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Author Topic: Military based theaters. Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 03-18-2004 01:38 PM                     Besides my job at the theater, I am currently employed as a civilian employee on a military base. Its actually Naval Air Station Corpus Christi/Corpus Christi Army Depot. The base has an auditorium that used to be a movie theater, but I have not been able to go there and find info on it, such as equipment left there, expense records, and stuff like that. Do military based theaters do well? What I am asking is, would it be worth my time to try and open it again??  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-18-2004 01:47 PM                        The Army and Air Force theatres are run by AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service), which is the same organization which operates all of the on-base businesses (Base Exchange, shops, restaurants, etc.). I don't know how the Navy does things, but I think it's unlikely that you could run your own business on a base without going through miles of red tape (figuratively speaking). I've run a few shows at the Hanscom AFB theatre (see the pic gallery) when they were understaffed. They usually run three shows per week (Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night) and run each film only once. Programming is mostly mainstream/second-run fare. Prices are low and the audience seems to enjoy the programming. I suspect that the film program pays for itself, but isn't really a moneymaker. I'd be curious to hear if anyone else knows how this works at other bases.  |  IP: Logged Jim Alexander Film Handler Posts: 71 From: Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 03-18-2004 02:54 PM                        The theatre I operate use to be a Canadian Military Theatre. About 10 years ago, NPF (Canada's version of AAFES), got out of the movie business. Venturous theatre operators petitioned to reopen some of them while others remain closed to this day. Mine, and one in Gagetown are the only ones that I know of that are civilian run that are left. I have been operating this one for seven years now and it has been a equitable venture so far. The Military lets us do what we need and so long as we don't cause an uproar. We are not going to become rich off of it since it is mostly a second run theatre... joy of a single screen, but it pays the bills. We have even been able to share costs with the military for upgrades and what not. Thus far, it has worked quite well. I'm not sure how it would work on American Military bases, but if it is brought across to them that it is a benifit to the quality of life of their personnel, and how it will benifit the community, they should be quite approachable.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 03-18-2004 02:56 PM                     When I was in the Air Force I worked as a projectionist at a base theatre. It was my military assignment in addition to working as a radio announcer for AFRS. Back then the bases usually got the films before they were released to the general public and profit was not even a consideration. It was run as a service to personnel stationed at the base. As far as I know base theatres are still owned and operated by the military. I've never heard of a civilian contractor running a base theatre. But then my info is based on experiences I had before most of you were born.  |  IP: Logged Christian Appelt Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 505 From: Frankfurt, Germany Registered: Dec 2001 posted 03-18-2004 05:19 PM                     Did the US Army have such a thing as a "standard movie theatre" or were there great differences in the architecture? Here in Frankfurt/Germany we have a former US Army theatre which was transformed into an arthouse theatre in 1994. I like the room and screen size, seating was reduced from 350 to about 240. Since nothing of the original equipment remained when the Army gave it up, could anybody tell me what the usual equipment for such a theatre was (screen width was about 40 ft.) ?  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-18-2004 05:45 PM                     Having grown up on a number of Marine Corps bases (and a couple Navy ones too) I can say there isn't any "standard" military movie theater. Some are tiny and some are fairly large. I don't have the seating count on the Sheridan Theater aboard Fort Sill, but I'm pretty sure its screening room has more seats than any of the commercial screens in Lawton. No digital sound though. The Little Hall Theater in Quantico, VA (on the Marine Corps base there) is pretty large and has a balcony. I don't know if the balcony is still used. When I was in high school the managers would let us up there only once in awhile.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 03-18-2004 06:54 PM                        From the pictures Scott has posted, the theater here at Nellis AFB looks a lot like the one at Hanscom AFB. So maybe the USAF had some sort of standard design back when these places were built (late '60's to early '70's I assume). I've been in the Nellis one several times over the years for various briefings. It's a good old basic medium-sized sloped-floor theater, probably around 400 seats. I've never been in the booth, but I imagine it looks much like the pictures William Bunch has posted of his old AAFES theater in Japan.