Drive-in theaters were something of a regional and seasonal backwater until the pandemic made watching entertainment from inside a car cool again. Instances where drive-in initiatives attract throngs of consumers gives hope that cinema will snap back once the coronavirus disappears. Music concerts and esports video game competitions have even embraced the outdoor drive-in … [Read more...] about Drive-in Theaters Come to Cinema Rescue
Colleges Plant Media Studies in Hollywood
More than a dozen out-of-state colleges and universities set up study-in-Los Angeles programs to plug their students directly into the Hollywood eco-system, says an article in the Los Angeles Business Journal. “These satellite campuses are expanding in size and in the scope of their studies,” says the weekly newspaper's article by Robert Marich, author of the book "Marketing … [Read more...] about Colleges Plant Media Studies in Hollywood
Swag Bags Overflowing in Awards Season
Swag bags full of loot for celebrities popped up across the Hollywood awards landscape. The Hollywood Reporter published a photo gallery presenting everything “from Pope slippers to 'The Irishman' wine.” At the Golden Globe Awards, 600 official gift bags for males and a like number for females -- whose contents are called “swag” in the vernacular. Contents include … [Read more...] about Swag Bags Overflowing in Awards Season
Cyberspace Hosts ‘Advertiser Unfriendly’ Spots
YouTube is selling advertising around its video streaming content that is raunchy, edgy and controversial—and the top prospect are R-rated movie marketers. Putting forward edgy content runs counter to a broad trend in online media like YouTube of stretching to provide image-conscious advertisers non-controversial content environments. “YouTube wants to help creators who … [Read more...] about Cyberspace Hosts ‘Advertiser Unfriendly’ Spots
‘Joker’ Trailer Presses Violence Buttons
Movie marketers aim to create marketing messages that elicit an emotional response from consumers, and “Joker” takes this notion to an extreme. A new trailer projecting film violence created a real-world uproar of worries that the Warner Bros. comic book adaptation of “Joker” will trigger unbalanced people to acts of mayhem. A New York Post story (see below) quotes … [Read more...] about ‘Joker’ Trailer Presses Violence Buttons
Theater Giant AMC Mounts Indie Effort
Indie films aimed at audiences with sophisticated tastes get a hand from the second largest U.S. theater circuit with AMC Artisan Films. Movie theater chain AMC Entertainment promises to “program specialized movies consistently in select locations throughout the United States, providing what the company terms ‘consistent and convenient showtimes’ for the works,” writes … [Read more...] about Theater Giant AMC Mounts Indie Effort
Dine-in Cinema Expands from Niche
Dine-in movie theaters have become a force, emerging from a niche, as some pure in-cinema eating/drinking chains now rank as leading circuits, notes a Fast Company article by Patrick J. Sauer. Plush seating, intimate auditoriums and at-your-seat service are basic for the category, and the Fast Company magazine article notes that “truffle popcorn can be paired with something … [Read more...] about Dine-in Cinema Expands from Niche
New ‘Star Wars’ Prepares 20 Book Tie-ins
Walt Disney Studios arranged for a whopping 20 book tie-ins to the last installment of the “Star Wars” saga. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is scheduled to premiere Dec. 20 and is not yet rated, but expect a PG-13/Parental Guidance for ages under 13 as the audience classification. “While these titles will include some hints and Easter eggs for the new film, the majority … [Read more...] about New ‘Star Wars’ Prepares 20 Book Tie-ins
New Projection Technology Propels Cinema
Movie theaters are getting a slew of technological advances in projection to "wow" audiences. The MX4D full motion cinema chairs spray water, drop snow from the ceiling and move seated moviegoers around as if they were in the film. Other tech innovations are big-screen THX Ultimate Cinema, panoramic 270-degree cinematic format 4DPLEX, 4DPLEX with Screen X panoramic, and 120 … [Read more...] about New Projection Technology Propels Cinema
Fox Marketing Disbanded Following Disney Buy
Walt Disney Co. dismantled the 20th Century Fox theatrical marketing arm in terms of executives, as part of a large staff cut following its recent $71 billion acquisition of the Fox Studio. That big shakeup ended a period of relative calm in the executive suites of Hollywood’s theatrical movie marketing. Another development is MGM, which is building a theatrical … [Read more...] about Fox Marketing Disbanded Following Disney Buy