Independent Theaters Riding the Wave of COVID
It is impossible to miss the Robinson Film Center in downtown Shreveport, La. The independent theater sits as a beacon of arts and culture within the city with its giant marquee advertising current films and a balcony overlooking Texas Street. Inside the theater, a chic lobby greets guests who desire to see a movie in one of its two high-quality theaters or grab a drink and eat an excellent meal at the top-notch bar upstairs. The theater is a second home and a treasure to both the casual and avid cinephiles. Now during COVID, the Robinson Film Center and many other independent theaters have been forced to acclimate and prepare for a new reality when they reopen.
As larger chains such as AMC look uncertain towards the post-COVID future, smaller independent theaters are currently adapting to this new landscape. The temporary closures of independent theaters have forced venues to turn to other avenues to keep their doors open. Independent theaters are doing their best to preserve the prospect of a theatrical experience when the doors open again with an unsure road ahead.
Ryan Oestreich, general manager of the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, Ill., stated, “When COVID hit, everything got canceled or pushed. It’s devastated us. It took 100 percent away of our business.” Since independent theaters rely upon packed screenings to profit and keep the doors open, forced closures during the pandemic have greatly affected them. “Robinson Film Center has been closed since March 17, 2020, when the governor of Louisiana called for all movie theaters to shut down,” according to Meghan Hochstetler, executive director of the Robinson Film Center. Aside from the general public not seeing movies, the forced closures leave independent theaters, not knowing what the future holds. While some theaters initially questioned if they would reopen, the future is still uncertain within all film industry levels about will happen next. And some theaters like the Palace Theater in Chattanooga, Tenn. will never open back up again.
Then comes the matter of films not currently being released theatrically. Oestreich stressed that “Major theatrical distribution does not exist” during this current time. As many distributors pause and change their plans, it leaves independent theaters in a vulnerable spot with figuring out what to do. “No studios are scheduled to release any films until August, but industry insiders are not optimistic that those August dates will hold. These films were originally scheduled to be released in July, but got moved back to August,” explained Hochstetler. Quinn Orear, the associate chair of film and television at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), brought up that “The Plaza in Atlanta has been offering ‘drive-in style’ screenings in their parking lot.” The necessity to adapt to this new world allows the theaters to receive some profit and not permanently close their doors.
Following independent theaters closing down, some have turned to the internet to keep the doors open. Oestreich brought up that virtual cinemas split the profits 50 percent for the service and the theater. These services include Music Box Direct for the Music Box Theatre in Chicago and Neon Rated Virtual Cinema, Kino Now, and Sentient Cinema for the Plaza. It recreates the traditional profit model for distributors and independent theaters while making newer movies available for audiences at home with virtual cinemas. Compared to Premium Video on Demand (Premium VOD) or regular Video on Demand (VOD), theaters retain some profit. Even if one cannot physically support their local independent theater, they can still do so on their computer.
Besides virtual cinema to keep theaters afloat, local and national donations to independent theaters play a significant role. The Plaza started a GoFundME in March and is less than $5,000 away from reaching its goal. As Vice pointed out that most independent theaters are non-profits, donations and memberships become important avenues for the everyday patron and movie lover to contribute. On a much larger scale, the Art-House American Campaign aims to aid closed down independent theaters and provide financial help. The fund acts as a safety-net to 150 theaters and supports them during COVID.
As independent theaters begin the process of preparing to reopen, the landscape for the future is unclear. Hochstetler brought up, “The future of movie theaters is uncertain.” The actual aspect of reopening is currently ambiguous territory for independent theaters. Even the prospect of Premium VOD and VOD is still something “We don’t yet,” according to Oestreich. The industry is changing, and a clear answer does not exist. The thinking is more hypothetical than concrete with what to expect about the future.
Finally, “The movie you see in theaters is different than what you see at home,” Oestreich exclaimed. There is that difference between seeing a movie in theaters compared to watching it on your television. To be blunt, going to a theater is an experience. Hochstetler believes, “Movies were intended to be seen communally.” Going to the theaters is an experience that many of us have missed during quarantine and COVID. The wait for a film like Saint Maud will be worth seeing on the big screen compared to watching it on your couch.
