Movie theaters took a hit early on in the pandemic. Every theater closed for a while, and we wondered if it was done for good. Now it seems that things are getting back to normal. Theaters are opening their doors and people are rushing in… or are they?
There have been some recent spikes in activity with releases such as Spider Man: No Way Home and The Batman. That’s not gonna do it for me, though. Theatrical windows (time from release in theaters to DVD, or streaming nowadays) of movies have been shortened. Why would I spend $20 on popcorn and $10 on a drink to sit in a movie theater, when I can lay comfortably in my bed and watch it there? Streaming has really killed the movie theater industry for me. People say the experience is better, but my TV seems better quality than the actual theaters. What is the experience?
VR has done a great job of integrating the movie theater aspect into the virtual world. I can literally watch 3D movies in some apps back to back in a theater of 15+ people. This might seem like a loser thing to do, it’s actually pretty dope. But, it’s still not the right experience for me, honestly.
I want an experience. One that cannot be manufactured from home. I want the theater to be the only place I can get that specific experience. This is why I propose that 4D theaters need to become more widely available. I love the idea of being immersed in the movie. I also love the idea that this could be fun for older movies as well. If it’s optimized correctly, you can experience a movie that’s 20 years old and it feels brand new and unique. A unique experience that can only be had there. That’s why it’s cool. That would get a person like me to get my ass up and go.
If 4D theaters are the standard, it has to be done right. It can’t just be a showing of 1 movie that barely uses the 4D enhancements. The theaters must give a selection of movies that are perfectly optimized for viewing/feeling. This would be great for many reasons. One being, we can finally get out of the loop that you only go to theaters for new movies. There will be interactive movies created just for the viewers in these specific theaters also, in which the people decide how the movie progresses through a voting system. This voting system would be done on an A/B pad connected to the seat. Whichever vote gets the highest percentage, is however the movie goes. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch did something similar. It was truly a great idea. Imagine the type of money you (Yes you, owner of AMC) could make when people keep going back to the same movie to see different paths.
In the future, we could test VR 4D capability in (physical) theaters with the possibility of “headset only rooms”. Both options (4D,VR) run the risk of causing motion sickness. But, with the right precautions, testings, and warnings, we can make it as safe and efficient as possible. This isn’t a brand new idea. If you’ve been to a theme park recently, you’ve seen something similar. I believe that this could be an expansion of great tech that could keep society moving forward.
