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Tuesday, December 18, 2007

CIRCULAR ENTERTAINMENT

With one-quarter of all entertainment being created and shared within peer groups by 2012 a seminal transformation is taking place in the entertainment industry. Termed “Circular Entertainment” – for its transference from one individual to another – this form of entertainment is not passive, but provides the consumer an active role in their entertainment.

The next episode in entertainment will allow consumers to “compare, contrast, create and communicate” their entertainment with each other, states Tom Savigan, Trends Director of The Future Laboratory, which conducted the survey.

The survey’s results indicated that:

- 23% of the respondents buy digital movies
- 39% watch TV on the Internet
- 46% regularly use instant messaging
- 28% regularly visit social networking sites
- 17% played multiplayer on-line games
- 17% upload to the Internet on a mobile device
- 29% regularly blog

The research has identified four key outlying trends that, as they mainstream, will set the stage for the Circular Entertainment phenomenon.

Immersive Living – the rise of lifestyles which blur the reality of being on and offline. Entertainment will no longer be segmented but accessible and created wherever.

Geek Culture – consumers will shift to more sophisticated interactive entertainment which has visible recognition and rewards. Entertainment purchased and that which is created will merge.

G Tech – an immersing social force which effectively feminizes technology so as to make things – particularly entertainment – more collaborative, democratic, emotional and customized.

Localism – there is a locally-minded move in entertainment consumption. Localism and community-centrism will become a key as consumers take pride in seeking out the local and home-grown.

VIDEO GAMING BRINGS OPPORTUNITY FOR CINEMA

In the U.S. this year, sales of packaged video games will exceed box office revenues and worldwide their sales will be twice that of movie grosses. Total this with on-line gaming subscriptions, gaming consoles (which will outsell PCs by a factor of 10 in 2007), gaming software (which increased by more than 40% in the first half of this year over 2006) and hand-held games – your looking at a $40 billion video gaming industry. Additionally, all aspects of the video gaming industry are expected to soar for at least the next five years.

The big three console makers – Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony – are currently hitting new heights in gaming and scores of software gaming manufacturers are producing hundreds of new games for each console platform. But, that’s not all. The consoles are being developed to accommodate other entertainment functions as well. For example, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console has the capability to use Microsoft’s Live Marketplace which allows 360 owners to download new games, as well as features films, TV shows, movie trailers, etc., some of which are fee based and some of which are free. Oh, and did I mention the 360 can also playback high definition DVDs. Going forward, the console will be used as a set-top receiver for internet TV.

If carried to its logical end, accessing entertainment for the home will be entirely virtual – with consumers never having to leave their homes to experience viewed or interactive entertainment.

All this being said, the gaming phenomenon also has a social aspect. Not unlike going to the movies, the camaraderie component of sharing the entertainment ‘high’ is even more pronounced with gaming. In fact, many video games are constructed for simultaneous play by two or more gamers. This is where the use of a cinema as a gaming destination comes about – as almost the perfect venue for “social gaming.” Designed as a turn key business established within a cinema, it provides the optimum setting for game enthusiasts (the demographic of which is male and female ages of 5-75+ with the average being a 37 year old female) to play their favorite games while experiencing the social aspects of gaming – shared fun and excitement, camaraderie and the emotions of human interaction – taking place in a comfortable, safe and customer friendly setting. The added availability of concessions, gaming accessories and a gamers swap shop make for a trendy, multi-demographic business which addresses a current and future entertainment juggernaut.

To arrange a meeting to discuss a video gaming center in your theatre please contact Entertainment Equipment at 800-448-1656 and ask for Jim Lavorato or Tracy Janis.

ADVERTISING EXPENDITURES FOR CINEMAS

Broken into seven categories, television will lead in global advertising expenditures for 2008 with a forecasted 38% or $182 billion of total ad revenues – which are anticipated to reach $478 billion. With expected viewership of over 3 billion for the Beijing Summer Olympics (which will be the most watched television program in history) and the U.S. Presidential elections, TV will get a big boost in 2008 of over $13 billion.

GLOBAL ADVERTISING EXPENDITURE BY MEDIUM
(US$ in millions, current prices Currency conversion at 2006 average rates)
2007/2008
Newspapers - 124.9 / 128.4
Magazines - 56.1 / 58.3
Television - 169.9 / 182.4
Radio - 36.3 / 37.5
Cinema - 1.9 / 2.1
Outdoor - 25.6 / 27.5
Internet - 33.7 / 41.6

TOTAL 448.4 / 477.9

On-line video and local search continue to display the highest growth rate – which has increased 22% each year since 2006. Print media’s, particularly newspapers, share of total revenues will be declining from 28% of total 2007 expenditures to 26% of 2008’s although the aggregate number increases by $1.5 billion.

Surprisingly, Central and Eastern Europe (up 18.3%) and the Middle East/Africa (up 17.2%) will experience the fastest growth in advertising. North America the lowest.

The ten fastest growing markets are listed below.

THE TEN FASTEST GROWING AD MARKETS
(Growth % 2009 vs. 2006)

Serbia - 308.8
Qatar - 214.7
Kazakhstan - 164.1
Egypt - 117.7
UAE - 108.9
Russia - 108.3
Ukraine - 100.5
Moldova - 97.1
Belarus - 96.8
Romania - 93.0

Monday, December 17, 2007

DEAR SANTA: A CINEMA MANAGER'S WISH LIST by Tracy Janis

Santa, I've got enough stuff. This year, surprise me with something a little more difficult to attain:

1. A tree on which good employees grow - I have yet to find that renaissance concessionist who can stay productive, sell snow to an Eskimo AND comes built with common sense.

2. Customers who keep their mouths shut about the prices - "$5.00 for a popcorn?!?" I mean, really, what was the last movie you saw at a theater, Jaws? And do you question the station attendant every time you buy gas?

3. Parents who actually attend movies with their children - when did I start running a babysitting service?

4. Solar powered cell phones that don't work in the dark.

5. And last, world peace...and affordable digital cinema for all.