2. What is film exhibition?
Film exhibition is the process by which a movie
is made available for the audience to watch.
Exhibition is the final stage of the process of
releasing a film, after it has been distributed to
the viewing place.
Types of exhibition:
Theatrical release
Home entertainment release e.g. DVD
video, Blu-ray disc
Television
Online
3. How it works
Exhibitors and distributors are both concerned with audiences taking
interest in the film and so these two will work together to encourage
audiences to invest their time and money into going to see it at the
cinema.
They negotiate how much each cinema will pay the distributor in
rental for the film it shows – this is usually a percentage of the box
office takings of the film. This percentage depends on a several
factors including:
• The size of the film (large/niche audience)
• Whether the cinema is showing it on the release date
• The location of the cinema (in places like London people are rather
affluent and so ticket prices may be higher)
Revenue accumulated from cinema tickets is shared between
distributor and producer, particularly the producer who needs to be
able to cover the costs of the production and ideally generate some
additional surplus that they can then invest in future work. The money
taken by the exhibitor goes towards the costs associated with running
the cinema e.g. heating or air conditioning to give customers
4. The Rex Cinema
(Berkhamsted)
It seems to be an art house cinema with rather luxurious taste; describing
the venue’s style as a ‘glorious 1938 art-deco proscenium’. It has just a
singular screen and showings are usually sold-out, showing that it is rather
popular or perhaps a place that the locals are fond-of. Customers are likely
to be attracted by the traditional take on viewing films as the cinema is
centuries old. Its large screen allows for high-quality viewing, and the
venue has a traditional appeal that you won’t find at modernised
multiplexes. There are seats on the balcony, downstairs with tables or in
‘royal boxes’; the consecutive two costing several pounds more as these
seats more luxurious or high class. They do not sell common snacks such
as popcorn, and are concerned with the presentation and condition of their
site. However, wine is available for purchase from the bar revealing the
appeal of this site towards an adult audience. 2D viewing only as they
wouldn’t be able to afford any more technology due to their small scale
operation. The Rex Cinema is situated in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire in
England.
5. The Rex Cinema – films
currently showing
Distributor Origin: Hollywood conglomerate or independent Audience
The Lady In
The Van
Columbia Pictures Produced by BBC Films (one of UK’s mini majors), TriStar
Pictures (an American studio owned by Sony)
12+
The Big Short Paramount Pictures Produced by Plan B Entertainment (smaller but has connections
to many conglomerates), Regency Enterprises (American
conglomerate)
15+
Joy 20th Century Fox Produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Davis Entertainment Company,
Annapurna Pictures, TSG Entertainment
12+
The Revenant 20th Century Fox Produced by New Regency Pictures, Anonymous Content, M
Productions, Appian Way, Regency Enterprises, RatPac-Dune
Entertainment (independent with links to conglomerates)
15+
Capture The
Flag
Paramount Pictures Produced by 4 Cats Pictures, Lightbox Entertainment, Los
Rockets La Película, Telecinco Cinema, Telefonica Studios
(independent)
PG
A War Nordisk Film
Distribution
Produced by AZ Celtic Films, Nordisk Film Production
(independent, smaller scale)
15+, niche
Youth StudioCanal (UK),
Fox Searchlight
Pictures (US)
Produced by Barbary Films, Canal+, Film4, France Télévisions,
Indigo Film, Mediaset Premium (smaller/mini-major)
17+, rather
niche
The Hateful
Eight
The Weinstein
Company
Produced by Double Feature Films, FilmColony 18+
Goosebumps Columbia Pictures Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, Village Roadshow
Pictures,
LStar Capital, Original Film, Scholastic Entertainment
PG
6. Predominately, conglomerate films are shown as these
attract larger audience numbers, allowing locals to enjoy
current and popular films at lower prices. It lacks in
comparison to multiplex cinemas as it offers more to
persuade the mass audience to watch i.e. snacks are not
sold and they are concerned with the condition of their site
meaning they probably do not favour children despite
showing many kids films. Despite the luxury offered, is it
probably too formal for the majority of audiences and with
just one screen it is usually fully booked. The sound of
sitting at a table to view a film lasting several hours doesn’t
sound very comfortable. The Rex only allows the purchase
of tickets at the physical box office or by phoning, whereas
multiplex allowing booking online on the website which is
more convenient for customers. Also tickets are non-
refundable.
7. Cineworld (Milton Keynes)
Cineworld is a multiplex structure with multiple
other sites across the UK. This particular venue
has 16 different screens, each room sitting
around 100 people. It offers screenings in 2D,
3D, 4DX, (a sensory experience), autism friendly
screenings, movies for juniors, movies with
subtitles, Super screen, audio described and
disabled access. This particular venue is located
in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England; a
highly popular and bustling site in the area
where people from surrounding towns will come
to shop, dine or enjoy a range of activities in the
Xscape zone.
