Film-only movie theater chain idea

[Joseph Konrad]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jRMQeuynqQ&feature=g-all

 

This video got me thinking.

 

What would it take to start a major chain of film-only movie theaters if you are a filmmaker yourself or owner of a small film company? Are there anti-trust issues involved? Why were all the studio-owned theaters broken up originally and how could this be averted?

 

What if these theaters became very popular with the public for other reasons (they also showed sports games through digital projection, there is food served in the theater, very attractive waitresses...whatever the draw might be) and in order to have their movies in your theaters, they had to be on film?

 

What if these film theaters also had a new analog surround sound audio technology that only you had the patent to? (other studios could not simply put their movies into your theaters by doing a traditional film print). If you were the only studio who produced in this format and the movie theater chain was the only one that played in that format, would that not produce legal challenges? What if they were technically owned by two separate entities?

 

Also, what would it take to start producing many varieties of 35mm on a large scale again?

 

To me, film and digital each have merits, but they are completely different mediums, just like oil paintings and watercolors are different mediums. Watercolors are nice in their own way (nothing against digital), but I want to protect the art of oil painting if I ever reach the means to do so. Thank you.

[Alan Rencher]

Ask the New Bev how hard it is to try to keep film alive. They operate at a loss. Studios are making it hard (near impossible) to check out their film prints anymore. You might only be able to show your own film prints.

[Robert Lewis]

..... Studios are making it hard (near impossible) to check out their film prints anymore. You might only be able to show your own film prints.

 

I do wonder whether the actions of the studios might arguably give rise to issues which are covered by "anti trust" provisions. Cinemas do not appear to be converting to digital projection because they wish to...it seems to be because they will be out of business if they do not.

[Matthew W. Phillips]

Joseph, I believe that the only way 35mm will be produced in large volume is if there is a market for it. I admit, many of us film guys talk about not letting film die but how often do we shoot it? If enough people shoot film to sustain even a decent market, there is no way film will completely die. Someone will always be willing to take your money ;)

 

I am into many hobbies that few people are into (electrical engineering, for instance) but there are many companies that sell this sort of stuff because the niche market buys it. Therefore, the key is to make your projects with film. Dont say "Ill shoot my major projects with film and my throw away projects in digital." Aim for quality always. That's how we keep film alive.