ROUND-UP: BOX-OFFICE SLUMP
For 18 straight weeks, movie box-office grosses have been lower than they were a year ago, a trend that has been blamed on everything from pumped-up onscreen advertising and rising ticket prices to rude patrons. To address the problem, movie studios are trying new strategies, such as simultaneously releasing films in theaters, on pay TV and on DVD -- a move some theater owners say will, in effect, destroy the movie-theater industry. Following are experts who can comment:
**1. JOSEPH MCBRIDE, assistant professor of cinema at SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY, former box-office reporter and film critic for Daily Variety: "As Sam Goldwyn once put it, 'If people don't want to go to the picture, nobody can stop them.' Since the '80s, Hollywood has dumbed down its output to appeal to the most limited youth-market tastes, and, in the process, has driven away moviegoers who want something more substantial and varied. DVDs have made it possible to avoid the hassles of going to the theater and to find independent and foreign titles not readily available at the local multiplex."
**2. MICHAEL V. LEWIS, chairman of REAL D, a provider of digital 3-D entertainment to theaters, is an expert on technologies revolutionizing the theatrical landscape. Lewis can comment on 3-D movies, alternative programming, d-cinema and general trends: "Movies have been moving towards more lifelike experiences. First there was sound, then color and, more recently, special effects. Today, advancements like 3-D let moviegoers see with depth, replicating the way the human eye actually sees. The entertainment industry must embrace new techniques like this that provide a premium entertainment experience that keeps audiences coming back to the multiplex."
**3. DR. ROBERT R. BUTTERWORTH, psychologist at INTERNATIONAL TRAUMA ASSOCIATES, tracks movie attendee behavior: "Movie-going has become a joke. The shouts, the conversations, the bawling babies -- they all add up to frustrated moviegoers who have paid to be annoyed. I used to think it was just kids, but lately it's older folks too. We've all lost our civility here. Some movie patrons have an annoying sense of entitlement; during a movie, people talk, argue and make cell-phone calls. And when you try to correct them, you become the rude one. Also, the growing trend of smuggling smelly food or entire banquets into theaters is also on the increase."
**4. JAMES ROCCHI, movie reviewer for NETFLIX, is an authority on the entertainment industry, pop culture and DVD technology. He is a regular commentator for a variety of publications, including USA Today, AP News, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Philadelphia Metro and more. Rocchi is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the On-Line Film Critics Society. He has provided TV, radio and reviews from festivals and events, including the Cannes Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival and others as an accredited member of the press.
**5. MICHEL SHANE, producer of Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" as well as "I, Robot," can speak on the current box office slump. He is a national film industry expert who also lectures at UCLA.
**6. JAMIE HOOPER is the founder and editor-in-chief of Giant, a new entertainment magazine geared towards young men ages 18 to 34. Previously the publisher of Maxim, Hooper played a key role in building it into the highest revenue-generating and most profitable men's publishing property in the world. He also worked on the re-launch of The New Yorker under Tina Brown. Hopper can discuss today's young men and what makes them different from past generations, as well as pop culture.
ROUND-UP: FILM PIRACY (continued)
We've added the following to items posted previously at http://profnet.prnewswire.com/organik/orbital/thewire/lst_leads.jsp?iLRTopicID =6785
**1. JOSHUA GREER, CEO of REAL D, a provider of digital 3-D entertainment to theaters, is an expert on the technology shaping the future of cinema and can provide commentary on 3-D, digital cinema and trends impacting the industry: "New technologies have profoundly changed the entertainment industry in ways we could not have predicted, and, in some cases, technology has advanced faster than the business models to support it. The movie industry must learn from the hiccups of the music industry and harness the power of new technologies to open new revenue streams, fight piracy and, ultimately, deliver compelling entertainment experiences to consumers."
_____LEADS
**1. HOME & GARDEN: INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME BY UPDATING THE FLOORING. DEAN WRIGHT, store manager at MCSWAIN CARPETS & FLOORS, the ninth-largest independent flooring store in the country: "The real estate market is red hot right now, which means there are a lot of homeowners with their homes up for sale competing with each other for potential buyers. One of the easiest ways to increase a home's value, plus make it more appealing to a prospective buyer, is to update the flooring." Wright can discuss the types of flooring that should be replaced to add immediate value to the home, new color and interior design ideas to give a great first impression.
**2. HOME & GARDEN: A FARMERS MARKET TOUR. MARK BLAAUBOER, assistant academic director of culinary arts at THE ART INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA-SAN DIEGO, can provide numerous tips that professional chefs use when shopping at farmers markets: "You don't come into a farmers market with a recipe; you let the market be your inspiration. It's not about mastery. It's about creativity. Ingenuity is part of the fun."
**3. HOME & GARDEN: CREATING YOUR OWN PERSONAL SANCTUARY. WILLIAM CALIGARI, managing principal at WILLIAM CALIGARI INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE, is a renowned commercial and residential spa designer: "The average vacation is a long weekend, and people stress out as they race to yoga class in order to relax. We wish we had time to ourselves to escape from responsibility, collect our thoughts and finish books we started months ago. People would allow themselves the luxury of indulging in their interests more often if there is a space in their home or office specifically designed for a personal time-out." Caligari can identify the steps and options that people can take to create their own personal sanctuary.
**4. PARENTING: LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX. MELISSA COX, director of marketing and PR at THE MEDICAL INSTITUTE FOR SEXUAL HEALTH: "Kids are way past oral sex by the time they get to high school -- it's more of an activity for middle- schoolers. Oral sex is a game for so many kids, and some parents see it as a rite of passage. It's not. Our children are dying for intimacy, connectedness and relationships. When they don't have these things, oral sex sounds exciting." The Medical Institute for Sexual Health just released a new book, "Questions Kids Ask about Sex," which helps parents become comfortable with these and other sexual subjects, gain knowledgeable about kids' perspectives on the world and become involved in their lives.
**5. TRAVEL: FALL COLORS IN WEST MICHIGAN. CHRISTA HUGHES, marketing and media director at the WEST MICHIGAN TOURIST ASSOCIATION (WMTA): "The fall colors of West Michigan's autumn bounty, combined with a background of evergreen forest, result in one of the best fall color shows in the nation. Many of the 'old roads' cut through great stands of hardwood and pines, and make perfect color tours." WMTA can provide 26 scenic driving tour routes from 40 to 140 miles.
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