Speaking at CineEurope, Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of Dreamworks Animation, stated what we all know. 3D is gimmicky and used poorly while movie goers really prefer bigger screens, per Variety. I couldn't agree more.
I have always found 3D movies distracting, even when done on films like Avatar. The glasses used are uncomfortable and the screen is more likely to strain the eyes then produce a better picture. Instead, theater owners that have spent capital improvement on bigger screens, better seats in a stadium style arrangement, and a superior audio experience, have hopefully found consumers coming back again and again.
At the same time, the price point used to buy a seat must remain reasonable, especially for a family outing. If you price too high, these customers will find their home theater experience more than adequate. Recently, I took our family of 4 to the movies. Using Flixster, we bought the film, theater time and exact seats. When we got to the movies, we only had to wait to pick up the printed copies. No waiting in lines, no wondering if the movie was sold out or if we would find seats together. At the same time, the cost for tickets, including the Flixster fee, exceed $50. Add a stop at the refreshment stand and many families will be using their entire monthly entertainment budget.
Some movie houses have added more dinner options to encourage consumer spending, others have arcade areas to catch a few quarters more. Ads before the movies adds more revenues. One ad especially caught our attention. It was for a production of One Man, Two Guvnors that had been filmed during its Broadway run and would be run in the theater. An interesting way to add more options to what a movie screen can deliver. As for the movie industry, continue to build a better destination experience, especially inside the auditorium and movie lovers will continue to return.
