Theater Owners Plan to Spend $2.2 Billion to Modernize and Upgrade

[Bobby Henderson]

The less AMC's there are in the world, the better off everyone will be.

If the one operational multiplex we have in our city closes that would leave us with just one theater screen: the old Vaska theater. It only operates part time. The old theater doesn't even have any surround speakers. The audio is just whatever there is behind the screen.

Very few new movies are worth it to me to spend money on gasoline and tolls to drive up to the Oklahoma City metro to watch a show there. It has been at least a few years since I've bought any new movies on Blu-ray. The home video market is a mere shadow of its former self.

I can remember a lot of movies from the 1990's and 2000's era, even movies that weren't hits. There are hundreds of movies released within the past 10 years I've forgotten about completely. All of them are in the deep voids of the streaming service user interface. Row after row after row of random crap. It's not easy to find a show I actually want to watch. My point is with a lot of movies released in the current era if I don't see that movie at a theater I might never watch it at all. Movie industry executives really need to think about that point big time.

[Lyle Romer]

If the one operational multiplex we have in our city closes that would leave us with just one theater screen: the old Vaska theater. It only operates part time. The old theater doesn't even have any surround speakers. The audio is just whatever there is behind the screen.

Very few new movies are worth it to me to spend money on gasoline and tolls to drive up to the Oklahoma City metro to watch a show there. It has been at least a few years since I've bought any new movies on Blu-ray. The home video market is a mere shadow of its former self.

I can remember a lot of movies from the 1990's and 2000's era, even movies that weren't hits. There are hundreds of movies released within the past 10 years I've forgotten about completely. All of them are in the deep voids of the streaming service user interface. Row after row after row of random crap. It's not easy to find a show I actually want to watch. My point is with a lot of movies released in the current era if I don't see that movie at a theater I might never watch it at all. Movie industry executives really need to think about that point big time.

If they abandon it then maybe you can get some investors together and operate it the right way.

[Ryan Gallagher]

that would leave us with just one theater screen: the old Vaska theater. It only operates part time. The old theater doesn't even have any surround speakers. The audio is just whatever there is behind the screen.

The Vaska looks like it has the potential to be charming... the community needs to get together to upgrade that one. All single screen houses are worth saving and using IMHO. They will be the last ones standing when the megaplexes all close. Looks like they got new seats and aisle lights not too long ago based on google images.

Is it currently a non-profit or a business?

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Bobby, I guess the Vaskas will have to be open more often...

[Bobby Henderson]

Is it currently a non-profit or a business?

AFAIK the Vaska is regular for-profit cinema. However they did have to do a lot of grass roots fund-raising in order to buy a digital projector. The theater had been closed previously because it could no longer get film prints to show.

A decent number of local citizens do support the theater. The place occasionally runs repertory screenings like Rocky Horror Picture Show. They sometimes set up a temporary drive-in within the parking lot on the West side of the theater. Shows are projected on a somewhat large white panel on the side of the building. They're trying to do a few things "outside of the box" to generate more local interest.

[Frank Angel]

Originally posted by Bobby Henderson
They're trying to do a few things "outside of the box" to generate more local interest.

Hey, did they consider Pickleball? Big audience draw they say.

[Terry Monohan]

The new remodel money won't be used for SHOWMANSHIP like waterfall curtains, color lighting, big curved screens ect. Probably just new seats and rugs. The screens will stay small along with the boring presentation.

[Leo Enticknap]

They probably cost a bit less than a new 4K Barco Laser projector that would adequately light up the same size screen

Having installed dozens of Barco 4K lasers and been part of a team that has installed four cinema LEDs so far, my guess would be that the price difference between replacing an early Series 2 projector and screen with a laser-illuminated projector and an anti-speckle screen that would do it justice, and replacing the projector and screen with a cinema LED, is roughly three to four times. Cinema LEDs are currently too expensive to be a viable replacement for projectors and screens in the mass market right now. High end niche is where they are going.

If a significant investment in movie theater pix and sound is to be made across the industry, I'd like to know where the techs will come from to do the installing. So many have left the industry since covid, and it is perceived to be an unattractive job by many potential new entrants. When I describe what my job involves, the most common reaction I get from friends, relatives, and customers (and especially those who work in other branches of the film industry) is that the combination of extensive training and knowledge, antisocial hours (getting up at 3a to be at a site and complete a service call before the theater's first show, being on call during weekends and holidays), very little working from home (averaged out, about a day every two weeks in my case), accepting the responsibility of lost shows and costly remedies if I make a mistake, etc. etc., their reaction is that they would be about as likely to want to become a cinema tech as they would to go on a date with Ted Bundy.

