Another Dimension

The only cure for the movie theater???s faltering situation would be a dramatic cut in ticket and snack prices, and the introduction of 3-D. One or the other alone won't do it -- only by marrying these two plans together will you ever be successful.

Unfortunately, because the marketing execs, directors, and Hollywood producers will never understand the fundamental laws of economics, supply and demand, my advice will never get taken.

Here is my forecast for the next 10 years:
1. 3-D movies become more common.
2. 3-D movie tickets become more expensive.
3. Movie attendance increases as people flock to theaters to have a ???movie-theater only
experience.
4. Movie execs get excited at the sudden renewed interest in movie attendance and decide to capitalize on it by raising prices AGAIN.
5. Sony, LG, and Samsung realize that the market is perfect for the introduction of a 3-D home theater system.
6. Sales are slow at first, but gradually take off as more and more people create theater seating and viewing into their living rooms.
7. Movie theaters begin complaining of lower revenues. Prices on tickets are raised to cover the deficit.
8. Movie theaters worry about becoming obsolete. Ticket prices are raised to $100.
9. George Lucas Jr. decides he needs to save the movie industry by reintroducing Star Wars AGAIN on movie screens, this time with a ???new??? technology that allows you to ???smell??? the movie.
10. The entire process goes back to the beginning and starts over again.

The only cure for the movie theater???s faltering situation would be a dramatic cut in ticket and snack prices, and the introduction of 3-D. One or the other alone won't do it -- only by marrying these two plans together will you ever be successful.

Unfortunately, because the marketing execs, directors, and Hollywood producers will never understand the fundamental laws of economics, supply and demand, my advice will never get taken.

Here is my forecast for the next 10 years:
1. 3-D movies become more common.
2. 3-D movie tickets become more expensive.
3. Movie attendance increases as people flock to theaters to have a ???movie-theater only
experience.
4. Movie execs get excited at the sudden renewed interest in movie attendance and decide to capitalize on it by raising prices AGAIN.
5. Sony, LG, and Samsung realize that the market is perfect for the introduction of a 3-D home theater system.
6. Sales are slow at first, but gradually take off as more and more people create theater seating and viewing into their living rooms.
7. Movie theaters begin complaining of lower revenues. Prices on tickets are raised to cover the deficit.
8. Movie theaters worry about becoming obsolete. Ticket prices are raised to $100.
9. George Lucas Jr. decides he needs to save the movie industry by reintroducing Star Wars AGAIN on movie screens, this time with a ???new??? technology that allows you to ???smell??? the movie.
10. The entire process goes back to the beginning and starts over again.

The only cure for the movie theater???s faltering situation would be a dramatic cut in ticket and snack prices, and the introduction of 3-D. One or the other alone won't do it -- only by marrying these two plans together will you ever be successful.

Unfortunately, because the marketing execs, directors, and Hollywood producers will never understand the fundamental laws of economics, supply and demand, my advice will never get taken.

Here is my forecast for the next 10 years:
1. 3-D movies become more common.
2. 3-D movie tickets become more expensive.
3. Movie attendance increases as people flock to theaters to have a ???movie-theater only
experience.
4. Movie execs get excited at the sudden renewed interest in movie attendance and decide to capitalize on it by raising prices AGAIN.
5. Sony, LG, and Samsung realize that the market is perfect for the introduction of a 3-D home theater system.
6. Sales are slow at first, but gradually take off as more and more people create theater seating and viewing into their living rooms.
7. Movie theaters begin complaining of lower revenues. Prices on tickets are raised to cover the deficit.
8. Movie theaters worry about becoming obsolete. Ticket prices are raised to $100.
9. George Lucas Jr. decides he needs to save the movie industry by reintroducing Star Wars AGAIN on movie screens, this time with a ???new??? technology that allows you to ???smell??? the movie.
10. The entire process goes back to the beginning and starts over again.

