Competition of Cinemas in Small Counties in Shandong

The “life-saving straw” of the town theater: Spring Festival stalls.
Competition of Cinemas in Small Counties in Shandong

Article | Hedgehog Commune, Author | Xu Shang, Editor | Shi Can

“The Four Seas is really sorry for my fare.”

“After watching “Miracle Stupid Child”, I decided to become Yi Yang Qianxi’s biggest fan.”

“The Killer Wasn’t Too Calm” turned out to be better than I expected.”

This Spring Festival, whether it is an online circle of friends or an offline gathering, you can always see or hear conversations such as the above.

Once upon a time, the Spring Festival stall has become another ceremony besides visiting relatives and paying New Year’s greetings. Especially in some fourth- and fifth-tier cities, there are fewer entertainment facilities than first- and second-tier cities. Movies, as a rigid demand for entertainment, are gradually integrated into the lives of small town residents.

As the movie market sinks to fourth- and fifth-tier cities, what is the real situation of this Spring Festival stall in the post-epidemic era of “town theaters”? With doubts, Hedgehog Commune visited several theaters.

Cinema competition in small county towns

On the second day of the first lunar month, at 9:00 in the morning, there were already people waiting at the Hengdian Cinema in a fourth- and fifth-tier city.

This movie city is located on the third floor of the commercial center of Baolong City Plaza, Jiaozhou, Qingdao, Shandong Province. The cinema is located in the middle of the third floor, passing through a large crowded children’s playground and drink and snack bar to see the entrance of the cinema.

Due to the early time, not many people came to watch the movie.

On the left is the entertainment and leisure area, with claw machines, small singing bars, and game consoles placed in the corner; on the right is the waiting area, with tables, chairs and massage chairs.
(The waiting area of ​​the theater, the source author of the picture)

(The waiting area of ​​the theater, the source author of the picture)

Jiaozhou is a county-level city in Qingdao, belonging to the fourth- and fifth-tier cities, with a total area of ​​1,324 square kilometers. Relying on Qingdao’s economy, it has developed rapidly. In December 2020, the Academy of Social Sciences released the “Top 100 National Counties’ Economic Comprehensive Competitiveness”, and Jiaozhou ranked 15th.

The development of the economy has made the cultural facilities here more and more abundant. Search on Maoyan, there are currently 5 theaters here, 4 of which are open during the Spring Festival. Of the 4 cinemas, two are located in the new economic zone and only one is in the old economic zone.

As early as 2013, Jinyi Cinemas has started business in the old town. At the time, there were only a handful of theaters in the city. Later, with the rise of new urban areas, the economic center of gravity gradually shifted.

Hedgehog Commune came out of Hengdian Cinema and headed to Jinyi Cinemas Road in the old city. The scene of the crowds of people in the past few years and the lack of parking spaces had already come to mind. After getting off the bus, the scene in front of me made me feel completely unable to feel the prosperity here.

An empty parking lot, a food street with only three or two pedestrians.

After getting on the elevator to the cinema, as expected, the flow of people here is far from the Hengdian Cinema.

“In addition to a secret room on the third floor of our theater, there are fewer KTVs, game consoles or other entertainment facilities that young people like. If the theater is located in a comprehensive commercial center, and eating, drinking and playing are in one step, young people will definitely like it more. A new cinema,” said Ms. Yang, the head of Jinyi Cinema.

(The Spring Festival video at the entrance of Jinyi Cinema, the source author of the picture)

For a movie theater, the location determines the multi-level needs of moviegoers. Especially during the Spring Festival, there are many options for entertainment. After watching the movie, the family can choose to have a meal or sing together. Young people, on the other hand, usually choose to go to a secret room or a video game city.

According to the relevant report of the Prospective Industry Research Institute, from the perspective of the proportion of screens in various tier cities, the proportion of screens in third-tier and below cities has increased year by year. In 2017, it has overtaken first- and second-tier cities, with a market share of 54.11%, becoming a cinema chain Set up the city cluster with the most cinema screens.

