So.. I want to run an independant cinema
Discussion
Any ideas where i would start?
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
TimDarracott said:
Any ideas where i would start?
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
Sorry to sound so harsh but if you can't even estimate your own overheads how on earth do you expect to run a business?
I'm trying to find out figures to estimate overheads.
I have no idea how much it costs to screen a film, do you? Thats the information i am asking, not business advice.
I researched for 30 minutes this morning when i arrived at work, there are thousands of people visit these forums every day, a few may have researched this topic before therefore they may be able to answer my question.
Unless you can answer my question, please keep your comments to yourself.
Regards
I have no idea how much it costs to screen a film, do you? Thats the information i am asking, not business advice.
I researched for 30 minutes this morning when i arrived at work, there are thousands of people visit these forums every day, a few may have researched this topic before therefore they may be able to answer my question.
Unless you can answer my question, please keep your comments to yourself.
Regards
TimDarracott said:
I'm trying to find out figures to estimate overheads.
I have no idea how much it costs to screen a film, do you? Thats the information i am asking, not business advice.
I researched for 30 minutes this morning when i arrived at work, there are thousands of people visit these forums every day, a few may have researched this topic before therefore they may be able to answer my question.
Unless you can answer my question, please keep your comments to yourself.
Regards
I have no idea how much it costs to screen a film, do you? Thats the information i am asking, not business advice.
I researched for 30 minutes this morning when i arrived at work, there are thousands of people visit these forums every day, a few may have researched this topic before therefore they may be able to answer my question.
Unless you can answer my question, please keep your comments to yourself.
Regards
TimDarracott said:
Any ideas where i would start?
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
I've done a limited amount of searching on the internet, but can't seem to find any useful information.
For example, you want to screen the new Bond film, how much would that cost you to do?
AV Equipment, Seating, Location a-side. To screen a film to the paying general public, do the owners take a percentage of the ticket price, do you pay a flat fee for the film?
Any help appreciated.
Regards
Tim
Well a cinema is just a big room with seats, so that's one part of it.
There will be a % of ticket price to show a film I'd guess as if it was a flat fee then cinemas wouldn't show films unless at least x seats got filled. I've been in cinemas in the past and the number of people in has been in single digits (strategically timed to avoid the crowds
) To compete with the big boys on the latest films would be incredibly difficult I think, it may not be possible to get the latest films at all, otherwise every man and his dog may be at it?
Assume that the physical films have a relative high cost, so unless you have lots of seats - it wouldn't be feasible ?
Best to start with smaller independant film distributors and see if they could point you in the right direction ?
http://britinfo.net/cinema/ldistribut
Edited by RichardD on Monday 20th November 11:33
"AV Equipment, Seating, Location ""a-side""
I wasn't trying to calculate how much it cost for the above, hence keyword a-side.
All i am trying to accertain are the costs involved with a public showing of a film, and used bond as an example.
Cheers Richard.
To get one thing straight this is simply a eureka kind of an idea, not something i am about to embark on. Or have put much thourght into doing so.
I wasn't trying to calculate how much it cost for the above, hence keyword a-side.
All i am trying to accertain are the costs involved with a public showing of a film, and used bond as an example.
Cheers Richard.
To get one thing straight this is simply a eureka kind of an idea, not something i am about to embark on. Or have put much thourght into doing so.
I install high end private cinemas in residential homes.
From that end of the market, a commercial cinema I would expect to be a large capital exercise in terms of build/refurbishment before you're into paying the very large sums for reel rental of the actual films. For instance a Casino Royale reel I would expect to be in the order of six figures alone.
From that end of the market, a commercial cinema I would expect to be a large capital exercise in terms of build/refurbishment before you're into paying the very large sums for reel rental of the actual films. For instance a Casino Royale reel I would expect to be in the order of six figures alone.
I know a small amount about this as my father when retired orked as a projectionist in the local independent cinema......until it closed down <---see where I'm going here.
So you have old style reel projectors, big cake stands, etc and the new digital, dolby, do dah projectors.
You tend to pay an amount then a percentage of ticket sales. The percentage depends on when the film was released. If you want a preview screening and open on the day of release, then it's a whooping %, if you want Rocky I or II it won't be so much.
Oh and sell lots of popcorn, it has the highest % profit of anything on this planet...seriously!
