2011 Movie Attendance the Lowest in 16 Years

[randomrogue]

You should get a 50% coupon for the Blu Ray disc, if you go and see the movie in the theatre and buy at least two tickets.

They start doing that and I'll start going to the theatre again.

Not a bad idea.

They might also want to consider a money back guarantee before the movie is half over just in case it's bad. A few movies have been so horrible I wish I could get my money back. Only one we did. Battlefield Earth. EVERYONE went out so the manager had no choice.

 

[RPD]

For me its a combination of not having any desire to see 90% of the movies that come out, dealing with the massive crowds and on top of it all they are horribly over priced for tickets. It's insane what they are asking for a single viewing now.

 

[Imp]

You should get a 50% coupon for the Blu Ray disc, if you go and see the movie in the theatre and buy at least two tickets.

They start doing that and I'll start going to the theatre again.

Psh... why would they?

With how terribad some movies perform, the studios need the DVD/Bluray sales to actually turn a profit. I don't see why they would cut out another revenue stream, especially when some (many?) people have no problem buying new release DVDs/Blurays at full price (double-dipping!) - many of which may buy them because they loved it so much at the theatre.

 

[StrangerGuy]

I got 286 hours alone in Killing Floor for like...10 bucks? Thats 28.6 hours/$.

What's the entertainment hours to dollar ratio of a movie? ~0.25 over here. You US dudes gonna have it even lower.

 

[ImpulsE69]

We have a place near us that runs movies that have been out for awhile (other theatres quit showing). They charge $5 for the movies and food/drink are about half what other places charge. It's very low key, but if you can wait, it's a great place to see a movie. On occasion they'll show the bigger anticipated movies for $8.50.

That being said, we used to love going to the theater, but time just doesn't allow it these days. New huge entertainment system and no more reason to go to the theater. The theater these days is pretty much just a place for the kids to get away from the parents and if you're impatient and want to see a show as soon as it comes out.

We also have one of the last drive-ins in our town. That is still fun to do on occasion and is fairly cheap. Unfortunately, to draw the biggest crowd they tend to play double features of kids movies so we don't go too often.

 

[PingSpike]

Hollywood has always made tons of garbage movies. There do seem to be to many sequels and reboots (man, didn't the original spiderman only come out like 8 years ago?) but I doubt that has much to do with it. And I'm over the 3D thing. I'm not interested in paying extra for that, it adds nothing to me.

Honestly, I hate going to movies at the theater because the experience is just awful. They're expensive but that isn't why. Its the fucking cellphones. People have always been annoying in the theaters and I am less tolerate of it now because I'm old...but this texting and a million distracting glowing screens thing is a new low. And it isn't going away, its just going to be like that from now on. It'll probably get worse.

And you know what? There's no reason to put up with it. I have so many entertainment options at home, so many movies I have no time to watch already and the theater to DVD lag has gotten so short that there isn't any reason to go. Let all the teenagers who don't know any better and rude 20 somethings who should all pay $12 to go sit in a dark room and text each other for 2 hours or whatever. I don't give a shit.

Now I only even thing of going to the theater if there is a movie I want to watch that is a big budget visual spectacular that benefits from the theater. There's maybe 2 of those a year for me. I end up watching a few more than that of course. Comedies and dramas aren't worth watching there period. If its a questionable action movie I'll just watch it on DVD or netflix.

 

[Anubis]

So are you excited about smurfs 2?

nope

POTA however looked at least worth a rent or a cheap ticket

 

[Franz316]

Terrible movies + too costly = less people in theaters.

Seriously, who wants to go see Final Destination 8 and Shrek 6.

 

[ImpulsE69]

Terrible movies + too costly = less people in theaters.

Seriously, who wants to go see Final Destination 8 and Shrek 6.

I have to admit...I loved Final Destination 5. It was better than 2,3,4. People DO want to see them, they just dont want to see them bad enough to go to the theater when it is so much easier to rent etc. I know I didn't.

 

[vi edit]

It's a lot like the problems with healthcare in the US....an endless pile of reasons that all add up to a bad situation. There's no single thing that can be fixed to correct the problem. It's systemic and at this point can only evolve to the consumer.

One direction I think studios could go is some sort of a direct attack on netflix. Consider it a premium streaming service. Rental is a lame duck IMHO. You'll get some people wanting to spend $5 or more on an HD rental of a single movie, but many more people would rather spend $15 or $20 for carte blanche access to an entire library.

If the studios could somehow get their act together to offer a simple, non-clunky, reasonably priced on-demand access to their libraries with one pricing tier being "older" stuff, say a year or more older and then a high end bracket with access to "day one" and recent movies then I think they'll have a hit.

That's what is holding Netflix back from crushing the industry right now. It's limited access to recent, popular films.

