Analyzes: Lack of metric data to cut budget blockbusters – Hub |
May 1. Interfax-Russia.ru – The departure of especially important film companies from the Russian Federation seriously arose in the work of cinemas, screenings appeared, and new Russian films are not enough to open the volume of pictures required for viewing, noted in a conversation with Interfax automatic cinema chains.
In early March, foreign companies Walt Disney Company, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount, Universal decided to suspend theatrical distribution of their releases, and also temporarily stopped their activities in the Russian Federation. According to the Association of Cinema Owners, in the next two months, at least 50% of revenues may close due to critical receipt of repertoire, and more than 80% of hits are predicted.
Representatives of the film network in a conversation with Interfax noted that the situation arose after the disappearance of the companies, critical.
“If you look at the difference between what was expected and March 2022, when large projects in Europe left due to the presence, the drop (revenue) showed up to 50% in Moscow and up to 85% depending on the region. , – said Olga Zinyakova, president of the Karo cinema chain agency.
At the same time, she clarified that for the period January-April 2022, the fall in 2021 was 10%, however, “these figures are not proven, because they cover bread January and almost the entire February, they are finalizing the releases of New Year’s earnings.”
In turn, Alexei Vasyasin, general director of the association of the Formula Kino cinema network and Cinema Park, said that the network appeared about four times – the same as the average for the entire industry. “Indeed, under an unfavorable scenario, not optimistic or pessimistic, but on average, if nothing changes, half of the cinema halls may be closed,” he said.
Vasyasin clarified that due to the growth of exports, which are currently presented in cinemas, it is impossible to restore the previous figures. This is also the introduction of the head of “Karo” Zinyakov, in connection with which “the number of new Russian pictures, with all the box office potential, is not able to cover the volume of pictures required for rental. There are simply not enough of them.”
In the future, according to experts, the situation will also be interesting, “Summer months are not standard Russian months, because Russian distributors have always been looking for the best time to get results. ), and usually nothing in the summer, Hollywood saved.
In turn, the network of cinemas “Luxor” reported to agencies that after serving large companies, attendance “apparently oversight.” At the same time, as it attracted the attention of the leading agency, “a lot of attention to the sharp growth of Leawood cinema and the restart of the increased popularity of the picture that there is nothing to watch in cinemas. In fact, everything is not at all like novelties of various genres.”
RELAUNCH AND BOLYWOOD
To support Russian cinema chains, a number of distributors and producers invite cinemas to re-release their films. So, in particular, the screenings of “Brother” and “Brother 2” by Alexei Balabanov were successfully held, which collected more than 100 million rubles (more than 70 million and more than 38 million, respectively, according to the UAIS). However, as network representatives show, the annual rental cannot cover the losses that increase due to the increase in large emissions.
“Certainly, alternative cases of identifying programs. % of grossly missed revenue from blockbusters, so we just need government support.”
Work also continues to expand savings, including through new products from India. However, as the general director of the United Cinema Network Vasyasin noted, this is not a mass, niche product, “which does not save the situation,” since it is not found at all events.
They continue to sell European and American novelties. So, according to Zinyakova, during the May holidays in the cinemas of the network, “more than 20 new films will be presented in the near future, where outside of Russian projects foreign releases have also arrived, the breakdown is approximately 50/50.” So, the dramas “Operation Minced Meat” with Colin Firth and “Flashback” with Liam Neeson and Monica Bellucci are shown.
CINEMA SUPPORT
For further work, according to experts, state support is needed – both direct subsidies and intangible support measures. As previously noted in the Association of Cinema Owners, a decision to save film screenings must be made within the next 30 days, in case of occurrence, “by the end of the summer, there will be no one to save, and we will have extra sectors.”
According to Vasyasin, for the further operation of cinemas, in the short term, a direct subsidy from the state is needed. In the medium term, it is necessary to increase the number of films released, work out cost reduction, and introduce a system of motivation for filmmakers, which should be monitored to ensure that the allocated resources are spent on creating quality ones.
In the expected future, in order to support cinemas, according to Vasyasin, it is necessary for foreign companies that decide to temporarily suspend the distribution of their films in the Russian Federation, return, and also not see quotas for screenings of films, using the Chinese market as an example.