It is not difficult to see that the demand for movie viewing in fourth- and fifth-tier cities is getting stronger and stronger. Watching movies has become the main way of entertainment for town residents during the Spring Festival.

“Everyone is fine after New Year’s greetings. It’s fine in the morning, especially in the afternoon. You can either play cards, sing songs, watch movies, or go to the park, these are just a few things, because now the taste of the new year is slowly fading away, everyone can relax. What can I do? Watching a movie with my family would be a better choice.” Xiaoyan, an audience member who had just finished watching “Changjin Lake: Water Gate Bridge”, said.

“My best friend and I will definitely watch movies during the Spring Festival every year. This has become our habit.” Siyu, an audience member waiting in the waiting area, told Hedgehog Commune. Referring to this point, many young people at the scene agreed.

Looking around, young people accounted for the majority of the entire theater. Only less than one third of middle-aged and elderly people.

For many middle-aged and elderly groups, watching movies with their families during the Spring Festival is a carnival of offline social activities, and the cinema has also become one of the places where they highly overlap with the social activities of young people.

According to the data of the “2021 Annual Inventory Report of China’s Film Market” by Lighthouse Professional Edition, young people aged 20-29 are still the main force for movie ticket purchases, and the proportion of users aged 40 and above who buy tickets is increasing year by year. The Spring Festival movies are even more attractive to middle-aged and elderly people. Watching movies with their children has become a rare opportunity to communicate.

“In our family, it is a habit to watch movies at the beginning of the Spring Festival, because everyone in the family loves to watch movies, and there are fewer opportunities to watch movies together. The Spring Festival is the most suitable. Besides, there are no other festivals except visiting relatives. There are too many entertainment activities with the family, and watching movies is one of the best choices.” Li Feng, another young audience member, said.

“You can skip popcorn, but you must have it”

At 12:55 noon, in front of the counter of Jinyi Cinemas in Jiaozhou, parents and children continued to ask about the number of “Bears Infested”.

On the electronic screen in front of the counter, the midnight show of “Miracle Stupid Kid”, “This Killer Is Not Too Calm” and “Sniper” was sold out.

There was a long queue at the ticket gate, and people were waiting for the ticket check while swiping their mobile phones. The crowd was in groups of three or five, almost all with their families.

(The long queue outside the ticket gate, the source author of the picture)

To the right of the ticket gate is the self-service ticket machine, and several middle-aged people operate on the machine.

Inside the counter, there is a machine that blows up popcorn. With a roar, a pot of hot popcorn is baked, and a group of young people are waiting for a feast.

Near the counter, there are also ice cream and various snacks.

“Our current source of profit for theaters is snacks and box office, mainly these two categories.”

Popcorn and drinks have become standard for young people to watch movies. But in recent years, like ticket prices, the prices of snacks and drinks have climbed.

(Snacks near the counter, source author of the picture)

“I ordered two bottles of Coke and a bucket of popcorn in the first movie, and it cost 88 yuan. It’s still not cheap, but it’s acceptable.”

“It’s a bit expensive, but as soon as you enter the theater, the smell of popcorn blows your face, so you can’t help but buy it.”

“You don’t have to eat popcorn, but you must have it in your hand.” Xiaoyan’s excited expression was evident.

In the cinema, in addition to these foods, there are also some peripheral products. In front of the window, a 3- or 4-year-old girl pointed at the dolls inside and expressed what she wanted to her mother.

(Part of the peripheral products, the source author of the picture)

“The fare is basically priced at around 60 or 70 yuan throughout the year. Only the Spring Festival will be adjusted to a standard ticket of 80 yuan. Last year’s ticket price will be higher. The standard ticket can be sold for about 100 yuan, and the membership price is about 40 yuan. ” Ms. Yang, the person in charge of Jinyi Cinema, told Hedgehog Commune.

