In a cute and catchy little campaign to celebrate ‘National Cinema Day on September 3rd, chains are being asked to drop admission costs to $3 across the board. On the heels of a rather glum Box Office weekend, it’s hoped this will drive more people into cinemas nationally. For small chains and independent theaters, however, it may be asking a little too much. Entertainment attorney Brandon Blake, of Blake & Wang P.A, looks at the phenomenon.
A Better Weekend for Specialty Cinema
Coming off the heady high of a spectacular summer, this weekend’s Box Office takings were rather dull. However, for specialty cinema, it still wasn’t the worst showing. Far from pre-pandemic numbers, sure, but not too dull on the ‘new normal we’re seeing for limited-release productions.
The National Cinema Day
The idea of National Cinema Day is the brainchild of the Cinema Foundation, a NATO nonprofit. It’s part of a wider push to promote audience numbers. Despite the amazing growth we’ve seen this year, cinema visits are still a little turbulent, especially without blockbusters on the slate. It’s a great idea at the core, but for smaller arthouse cinemas, losing the pulling power of the Saturday over Labor Day weekend is a rather big ask. Indie films and arthouse pics have already not benefited as broadly as the more commercial cinema fare, and federal pandemic relief is also set to end soon.
All the same, there’s been some interest from the smaller cinema market. Both Alamo Drafthouse and Angelika have decided to participate, although Landmark has stepped out.
In the end, it’s a question of uptake. The initiative has the potential to drive a flock of people to the cinema, which could offset the reduced ticket price. But if it’s offered without much uptake, results could be dicey indeed, cutting into already reduced takings. For now, it’s tough to tell which way it will go.
