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COMPUTERS IN EXHIBITION<br />
Computer-Automation for the '90s<br />
IT<br />
By Patricia Kirk<br />
MAY NOT BE too far in<br />
the future that<br />
movie theatres will be totally self-sufficient,<br />
with computers running the entire<br />
show: boxoffice. concessions and presentations.<br />
At least that's where the latest automation<br />
technology seems to be heading,<br />
based on a <strong>Boxoffice</strong> survey of the computer<br />
industry.<br />
Currently, there's a long list of computer<br />
firms standing in line to help theatre<br />
owners automate their boxoffice, concession<br />
and accounting operations. One innovative<br />
computer company, in fact, has<br />
jumped into the technical theatre operations<br />
arena with a system that could help bring a<br />
totally automated future a little closer to the<br />
present.<br />
Teirace Entertainment Systems, Inc.'s<br />
Encore III system operates like a smooth<br />
symphony orchestra. With the touch of a<br />
finger to the computer monitor's screen, a<br />
theatre manager can set the house action<br />
into motion: the lights dim, the curtain rises<br />
and the movie begins. Encore's easy to<br />
follow menus allow the theatre operator to<br />
quickly schedule the start, intermission and<br />
exit times for up to four features, with four<br />
trailers per feature, for a total of eight show-<br />
Terrace Entertainment's Touch Screen System<br />
ings per day. The system also performs<br />
self-diagnostics, monitors and stores information<br />
about maintenance functions, and<br />
prints a maintenance schedule of work that<br />
needs to be done to assure top performance.<br />
This is the first of two articles examining<br />
the state-of-the art of computer system<br />
hardware and software for the exhibition<br />
industry. Because of the large installed<br />
base of stand-alone PCs in exhibition, a<br />
forthcoming installment will take a look<br />
at some truly useful software geared to<br />
IBM-compatible computers.<br />
And if anything goes wrong, according<br />
to system developer and president James<br />
Terrace Ward, an optional telephone paging<br />
communication system notifies the projectionist<br />
or manager of the problem; provides<br />
instructions on how to fix it; and, when<br />
down time is involved, autoinatically adjusts<br />
show schedules.<br />
Another option is an LED display<br />
board in the lobby that announces auditorium<br />
numbers, feature titles and showtimes.<br />
Because the display is integrated into the<br />
system, it automatically adjusts start times<br />
when a show deviates from the advertised<br />
schedule.<br />
With modem telecommunication capability,<br />
the system can be operated, programmed,<br />
or monitored from the home<br />
office or any other theatre site. Envisioning<br />
a theatre of the future that practically runs<br />
itself. Ward says, "A two- or three-plex<br />
could easily be handled by one person and<br />
a five-plex by two people. I'm not trying to<br />
eliminate any jobs," he adds. "It's just the<br />
state of the art."<br />
Encore III is currently in its final stages<br />
of development and should be available for<br />
sale by late summer or early fall, according<br />
to Ward. Terrace, which is located in Palm<br />
Desert, Calif., is test driving the system at<br />
Metropolitan Theatres Corp.'s Courtyard<br />
Cinema in Palm Springs.<br />
Better<br />
customer service, aimed at taking<br />
the hassle out of going to the<br />
movies, is the focus of many new<br />
theatre automation products. Betting on the<br />
idea that some people are willing to pay<br />
extra for better service, C. A.T.S. US A, Inc.,<br />
an international company with U.S. service<br />
centers in New York and Colorado, has<br />
developed Teleticket, an enhancement for<br />
its computerized boxoffice management<br />
system which gives movie-goers the opportunity<br />
to reserve theatre tickets over the<br />
phone for a nominal fee.<br />
According to Israel<br />
Greidinger, director of C.A.T.S., the<br />
company picks up any credit card fees as<br />
well as the cost of sophisticated telecommunications<br />
equipment and automated transaction<br />
machines (ATM) that accept credit<br />
and bank-debit cards, effectively providing<br />
a service that costs the theatre operator<br />
nothing. C. A.T.S. collects 75 cents per<br />
ticket from patrons using the service.<br />
AMC and Mann Theatres in Los Angeles<br />
both are using the C. A.T.S. system.<br />
Mark McDonald, assistant division operations<br />
manager of AMC. says "We're very<br />
happy with the system; it makes movie<br />
going easier for some customers. Customers<br />
feel better when they know they have<br />
tickets waiting for them before driving to a<br />
show. And anything that's good for our<br />
customers, makes good business sense for<br />
us."<br />
Callers use a touch-tone phone to navigate<br />
an audio menu to choose the movie<br />
time and theatre location. Tickets, which<br />
are reserved on a credit card at the time of<br />
the call, can be picked up at an ATM<br />
mounted on the theatre wall or from the<br />
cashier at a will-call window or boxoffice.<br />
The customer has the option of paying with<br />
a credit or bank-debit card. And the system<br />
An AMC Automated Transaction Machine<br />
works. For the opening of "The Godfather,<br />
Part III" in Los Angeles, some people went<br />
back to their cars and reserved tickets over<br />
their car phones when they saw the lines at<br />
the theatre, Greidinger said.<br />
20 <strong>Boxoffice</strong>
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