Tickets purchased at the counter are marked on the electronic screen, while the price of tickets purchased through third-party channels is marked on the small table in front. The Beacon Professional Edition shows that the fares in third- and fourth-tier cities have risen year by year since 2017, and are basically the same as those in second-tier cities.

Now the ticket price is indeed high, which is the general view of several interviewed audiences at the scene. However, for them, watching movies during the Spring Festival is one of the rigid needs for entertainment, as long as the price is not too high, it is still acceptable.

“Every year, the Spring Festival stalls are not cheap. I’m used to it. Anyway, we don’t watch it often, just during the Spring Festival or other holidays.” Siyu said with a smile.

Director Zhang, who understands Chinese romance the most, doesn’t understand the cinema’s rehearsal

According to the real-time data of Lighthouse Professional Edition, as of February 5, 2022, the total box office of new films (including pre-sale) for the 2022 Spring Festival has exceeded 5 billion. “Miracle Stupid Child” and “Bears Return to Earth” ranked second, third and fourth respectively.

“This Killer Is Not Too Calm”, which was originally unpopular, achieved a double counterattack at the box office and word of mouth. As the only comedy in the Spring Festival in 2022, “This Killer Is Not Too Calm” not only resident on the hot search, but also popularized the actor Wei Xiang.

The Spring Festival itself is a joyous festival for the whole family. For Chinese people, whether it is a sketch or a cross talk in the Spring Festival Gala, it has always been the most anticipated work. Compared with the 2021 Spring Festival comedy scene, the comedy market in 2022 is slightly bleak.

“Last year, my mother and my brother watched “Hello, Li Huanying” in the morning of the Spring Festival, and in the afternoon, I watched “Detective Chinatown 3″. I feel that there are very few comedy films this year.” Xiaoyan admitted frankly and decided to watch it during the Spring Festival. One of the factors is word of mouth and atmosphere. “I go to see it with my family, to cater to the atmosphere of the Spring Festival, I will choose to go to a comedy movie.”

Therefore, during the Spring Festival, comedy films have become the first choice of many people.

In this Spring Festival file, in addition to “This Killer Is Not Calm”, which has reversed the reputation, there is also a film with a poor first-row film rate during the New Year’s Day, which has also become a “dark horse” in word of mouth – “Sniper” co-directed by Zhang Yimou and his daughter Zhang Mo “.

According to public data, on February 1, the film schedule of “Changjin Lake: Water Gate Bridge” was about 26.6%, “Miracle: Stupid Child” was 21.4%, “The Four Seas” was 16.6%, and “This Killer Is Not Too Calm” was 14.7%, while “Sniper” only 9.7%.

As of February 5, “Sniper” has the highest score in the Douban score, 7.7 points; “Miracle · Stupid Child” 7.4 points; “Changjin Lake Water Gate Bridge” 7.2 points; “This Killer Is Not Very Calm” 6.7 points; “The Four Seas” 5.6 points.

“Full of sincerity, respect for life, respect for heroes; it makes every little person alive, and at the same time contains the spirit of countless volunteers to resist US aggression and aid Korea.” A Douban netizen commented on “Sniper”.

With the improvement of word of mouth, the filming rate of “Sniper” has gradually increased.

On February 5, according to the data of the lighthouse professional edition, the filming rate of “Sniper” was 8.6%, which has exceeded the 6.4% of “Sihai”.

“Most of the films that you want to watch during the Spring Festival will have films arranged. But usually there will be cases where films are not arranged.” Li Feng said bluntly.

There is Xiaoyan who has the same opinion as him, “Before Douyin often recommended “Wu Hai” to me, it feels good, because the plot will be more bitter, so I don’t really want to watch it at night, but I want to watch it the next day I found out that there are no more films.” Xiaoyan was quite touched when it came to the filming.

The movie “Wu Hai” starring Huang Xuan and Yang Zishan was released on October 29, 2021. Xiaoyan found out on November 3 that there were no more films, but only 6 days in between.

Coincidentally, a similar situation has occurred in the National Day files.

