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Hello i am new to BSB! I am sorry if this has already been asked..I have read through lots of other threads but i wanted to clarify the amount of screens...
So i want to build a new multi screen cinema
Population is 10,000 and the population in 10 Sq KM is 40,000 people
There is one theater within 2 km of our build site.
It is an old theater and is not a first run theater.
Nearest first run theater is 170km away
I Originally thought 2 screens with 250 seats each
but not im think 4 screens with 200 in the first 2 and about 85-100 for the other 2
I want a first run theater
However i had seen some people on here have said 6 screen
I have 2 acres to work with but can get more

thank you:cheer:

I'd go with the four. Some will say the more screens the better you'll do. But I honestly think that's because they want to book anything Hollywood throws at them an hope something sticks rather than putting a lot of effort into programming their screens to serve the community.

I would do 6 with that population.

Bob,

All of the effort in the world will not get people to see movies that do not want to see. I would say 95% of theaters out there are playing the right movies when they are sticking to the mainstream hollywood backed movies.

I appreciate you Jack but you will never get me to agree with you. I believe Hollywood is in large part responsible for the decline of morality in this country so one must be very selective in their booking. There is more to running a successful theatre that just feeding depraved appetites.

So Bob give me some ideas of what you would be programming today for the next 2 mos, what would have you programmed the past 3-6 mos? I will be easy on you and say you only have a single screen to book, so give me 6-8 titles.

I'd tell my booker what types of films I want and leave it up to him. That's what I did with the last single-screener I managed. We never booked any R rated films and we did excellent business.

Bob,

Nice dodge on that one. You should run for political office! So what did you play at the last theater you managed?

6-- You need to be able to hold product 4 weeks per screen when needed. Its more about rotation.
Its not our job to decide the moral makeup of what the community should watch, but the patron to decide with there dollars.

Slap's comment about not deciding morals reminds me of the infamous Brokeback Mountain thread and a few others. I would say that any business person has a right to determine for themselves what they are willing to sell. Others would argue and say that we should serve the community whatever they ask for. The business owner knows there is a risk that customers will go elsewhere to find something he isn't willing to provide. If he is willing to take the risk, then that is his decision.

That said... with just 2 screens I found that I occasionally screened a rated R film for lack of anything better to play. Were Grand Torino and Zombieland that bad? Not in my opinion, but like I said, each person makes their own decisions and bears the risks.

Well Slap ol’ pal I’ve thought long and hard about how to respond to your post without offending you so understand these are my opinions about your opinion (and anyone else who holds the same opinion). No offense intended. I come from another era when theatre operators DID feel a responsibility to the community. The “I’ll show anything I want and morals be damned” philosophy is a recent innovation which started in the late 60s. It, along with the decay of moral integrity in Hollywood, I believe is in large part responsible for the decline of morals in this country. I was born into the theatre business as my father had been in it from 1916. I began professionally in ’46 and have been in and around the business ever since. The theatre used to be a “safe” place to go for entertainment. We had comedies, dramas, action and war films without profanity, nudity or gory special effects and packed the houses. But then came along a new set of directors and with Hollywood relaxing its standards it’s now “anything goes”. And along came exhibitors who played right into the hands of those directors who were “pushing the envelope”. As exhibitors we DO have a responsibility to our community to be a positive force by not showing films that are offensive to large segments of the population. Sure we have a “right” to show offensive films but what will it cost us and our community? Don’t we care about being a positive influence in our community? So what’s next, “ How To Rape Your Neighbor Parts 1 & 2”?

Alright Bob, you have a great chance to support your view with examples. You have often talked about not playing movies that are rated "r" and playing movies that are not what hollywood pushes down our throats. Will you play pg-13?

Why not give some examples past, present, and future?

Hi Jack:

It would depend on the subject of the film. You can't even get a PG rated film today without some profanity in it. For the last house I managed I used a booker and he kept me pretty much loaded with PG films with an occasional G or PG-13. I cannot give specifics as that was five years ago and I'm pushing 80. If I had titles I could tell you whether or not I played it. If you have titles from '06 lay 'em on me and I'll tell you whether or not I played it.

Bob,

You have preached the following: 1) Not to play "whatever Hollywood throws at you", 2) "inspirational, classic, foreign and independent", I believe you referenced English speaking non-American films once 3)"as well as an occasional strong move over".

If I had operated a single screen in a typical small Iowa town, would have encouraged the following: Happy Feet, Night at the Museum, Santa Clause 3, Open Season, Cars, Ice Age 2, Over The Hedge, Eight Below, Flushed Away, Invincible, We are Marshall, Glory Road, Flicka, & Lake House. (all of these were "g" or "pg". But those were all 2500+ loactions which would qualify as "whatever Hollywood throws at you" in my mind.

As far the titles you would recommend I can't see many: One Night with the King & Facing The Giants (which I played both).

Hi Jack:

If there is a question in your post I don't see it. If you want to continue this discussion perhaps we should start another thread rather than hijack this one. Of the titles you mentioned I played most of them.

Thanks Bob.

I believe you have proven my point by playing those titles just like 95% of the theaters in similar situations would and should. Those are all mainstream movies being pushed by hollywood.