8. Cineworld MK – films currently showing
Film title Distributor Origin: Hollywood conglomerate or independent Audience
Batman V
Superman: Dawn
Of Justice
Warner Bros. Pictures Produced by DC Entertainment, RatPac Entertainment,
Atlas Entertainment, Cruel and Unusual Films
(conglomerate)
PG-13
Deadpool 20th Century Fox Produced by 20th Century Fox, Marvel Entertainment,
Kinberg Genre, The Donners' Company, TSG
Entertainment (conglomerate)
15+
Alvin And The
Chipmunks: The
Road Chip
20th Century Fox Produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises,
Bagdasarian Company, TSG Entertainment
(conglomerate)
PG
The Forest Gramercy Pictures, Icon
Film Distribution
Produced by Al-Film, Lava Bear Films (smaller
company)
15+
London Has
Fallen
Gramercy Pictures (US),
Lionsgate Films (non-US)
Produced by G-BASE, Millennium Films, LHF Film
(mini-major)
15+
How To Be
Single
Warner Bros. Pictures Produced by New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-
Mayer, Flower Films, Wrigley Pictures (mini-major)
15+
Grimsby Columbia Pictures Produced by Big Talk Productions, Four by Two Films,
LStar Capital, Village Roadshow Pictures, Working
Title Films (mini-major)
15+
The Revenant 20th Century Fox Produced by New Regency Pictures, Anonymous
Content, M Productions, Appian Way, Regency
Enterprises, RatPac-Dune Entertainment (mini-major)
15+
Zoolander 2 Paramount Pictures Produced by Red Hour Films and Scott Rudin
Productions (mini-major)
12+
9. Most of the films shown at Cineworld are conglomerate, and as a
large organisation it wants to provide the mass public with films
that appeal to everyone or large audiences. It can’t take a risk with
lower, independent productions who people have not heard of as
people are less likely to go and see it, and this is wasting screen
time when they could be showing something that is guaranteed to
be profitable for them. However, the work of mini-majors are
sometimes shown due to their collaboration with big distributors.
Ticket prices are highly expensive, often charging people sums
that could instead be used to purchase the film’s DVD, or a
subscription to an digital/online provider with access to much
more. Also we often have to travel to the cinema costing petrol or
amounts of time. Therefore as times move on and technologies
develop, the cinema is likely to become less popular as more
convenience and value for money is offered by services like
LOVEFiLM.
10. The BFI (London)
The BFI is a charitable company who mostly
promote independent films from the UK, with
British descent and themes linking to British
culture and heritage. It has a total of six
auditoriums; more than The Rex as it’s British
culture has a larger appeal to aspiring film
producers, but inferior to Cineworld’s number of
screens as their films do not appeal to a mass
audience. Showings are in 2D and 3D to allow
viewers to experience and appreciate films. Its
facilities include two restaurants on the premises,
a shop and a library for people to learn more
about the BFI national archive. The BFI is situated
in London, of the UK’s most popular and affluent
sites.
11. The BFI – films currently
showing
Film title Distributor Origin: Hollywood conglomerate or
independent
Audience
Frozen Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures & Animation Studios
(conglomerate)
PG
Psycho Paramount Pictures Shamly Productions (mini-major) 15+
The Beautiful
Blond from
Bashful Bend
20th Century Fox 20th Century Fox (conglomerate) PG
Les Carnets du
Major Thompson
Continental Dist. Preston Sturges (somewhat of a
conglomerate in its time)
12+
Eloge de l’amour Independently
distributed by
producers
Alain Sarde Ruth Walldburger (independent) PG
Unfaithfully Yours 20
th
Century Fox Produced by 20th Century Fox (conglomerate) PG
Goodbye to
Language
Wild Bunch Canal+, Centre nation de la cinematographie
(mini-major in French film industry)
15+
Big Hero 6 Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures & Animation Studios
(conglomerate)
PG
Zootopia Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures & Animation Studios
(conglomerate)
PG
12. Many of the films shown at the BFI are independently
produced from creative and independent studios within
the UK. The BFI strives to showcase this talent and
invest in these unique productions. However they do
show conglomerate films such as Big Hero 6 and Frozen,
to attract a wider audience to their venue. Many of the
films they are showing are older such as Hitchcock’s
Psycho which was released in 1960, revealing their
interest in classic British film and to continue to show
appreciation for older, influencing work, unlike exhibitors
such as Cineworld who only show the latest releases in
order to secure customer interest. This allows the BFI to
appeal to those with an interest in the history of film,
however this market is rather niche and so they don’t
expect to make much of a profit from their business.
