The end of cinema film experience.
With vacant movie parking lots and gritty dust covering the concession stand snack bar, the century of cinema films is becoming obsolete. Within the current climate of a global pandemic, many businesses and companies have closed. Naturally leaving industries like the cinema business looking for their next best step to make a profit. Subsequently, the cinema industry has turned to stream services to debut films that would’ve gone to theaters. In all changing the experiences of films to a household gathering and erasing the need for theaters for good.
For more than a century movie theaters have entertained and brought families together. However, the current COVID- 19 virus has required cinema theaters to close nationwide drastically to adhere to distancing and public health statutes. The theaters are no longer a place of comfort in the current climate and as a result, have experienced debt. According to Forbes “As a result of the lockdown and other restrictions and health protocols, many movie theater chains now face debts that will likely put them out of business. (Dans, 2020)” Due to this decline in Theaters Hollywood has looked to streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. Similar to the music industry debuting albums from Spotify and Apple music instead of record stores; in simple terms cutting out the middleman.
The very first streaming platform introduced was Netflix in 2007, by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. From there many streaming services have been developed including Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney +, and more. These services Stream any media content recorded and delivers it to computers and mobile devices via the internet. Before the current pandemic, streaming services had little effect on Theaters. Although due to quarantine restrictions streaming services have the leverage to stream and debut new material via their specific platform. For example, the new sequel of Coming to America known as Coming 2 America debuted exclusively on Amazon Prime. This debut allowed for exclusive access to a movie that would’ve been in the theaters.
An accurate reflection of the 70s, our current day and age are mirroring if not all but most of the political, social, and cultural occurrences. Similarly, our decade is now experiencing its own “Blockbuster Era,” also known as the streaming era. This seismic shift to streaming has made it easier than ever to access an extensive range of films or shows on a single platform. This rise in streaming services will inevitably lead to the fall of theaters. Although is this new era more expensive? Exactly, how many streaming services do I have to have? And how much does cost as rates rise?
Sources
Barnes, B. (2019, November 18). The streaming era has finally Arrived. everything is about to change. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/18/business/media/streaming-hollywood-revolution.html
Dans, E. (2020, December 05). Imagine a world without movie theaters... Retrieved March 21, 2021, from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2020/12/05/imagine-a-world-without-movie-the aters/?sh=18f8a1c412fa
