Event Cinema: A Growing Radiant โSpot for Movie Theaters
While customary moviegoing has faced challengesโฃ in recent years, a new segment – event cinema – is experiencing meaningful growth andโฃ offering aโฃ boost to โthe theatrical exhibition industry. Companies like โFathom Events are capitalizing on this trend by bringing option content to movieโค screens, and theater managers and corporateโ offices are welcoming the increased foot traffic.
Fathom โEvents’โ success is rootedโฃ in it’s incremental approach, driving concession sales and overall attendance. The transitionโ to digital distribution has been a key enabler, making it more efficient and cost-effective to deliver content to theaters.โ This shift has streamlined the process โfor distributing notโ onlyโ films โbut alsoโข trailers and special events.
However, logistical improvements aren’t โขthe sole โขdriver of this growth. Event cinema taps into a desire forโ communal experiences, attracting audiences seeking connection wiht like-minded individuals. As attendee Lauren Skalaโข noted, โฃthese screenings offer a chance to “celebrate somthing” and fulfill a need for community, particularly in a โpost-pandemic world.
Fathom’sโ strongest performers are typically properties with established fan bases, such as anime from โขStudio Ghibli and the faith-based series “The Chosen.” These dedicated audiences reliably attend limited-window screenings, providing the surges in attendance theaters are seeking.
While eventโค cinema isn’t a replacement for traditional film distribution,itโ offers a valuable avenue for independentโฃ filmmakers struggling to secure wider release. โFathomโ reviews approximately 3,000 content submissions annually, selecting fewer than 100 for theatrical screenings, demonstrating the โคhighโข demand. however,success isn’tโข guaranteed; a 2017 study showed only 17%โ of โindependentโ filmsโข grossed over $100,000โ from theatrical showings.
Fathom’s consistent success relies on titlesโ with pre-existing communities or recognizable brands. The company has found that classic films are a particularlyโ reliable revenue source, representing 20% of their revenue consistently over the past two decades.โ โNotably, the film โค Coraline generated $34 millionโข through event screenings.
Currently, event cinema representsโข a significant positive โtrendโ in the entertainment landscape. Fathomโ Events anticipates โคcontinued growth and plans toโฃ bring more diverseโข content to theaters in the future, remaining optimistic about โtheโฃ industry’s trajectory.