Before I watched anything at SXSW this year, I began Friday, March 7, by attending a panel entitled "How Theaters Are Eventizing the Moviegoing Experience." Much of the discussion centered around how individual theaters and local cinema chains have made events a central part of their strategy for luring patrons and then keeping them in their locations on a regular basis.
I found the panel to be quite interesting. You can listen to all 48 minutes at the official SXSW site. Here are a few highlights:
Bryan Braunlich (Cinema Foundation): Moderated the panel. In his introduction, he mentioned the idea of creating "core memories." To his mind, eventizing the moviegoing experience means "taking it a step further."
Andrew Thomas (Moonstruck Drive-In): Talked about family entertainment at his Moonstruck Drive-In in Houston, Texas, which has appeal to locals, who are predominantly Mexican. Since the venue is outdoors, the experience is less about watching a movie, and more about the social aspects.
They have made an effort to appeal to less frequent moviegoers. They engage with specific communities in Houston.
Streaming is never about the experience of watching itself. He noted that at one Kill Bill screening, some chose that as a moment to propose marriage.
Advancements in tech have been very helpful for drive-ins, providing brighter screens, digital projection, and FM sound quality.
Valarie Rico (Santikos Entertainment): They endeavor to create an environment where visitors will make an all-day visit, engaging with activities they have installed at their venues alongside theaters. She remains attuned to her own interests and pays attention to social media trends. For example, she loves Twilight, and so scheduled Twilight repertory screenings, which sold out. Now it's an annual event.
She also aims to make her theaters a part of the community by hosting charitable events, such as donating coats, while also appealing to new move-ins to her communities in San Antonio, Texas. The theaters also feature non-traditional food offerings and focus on "speedy service."
Traci Hanlon (Cinergy Entertainment): Their goal is to have a one-stop social experience. Specifically, she noted their events around horror movies, such as 'watch Terrifier 3, then throw axes,' which they feature at various venues. Some auditoriums are sensory-friendly.
They also appeal to the community with canned-food drives and toy drives, which bring in more audiences who are not frequent visitors otherwise. They have a subscription offer, which brings in more visitors more frequently. She acknowledges that audiences nowadays have raised expectations because of common convenies, so their theaters must raise their service too.
When the session was opened up to the audience to ask questions, the first inquiry had to do with independent films. What efforts have theater operators made on behalf of smaller release films?
All three panelists cited specific independent films and their related efforts. They notice higher attendance when they can invite local filmmakers to give interviews in local media, give social-media shout outs, and share in post-screening Q&As at the venue.
Valerie from Santikos added that they feature red carpets at their venues, to make indie filmmakers feel more like they're receiving the Hollywood star treatment. In response to another question from the audience, she noted that the cost difference is vast between DCP ($100) and a 35mm print ($4500).