The movie industry has to accept that entertainment and where people choose to do it is changing. People have far more access to things now than they did even 10 years. They have far more things now to steal their time away. Facebook, video games, netflix, reasonably priced large screen televisions, ect. All of these things are working against the theatre industry. But many of them are still working for the "movie" industry overall.

The studios have to accept that attendance at theaters is going to diminish. It's just the way things are going. It's getting too expensive, too big of a hassle, and people have much better viewing experiences at home now than they ever have.

If they want that money they need to figure out a way to collect on it direct from the consumer rather than waiting for them to pay Blockbuster, Walmart, Amazon, Redbox or Netflix for it once it hits rental or retail.

 

[conehead433]

I went to my first movie in a couple of years (MI4) basically because of lack of interest in the movies shown. I'll usually wait and sit on my fat behind and watch the DVD or Blu-ray at home. They want way too much money for tickets, popcorn, and Coke. I won't give a rat's behind when studios and Hollywood stars take a cut in their pay.

 

[conehead433]

It's a lot like the problems with healthcare in the US....an endless pile of reasons that all add up to a bad situation. There's no single thing that can be fixed to correct the problem. It's systemic and at this point can only evolve to the consumer.

One direction I think studios could go is some sort of a direct attack on netflix. Consider it a premium streaming service. Rental is a lame duck IMHO. You'll get some people wanting to spend $5 or more on an HD rental of a single movie, but many more people would rather spend $15 or $20 for carte blanche access to an entire library.

If the studios could somehow get their act together to offer a simple, non-clunky, reasonably priced on-demand access to their libraries with one pricing tier being "older" stuff, say a year or more older and then a high end bracket with access to "day one" and recent movies then I think they'll have a hit.

That's what is holding Netflix back from crushing the industry right now. It's limited access to recent, popular films.

The movie industry has to accept that entertainment and where people choose to do it is changing. People have far more access to things now than they did even 10 years. They have far more things now to steal their time away. Facebook, video games, netflix, reasonably priced large screen televisions, ect. All of these things are working against the theatre industry. But many of them are still working for the "movie" industry overall.

The studios have to accept that attendance at theaters is going to diminish. It's just the way things are going. It's getting too expensive, too big of a hassle, and people have much better viewing experiences at home now than they ever have.

If they want that money they need to figure out a way to collect on it direct from the consumer rather than waiting for them to pay Blockbuster, Walmart, Amazon, Redbox or Netflix for it once it hits rental or retail.

I don't think Netflix will be cutting into the major studios income anytime soon due to their delay of availability when discs are released, and to their major fupar of trying to raise their prices by 60% on subscribers. I for one have cancelled their service altogether and and may never resubscribe.

 

[K1052]

The studios would be fine with using 3rd parties to distribute digitally, they just haven't gotten together to figure out what that should actually look like. Given the general lack of organization between studios, rampant paranoia, and a paralyzing fear of somehow loosing a dime I don't expect that will happen for some time.

 

[vi edit]

The studios would be fine with using 3rd parties to distribute digitally, they just haven't gotten together to figure out what that should actually look like. Given the general lack of organization between studios, rampant paranoia, and a paralyzing fear of somehow loosing a dime I don't expect that will happen for some time.

That's just the thing...I love movies. I love theaters. I love the experience. But I loathe the industry and the power brokers that run it. It's the same thing with the RIAA and the Music industry. They can just not come to grips with the current era of technology, how people want to use their products, and how to distribute it without a lot of drama.

 

[K1052]

That's just the thing...I love movies. I love theaters. I love the experience. But I loathe the industry and the power brokers that run it. It's the same thing with the RIAA and the Music industry. They can just not come to grips with the current era of technology, how people want to use their products, and how to distribute it without a lot of drama.

In companies largely run by old guys who didn't grow up with computers and the ever increasing access to media at will it's like taking a dump on the middle of the conference table if you suggested something like that 5 years ago. Studios have been spending years dicking around with premium VOD via declining services of mediocre titles for exorbitant costs without acknowledging the realities of what the consumer wants or that their theatrical outlets would not just roll over and get screwed without a word (they weren't cut in on any revenue).

I've done an internal Picard facepalm more times than I care to remember on this very topic.

 

[chowderhead]

1.2 billion tickets is still a lot of the market. That means the movie industry sold almost 4 tickets for each person in the US. The studios then also get axillary sales from DVDs/blu-rays, etc. I mean the Disney model is basically making movies to advertise for their toys/video games/axillary products. Others will adapt or go out of business.

 

[K1052]

1.2 billion tickets is still a lot of the market. That means the movie industry sold almost 4 tickets for each person in the US. The studios then also get axillary sales from DVDs/blu-rays, etc. I mean the Disney model is basically making movies to advertise for their toys/video games/axillary products. Others will adapt or go out of business.

