As the number of video streaming services increases, it's tempting to assume that the death of cinema is near. Cinema is dying:how cinemas can guarantee its survival Cinema is dying:how cinemas can guarantee its survival Cinemas need to offer more than just a way to see the latest movies. They need to stop competing on "convenience" and start focusing on "experience." That is how. Read more . After all, why would you pay $10 for a movie when you can enjoy an entire month of Netflix for less?
Maybe I'm being funny. Going to the movie theater is still an enjoyable activity. However, it's hard to deny that with bigger TV screens, better picture quality and improvements in speaker systems, the difference between watching at home and heading to the movies is you responsible for the death of the movies? Are you responsible for the death of cinema? The cinema is in its death throes. But why? Shall we blame the shit movie directors? Alternate display options now available? Or are you personally responsible? Let's figure this out. Read More
One company, MoviePass, is trying to buck the trend and breathe new life into the theater experience. But what is MoviePass? How does it work? And how can it save you money? Read on to find out everything you need to know about using MoviePass.
MoviePass is a subscription movie service. For a monthly fee, subscribers can watch up to one movie per day at participating theaters.
The company started life in 2011 in New York. Initially, users could print coupons and redeem them for tickets. Interest remained relatively low until October 2012, when a subscription model replaced the voucher system.
Even then, the subscription model was restrictive. The number of movies users could enjoy was determined by the size of the market they lived in.
As recently as mid-2016, CEO Mitch Lowe said that he had ambitions for an entry-level service that would cost around $20, with different payout tiers going up to $100 for unlimited viewing.
The public was not yet in love. At the end of 2016, the service only had 20,000 subscribers.
So why is everyone suddenly interested in what appears to be a niche service? It's all because, in August 2017, MoviePass became a bargain. MoviePass Now Offering Unlimited Movies For $10 MoviePass Now Offering Unlimited Movies For $10 MoviePass Now Offering Unlimited Movies In Theaters For Just $9.95 A Month. Which is crazy. Read more.
Analytics firm Helios and Matheson bought a majority stake in MoviePass and immediately announced that it would lower the price of unlimited movies to just $9.95 per month. So put it in a similar price range to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and all other online streaming services.
Explaining the change, CEO Lowe said, “After years of study and analysis, we found that people want to go to the movies more often, but prices keep going up and that prevents them from going more. We're making it more affordable for people.” (via Variety).
The company's gamble quickly paid off. Reports suggest that MoviePass picked up 150,000 new subscribers within 48 hours of the announcement, and the number has continued to rise steadily ever since.
MoviePass is based on the accompanying Android or iOS app. If you do not have access to either mobile operating system, you will not be able to use the service.
Once you've signed up and agreed to pay the $9.95 per month fee, MoviePass will send you a physical card in the mail. Upon receipt of the card, you can activate the app and start purchasing tickets.
When you go to the movies, be sure to take your MoviePass card with you. If you don't have it, you won't be able to redeem your ticket and watch the movie.
At the time of writing, you can use your MoviePass card at 4,000 theaters and 36,000 individual screens. The company is adding new movie theaters all the time.
You don't have to sign up for a 12-month contract. You can pay month by month and cancel at any time. Plus, you don't have to worry about "blackout dates" at peak times of the year. You can use your subscription at any time..
You also don't need to worry about availability. As soon as a movie hits theaters, you can go see it, even on the busiest opening nights!
Of course, the service has some limitations, most of which are understandable.
For example, you can't watch 3D movies. You also can't see any other form of "special screens" such as IMAX shows, film festivals, etc.
Second, the plan only covers you for a non-transferable ticket. If you want to go see a movie with your partner, you'll both need MoviePass memberships. And if you plan to bring your children, they will have to pay full price. Subscriptions are only available if you are at least 18 years of age.
The only other major restriction that might bother you is the inability to buy tickets in advance:you can only buy one ticket for the same day.
And lastly, sorry non-Americans, MoviePass is only available within the borders of the United States at this time.
Clearly, subscribers are getting a lot. The average price of a movie ticket in the United States is $9.33. If a MoviePass subscriber maxes out their package and watches a movie every day for a typical month, they'll pay just $0.32 per ticket.
But unsurprisingly, there are already reactions from theater chains. AMC, the largest network in the United States, criticized MoviePass in a blog post. He called the service "a small fringe player," claiming the service was not "in the best interest of moviegoers, theaters and movie studios."
The post went on to say that AMC was actively consulting with legal professionals about the potential to block MoviePass from its theaters.
If AMC is successful in its blocking attempts, one can safely assume that it will only be a matter of time before the other major networks follow suit.
At the time of writing, MoviePass looks like it's here to stay. It has received a deluge of positive press and is gaining new subscribers as a result.
It's easy to draw parallels with the ongoing battle between Netflix and the cable TV companies. More viewers are choosing Netflix over live TV. More viewers are choosing Netflix over live TV. Currently, there is a great revolution in the world of television. And Netflix is leading this revolution. So much so that viewers are choosing Netflix more and more over live TV. Read more . Chains like AMC would be wise to heed the cord-cutting phenomenon. Everyone's cutting the cord, so why aren't you? Everyone else is cutting the cord, so why isn't it you? I cut the cord in 2013 and more and more people are following suit, ditching their cable service altogether. But not everyone is cutting the cord, and we decided to find out why... Read More It is that Is it implausible to say that we could start seeing MoviePass theaters in the next few years? One feels that we are witnessing the first salvos in what could be a long war..
Is MoviePass viable in the long term? Or will theaters move to restrict its growth before it threatens their current model? As always, you can leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
