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 93.3% of the 1,122 sites identified in Europe up to 1st January
2008 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.