So you have old style reel projectors, big cake stands, etc and the new digital, dolby, do dah projectors.
You tend to pay an amount then a percentage of ticket sales. The percentage depends on when the film was released. If you want a preview screening and open on the day of release, then it's a whooping %, if you want Rocky I or II it won't be so much.
Oh and sell lots of popcorn, it has the highest % profit of anything on this planet...seriously!
The way the UK cinema 'industry' works is that the distributor takes between 25-28% of box office revenue, with the cinema retaining the remainder. However, for major releases (read LOTR, Star Wars, Bond etc) you'll usually find the distributor takes 50%.
The real key to where the money is going is a formula called the NUT Figure. This is the amount of tickets an individual screen needs to sell before it can break even on a film. Every screen in the country has its own NUT figure (breaking even in distribution circles is called 'breaking the NUT'). Once the NUT figure has been reached (or broken), then the distributor's share of each ticket sold will go up to 50%. However, an earlier poster raised the problem is this area....the independent. Its virtually impossible for them to make a living nowadays. The big chains have tied in deals with distributors so tightly that they'll not even think of Mr Smith with his new cinema in the small village of 'whogivesapooville'. They don't care. Its about profit and the profit isn't in a small cinema which can't afford to pay the 50% of ticket sales back to them.
The same applies for food stuffs - you'll find it very difficult to get anyone to supply you with the gear you'd associate with a cinema these days, because they're all tied in with major chains.
I admire the enthusiasm for an independent - but its a surefire way to bankruptcy or showing films 6 months after they've been seen everywhere else....(which is what the distributors will offer you).
In this scenario it really is a case of looking at your local city/town/village and counting the number of small cinemas.....it tells its own tale.
p.s. I forgot to say that the major distributors recently changed the format they provide the film on too - putting more cinemas out of business. You'd need to invest in the region of £80,000 to £140,000 for a single screen projection unit now...to even show the movie. Once the format changed most of the remaining cinemas couldn't afford the new equipment...and shut.
The real key to where the money is going is a formula called the NUT Figure. This is the amount of tickets an individual screen needs to sell before it can break even on a film. Every screen in the country has its own NUT figure (breaking even in distribution circles is called 'breaking the NUT'). Once the NUT figure has been reached (or broken), then the distributor's share of each ticket sold will go up to 50%. However, an earlier poster raised the problem is this area....the independent. Its virtually impossible for them to make a living nowadays. The big chains have tied in deals with distributors so tightly that they'll not even think of Mr Smith with his new cinema in the small village of 'whogivesapooville'. They don't care. Its about profit and the profit isn't in a small cinema which can't afford to pay the 50% of ticket sales back to them.
The same applies for food stuffs - you'll find it very difficult to get anyone to supply you with the gear you'd associate with a cinema these days, because they're all tied in with major chains.
I admire the enthusiasm for an independent - but its a surefire way to bankruptcy or showing films 6 months after they've been seen everywhere else....(which is what the distributors will offer you).
In this scenario it really is a case of looking at your local city/town/village and counting the number of small cinemas.....it tells its own tale.
p.s. I forgot to say that the major distributors recently changed the format they provide the film on too - putting more cinemas out of business. You'd need to invest in the region of £80,000 to £140,000 for a single screen projection unit now...to even show the movie. Once the format changed most of the remaining cinemas couldn't afford the new equipment...and shut.
Edited by TSNsMrMe on Monday 20th November 14:29
Edited by TSNsMrMe on Monday 20th November 14:30
Cheers!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
TimDarracott said:
Cheers!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
Tim, this place sounds ike its your sort of place : www.rexcinemaandbar.com/
IIRC it started as only a cinema, but have obviously had to branch out to cover costs..
TimDarracott said:
Cheers!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
funnily enough, I was going to post earlier saying that it would be great if you could start up a chain of chav-children-and-mobile-phone free cinema's, if only on certain days.
The wife loves the cinema, I used to as well, but I just don't go now as I can't see the point in spending £16 to sit and have popcorn thrown at me, kids running around my feet and chavs playing mobile ping-pong. I'd rather wait 6 months and watch it on a large TV from the comfort of a nice leather recliner!!!
www.plazacinema.org.uk/pages/history.htm
This is my local community cinema. Have a look on the cinema history page about how much they spent and where they got funding etc. They also have a couple of charity shops and it's mainly staffed by volunteers. However, it's a lovely (but tired) building and show all the current stuff as well as classic nights etc. Bond was out the same time as the Odeon and about £1.50 per ticket cheaper.
