Multiscreen, multiplex, megaplex: these are terms that are frequently used for those cinemas with several screens that gradually came to establish their presence in Europe, especially since the nineties. Unfortunately these terms are often used indiscriminately causing confusion or misunderstanding, both in the public and amongst those who work in the sector. The presence of more than one screen at a single site, which is certainly the most evident distinguishing feature with respect to the original type of cinema, cannot be considered sufficient to group together in a single category theatres that differ widely from one another, often also in terms of the services offered to the public. The most easily identifiable criteria for distinguishing the various types of movie theatres include the existence of auxiliary services and the fact that they have been specifically designed for several screens. Observing the process of transformation that has affected the cinemas of all European countries, although in different ways, over the past thirty years, this last criteria seems to be Multiscreen, multiplex, megaplex: these are terms that are frequently used for those cinemas with several screens that gradually came to establish their presence in Europe, especially since the nineties. Unfortunately these terms are often used indiscriminately causing confusion or misunderstanding, both in the public and amongst those who work in the sector. The presence of more than one screen at a single site, which is certainly the most evident distinguishing feature with respect to the original type of cinema, cannot be considered sufficient to group together in a single category theatres that differ widely from one another, often also in terms of the services offered to the public. The most easily identifiable criteria for distinguishing the various types of movie theatres include the existence of auxiliary services and the fact that they have been specifically designed for several screens. Observing the process of transformation that has affected the cinemas of all European countries, although in different ways, over the past thirty years, this last criteria seems to be UNIC, according to which the term multiplex cannot properly be used unless the complex has at least 8 screens. This practice is based on the results of the study carried out by London Economics on behalf of MEDIA Salles and published in the “White Book of the European Exhibition Industry” (second edition, 1994, vol. II, p. 48). As mentioned in Section 10 of the Methodological introduction, on the basis of an econometric study, London Economics states that the multiplex effect is not fully achieved unless there are at least 8 screens. This approach, which aims at evaluating chiefly the efficiency of the multiplex formula (in terms of the degree to which the facilities are utilised), seems preferable to an approach based on the presence of a series of qualitative features (car parks and refreshments, for instance, and also screen size, steeply tiered seating, distance between seats, space in the foyers, air conditioning, quality of sound, etc.), which might also be found in theatres which are not multiplexes; moreover these are features that may not be considered equally necessary for the definition of a multiplex as such (see e. g. J. Ph. Wolff “Of multiplexes and multiscreens”, UNIC, Paris, Dec. 1993). Without entering into further detail, it will suffice to reflect on the difficulty of evaluating qualitative features, such as the space in a foyer, for statistical purposes. As J. Ph. Wolff points out in his Introduction to this Yearbook, complexes with at least 8 screens do prove to have similar enough qualitative features, which make the category sufficiently homogeneous for statistical use. It seems more problematic, however, to agree on a definition of the megaplex. In a talk at Eurovisioni 1995, J. Bert (Kinepolis Group) suggested using this term for multiplexes with at least 15 screens. In 1998, however, the UNIC (Union Internationale des Cinémas), having discussed the issue at its General Meeting, opted for the criterion of at least 16 screens, because it concerns twice the minimum number of screens a cinema must have to be termed a multiplex. Without proposing the adoption of specific terminology, MEDIA Salles began, in the 1998 Yearbook, to subdivide the multiplexes originally grouped together in the category of theatres with 8 or more screens, into further categories. It is interesting to note that around 93% of the 1 081 sites identified in Europe up to 1^st January 2006 fall into the 8 - 11 screen or 12 - 15 screen categories. This seems to support preferences for the criterion by which at least 16 screens are required to qualify as a megaplex. Whilst we await more detailed research into the matter, an observation of the complexes with 16 or more screens shows that, in these cases, company strategy plays a decisive role. The decision to build this type of complex, rather than the more traditional multiplex, depends on elements linked to the considerable dimensions of the investments and management involved. It will suffice to take into account the choice of site, on the basis of the potential market, as well as the availability of adequate infrastructures, the relationship between the cinema and other activities that are considered to be in synergy with it, or the supply of films. It seems to be no coincidence then, that some complexes of a size still considered exceptional today have been conceived as self-sufficient structures – that, for instance, they are not integrated into a shopping precinct and that they are situated in suburban areas, where the cinema becomes the anchor tenant. In some other cases, screenings are integrated by other offers of entertainment or leisure services (for example gyms), rather than into shopping facilities. As regards questions linked to management, it might be interesting to analyse how far exhibition companies that have extended their activities to distribution have been influenced in that choice by the necessity of ensuring a regular and varied supply of products for their many screens.

Elisabetta Brunella

 This text is an up-dated version of articles that appeared in the MEDIA Salles’ Newsletter “European Cinema Journal”, no. 2, June 1999, and in the magazine “Multisala International”, no. 2, March/April 2000.