Cinemas and theatres – Turning the page from print to almost all-digital technology

30 June 2023

We are approaching the end of the year, traditionally a busy time for cinemas and theatres. But how are they doing?

If certain press articles are to be believed, cinemas and theatres are generally struggling to attract audiences.

The pandemic effect is obviously not the only reason for this. Fewer tourists, higher prices, a lack of interest in certain leisure activities, a taste for home comforts and the health pass are among the many factors behind the drop in cinema and theatre attendance, despite the arrival of blockbusters and headliners.

That said, according to the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée and Libération, even if attendance is lower than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic, attendance in enclosed spaces is timid.

So let’s cultivate some optimism and look together at ways of supporting cinemas and theatres in the digital age.

Digital signage is one of the key digital solutions for raising the profile of this sector. Let’s take a look at how…

Complementarity rather than competition, same for print versus digital

Cinema

In France, with 2,184 cinemas and 5,241 active screens, we have one of the largest cinema fleets in Europe. Only Germany, in terms of number of screens, and Spain, in terms of number of seats, have comparable facilities.

It’s true that cinema has to contend with powerful SVOD and streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Vidéo, Canal + Séries), which young and old alike love. But this diversification of types of entertainment should be seen as complementary rather than competing.

The same is true of digital signage in cinemas, which complements and reinforces traditional print advertising.

Theatre

As for theatres, there are plenty to choose from, with around a hundred in Paris alone and some 500 shows on offer within the city walls.

The eighteen months of closure have been an opportunity for some theatres to modernise and digitise their facilities to offer their audiences even greater comfort and novelty.

Cinemas are more equipped than theatres, where there is still a lot of work to be done to enhance the range of services on offer. Here are a few arguments for taking the plunge.

How can digitisation support cinemas and theatres?

Unlike print communication, a digital device allows you to deploy multimedia, animated, interactive, eye-catching communication that’s in tune with the times.

It’s easy to get to grips with: a computer to create, one or more digital screens to broadcast, a box (or player) to link the elements together, and a whole new world opens up.

PRODUCER SIDE From print to digital signage – Digital tools and high-tech screens to :

Enrich your establishment’s DNA with new technologies
Reach a wider, connected and mobile audience
Communicate simultaneously at national level (cinema operators)
Put consumers at the heart of the action
Promote live current and upcoming shows/films
Create a buzz
Instantly update dates and times of shows in case of unforeseen events

When digital signage puts on a show

ON THE PUBLIC SIDE – state-of-the-art digital tools (digital terminals, touch screens, totems, etc.) are now familiar to the vast majority of people and their functionalities are ideal for :