[Ryan Gallagher]

If a significant investment in movie theater pix and sound is to be made across the industry, I'd like to know where the techs will come from to do the installing. So many have left the industry since covid, and it is perceived to be an unattractive job by many potential new entrants. When I describe what my job involves, the most common reaction I get from friends, relatives, and customers (and especially those who work in other branches of the film industry) is that the combination of extensive training and knowledge, antisocial hours (getting up at 3a to be at a site and complete a service call before the theater's first show, being on call during weekends and holidays), very little working from home (averaged out, about a day every two weeks in my case), accepting the responsibility of lost shows and costly remedies if I make a mistake, etc. etc., their reaction is that they would be about as likely to want to become a cinema tech as they would to go on a date with Ted Bundy.

I was also contemplating that labor topic re simultaneously upgrading a bunch of rooms nationwide over a short time period. If they do pull it off with the existing base of dealers and installers/techs... it may be the last hurrah for that side of the industry, a dying breath if you will. But chances are shortages of everything including expertise will drag this process out long past their desired timeline.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Having installed dozens of Barco 4K lasers and been part of a team that has installed four cinema LEDs so far, my guess would be that the price difference between replacing an early Series 2 projector and screen with a laser-illuminated projector and an anti-speckle screen that would do it justice, and replacing the projector and screen with a cinema LED, is roughly three to four times. Cinema LEDs are currently too expensive to be a viable replacement for projectors and screens in the mass market right now. High end niche is where they are going.

If a significant investment in movie theater pix and sound is to be made across the industry, I'd like to know where the techs will come from to do the installing. So many have left the industry since covid, and it is perceived to be an unattractive job by many potential new entrants. When I describe what my job involves, the most common reaction I get from friends, relatives, and customers (and especially those who work in other branches of the film industry) is that the combination of extensive training and knowledge, antisocial hours (getting up at 3a to be at a site and complete a service call before the theater's first show, being on call during weekends and holidays), very little working from home (averaged out, about a day every two weeks in my case), accepting the responsibility of lost shows and costly remedies if I make a mistake, etc. etc., their reaction is that they would be about as likely to want to become a cinema tech as they would to go on a date with Ted Bundy.

It's all about quantity. And LED's are way easier and cheaper to produce than DMD's are.

[Leo Enticknap]

Yes and no. Once it's on the pedestal, a single tech can install, integrate, and calibrate a projector in a day (assuming that we're replacing an existing projector, rather than setting up an entire new room). I would estimate that doing everything that needs to be done to swap out a projector and screen for a cinema LED system requires 200 to 300 hours of skilled labor; more if strengthening the floor loading (depending on the size, the LED cabinets plus the frame they mount on weighs roughly between two and six tons), running 100 to 200 amps of 240V AC to the stage area, and/or other infrastructural upgrades are needed. Economies of scale have the potential to bring down the cost of the LED cabinets and modules themselves, but not all the other costs that are involved in installing one of these things. And I'm not sure that reduced maintenance costs over its expected service life would offset those higher up-front costs, either.

I'm not claiming that we won't see more cinema LED systems as time goes on. However, I suspect that they will become part of the PLF niche, with maybe one of them in a 10-plex; not a complete replacement for projectors and screens.

I was also contemplating that labor topic re simultaneously upgrading a bunch of rooms nationwide over a short time period.

A few years ago I read a (sadly, never published) PhD dissertation by a friend on the economic aspects of the conversion to sound in the north-east of England. One interesting thing his research dug up was that it was essentially a 7-8 year process, with the last cinemas not equipped until 1934. Toward the end, some smaller theaters with less money were actually playing talkies without the sound, with live music as if they were silents, because that was all they could do to stay open. The reason was mainly a limited technician workforce of installers, which was the subject of repeated complaints in the trade press in the early '30s. There were even reports of projectionists and managers trying to do their own installations, often resulting in poor quality audio, and in one case, a misaligned penthouse optical sound reader resulting in a film jam and nitrate fire that burned the whole place down.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Yes and no. Once it's on the pedestal, a single tech can install, integrate, and calibrate a projector in a day (assuming that we're replacing an existing projector, rather than setting up an entire new room). I would estimate that doing everything that needs to be done to swap out a projector and screen for a cinema LED system requires 200 to 300 hours of skilled labor; more if strengthening the floor loading (depending on the size, the LED cabinets plus the frame they mount on weighs roughly between two and six tons), running 100 to 200 amps of 240V AC to the stage area, and/or other infrastructural upgrades are needed. Economies of scale have the potential to bring down the cost of the LED cabinets and modules themselves, but not all the other costs that are involved in installing one of these things. And I'm not sure that reduced maintenance costs over its expected service life would offset those higher up-front costs, either.

I'm not claiming that we won't see more cinema LED systems as time goes on. However, I suspect that they will become part of the PLF niche, with maybe one of them in a 10-plex; not a complete replacement for projectors and screens.

In the context of this thread at least one LED install speculation was in the context of a small screening room. The economies might be vastly different there. But perhaps also the technology differs as the viewer distance is much closer, but the target resolutions are presumably the same with far fewer panels.

