie right now would be stupid.

If cinemas are dead, where will they open their really expensive movie? There will be blood significant financial losses whenever it gets released, but keeping your supply chain going is pretty important to most businesses.

Films make most of their money very shortly after their release, by being on a really big screen for a limited amount of time. All the - admittedly very limited thus far - information we have about online rentals in a similar period says they don't make half as much. And even if they have a longer tail, the production companies still want their money back before that. So if they want to make 'blockbusters' they need cinemas.

Alternatively, it could see the end of shallow but spectacular blockbusters and a whole new wave of magnificently artful and thoughtful cinema. But, y'know....capitalism.

 

[Saul Goodman]

If cinemas are dead, where will they open their really expensive movie? There will be blood significant financial losses whenever it gets released, but keeping your supply chain going is pretty important to most businesses.

Films make most of their money very shortly after their release, by being on a really big screen for a limited amount of time.

Exactly. Nobody in cinemas means no income from cinemas. I've no idea what the alternative is but they need to come up with one fairly sharpish.

 

[Orang Utan]

I reckon busting for a piss is far more distracting a cat walking past.

i rarely bust for a piss at the cinema as I don't drink before hand or rarely during.

 

[Saul Goodman]

i rarely bust for a piss at the cinema as I don't drink before hand or rarely during.

Remove all possibility by watching it at home.

 

[Orang Utan]

Remove all possibility by watching it at home.

as i said, it's not the same as watching on a big screen with good sound with an audience and it holds one's attention better than home with all of its distractions.

 

[editor]

*title updated

 

[Elpenor]

I was going to my local Vue every week or so with my ex, free tickets from their Vitality healthcare thing. £5.99 if I had to pay, it made for a night out for under a tenner and I saw some decent films I wouldn't have got to otherwise. The only time it was an unpleasant experience when I went to a film popular with "young people", otherwise I was often the youngest in the room.

However I can't see me going as often on my own or without the free tickets. Certainly not until everything has settled down, and due to the issue of being off work as I'm a contractor and don't get sick pay.

 

[Orang Utan]

Odeon are scaling back too and only opening at weekends in some cinemas:

Odeon to open weekends-only at some cinemas

The firm will open a quarter of its theatres from Friday to Sunday, but declined to comment on jobs.

www.bbc.co.uk