Becoming Rich with Daily Scavenging APP-Chapter 432: The Theater Managers’ Conspiracy
Approaching the Spring Festival season.
Major cinemas are also getting busy.
Although cinemas screen movies every day, 365 days a year.
There are actually only a few important periods when they can make money.
During the off-season, if there aren’t good films, cinemas even lose money playing movies.
Because of the holidays, the Spring Festival and National Day seasons are the best movie seasons of the year.
However, the National Day schedule is generally unstable; whether it can make money depends on whether there are particularly good movies being released.
While the Spring Festival season is guaranteed to be profitable for all cinemas.
If the Spring Festival season can recoup the annual operating costs of cinemas, the remaining time will be profitable.
If no blockbuster movies appear during the Spring Festival season, then unless a miracle happens, cinemas are bound to lose money for that year.
So, even though they are competitors.
Several cinema managers still find time to sit together and discuss the Spring Festival schedule arrangements.
"One issue is ticket prices." One manager speaks up, "During the Spring Festival season, many people go out to spend without checking prices, so movie ticket prices shouldn’t be low."
"What about those movies that have ticket subsidies?" Another manager asks.
"We can offer snacks or merchandise to viewers who buy movie tickets, making it a package deal. But the pure movie ticket price can’t be reduced."
The group quickly reaches a consensus.
"Won’t that be too expensive?" A manager from a small cinema is a bit timid.
You know, a few years ago, watching a movie only cost between twenty to thirty yuan per ticket.
At that time, movies were considered a very cost-effective form of entertainment for young people.
But the overall box office revenue has been decreasing over the past two years, yet ticket prices keep rising.
He worries that increasing prices will cause consumer dissatisfaction.
"What are you afraid of?" Others immediately counter, "During the New Year, if young couples don’t go to the movies, what else will they do? Even if a ticket costs fifty yuan, it’s still cheaper compared to dining and drinking."
"There’s also the issue of film scheduling." After setting the movie ticket prices, the managers begin discussing scheduling. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚
If nothing unexpected happens this year, it’ll be Red River: Anger at the Crown and Earth Wandering 2.
According to our previous discussions, in the Spring Festival season, the best slots go to Red River: Anger at the Crown, and then after the season ends, we give good slots to Earth Wandering 2.
"No problem."
The managers all agree on this point.
Because this will maximize cinema profits.
The people watching Red River: Anger at the Crown will likely only see movies during the Spring Festival holiday, so the best slots should go to Red River: Anger at the Crown.
As for Earth Wandering 2, it can still achieve good box office sales after the holiday ends, so it’s fine to sacrifice its box office during the Spring Festival holiday.
Just as they finish discussing business and start talking about which KTV to go to for entertainment,
someone suddenly shouts while scrolling on their phone.
"Oh no, is someone targeting us?"
What the heck?
Who could target the cinemas?
The managers look over, puzzled.
But they quickly find out what’s going on through the news on their phones.
Qingguo Shorts announced they would invite everyone to watch several quality short dramas for free during the Spring Festival holiday, covering various genres like rural life, urban romance, costume dramas, etc.
Qingguo’s manager announced that the free short dramas are meant to entertain everyone during the holiday.
During the Spring Festival, Qingguo app will not only allow free viewing but will also be ad-free.
"This is aimed at us." One cinema manager says alertly.
"Just short dramas, no big deal." Another is somewhat indifferent.
"Take a look at these news articles."
The indifferent manager glances at the other’s phone news, and his expression becomes serious.
Because these articles uniformly criticize the high cinema ticket prices during the Spring Festival, and argue the free short dramas are more cost-effective.
Instead of spending a hundred yuan for two to go to the cinema, better to spend fifty yuan on two cups of milk tea and watch free short dramas in a milk tea shop.
This blatant comparison reveals one thing.
The newly developed short-drama industry is challenging the cinemas during the Spring Festival season.
This initially seems ridiculous.
But given the recent explosion of popular quality short dramas and the fact that the drama production company behind them plans to release five free quality short dramas during the holiday.
It’s not funny at all.
After all, people’s time and energy are finite, and their wallets are limited too.
If people can stay at home and watch free short dramas, why pay to go to the cinema?
Of course, this situation somewhat resembles a strategy of hurting oneself while targeting the enemy.
Because if quality short dramas want to maximize profits, they should theoretically release them one by one into the market.
Whether they charge or not, they can earn the most money.
But Qingguo insists on releasing five short dramas consecutively during the Spring Festival holiday.
There’s no need to say who they’re targeting.
"I remember Qingguo’s boss is Chen Yiyang, right?"
A cinema manager who follows the news closely knows Qingguo was acquired by Chen Yiyang.
"And didn’t he also invest in this year’s Earth Wandering 2 film? What’s his intention?"
"Let’s call him and ask."
The manager who previously called Chen Yiyang picks up his phone and dials him.
"Mr. Chen, are you busy?"
"Not busy, what’s up?" Chen Yiyang is enjoying a massage from Zhang Yuling while speaking on the phone.
"You acquired Qingguo Shorts, right?"
"Yes, what’s the matter?"
"Is Qingguo Shorts going to release five quality short dramas all at once during the Spring Festival holiday?"
"Yes." Chen Yiyang nods and says, "We want to establish the short drama brand and let more people know there’s this kind of entertainment option. Naturally, doing it during the Spring Festival holiday offers the best exposure."
"But won’t this affect Earth Wandering 2’s box office during the Spring Festival? I heard you invested in this movie too.
The audience’s energy is limited, and if they’re all watching free short dramas during the holiday, fewer people will go to the cinemas."
"My investment in it isn’t that much money." Chen Yiyang says carelessly, "I increasingly think charging for watching films feels somewhat outdated. Not only with short dramas, but I also plan to make a few movies available online for free later."
