Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

With so many people wanting to open/re-open a theater lately, it begs the question... WHY??? Truly, deeply, what is it about owning a theater that is so appealing? I asked that question of someone once and their answer was, "To see all the movies I want for free".

Ummmm... well... (how do you react to that?)

So what is it that all theater owners have in common that keeps them in the business? Generally speaking here. There must be some underlying common reason. Has anyone pondered this? Is it simply a love for movies? Can they not hold down a job as an employee? Or did they come into it just by chance? It seems that if we could determine that common "link", it would be easier to pinpoint those owner wannabees that would be successful and those who will not be.

I'm not sure that there is one common link. True, many of the newbies who appear here clearly love film, and one could probably assume that anyone without a taste for film would look for another occupation. Still, I suspect from the tenor of the questions over the years that many seem to see the business as just easy profit: open the doors daily, turn on the projector and sit back and watch the money walk through the doors. If this site serves a good purpose --and it does!-- it is to disabuse those starry-eyed ones of the notions of ease and quick profits. If one has an hoteliers' instinct to want to provide a public house of service, he has a much more sound appreciation of the business and such may be his reason for entry to Exhibition since he loves being of service and the daily bustle of contact with the public.

For those who come with a love of film, it is obvious why they are here. For those like me who grew up with an awe of the huge palaces and even the dramatic atmosphere of a cinema multiplex, that may be the reason that we are drawn to the business.

The nost successful would-be exhibitors are those with a good business sense who like the daily variety of films and patrons, along with the mature balance to see that hard work is evidently involved, without any assurance of great profits.

For some it may be the smell of popcorn and food, the bright lights and the sometimes honky-tonk hubub and glitz of the lobby, but maybe they will be more sucessful with running a restaurant or a circus. Such ones want an indoor job, but nothing like a sterile office.

And for those who simply inherited the cinema (rather like those befuddled souls in "The Smallest Show On Earth") it may just be that they are more or less their own boss, and the 'Romance' of film and theatres may have nothing to do with it.

To them all, I say Keep Reading Here, and Best Wishes! --Jim

[This message has been edited by jimor (edited July 21, 2006).]

I love theaters films are just a bonus.....I was in the bsnss for years left and missed it every day since.I am now in a position to buy ,restore,my own theater.Funny if i had stayed in the bsns i would never had been in the position to purchase my own .There is something about preserving theater history.............

1. I make a good living
2. I love people
3. I love community and my town
4. I am honored to be the outlet for such great artists/ large and small as we are lucky to exhibit
5. I love my buildings and their place in small town history
6. I love being important to our town
7. people like coming to the movies: usually customers are not quite so happy to fork over bucks
8. I love the storytelling of film
9. I love the fact that this is an old business and has been open continuously since 1912
10. I like that it has controlled hours.
11. people who work at theatres seem to like it also
12. I like the people I deal with in the distribs
13. I like going to sho west and east
14. I like movies
15. I like popcorn

The negatives are baloney!

what's not to like?????

---

Michael Hurley
Impresario

I want to add that it is something that is definately "in your blood". There are people who work there just as a job, but some people get the exhibition bug into them, and wouldn't leave for anything. Thats what happened to me.
I like the fact that people come to us for a fun time. I like the fact that each week we can offer a new product and new customers. Movies are exciting. I almost can't explain it, but I love it.

I want to start a movie theater because i hate the movie theaters here in town. They show advertisment and stupid pre cinema entertainment show and play movie tunes and its annoying. I feel theaters should have waterfall curtians over the screens with large plush seating and should play some sort of music but something soft in the background not commercials. We are a movie theater we are here to entertain you not sell you soap. I want to provide more than just a place to see a movie but a step back in time. I want the auditoriums to have stadium seating and would vary in size, from more than 700 seats in the main auditorium to around 175 seats in the smaller auditoriums.

Screens in the largest auditoriums will be more than 80 feet wide and four stories tall. The main auditorium also will have sloped seating a balcony that will seat around 100 people, with at-your-seat dining and cocktail service.

i also want things from custom-crafted door handles to sculpted ceilings bathed in neon, Authentic terrazzo floors which are a hallmark to past movie theaters. solid granite countertops in the concession areas and box office, granite countertops and floors in the restrooms; and marble-and-granite accents in the entry to the main theatre. Plaster moldings and giant faux marble-and-glass pilasters just like the theaters of old.

I want our theater to be designed as more than just a place to watch a movie; this is a destination. I cant wait to build our theater i want this more then anything. We will have people from all over the area coming to us to see a movie because its an experience not just another place to see a movie.

It is an attempt to create a real movie brand that means something to your choice of which theater to attend. Right now, it doesn't matter whether it is an AMC or a Carmike etc., the biggest predictors are proximity, selection, amenities.

We want to try to leapfrog over that and create a new number one--brand.

Well, Bigbad, I sure hope you can do it. I've a hunch that most everyone here echoes your aspirations, but lacks the funds and space to make them come to be. When you do open your 'Palace' you must post photos of it so we can all live it vicariously! BEST WISHES!!

Thank you I am not the only one with this asperation there is a theater called the warren in wichita, ks and moore, ok that echos my exact ideas. Infact that is where i got mine i figured if we can do it so can we.
I will send you all the pictures i can once i get up and running.

I have high hopes that this will be a huge success.