Will staying in and streaming replace the act of going out to the movies?
By Patrick F. Quinn
Will the movie business ultimately look like a dystopian disaster downer or an uplifting tale of survival? For now, it’s playing like a mystery.
With at least two of the major chains saying they could reopen by mid-summer, and some smaller theaters already opening in some states, we asked film folks in Connecticut to take a look into their crystal balls.
▶ Adam Birnbaum, film programming director for Stamford’s Avon Theatre, which has pivoted to rental screenings: “There’s a space in which (onsite and streaming) can coexist. Perhaps with some more marginal fare, we might see them go straight to (video on demand), or straight to streaming or barely get a theatrical release with streaming. But I also believe there’s always going to be a place for films to be seen in theaters . ... Quite frankly, most of the content that’s on Netflix or other streaming services really is not in any way compatible with what our general customer base is looking for. So I’m really not all that concerned about it in the long run being something that dramatically alters things for us once we’re talking about a post-pandemic universe . ... When it’s all said and done we as human beings are social creatures and have tendencies that lend themselves to wanting to interact with others. I’m constantly reminded of that on a daily basis when I’m in conversations with people who are telling me just how much they miss the Avon, and want to get back to going to the movies. So even if that doesn’t happen immediately, I do have a very strong degree of confidence that normalcy will return.”
▶ Ginger Stickel, executive director of the Greenwich Film Festival, which launched the May 1-3 event virtually: “There are benefits that come out of this. First of all, typically when you attend our festival, a movie is played at a specific date and time, and the way the virtual festival is set up people can enjoy our films any time they want around their schedules (during the run). We did incorporate some connectivity, because about two-thirds of our films are offering Q&As (with directors, actors) that are at specific times through a platform like Zoom. And so the ability to connect over film virtually, I think that trend will grow. … Most of our audience comes from Connecticut and some from New York and in the past month we’ve seen people buying passes from Indiana, from Denmark, from other parts of the world that we wouldn’t typically be able to attract. So I think there’s some element around streaming films or offering virtual events that will stay even when it’s safe to have physical events.”
▶ Tom Carruthers, director of Connecticut Film Festival, New Haven Film Festival and FilmFest52: “For some time I’ve wanted to launch a system where we actually show films in a venue like a movie house or at a college and also show the same film virtually to people on the mailing list who can’t make it to the experience in the theater. …You can monetize these virtual screenings with direct donations and you can also have sponsored screenings, and at the same time still give people some sort of experience. This gets you through to the period where hopefully we’ll all get together in theaters again. But this virtual experience will still happen afterwards.”
▶ JC Barone, professor in the Department in Communication & Media Arts at West Connecticut State University: “Going to the movies is more than just ‘watching’ something. I hope that appreciation for the social aspect and the thrill of seeing and hearing something on the big screen in a communal manner will survive. I think it will, but the number of venues may change . ... Even with people sitting six or more feet from each other, you’re still sitting in an enclosed space for two hours. But the 305 existing drive-ins in the U.S. may offer some relief and an answer. Maybe even more drive-ins? I miss them. We could still ‘go to the movies’ — enjoy blockbusters or great indie flicks on the big screen, social distancing, a communal experience, even take the dog!”