Hierarchies of Rural Cinema

Films are exhibited in a wide variety of different settings in rural areas of Australia and the UK. In large regional centres, film-going options are dominated by modern multi-screen venues with wide screens, comfortable seats and an extensive selection of latest releases – the type of cinema that would be immediately recognizable to many city audiences. In smaller towns, these give way to older-style twin- and single-screen theatres that feature more dated décor, less cutting-edge projection and sound equipment, and a more limited selection of films. In very small and remote settlements, where film exhibition is generally not viable on a commercial basis, screenings are held in purpose-built and makeshift facilities by various public sector and volunteer organizations including local councils, community groups, registered charities, film societies and a few enthusiastic individuals.

There are significant similarities between Australia and the UK in terms of the form and pattern of these different types of screening situations. These shared characteristics facilitate the aggregation of cinemas into the typology outlined in the Introduction – a hierarchy that spans five tiers from Large Commercial, Small Commercial, Subsidized, Community and Improvised Cinemas. The majority of rural settlements support only one type of cinematic enterprise, although sometimes multiple enterprises are able to coexist. For example, Bundaberg (Queensland, Australia) supports a four-screen Reading Cinema (Large Commercial) as well as the single-screen Moncrieff Theatre, which is owned by the local council (Subsidized Cinema). Similarly, the town of Taree (New South Wales, Australia) sustains Fay's Twin Cinemas (Small Commercial) and the Taree Film Society (Community Cinema), which organizes the screening of art-house films that are not normally shown as part of Fay's mainstream programme.

This chapter is largely descriptive and looks at each category in turn, while subsequent parts are focused on closer analysis of these different exhibition and cinema-going contexts. As previously outlined, my rural cinema classification system organizes enterprises according to operational characteristics – principally screen capacity, commerciality and management structure. These lines of delineation illustrate both the depth and breadth of contemporary rural exhibition activity in Australia and the UK. Traversing issues such as access to films, the transition to digital projection, piracy, geography and demographics further highlights the extent to which these key economic, social and cultural trends affect exhibitors across each layer of the typology. To facilitate comparison and later analysis the overview of each cinema type is structured around the four standardized sub-headings – ownership, locations, film programming and profitability.

Large Commercial Cinemas

Large Commercial Cinemas are distinguished by their modernity – contemporary decor, high-quality image and sound, a steady turnover of the latest release movies and conveniences such as online ticketing and generous car parking. They are defined here as venues housing four screens or more within a single complex. Venues of this capacity are classified by Screen Australia and the Motion Picture Distributors Association of Australia's (MPDAA)5 as 'multiplexes' and the terms are used interchangeably in this book. As a business proposition, Large Commercial Cinemas represent a significant capital investment in buildings and technology. They are therefore found predominantly in large population centres where the number of local cinema-goers is sufficient to generate a profitable rate of return.

In many ways, multiplexes – whether rural or metropolitan – are very similar. Stuart Hanson observes that large multi-screen cinemas tend to 'conform to certain styles of design and function', which are aimed at maximizing audiences and screening capacities (2007a: 158). Foyers function as crucial revenue-generating spaces, and are given over almost entirely to sales in various forms. This is where tickets and profit -rich concessions (candy bar items) are purchased; additional revenue is generated from video games machines; and current and upcoming films are advertised via large poster displays and television screens playing trailers in a continuous loop. Within the actual auditoriums, patrons can expect to find relatively large screens, comfortable seats and a high technical standard of film presentation, including access to 3D. In terms of screen content, both rural and metropolitan multiplexes offer a range of current mainstream releases that are refreshed on a regular basis.

However, while city and rural multiplexes conform to this fairly general type, there are also some notable differences between them. These relate principally to operational scale and the adoption of new technologies. Large movie theatres in rural areas have on average fewer screens and this is directly related to the fact that they often service smaller populations. Instead of building ten or more screens within the one complex, an exhibitor is more likely to opt for installing a more modest six or seven. This reduces the operator's financial risk, but has an impact on film programming and audience choice. At city multiplexes, it is a common practice to run certain films – particularly blockbuster releases – across numerous auditoriums at slightly different starting times. The aim is to capitalize on the popularity of a film in the early weeks of its release, but this is not so practical when there are fewer screens to programme. Fewer screens can also mean less variety. While major releases are always guaranteed a run, it is often more difficult for cinemas to find space for niche or specialized titles.

In terms of technological change, chain-owned multiplexes are well on their way to full conversion to digital projection (Given et al. 2013: 14–15, BFI 2013a: 125–126), although this was rolled out at a slower pace than in most city locations. Across other aspects of the film-viewing experience, innovations like luxury auditoriums (known in Australia under brands such as Gold Class and La Premiere and in the UK The Lounge and Scene) and gigantic screens (brands include Xtremescreen and V-Max in Australia and Vue Xtreme and isense in the UK) have been slower to emerge. Even in relatively large rural towns it can be difficult to generate returns that justify the capital outlay required to create and maintain these high-end viewing experiences.

Ownership

Corporate affiliation has a significant impact on the structure and operations of...