Karl and Tom write, >> ... Cinemas have - in-general - survived home cinema setups ... > > Good points. The stats seem to show cinemas doing okay. > https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/fact-finders/cinema/industry-trends/box-office
Ahh, but the above-mentioned figures make no mention of 2020. And now, the claim is that, “removing the theatre exclusivity-window .. is a movement to do away with theatres,” he adds of the studios’ efforts to promote their own streaming services.” Perhaps a reminder of what the original news item said may be helpful .. Quoting: https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/there-will-be-no-more-cinemas-operators-lobby-government-for-survival-20210104-p56ro4.html “For an industry already ravaged by the theatre closures and social distancing necessitated by the ongoing pandemic, as well as limited content due to Hollywood’s COVID-delayed release slate, the studio’s spurning of the industry’s traditional theatrical release window was another alarming development. “It’s never been this difficult. Cinemas cannot survive if [movies] are going to streaming day and date with the cinemas. It’s a disaster waiting to happen,” Mr Mustaca said. “They’re blaming COVID but it’s not COVID. It’s actually a movement to do away with theatres,” he adds of the studios’ efforts to promote their own streaming services. “We have a three-month window agreed to by the distributors and the exhibitors, but they’re not respecting even the three months.” In Australia, the theatrical release window in which a movie is made available exclusively to cinemas – once an astounding nine months in the days of Dances With Wolves and Dead Poets Society – is 90 days. But Netflix’s push into the film world over 18 months ago, with major releases such as The Irishman and Marriage Story, poked cracks into the longstanding agreement when it convinced local cinemas to accept a three-week exclusivity window. For local cinema operators, Warner Bros’ announcement that it will eschew the barrier altogether marks the culmination of months of writing on the wall. Sam Mustaca, Roy’s son and chief executive of United Cinemas, said “without the exclusivity window, we won’t survive". “The theatrical window is the only thing that keeps cinemas alive in Australia, and pretty much the world.” _______________________________________________ Link mailing list Link@mailman.anu.edu.au http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
