Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: ACNielson/EDI Calling for your nightly numbers

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Topic: ACNielson/EDI Calling for your nightly numbers

Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-15-2000 09:54 PM

at my old theatre Entertainment Data Inc. (AC Nielson) would call eveynight to get our numbers. I always enjoyed the call and would not hesitate to chat it up with the rep. Everyone at my theatre would crowd around to see what I would say. great ones were
"You know its my birthday..."
and
AC:Ok what about Dougs First Movie
Me:Oh S#!T I knew I forgot to start something GOD DAMN!!
AC:...[silence]... youre kidding right?
Me:Yup it only plays weekends

My question is that at my new theatre they told them not to call. I always though you had to do this. do all your theatres get these calls?

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Ken Layton
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1452
From: Olympia, Wash. USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 11-15-2000 10:04 PM

At the Skyline drive in, we tell those Entertainment Data guys to go to hell then hang up on 'em.

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-15-2000 10:09 PM

I usually tell them something like, "Oh! I'm just the repair man. Let me go get somebody else...."
Without saying another word I put them on hold and never come back.

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John Scott
Master Film Handler

Posts: 252
From: Oakdale, MN, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-16-2000 02:30 AM

We just fax in our grosses so we don't have to worry about getting that annoying call right in the middle of trying to do inventory and balancing out the cash for the day.

Now we only get called if we forget to fax things in for a day or two.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-16-2000 03:07 AM

My film booker said if you refuse to cooperate with EDI it sends a "red flag" to the film company. So we always cooperate.

I guess my question is, why not report your numbers? You have to report them on your BO reports anyway.

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 11-16-2000 04:31 AM

I used to work with an assistant manager who hated EDI so much that when they called at night, he would test them to see how long they would wait on hold. My favorite story of his was "oh shoot, hang on a couple of minutes ok? I'm in the basement and I've got to get up to the fifth floor where the paperwork is." He would then put the phone on hold for at least 10 minutes. He said the record was them holding for 20 minutes straight! Guess they really wanted those numbers.

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-16-2000 01:10 PM

When we opened we were unsure we should be reporting to EDI. Our booker told us that if we wanted to show the studios that we can gross we should report. So we do.

Because our gross is usually above average for a cinema in a town this size it has helped convince the studios to take a chance on us on films like Billy Elliot and Best in Show which have done very well. Because they have done well, may have turned a loosing year into a winning year.

While I don't appriciate them calling and sticking their nose in my business, I must admit that it has helped.

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-17-2000 12:47 AM

If you know your theatre number, you can call EDI yourself, when its convenient for you, rather than having them call and interrupt you in the middle of things. Every theatre has a theatre code and a call time. Move your call time back as late as possible and call when you are ready. It's a toll free call.

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Sean M. Grimes
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 247
From: Lunenburg, MA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-17-2000 05:17 PM

Or if you know your theater code you can just fax them. And that is also a toll free number. 1-800-347-0334. I have not talked to A.C. in about four months!!!!

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Dave Quincer
Film Handler

Posts: 3
From: Wadena, MN, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-18-2000 12:05 AM

I too find EDI to be an annoying nuisance but I cooperate with them so I don't have to call the studio gross lines every night. All the studios can get the grosses from EDI on a nightly basis so I make one phone call instead of 2 or 3.

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Mike Spaeth
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1129
From: Marietta, GA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-18-2000 04:31 AM

What's the big deal? It takes maybe 30 seconds to rattle off the list of grosses directly from the computer total screen.

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John Scott
Master Film Handler

Posts: 252
From: Oakdale, MN, USA
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 11-18-2000 09:59 AM

And it is even easier if you have your pin # and a fax machine to fax it to their 800#

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Scott D. Neff
Theatre Dork

Posts: 919
From: San Francisco, CA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 11-19-2000 11:54 AM

When I worked for Cinema West we would only report Buena Vista grosses to EDI.

The think the owner didn't like our competitors having such INSTANT access to our grosses - and that if they wanted them so badly... they'd call the film company.

But most of the callers were down right rude. We'd tell them we only report BV grosses and they would get snooty and insist that the guy last night gave all the grosses. I would usually tell them that as impossible... since I closed last night. ARGH -- WHAT do they need the grosses for so damn bad anyway?

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Jason Black
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1723
From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 11-21-2000 12:24 AM

This is my first post, so I may as well go aheda and voice my opinion on EDI. I look at it this way - I'm gonna be there for what, 1 minute or two longer if I give them to them? The main purpose of giving the gross out to EDI is NOT for your competitors best interest. I truly hope that those of you who mentioned that don't really think that's why they track numbers....Tracking numbers helps us all in the long run. It keeps good films in place another week and it also helps get the slower films out earlier. This benefits both the customer AND the theatre (company).

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