This will go over quite well... initially. My Bloody Valentine, a slasher flick which debuts friday, is being released in 3-D. I expect it will pull in heavy sales for the first 2-3 weekends. The 3-D format is new (the technology, not the idea), and people will want to go experience it. As more films are released in this format, however, it will begin to decline after about 6 months' time.
Big budget, big interest movies will attract more ticket revenue, say Iron Man 2 in 3-D would bring in huge receipts, but family oriented movies will not. The first couple will do well in 3-D, but a middle-class family of 4 is not going to shell out $40-$50 for 3-D every time they want to take the kids to watch the new Disney movie. Eventually, only the biggest of blockbusters with a proven formula will be filmed in 3-D, that is until the cost of filming in this format drops significantly, and so does the ticket price.
With many people are already turned off by the price of a movie ticket now, it's a good bet that they won't be inclined to chance going to the cineplex and paying a premium to see a possible dud in 3-D.

This will go over quite well... initially. My Bloody Valentine, a slasher flick which debuts friday, is being released in 3-D. I expect it will pull in heavy sales for the first 2-3 weekends. The 3-D format is new (the technology, not the idea), and people will want to go experience it. As more films are released in this format, however, it will begin to decline after about 6 months' time.
Big budget, big interest movies will attract more ticket revenue, say Iron Man 2 in 3-D would bring in huge receipts, but family oriented movies will not. The first couple will do well in 3-D, but a middle-class family of 4 is not going to shell out $40-$50 for 3-D every time they want to take the kids to watch the new Disney movie. Eventually, only the biggest of blockbusters with a proven formula will be filmed in 3-D, that is until the cost of filming in this format drops significantly, and so does the ticket price.
With many people are already turned off by the price of a movie ticket now, it's a good bet that they won't be inclined to chance going to the cineplex and paying a premium to see a possible dud in 3-D.

Before the economy started to tank, more people than not were going to theaters less and less. Even those who were well off had become disgruntled by the price of a ticket and it is a common practice to bring your own snacks hidden inside your jacket rather than fork out outrageous amounts for normally cheap items. As jobs and homes and livelihoods are lost, does Hollywood really believe the average american is going to be able to pay 60% more for a ticket let alone want to even if they could?

Actually its not that far off. For several technically sophisticated articles on the future of the 3D cinema see my efforts at www.3dtv.jp
Michael Starks 3DTV Corp

Actually it's not that far off. Digital and 3D are inevitable as I confirmed at the recent 3DX festival in Singapore. Yes the content to date has been underwhelming but give it a chance. For reports on 3DX and other items of 3D interest please see the articles that I have or will post on my page soon. www.3dtv.jp
michael starks President 3DTV Corp

What a moronic article. Not a single 'fact' was actually factual. Way to be lazy Sonia. This article was so inaccurate you should be working for the Times.

What a moronic article. Not a single 'fact' was actually factual. Way to be lazy Sonia. This article was so inaccurate you should be working for the Times.

The point about 3-D and other movie gimmicks being a clever anti-piracy move is fascinating. Never thought of it that way before. Perhaps that's the actual gimmick here - since you can't capture 3-D - or Odorama cards or The TIngler audience shocker - oh man, remember those awful gimmicks? (http://movies.msn.com/moviesfeature/goofy-gimmicks/?ocid=xnetmsne) - they really do force us to pay those ever increasing prices. I'm not convinced about this claim that "the third dimension has become a central part of they storytelling" - I don't see how the 3-D is an integral part of the movie's storyline. I don't mean in a meta way or anything with the movie acknowledging its own 3-Dness, but I've yet to see a 3-D flick that seemed to really need the 3-D part of it. "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was bad even with the 3-D distraction; "Bolt" was amusing but could've been equally so as a traditional flick. Maybe this will be the future of movies - not because it's a resurrected gimmick, but because it might force studios to rethink how "story" works in movies in the same way that video games have been reinvented.

If they threw in free small popcorn and a dirnk with the price of a ticket might come to a money but the 3D effect will be short lived because with HDTV its only a matter of time until you can do true 3D at home.

The industry needs to promote the movie going experience not gimmicks.

People want more for the $10 for 2 hour price tag ($30 per 2 hours with popcorn and a drink) thus the reason video games sales are on the rise $50 for 148 levels to conquer. Even the best gamer is is spending less then $1 per hour and getting the same escapism enjoyment

Make movie watching at the theater more of a night out, a theme park type escape.