< PreviousTheatrical Distribution contact: theaterbookings@angel.com From the studio that brought you & Shelley Schulz Theatrical Film Sales Manager shelley.schulz@angel.com Brandon Purdie Executive Vice President, Global Head of Theatrical Distribution brandon.purdie@angel.com find it. watch it. moviefone.com Copyright © 2024 Moviefone Media All Rights ReservedWhen Ukrainian director Mstyslav Chernov said those words – as he accepted the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature for 20 Days in Mariupol – he was speaking to an undeniable truth about not only his work, but all films: when we are entertained, inspired, captivated, and moved to laughter or tears by movies, they shape our perspective on the world we inhabit. They illuminate our understanding of the events around us. They unite us, across borders and oceans, around a common set of images, ideas, sounds, portraits, and stories. Every year, CinemaCon lifts up that powerful role of great filmmaking. And I always look forward to being a part of this annual celebration of what makes movies special, what makes the moviegoing experience unique, what makes us excited to be a part of this industry. This time around, we have so much to highlight. We have evidence of the ongoing theatrical recovery that saw global and domestic box office revenues jump by more than 20 percent last year, reaching roughly 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels. We have fresh data on the economic benefits of our film community, with film and TV production supporting 2.74 million jobs and comprising upwards of 122,000 businesses here at home. In fact, each day of production in local communities injects $670,000 into local economies – and that translates into higher paychecks, employment, growth, and dynamism wherever we shoot. We have our ongoing advocacy, led by the MPA and in partnership with NATO and many others, on behalf of casts, crews, creators, and theater owners everywhere. In this day and age, that includes an unflinching focus on combating digital piracy, an insidious form of theft that preys on consumers, steals from theaters, and deprives economies of jobs and opportunity. We have example after example of the way cinema creates lasting memories and places markers in history. And even in what we all know is a moment of challenge and uncertainty for our industry, we never doubt what we can and will do together to keep people coming back to theaters. Watching extraordinary stories. Seeing how movies can enrich our lives, our culture, and our communities all over again. I look forward to talking about each of these topics and more with you this week. CHARLES H. RIVKIN Chairman & CEO Motion Picture Association Cinema forms memories… and memories form history.marketing marketing@iconicreleasing.com sales bookings@iconicreleasing.com exhibitor portal iconicreleasing.com contact us reinventing event cinema©2024 QSC, LLC all rights reserved. Q-SYS is part of QSC, LLC. QSC, LLC’s trademarks include but are not limited to Q-SYS™, Q-SYS logo, and all trademarks are listed under www.qsys.com/trademarks, some of which are registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. For over ten years, QSC has been proud to participate in converting the Colosseum into a world-class movie theatre during CinemaCon. • Over 150 QSC loudspeakers • 270 channels and nearly one million watts of Q-SYS power amplification • Five Q-SYS Core processors • Over a mile of loudspeaker cable • Installed in less than 2 days qsys.com/cinema The Sound of the Colosseum at CinemaCon 2024 Experience what’s possible.Feel the difference of brilliance with Barco Series 4 Visit Barco in the Roman Ballrooms Discover more at barco.com/cinema(Continued on next page) I remember going to see The War of the Roses back in December 1989, and I unexpectedly was treated to “The Simpsons Family Therapy” 81-second short. While The Simpsons shorts first aired on TV as a small part of The Tracey Ullman Show, it was this theatrical debut that helped launch The Simpsons iconic 30-minute show. Even before the internet, word of mouth was incredible and made people like me, who wouldn’t have otherwise cared, want more. It really showcased the power that cinema can play in elevating anything seen in its darkened halls. In that moment, I was laughing out loud. But, what has stuck with me is the idea that while a relationship may seem completely messed up, it just takes some reflection to realize that there is plenty of common ground. If we listen, we can learn and benefit from each other. Flash forward to January 2009, when I received Paramount’s innovative “Digital Cinema Agreement.” It was the first real pen-to-paper effort directly from distribution to solve the film-to-digital conversion that we had been talking about for years. Ultimately, the industry opted for a virtual print fee (VPF) solution that was handled through a few companies that sat between distribution and exhibition. The promise was that over the next 10 years, we would completely convert to digital projection, saving huge sums of money for distribution and providing increased flexibility for all. While the VPF program, by most accounts, was successful, it had unforeseen side effects that limited the ability of many independent and smaller films to play as wide as they would have played on film. Before VPFs, a studio could make 100 prints at $1,000 each, open their movie at 100 theatres, and then keep moving them all over the country at no additional expense. With VPFs, they would need to pay that $1,000 each time they played a new theatre, which essentially killed all subsequent runs. Over time, this had a very limiting effect on the range of movies available for most theatres. Even major releases were limited as the VPF expense was evaluated on a theatre-by-theatre basis. Alas, the VPF program ended, and physical prints vanished with the exception of amazing creatives like Nolan, Tarantino, and PTA’s prestige runs. So the product floodgates opened. Now, everyone from the local filmmaker or festival entry to the smaller budget independent to the lesser studio release can play in our theatres with no additional cost or risk. From 30,000 feet, this was the true aha moment. Fewer barriers and costs for budding filmmakers mean more movies and content being created, and the increased flexibility means more options for theatrical debuts. Getting back to “Family Therapy”, exhibitors and distributors point out each other’s flaws when in the end, we are absolutely better together. While the studios cultivate and deliver amazing storytelling, exhibitors create lasting memories and escape from the real world. We are a powerful combination that amplifies and elevates art, exposing it to a wider audience with emotional impact and togetherness. And while I know our partnership is for the betterment of society, it also amplifies the return on investment. So while you are still sitting on the therapist’s couch, I’ll make a few suggestions. First, to my fellow exhibitors, we need to keep investing and improving our operations. Proper light & sound levels, comfort, cleanliness, employee training, and whatever it takes to create CHRIS JOHNSON CEO, Classic Cinemas “2024 NATO Marquee Award” Recipient Distribution & Exhibition’s Family TherapyNext >