F911 shuns Pinellas Co., FL - 4th largest city in FL gets Cold Shoulder

[soup]

Bear with me please while I set up my question. Still on my first cup of coffee.

Does a chain (Regal, AMC) decide if they will carry a film and in which theater? Do individual theaters have any control over what is shown on their screens? Is it entirely decided by bookers at distributing companies?

F911 was being advertised as opening in at least 1,000 theaters on 06/25. What was the final number? 800+?

Wouldn't LionsGate and IFC (distributors of the film) be aware of things like population, market shares, demographics and ticket sales from former releases and take that into consideration when booking a film?

For those not familiar with the area, Pinellas county, FL could easily incorporate as one giant municipality called Pinellas County City, FL.
Information and a small map here: http://www.pinellascounty.org/Municipalities.htm

What on earth would cause a distributor to decide to open a film in a theater in a little outskirts town with a population of 12,701 (Oldsmar, FL) and NOT in a neighboring municipalities with a population of 101,830 (Clearwater, FL), NOT in Dunedin with 35,234, NOT in Pinellas Park (46,642), NOT in Tarpon Springs (21,003), NOT in Seminole (18,500 ), NOT in Largo (68,500 ) and NOT in the 4th largest city in Florida - St. Petersburg (249,068 )?

Did bookers at LionsGate or IFC make a list where the film would show and someone say, "OH, We just HAVE to put this film in a theater in the town of Oldsmar, FL?" (no offense meant to anyone who lives there). Did someone else pipe up and say,"Let's Not place it in Largo, pop. 68,500, and centrally located in the county. That just would not be to our advantage." and someone's final word in the decision-making go something like this, "Well, we definitely do NOT want the film to open in St. Petersburg, population 249,068, the 4th largest city in FL. What a mistake that would be."???

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FINALLY, I get to the point of my post...
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'Fahrenheit' gives Pinellas the cold shoulder

If you wonder why Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 isn't showing at a theater near you, the answer is twofold: economics and ignorance.

First the economics: Fahrenheit 9/11 opened Friday on a reported 868 theater screens nationwide. In the Tampa Bay area, it's at AMC's Woodlands Square 20, Veterans 24, Westshore 14 and Regency 20 megaplexes, the Sunrise Cinemas in Tampa's Old Hyde Park and Burns Court Cinemas in Sarasota.
>snip<

Now the ignorance part: Bookings for theaters are generally handled on orders from distribution executives in Los Angeles and New York, who haven't learned that the Tampa Bay area, ranked No. 15 among U.S. movie markets, includes three cities: Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. When scheduling Tampa Bay area theaters, bookers keep thinking Tampa only, like some sports fans still think the Tampa Bay Devil Rays play baseball in Tampa.

Last week, I contacted Russell Nelson at Lions Gate Films, distributor for Fahrenheit 9/11, and explained our geographical identity crisis. Nelson was informed that nearly half of the 15th-largest U.S. movie market would essentially be ignored if bookings weren't secured on the west side of Tampa Bay. I suggested three Pinellas County theaters as venues. Nelson said he appreciated the information and would pass it along to bookers.
<
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/06/26/Artsandentertainment/_Fahrenheit__gives_Pi.shtml

The article goes on to mention the opening of Gibson's "Passion", and assurance that there's no 'conspiracy' about where the film would open - because "if there were, Moore would certainly use it for publicity purposes, as he did with other protests".

So, what's up with that? :shrug: Does anyone know?

[bryant69]

1. Could be individual theater owners deciding

they don't want to show it. I don't know--I live in Florida, but not in the Tampa Area. Maybe they were worried about protests or problems. There was a police car out in front of the theater showing it here.

But then again I don't know how much power individual theater owners / managers have over what they show.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[soup]

7. According to the article in the St Petersburg Times,

the decision is entirely up to the distributors.

The chains (AMC, Regal, etc.) have nothing to do with it, let alone individual theaters.

Why wouldn't the distributors offer the film to the 4th largest city in Florida - nearly half of the 15th-largest U.S. movie market?

[argyl]

2. I spoke personally with regional distributor for AMC for for the DFW area.

First I called the headquarters in California and they directed me to him. He said the decision had been made to play it in in the DFW area and it is,so I suppose these decisions are made on a regional basis.

