Who Stole: "Transformers Three" at the Box Office

“Transformers Three” (the “to three”) is the first sprint of the Chinese box office throne.

Although mid-July to the Chinese market only slowly, but by August 2, to three of the Chinese box office has totaled about 766 million yuan, and created a number of box-office records. Industry and even expected, by the “Avatar” to create the domestic box office the first myth – $ 1.3 billion will be these “robots” triumph.

Surging in the box office when the Decepticons, in part to three domestic films from the “steal the box office,” the rumors intensified in the network and the media, and even friends to be “tampering” of the movie ticket uploaded to the network.

As one of the parties to the cinema, is either silent, or to issue the rumor – that does not exist “steal the box office” situation.

“This is the industry’s unspoken rules,” August 3, the industry source who requested anonymity told this reporter, “Transformers Third, the story is just so many hidden rules among the latest, most intense and an example. “

“Kidnapping” Transformers

Zhang (not his real name) is a white-collar workers in Shanghai, is a letter of Transformers fans, July 23, he took his girlfriend to Shanghai Cao Yang Cinema to see the long-awaited changes in three the result is seen to be “kidnapped” to three.

“At first we only want to buy” Transformers three “tickets, the sales staff even recommended to us a ticket, you can see in addition to three outside another film, price, and to three of the same chip.” Zhang Ming noted that even with this map and to three of the domestic film “Yangshan Zhou.” “If my own pocket, then I certainly would not go, but since the same money you can look at one, we even vote this election.”

However, when Zhang was blindsided when to get tickets. “Total 80 votes,” Transformers Three “was priced $ 20, another China-made films is $ 60. To three, became a foil.” Zhang said in surprise.

Zhang is the case is not a case.

According to this reporter’s investigation, a number of theaters in the country, have both been to three and made films with a “bundled” sales situation. In Shanghai, this “bundling” sales, commonly expressed as mentioned above, “even ticket sales” (ie, films with map), and another “sales package” (ie, a ticket can look at different time periods of two films) modes.

In the “even ticket sales” mode, the given row of film time, are generally the last in a theater; the “sales package” in domestic films, was the first row of tablets per day or at the latest time segment.

“Domestic cinema attendance is not good, so give them the time to discharge a bit worse.” July 30th, Cao theater, a sales staff that explained to reporters.

But attendance is low, the time difference made exclusive film movie, but it marked a higher price. According to newspaper reporter to statistics, including Shanghai Cao Yang Cinema, Cinema Expo and a number of theater into three “even vote”, the “Transformers Three” fares as low as $ 20, up to $ 60. And that almost made the film fares are higher than 60. If the percentage is calculated, the price of domestically produced films in the proportion in the total to more than 50%!

“This is too obvious unspoken rules.” An industry source told this reporter frankly.“For this behavior, you can understand that steal the box office, it can be said to be a concessionary ‘with mapping’ or ‘package’.”

Who is the unspoken rules of the Decepticons

Interests of the chain box office

Be “bundled” more than a movie, “Transformers Three” this movie. Informed sources told reporters that the industry has existed for many years has been an unspoken rule.

“In order to understand this rule, we must first understand the industry’s interests.” The industry said, “Throughout the process among the theater playing the role of the core from the sale of movie tickets to the final split, cinema is an intermediate station, the interests of all parties ultimately reached in the theater. “

An industry insider data provided to the reporter, in order to restore the theater as the center of the film “interests of the chain.”

In a movie ticket revenue among the largest part (about 47%) were the cinema away, followed by the film distribution side (about 44.7%, with film producers income), cinema into about 2.3% for tax portion of about 3%, what is left of about 3%, turned over to the regulatory authorities set up a “movie special funds” (see chart).

“Different films have different circumstances, some of film’s release party is the producers, some issuers and different producers, but also to share with each other, sharing ratio is also not the same.” The source said, “to change three, for example, domestic issuers, and also to three foreign producers to negotiate a sharing ratio. “

Of the theater, the movies no matter what show, theater, and the final total box office revenue is directly proportional relationship. In this sense, the theater box office should be concerned only about the total number of do not care which movie.

It is this subtle state of mind, leading to a cinema in the process “even vote” and “package” sales of the attitude.

“In fact, no matter how divided, theater to get the money are the same the only difference is that two films of the issuers in the end who took the more who take less?” The insider, in this case, theater attitude is everything. “In other words, what movie theater would like to give much, give much.”

The only movie at the box office as a whole chain of retail outlets, cinema chain become the place for all operations and complete manner.

Force command

However, to three at the box office in the emergence of various “unusual event”, the theater’s problem is not the final answer.

“If I can determine, I was a ‘tied’ vote will not sell.” July 28, a Shanghai theater so the staff told reporters, “We are thankless.”

Theater also has its own difficulties.

“For this film into three, ‘even the tickets’ and ‘packages’ are uneconomical.” The source explained, “is an original one hundred to three, and now must add a one hundred movie theater to spend twice the cost and time, but only got the original copy of money. theater is willing to sell the package. “

Shanghai, a well-known theaters of the staff, the newspaper explained that “this initiative is to offer concessions to enable them to spend the same price, to see two films.” However, the staff also acknowledged that “bundle “Sales really caused them a certain amount of burden, and to three separate sales of movie tickets sold very well.

In fact, the summary of the interests of the chain can easily find, bundled into three theater ticket sales are increasing operating costs, it is also diluted to three at the box office data, making the change three issuers and producers of income “is reduced” – that eventually form a “lose-lose” situation.

The only “winners” and change that the Department may only three “bundling” of domestic films.

“We received orders to ‘protect’ the film.” The staff of a Shanghai theater so told reporters. Meanwhile, this reporter that after careful investigation and evidence collection is also understood that the theater “guarantee” behind the film, all from the “high-level requirements.”

A newspaper reporter for the Shanghai cinema of a document showing that the theater belongs to the higher cinema, theater support requirements of the domestic film screenings, and made a lot of guidance. Including the previously mentioned sales “even vote” and “packages.”

Meanwhile, the file back to a different theater provides a different box-office figures, requires theater in the box office this year must be completed, otherwise the bonus will be deducted at the end.

In fact, the prize money from the previously mentioned “movie special funds”, each movie ticket in the 3% will be invested in this film fund, while funds under management of SARFT.

“Under the domestic box office numbers, basically selling tickets alone can not sell.” A theater’s staff said, “In addition to ‘bundle’, no other way.” According to the estimates, according to it in the theater required to estimate the amount of the country’s total annual requirement of more than billion box office.

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