Netizens on social platforms such as Maoyan and Dianping have complained that in the fourth- and fifth-tier cities where they are located, the highly-reputed “Myth of Love” is not available in popular theaters.

“The main thing to consider when arranging films is the acceptance rate of the film by the public, and the attendance rate is also a factor that will be considered.” The person in charge of Jinyi Cinema said. “This year, we have set up a special viewing group, and we will also listen to some audiences’ suggestions in terms of film arrangement.”

Lively Spring Festival stalls and cold summer stalls

“A good location during the Spring Festival must be reserved in advance. If you go to see it on the spot, there must be no good location.” Xiaoyan has a deep understanding of the popularity of the Spring Festival stalls.

Search on Maoyan for the morning screenings of “Miracle · Stupid Child” on February 3, and the prime spots in the middle have been sold out, and only the corners can be selected.

 

“When I went to see a movie this year, I found that there were a lot of people. We went to a relatively biased theater. Basically, the better shows are very popular. Although it can’t be said that the show is full, the attendance rate is 100%. More than seventy.” Li Feng told Hedgehog Commune.

“The Spring Festival stall is our top priority, and it is also related to the region. There are fewer places to play around. Because there are no large-scale temple fairs and other entertainment projects during the epidemic, watching movies is also a way of entertainment consumption, so everyone will go there during the Spring Festival. Go in the cinema.” In the opinion of the head of Jinyi Cinema, Ms. Yang, the reduction of other entertainment activities during the Spring Festival has also stimulated the increase in the number of moviegoers accordingly.

After the epidemic is under control in 2020, in 2021, the audience’s enthusiasm for the Spring Festival stalls is extremely high.

According to the data of the Lighthouse Professional Edition, the total box office of the Spring Festival in 2021 will reach about 7.843 billion yuan, and the total number of votes will be 160 million, an increase of about 32% compared with 2019, and the total number of votes will increase by 21%.

As of February 5, the total box office (including pre-sale) of the Spring Festival in 2022 is about 5.333 billion yuan, and the total number of tickets issued is 16.5318 million. There is still some hope to surpass the box office performance in 2021.

It is not difficult to see that after the overall recovery of the epidemic in 2021, the general environment has stimulated new vitality for my country’s film market. The increase in total ticket sales and total box office numbers means that watching movies during the Spring Festival has an irreplaceable position in the hearts of audiences.

Ms. Yang, the person in charge of Jinyi Cinema, said, “The box office revenue of the whole Spring Festival stall is very important to us”, and the attendance rate of the Spring Festival can reach about 80%. Usually it is very low, except for holidays, the highest can only reach about 10%-15%.

The National Day and summer holidays other than the Spring Festival stalls also determine to a certain extent whether the cinema can be profitable.

“There are not as many films this year as in previous years, and there are fewer imported films. Due to the impact of the epidemic, the filming cycle has also been extended, and the release time has been delayed again and again. This year can be regarded as the worst year for the summer vacation. There are basically 11-22% attendance in the summer season, there are at least two blockbusters, including foreign and domestic ones, there are basically no films this year, and there are very few people watching.”

Affected by the epidemic, smaller theaters have been hit the hardest. According to the “Report on the Survival of Cinemas” released by the China Film Association, in the first quarter of 2020, theaters with more than 2,000 seats fell by 87.7% year-on-year, theaters with 500-2,000 seats fell by 88% year-on-year, and theaters with less than 500 seats fell by 91.3% year-on-year. , small-scale theaters were hit the hardest.

“This year’s Spring Festival is actually about 30-40% lower than our box office revenue last year. Now it’s actually barely making a living.”

“But as long as it opens, there is hope. Before because of the epidemic, the store was closed for seven or eight months. After opening, it was always a step-by-step process, and there was a process of adaptation.”

Seeing that Ms. Yang still had a relatively positive attitude towards the future of the theater, Hedgehog Commune smiled and said, “You are quite optimistic.

“You must be optimistic, hahahahaha.”

(Xiaoyan, Siyu, and Li Feng are all pseudonyms in the text)