As far as plexes... I suspect you are right that it might be 1 screen initially, if not dedicated facilities like IMAX houses used to be.

[Terry Monohan]

Time to bring 'Fox West Coast Theatres' back, they ran first class movie theatres till 'National General' along with Mann Theatres bought them and they got real estate money property hungry and sold off many of the buildings. One of the first to be demolished in the mid 60's for a tall ugly apartment building was the Fox Theatre in San Francisco CA. The large Fox Theatres still left I think there are three do a big business with touring shows. Don't think they are on the list for movie theatre remodel cash. RKO and Loews Theatres also for the most part owned deluxe run cinemas.

These old classic movie cinemas will not be able to spend any of this new remodel money as they have been torn down for parking lots downtown or new buildings put up. The money came too late.

I am so lucky in my early movie theatre years 50's / 60's to see some of the largest and best art deco showmanship theatres around the USA most all gone now. No more stage curtains, color lights, real ushers, intermissions, doorman ticket takers, boxoffice ladies plus live union projectionists on duty some times two in the booth.

The roadshow 70mm curved screen theatres were the best ever now lost forever. I still have all the deluxe program books I bought during the roadshow years.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Time to bring 'Fox West Coast Theatres' back, they ran first class movie theatres till 'National General' along with Mann Theatres bought them and they got real estate money property hungry and sold off many of the buildings. One of the first to be demolished in the mid 60's for a tall ugly apartment building was the Fox Theatre in San Francisco CA. The large Fox Theatres still left I think there are three do a big business with touring shows. Don't think they are on the list for movie theatre remodel cash. RKO and Loews Theatres also for the most part owned deluxe run cinemas.

These old classic movie cinemas will not be able to spend any of this new remodel money as they have been torn down for parking lots downtown or new buildings put up. The money came too late.

I am so lucky in my early movie theatre years 50's / 60's to see some of the largest and best art deco showmanship theatres around the USA most all gone now. No more stage curtains, color lights, real ushers, intermissions, doorman ticket takers, box-office ladies plus live union projectionists on duty some times two in the booth.

The roadshow 70mm curved screen theatres were the best ever now lost forever. I still have all the deluxe program books I bought during the roadshow years.

I consider it quite an honor to be continuing the stewardship of one of these decorated grand theatres that still shows films (granted not as it's main money maker). Though for those splitting hairs i'm pretty sure we are not in the same category as those purpose built grand cinemas you miss, being from an earlier period with vaudville roots.

On your wish list of attributes, the only thing we lack is the huge curved screen. That and we rarely use the main curtain before films anymore because they are always wanting us to show internal marketing for the upcoming shows. We do time the closing of it nicely for any die-hards or ushers to appreciate. Even did a post-credits send off message from James Earl Jones after he was invited into the cornfield last week. The curtain closing on his portrait even gave me the chills.

I wish our fly house could accommodate the small screen downstage of the main, because the best presentation would be marketing on the small screen, transition to curtain+warmers, then do the grand reveal for the feature. But the rest we got: Curtains, colored lights, real marquee with folks handling daily changes, real ushers, intermissions (when intended), door folks/greeters, box office staff, 70mm done roadshow style, and 1 or more union projectionists depending on the day. We even got some vintage narrow uncomfortable chairs (until the restoration). Hah.

One might wish we hosted more film because of everything above, but it feels like a pretty healthy balance, a fully programmed 3 month summer series, plus 2-3 festivals per year, plus a mini Halloween/fall series, and a holiday/winter series.

Our local was started as a projectionist local before it became a mixed local, but those generations of originals are long gone or retired now (as are almost every other venue they operated in). Another bit of history we are keeping alive in this one space that maintains that relationship for the craft in our jurisdiction, or at least trying our best to, not sure the sense of imposter syndrome will ever vanish. ;-)

Our smaller adjacent theatre is from the art-deco era, although nothing of the interior remains true to that. It is fortunately slated for a full remodel back to an art-deco influenced flexible space (also with film capacity and a restored balcony). The façade is the only historic element they are keeping really.

Every goal in that remodel and restoration of the bigger theatre shortly after involves preserving these gems for future generations and for at minimum the next 100 years. Pretty worth while goals.

The non-profit is easily fundraising/spending far more than the per-screen allotment from the industry's 2.2 Billion announcement. So when you do the apples to oranges comparison, 2.2 Billion feels fairly half-hearted. But our fundraising began at least a decade ago.

[Mike Blakesley]

Too bad that news article only includes the chains. Between seats and a projector and a remodel of our balcony area, we've spent quite a bit of money over the past few years on upgrades. And we're not the only ones with projects. They could have had a higher number if they'd just asked the NATO membership what they were doing.

This sentiment was brought up at the NATO Fall Summit a couple weeks ago and they agreed it could have been handled better. But it was nice to see a positive article about the industry in the media for a change.