Business in movie theaters

Breaking from the routine of our daily life to go see one of our favorite movies at a theater is undoubtedly quite enjoyable and satisfying. While home theater systems and streaming movies are very convenient, they cannot compare to or even come close to the experience of going to a movie in a commercial theater, where the screens are better, larger, and coupled with the ambience of the theater, which is filled with the aroma of fresh snacks and refreshments. This experience, especially when shared with friends and family, is always unique.

Any entrepreneur will find it exciting to launch their own independent movie theater. However, establishing and putting up the business will definitely attract different and diverse type of clients interested in watching movies and blockbusters, from couples out on a date to and friends and families. Importantly, when a person is starting a movie theater, necessary strategies and plans must be put in place. A flexible financial plan is of key importance as it will subsequently help in accommodating unforeseeable changes such as the constantly changing demands of the customers. In this light, this paper gives an analysis of the description of the movie theatre business, its key stakeholders, the company principles regarding its day to day business activities and the crises that the industry is facing.

Company Description

The Lee Valley, as is popularly known is a small town next to where I have been residing for the past six years. The small town has been undergoing tremendous growth and developments that have seen the town make huge steps in economic, infrastructural and cultural transformations. Unfortunately, the town has not been on course to recouping and reshaping its entertainment industry to match the contemporary and modern standards we have now. After the collapse of the town’s only movie theatre many years back, no significant efforts have been made to put up another movie house and hence the town’s residents wishing to enjoy a night out have been forced to drive about to the neighboring town so as to find an exclusive movie theatre.

In this light, my movie theatre, The Illuminator movie house that was recently put up has provided the residents of Lee Valley with a very much anticipated, modern and classy hometown movie house that matches up to their needs and strives to surpass the current market expectations. The films and movies featured are second run releases of the most popular movies among the young adults since they are our major target market.

Illuminator’s movie house mission provides our clients with a big city entertainment experience in a small town. Our clients have the opportunity of relaxing in comfortable and watch the latest first-rate movie blockbusters, all within a very short distance from their homes. This provides ease and convenience to the residents that had been lacking for a long period of time.

The movie theater has a space enhanced at creating a cinematic experience. Our clients’ comfort is definitely our first priority since the customers are the lifeline of any business enterprise. In this case, we have channeled a considerable amount of our investments to getting the most comfortable chairs for our clients. There is always something sacred about the moment when the lights go down in a movie theatre and the show begins and we have definitely provided this experience to our customers. This will has been achieved by installing dimmable lights.

Additionally, to create an aesthetic space that brings in a movie theatre’s experience, we have provided light cancelling curtains that blocks all light from the outside world. To help our clients become fully absorbed in our movie block busters, we were keen to paint our walls matte black. This significantly helps in stopping the light from reflecting on the screens and fully engrossing our clients.

Stakeholders

In a business enterprise, stakeholders play a key and critical role in ensuring the success of an organization is achieved and realized (Maj 6). Stakeholders also set up the priorities and the objectives of the company and strive to see to it that these plans and objectives are met. It is also of significant importance that all the stakeholders of an organization are involved in the decision making process of the business.

Illuminator movie house is headed by two individuals who have the essential skills and expertise required to run and manage a movie theatre. One of the top managers, Marcus, has successfully headed and managed a large movie house for seven years in a neighboring city and this evidently gave him a chance to hone and enhance his skills in theatre management and movie selection while creating valuable network of friends and relationships with important people in the movie industry. Forbes, on the other hand has the skills and expertise to restore and upgrade the building so that it will radiate comfort and be very receptive. He is also responsible for the lighting, furnishing and the outlook of the movie house so as to provide maximum ambience and comfort to our clients.

We also have ticket counter attendants, concession workers and ushers. The ticket counter attendants are tasked with the responsibilities of receiving payments from the customers and thereafter welcoming them to settle in the theatre room. The ticket counter attendants must hence have adequate knowledge of the films featuring at any particular time. The concession workers’ job involves, among other tasks preparing and retailing food such as popcorn, nachos, candy and soft drinks items on time.