This is my local community cinema. Have a look on the cinema history page about how much they spent and where they got funding etc. They also have a couple of charity shops and it's mainly staffed by volunteers. However, it's a lovely (but tired) building and show all the current stuff as well as classic nights etc. Bond was out the same time as the Odeon and about £1.50 per ticket cheaper.
Davi said:
TimDarracott said:
Cheers!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
As the VIP box had sold out for Bond last night we sat in the main seating area, and after experiencing people reading text messages, throwing confectionary, a couple of people chatting, etc.
I wondered why there werent many executive cinemas and if there was a market for them, but reading your replies, unless your a cineworld, vue, odeon you don't stand a chance.
Ta!
funnily enough, I was going to post earlier saying that it would be great if you could start up a chain of chav-children-and-mobile-phone free cinema's, if only on certain days.
The wife loves the cinema, I used to as well, but I just don't go now as I can't see the point in spending £16 to sit and have popcorn thrown at me, kids running around my feet and chavs playing mobile ping-pong. I'd rather wait 6 months and watch it on a large TV from the comfort of a nice leather recliner!!!
This is why I bought a big boy 50" HD Plasma. Eventually I'll add surroundsound etc. I'll certainly look at that when I (finally) add in the HD-DVD player.
Watch the movie of your choice. No stink of popcorn. No texting by teenagers. No talking. No chavs. No stinking tramp next to you. No "sticky" floor to walk over. You can pause the movie when you want to have a slash. You're allowed to drink beer during the film - and pause the movie when you want a refill. In fact - the wife might even bring one from the fridge if you ask nicely when she gets up to get a cup of tea/glass of wine.
No contest. Its nicer at home.
The only problem is that I'd really like a nice night out. I'm not one for the theatre - but I want the theatre experience. Drinks beforehand, then the movie, then on to dinner before the taxi home. Nice.
But its just not possible anymore. Every year or two - the wife and I brave the local cinema hoping to find a showing when the chavs don't want to attend. Then we are reminded what its like - and its back to the big boy TV for another year. Or two.
randlemarcus said:
Tim, this place sounds ike its your sort of place : www.rexcinemaandbar.com/
IIRC it started as only a cinema, but have obviously had to branch out to cover costs..
The place looks fantastic. I'm surprised they only charge £250 a year for membership! If you went once a month and took the Missus it makes seat prices look OK...
yeah sounds very familiar - as you say it's the night out you want to go for from time to time.
Last time we went, after 20 minutes of missing the film due to the chavs laughing (wasn't a comedy!), shouting at each other and using their phones as light sabres, we asked the nearest employee to do something about it. They walked in, asked the people to be quiet, were told to F off, they responded with "oh" and did just that!!!
We asked for a refund, were given vouchers to return F.O.C. They went in the bin.
Last time we went, after 20 minutes of missing the film due to the chavs laughing (wasn't a comedy!), shouting at each other and using their phones as light sabres, we asked the nearest employee to do something about it. They walked in, asked the people to be quiet, were told to F off, they responded with "oh" and did just that!!!
We asked for a refund, were given vouchers to return F.O.C. They went in the bin.
TimDarracott said:
Sounds like there is a market for it then..
My idea was to charge a premium, i know i would pay extra for a lounger to sit in, quiet mature audiences, etc.
Perhaps i'll forward my idea onto the leading players in the cinema industry and hopefully they can do something locally
My idea was to charge a premium, i know i would pay extra for a lounger to sit in, quiet mature audiences, etc.
Perhaps i'll forward my idea onto the leading players in the cinema industry and hopefully they can do something locally
I'd also have a look at the "Screen on the " chain. Maida Vale/Hampstead area, used to have lovely big leather seats and charge about 75% over Odeon prices. Yes, there is a market, but its a fairly small and select one. I suspect that the Rex survives as its has an awful lot of over subscription, and will also fund itself by hiring out as a preview house to the distributors. You need a fair few income streams these days, but carry on looking.
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