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 03-18-2004 07:52 PM                    I believe it is not uncommon for there to be private businesses leasing space within a PX / BX complex. I know there are several between the BX and commissary (one large building) at Great Lakes NTC. I don't know if it's ever been done with the movie theatres but it's possible. Don't know who to ask though.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-18-2004 09:09 PM                     With a few 'specialty-venue' exceptions, practically all AAFES theatres were based on the exact same floor plan and the dimensions were simply altered to adjust the physical size of the facility. All were equipped with 2 Simplex XL projectors on RCA soundheads set up for 2000' reel changeovers with 2000W LP & Associates or 1600W ORC lamphouses, had mono sound (some have upgraded to stereo or digital in the past 10 years) with JBL or Altec speakers and a curved screen. Movies were usually shown on weeknights, the auditorium being available during the day for military assemblies and meetings, and on the weekends there was sometimes a full matinee/evening schedule. The auditorium is also used for performing arts activities such as talent contests and USAF 'Tops In Blue' shows ... A typical film program at an AAFES facility consisted of the following: National Anthem trailer (you are required to stand when the anthem plays in an on-base theatre) 3-4 preview trailers AAFES policy trailer Feature film Double features are rare at base theatres. AAFES theatres (and I would assume Navy theatres as well) were primarily sub-run venues, usually getting the product about a month after the first-run locations got it. If there are multiplex theatres in the area of the base, it would probably not be a great idea to reopen the base theatre as product availability would be an issue for certain... -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Fuentes Mmmm, Dr. Pepper! Posts: 1168 From: Corpus Christi, TX United States Registered: Jan 2004 posted 03-21-2004 12:24 AM                     Thanks for the info guys. Sorry it took so long for a response, been busy working. Anyways, I emailed the AAFES on Thursday, but have not gotten a response yet. If they have responded, then I will get it on Monday, since I called in sick Friday to do some work with the tech at the theater. I will post the response that they gave me, hopefully I can get somewhere with this. Thanks again.  |  IP: Logged Adam Wilbert Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 590 From: Bellingham, WA, USA Registered: Mar 2002 posted 03-21-2004 03:19 PM                        The theatre at Whidbey NAS, Washington, frequently shows free showings of first-run movies with military themes before they are released to the general public. I have not been there, but I know they have recently upgraded their sound system to SRD, and seat about 500 people. Hot dogs and popcorn/soda are usually complimentary, or else, cost a dollar or two. This is a disaster for the local, independent cinema that I used to work for that simply tries to keep it's head above water. When half of the town goes to the movie for free on base, who would visit the independant a week later? Keep this in mind, when opening the base theatre, how it will affect the local theatre, if there is one. I thought the military couldn't do anything that would jeopardize local business, but I know the owner of the local company has been fighting this for years. -Adam  |  IP: Logged Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-21-2004 05:38 PM                        The local Trident sub base has a theatre that's run by the Navy's Morale, Welfare, & Recreation department. They've got a pretty decent mix of recent sub-run to early-video selections. From what I hear, they do reasonably decent trade.  |  IP: Logged Don Sneed Master Film Handler Posts: 451 From: Texas City, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2001 posted 03-24-2004 09:26 PM                        I service the Navy base in Asgui Japan near Tokyo, loved going to the single screen theatre with bacony, Strong proj & sound heads, two proj operation, no automation, strong consoles, Dolby CP-500, QSC amps...it was across the street from McDonald's, Taco Bell, Popeye Chicken, ect...I was in haven eating American food, especially when only eating Japanese food for 3-4 months...I welcome site to go to  |  IP: Logged Jim Bedford Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 597 From: Telluride, CO, USA (733 mi. WNW of Rockwall, TX but it seems much, much longer) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-26-2004 05:27 PM                        Gad! Base theatres tweak my memory. I grew up as an Air Force service brat and base theatres are where I cut my teeth in movies. I saw "Giant" at the base theatre in Oberammergau, Germany, and "Vertigo" at the base theatre in Bagnoli (near Naples), Italy, in the late 50's. The base theatre at South Post at Fort Belvoir was my home on many a weekend evening during the late 50's and early 60's. The shows overseas were five and ten cents, depending whether they were older film or new releases. Back in the states they were a quarter. So what I lost at the movies wasn't a fortune. I hear there are very few 35mm base theatres left as most screenings are tape or DVD on a TV screen. I'm still big, it's the pictures that have gotten small......  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 06-22-2009 01:11 AM                 It has been 1913 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged

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