The business of movies is changing in overt ways this week as we see more trailers being placed before the hot summer movies, while another video/DVD rental chain bites the dust.
More Trailers
When you head out to see Iron Man 2 this weekend, be ready to see more trailers than ever before.
While movie cineplexes make a substantial amount of money from studios through trailer placement before movies, displays in the lobby and commercials running on those flat screen TVs near the concession stand, some are starting to wonder if audiences will be willing to put up with it much longer.
This week, Paramount will be running three trailers for other Paramount movies before Iron Man 2 in an attempt to get even more exposure for their product.
Traditionally, studios will attach one trailer for another of their movies to the film reels played in your favorite theater, and sometimes two will be attached to the big blockbusters, but Paramount, probably realizing that moviegoers don't mind trailers, has decided to attach three trailers to Iron Man 2. This is in addition to all of the trailers your cineplex operator will run before the showing of Iron Man 2, as well as the commercials and so-called entertainment/informational pieces that will promote other movies and TV shows.
With as many as seven trailers playing before the movie, plus the other stuff, you could be sitting there 20 minutes before Iron Man 2 starts.
A few years ago, there was an outcry over how much other stuff was being placed in front of movies, and one person actually sued claiming the theaters were falsely advertising the start times of movies, when they actually started 15 minutes later due to the commercials and trailers (that's why you see that sign on the box office about movies starting 10 - 15 minutes after the stated start time).
However, theater chains are making so much money on the additions (money they need to stay in business) they have been adding more and more. Plus, audiences are not rioting, so expect to see more trailers this summer than ever. I just hope I don't have to see the Marmaduke trailer 20 times.
The Internet Killed The Video Store
If you are a customer of Hollywood Video, get ready to start heading to Blockbuster or NetFlix, but you probably are already.
Movie Gallery Inc, who operates Hollywood Video as well as Movie Gallery stores, has announced it is closing all of its 2400+ stores across the country after declaring bankruptcy last February.
For me, it feels like the sad ending of an era. I know things change over time, and many people have decided they would rather get their DVDs through NetFlix, or only consider the latest and hottest releases available in RedBox locations, but I always loved walking into my Hollywood Video.
WaffleMovies.com started because I used to go into my local Hollywood Video looking for some sort of surprise experience. I had seen many of the latest releases when they were in theaters, but I always found a treasure trove of older movies and independent films that I never had a chance to check out, or never even heard of. That was the pleasure of walking through the aisles and checking out the DVD covers. It's an experience you cannot recreate at NetFlix. Lucky for me, I live a couple blocks from Potomac Video, but they are a dying breed.
Say what you want about times changing and progress, but how will people find these movies now? Do they even care? Should they?
When you head out to see Iron Man 2 this weekend, be ready to see more trailers than ever before.
While movie cineplexes make a substantial amount of money from studios through trailer placement before movies, displays in the lobby and commercials running on those flat screen TVs near the concession stand, some are starting to wonder if audiences will be willing to put up with it much longer.
This week, Paramount will be running three trailers for other Paramount movies before Iron Man 2 in an attempt to get even more exposure for their product.
Traditionally, studios will attach one trailer for another of their movies to the film reels played in your favorite theater, and sometimes two will be attached to the big blockbusters, but Paramount, probably realizing that moviegoers don't mind trailers, has decided to attach three trailers to Iron Man 2. This is in addition to all of the trailers your cineplex operator will run before the showing of Iron Man 2, as well as the commercials and so-called entertainment/informational pieces that will promote other movies and TV shows.
With as many as seven trailers playing before the movie, plus the other stuff, you could be sitting there 20 minutes before Iron Man 2 starts.
A few years ago, there was an outcry over how much other stuff was being placed in front of movies, and one person actually sued claiming the theaters were falsely advertising the start times of movies, when they actually started 15 minutes later due to the commercials and trailers (that's why you see that sign on the box office about movies starting 10 - 15 minutes after the stated start time).
However, theater chains are making so much money on the additions (money they need to stay in business) they have been adding more and more. Plus, audiences are not rioting, so expect to see more trailers this summer than ever. I just hope I don't have to see the Marmaduke trailer 20 times.
The Internet Killed The Video Store
If you are a customer of Hollywood Video, get ready to start heading to Blockbuster or NetFlix, but you probably are already.
Movie Gallery Inc, who operates Hollywood Video as well as Movie Gallery stores, has announced it is closing all of its 2400+ stores across the country after declaring bankruptcy last February.
For me, it feels like the sad ending of an era. I know things change over time, and many people have decided they would rather get their DVDs through NetFlix, or only consider the latest and hottest releases available in RedBox locations, but I always loved walking into my Hollywood Video.
WaffleMovies.com started because I used to go into my local Hollywood Video looking for some sort of surprise experience. I had seen many of the latest releases when they were in theaters, but I always found a treasure trove of older movies and independent films that I never had a chance to check out, or never even heard of. That was the pleasure of walking through the aisles and checking out the DVD covers. It's an experience you cannot recreate at NetFlix. Lucky for me, I live a couple blocks from Potomac Video, but they are a dying breed.
Say what you want about times changing and progress, but how will people find these movies now? Do they even care? Should they?