Attendance has been relatively flat over the last 10ish years (with fluctuations based on film popularity). When looked at against the backdrop of an increasing population that means you're loosing market share.

The Disney model isn't easily replicated for a large number of reasons I won't go into. If it was others would have by now.

 

[chowderhead]

I am sure that the music or network television industries would LOVE flat market shares over the last ten years. Instead, network television ratings and music sales have plummeted. Entertainment options have exploded over the years. People have a lot more choices for their entertainment dollars. Movie studios/movie theater chains need to adapt or go the way of blockbuster.

 

[K1052]

I am sure that the music or network television industries would LOVE flat market shares over the last ten years. Instead, network television ratings and music sales have plummeted. Entertainment options have exploded over the years. People have a lot more choices for their entertainment dollars. Movie studios/movie theater chains need to adapt or go the way of blockbuster.

Also mature industries that suffer some similar issues. The music industry was always the most susceptible because of it's format.

 

[Aharami]

Tickets and concessions are too expensive. I should be able to treat my family to a movie and popcorn for $20, total.

Or, I can spend $2 at Redbox and watch it on my 200" projection screen courtesy of my Epson 8350 and can pause it for bathroom breaks. Not much of a toss up.

yep. Ever since I built my home theater, the only time I go the movies is when I get one of those livingsocial or groupon movie ticket deals

 

[SP33Demon]

Vudu and Amazon on Demand = death knell for theaters. Why the fck would I spend $12 to see it on a shtty screen with shtty people around me playing on their cell phones when I can buy the HDX version for $15 or rent it for 2 days @$2-5 streaming?

 

[DrPizza]

I didn't see this mentioned in the thread earlier, but I thought that movie theater attendance was interesting in terms of minimum wage. When I was a kid, minimum wage for 1 hour of work was more than the cost of a movie ticket. Now, minimum wage is significantly less than the price of a movie ticket.

Likewise, I started thinking about the cost of popcorn. As a kid, spending my hard earned money from my paper route, and later, minimum wage work in a kitchen, I cannot remember balking at the price of popcorn. A bag of popcorn and a soda certainly didn't approach the cost of the ticket back then, or at least I didn't think it did. So, I did a little research - seems my memory is just fine. I think tickets were about $3 back then, and popcorn and soda around 50 cents each. So, I researched it to see if my memory served me correctly; it did.

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-rise-of-movie-theater-popcorn-prices-over-the-last-80-years/

Popcorn has far outpaced inflation. Ditto movie ticket prices. It would seem that as a percentage of a middle class family's income, the cost for a family of four to attend one movie, including refreshments, has significantly increased. Is it any wonder then that the amount of trips to the theater has dropped? Especially last year, given the economy??


And lastly, the movie companies are simply playing that kids' game: Lemonade Stand - figuring out what level to set the prices for maximum profit; not for maximum viewership of their movies. If they're claiming incredulity at falling viewership, they're not being genuine. It's a numbers game - raise prices, lose some viewers, but make more profit. And, given that a lot of movies are steaming piles of crap that the movie companies know people will flock to regardless, simply because of who is starring in it (face it; someone out there must like Nicolas Cage movies), or the title of the movie.

 

[0roo0roo]

Well the price of higher education has an even more perversely high rate of increase than popcorn I'm sure, and unlike popcorn, it isn't discretionary spending. Combine that and you have less buying power, gut the middle class, what do you expect.

 

[vi edit]

And lastly, the movie companies are simply playing that kids' game: Lemonade Stand - figuring out what level to set the prices for maximum profit; not for maximum viewership of their movies. If they're claiming incredulity at falling viewership, they're not being genuine. It's a numbers game - raise prices, lose some viewers, but make more profit. And, given that a lot of movies are steaming piles of crap that the movie companies know people will flock to regardless, simply because of who is starring in it (face it; someone out there must like Nicolas Cage movies), or the title of the movie.

Heh, one thought I had was charge ticket prices based on the actual production cost of the movie. So if a movie cost 20 million to make, charge $2 a head for it. If it cost $100 million to make, charge $10 a ticket. Let the quality and production costs of movies sort themselves out.

I'm just throwing out random numbers. But the idea is the same. Almost every other industry that produces a "good" for consumers to buy has some impact in overall price based upon it's production costs. Movies don't. For the most part. A theatre charges the same exact ticket price for a $2 or $5 million self produced low budget flick as it does a $200 million dollar blockbuster.

Maybe that's what is flawed with the industry.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Popcorn has far outpaced inflation.

Thanks for doing the research on this. It's one of those things that always nagged at me a little bit but I never really looked into it since I just don't buy the stuff anymore.