The company upholds and treats its customers with utmost respect since customers are the lifeline of any business. Cultivating and fostering a cordial relationship with our customers is a crucial part of growing and making our business a success. With the advanced technological and digital revolution, it is key for a business to create and build an excellent experience for their customers to help develop the company’s relationship with them and our company has ensured this by providing the customers with an experience that surpasses and exceeds their expectations.

Company Principles

Illuminator’s movie theatre mission is to provide our clients with a big city entertainment experience in a small town. Our clients have the opportunity of relaxing in comfort and watch first-class features of the most recent movies and block busters, all within a short distance from their homes. This offers them convenience as well as an opportunity that the Lee Valley residents have lacked for the past many years.

Great customer care and proper film selection for the audience also one of our key company’s principles. In business, the customer is always the king as everything concerning the business revolves around him and with the stiff competition in the global markets today, pleasing the customer helps create a competitive advantage for the business (Squire). Our strategies, policies, promotional tactics and our internal processes are all rolled out to fit a more customer-centric frame.

Inclusivity and equity is also one of the company’s guiding principles as we aim to spread opportunities to the communities around, well-wishers and the employees irrespective of their gender, race or religious orientation. Equality, inclusion of all persons and diversity are fundamental processes that require continuous dedication. We strive to treat our customers and employees with utmost respect, equity and parity.

The encouragement and development of the company’s employees is also one of our company’s principles. The company has numerous training and development programs that helps our employees in advancing their careers as well as impacting them with the necessary knowledge that helps in keeping the business a success. It is the company’s principles for the top management to give guidance and direction to the subordinate staff in accordance with the organization's policies and procedures. The top management also mentors and empowers the employees to taking responsibility for their jobs and duties.

Crises Likely To Face the Business

The dynamics of the entertainment industry are changing significantly and at very high rates. With the increasing technological advancements, the availability of substitutes to the movie theatres has been on the rise due to the dissemination of home cinema and other mobile digital appliances (Squire). These technological advancements have enabled potential clients have access to all the latest movies and films as well as bringing the theater experience closer to their homes. This technological crisis has been a major threat to the industry. At Illuminator movie theatre, we plan to counter this by providing our clients with a big city entertainment experience in a small town that will surpass and exceed the clients’ expectations. From quality chairs, to dimmable lights, big screens and the provision of adequate refreshments, we are sure that our arrangement will surpass and exceed their expectations, hence creating customer loyalty.

There are also the legal crises where there are evidently great heights of risks concerning the protection of intellectual copyrights as many companies are venturing into international markets (Rahimi and Mousia 9). Large companies are embracing the digital projection processes and their incapacity to protect their intellectual rights in new markets has evidently given other businesses the opportunity to imitate and duplicate their technological processes. Unfortunately, this has seen the product prices and the company profit margins reduce significantly. We plan to counter this crisis by investing heavily in inimitable and rare technological infrastructure to reduce the chances of our processes being duplicated by other companies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, starting and having a movie theater is an exciting business prospect that can be a rewarding experience to any entrepreneur. However, the success of the business is dependent on numerous factors such as the company principles and values, the role that each stakeholder plays, goals and objectives of the business and the external factors such as political and legal factors that affect businesses. However, if the external factors are not favorable, the business may collapse or it may experience a decline in its sales and profit margins and to counter such catastrophes, a business enterprise should put in place counter strategies that will help in mitigating them, strategies that Illuminator’s movie theatre has already put in place.

Works citied

Maj, Jolanta. “Diversity Management’s Stakeholders and Stakeholders.” Management and Innovation.2015: 1-14.

Rahimi, A and Mousia M. “Impacts of Economic, Cultural, Social, Individual and Environmental Factors on the Demand of Cinema.” Journal of Business Management 2014: 1-15.

Squire, Jason E. The Movie Business. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2016.