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Has anyone here made use of the Cinema Buying Group? Any tangible benefits to membership?

Having come from a rural area where everything was a cooperative (groceries, electricity, gas, etc.), I know the benefits of group purchasing power.

I'm a bit bummed that the ability to participate in the Digital Buying sub-group was effectively closed off last year, meaning that new members who may want digital cinema equipment probably won't get equipment at the same negotiated rates as the original participants. That's not great news for people opening (or re-opening) theatres now.

As far as the other items they negotiate, projectors, concessions, etc., does anyone have an opinion on the value of the program?

-David

They had to close it to negotiate the deal. They told everyone far and wide. It is what it is. Many people say that you'll be able to get as good a deal from equip mfgs and techs anyway. My theatres belong. I think it's worth joining. I have never used the bulb purchasing and really have never looked at it.

This subject seems to be the theatre owners' substitute for political discourse on other forums.

I think it kind of depends on your operation. Right now, the "deal" would seem to favor theatres that run full-time and first-run. Those are the operations that cycle the most new product through, and therefore generate more VPF fees to pay for the equipment.

If you're in a lower tier... meaning everyone that doesn't run like described above, the options for you are a bit murky. There doesn't appear to be any real discount right now, and there's strong suggestion you'll have to provide the financing for whatever package does emerge, indicating you'll have to have credit ratings for 6-figure loan packages and banks willing to loan on gear that has a short shelf-life.

I've always been a d-cinema cynic. It seems to me that a 'wait and watch' approach is best. Once the big guys shake this technology out and the manufacturers divvy up who gets to do the installs for Regal, AMC and the other 'top guns' in this market, where we fit in ought to be much clearer, and possibly less expensive.

A new foo-foo theatre just opened up in Seattle... $35 per seat, expensive wines, a chef-run kitchen and auditoriums that can handle 200 seats, but only have 80. Digital in the booth? Nope. Top-end film gear, though.

My main problem with the CBG has been it has been promoted (at least as far as I can see) by theory. You can save money by......but never give concrete examples. And we can't tell you more until you join.

Their are groups that you can belong to in the video rental industry and they give you concrete examples of what you can get today. Not what you might get in the future. I have belonged to those.

As far as the digital deal, I had a small window to join before the deadline. I had been given the details about what was going to happen that came from the the top man of the CBG himself through a booker. Details that most of you never knew as well and a few were upset to hear them. I had called with questions but never received a return call.

Outside of a future digital "deal", I have never heard of anyone give a concrete example of how the CBG helped them. Please, if someone has an example; please give it.

My experience resembles yours, Rufus.

I joined last year, based on hype from them (join or be left out), and pressure from others in this business who, it turns out, don't know much more about which end of their body their head's screwed on than I do.

Based on having been there and seeing the "secret documents" , I didn't renew. I don't have a top-tier theatre, and don't believe they'll be of any help to anyone below that level.

rufusjack wrote:
This is precisely the reason I ask about the group. I'm suspicious of a group or individual who says, "hey, I can save you lots of money if you pay me. But, I can't tell you what you'll be saving until you pay me."

-David