[soup]

4. Thanks, argyl.

Guess I need to go look up the regional distributor for southeastern U.S.

The title of the article "'Fahrenheit' gives Pinellas the cold shoulder", just really bugged me. That, and wouldn't common sense dictate that the 4th largest city in FL would get some consideration in the distribution?

[teryang]

3. Good for the St. Pete Times

Pinellas is huge, population almost one million.

St. Petersburg will love this film. Particularly to see the black caucus ignored in the Senate. I wouldn't expect Clearwater or Seminole to be politically oversensitive. They have a Republican Congressman (Bilirakis) that hasn't been opposed electorally (but they did vote for Gore). I'm sure that community leaders in St. Petersburg would prefer delay in the viewing after the recent anniversary of the riots.

[soup]

5. I hadn't considered the riots.

There was something else recently, too. What was it? Police shot someone? Court decision on a shooting? Blasted memory fails me at the most inopportune times. Argh, frustrating.

But if the decision is made entirely by distributors, why would local issues, or community leaders, enter into it?

[teryang]

13. I'm probably wrong on this

I was wrong about the anniversary date. It was April 2, 1996. Heres a 2002 article on the situation:

http://www.staugustine.com/stories/102401/sta_237228.shtml

Outsiders (and some Floridians) don't understand Pinellas geography. Yet the author does feel compelled to say there is no evidence of "conspiracy" because elements of black community are justifiably suspicious of their local community.

[Catt03]

6. I live in Delray Beach, FL

which is in Palm Beach County.

I looked at the bookings to decide where to go and they are just weird.

In Delray, the booking is at a theater that is way west of the city. The area is populated with many gated communities and is also a small movie complex. In Boca Raton the booking is right in the heart of everything and is a very large complex. Both are about the same distance from my home.

Go figure

[soup]

8. Doesn't make sense, does it?

Maybe I'm making something of nothing. But it just doesn't make sense.

[LuCifer]

14. I LIVE IN DELRAY TOO!

ROCK! I went out to see F9/11 at the 9:10 showing, and I saw the LONGEST line I have EVER seen in my LIFE for a movie! I swear to gods, Freddie Mercury could come back from the dead (if only!) and do one show and the tickets line wouldn't have been as long!!! So me and my partner in crime decided screw it and we'll catch it on a matine soon nuff! It wasn't a completely wasted trip, I needed a soda and a tv dinner from Publicks anyways! Oh, before I forget, F 9/11 is also showing at the Shadowood in West Boca, but it'll probably be just as packed as that one that it's in by the airport (gods I can't stand that theatre! The line of traffic to get out onto Glades is just insane!) And thank you to whoever ran the red light after it had been red for at least 10 seconds, at Oriole Rd. going Southbound on Jog at approx. 9:20 PM last night! And it was on MY side to, moron. Get this, the jerkwad has the balls to HONK AT ME! Man am I glad I listened to my gut, I was like, ok, "I know I should be starting up, cuz it's green, but, nah, just go slow, look again, and WHAT THE HELL! WHAT!" This nutcase must have been doing at least 60 MPH! If I wasn't so freaked out by this jackass, I would have made damn sure to get his license plate, but knowing my luck, this kook would have had a bazooka or something.

Lu Cifer, installing 3 foot rubber bumpers to every side of my car, and thank you DOT for having such suck public transportation! Otherwise, I'd gladly rid the bus instead!

[bullimiami]

9. Its in 5 theaters in the tampa / st pete area

within 20 miles or so.

stop yer yappin and go see it.

How many theaters in your area showed Bowling for Columbine?

[Catt03]

12. A lot more than showing 9/11

[lpbk2713]

10. It's not scheduled in Polk county either, largest Fla county.

The nearest showing is in Brandon, about 25 miles from me in Lakeland. The website says some AMC theaters are showing it at various locations and there is an AMC theater in Lakeland but they aren't showing it. Maybe later?

[1monster]

11. I talked to the theatre manager in my town and he stated that he had

no control over what movies were booked in his theatre. He said that Regal Corporate made those decisions, much to his dismay, when he had to travel to the BIG CITY forty miles away to see some of the films he wanted to see.