Boxoffice - April 2019

TRADE TALK
audience to enjoy their innovative programming
during our popular pre-show,” said Michael Sakin,
president, Spotlight Cinema Networks. “M2M Studios’
cinematic fashion and art-focused content is well
suited for our theaters’ environment, and we’re especially
pleased to offer it exclusively to our network of
art house and luxury exhibitors around the country.”
“Spotlight offers a prestigious and highly targeted
platform to reach discerning cinema audiences
from coast to coast,” said Susan Hootstein, M2M
Studios’ executive director. “We’re thrilled to once
again work with Spotlight … to help us distribute
our premium editorial content.”
Launched by IMG in 2015, M2M Studios produces
original series, fashion films, and documentaries
that highlight the people, trends, issues, and
events that have defined and continue to transform
the fashion landscape.
MACMILLAN TO BOOST WEBEDIA’S GLOBAL
CINEMA SOLUTIONS
>> Malcolm MacMillan (pictured), managing director of
Webedia Movies Pro (WMP) UK, will head WMP’s global
BOOST solutions, a new unit designed to provide online and
mobile solutions for exhibitors around the world.
The launch of BOOST follows a successful year in which
WMP revenue-enhancing products were responsible for $500
million in box office revenue going straight to the theater
exhibition chains.
BOOST offers a collection of online ticketing products
that make it easier for patrons to discover their show times and
purchase their tickets online directly from their exhibitor. For
MacMillan, taking control
to directly reach audiences
online is crucial. “Online
ticketing grew by nearly 20
percent last year and is not
showing any sign of slowing
down. In turn, we’ve seen
that a growing number of
moviegoers prefer to find
their movie times and purchase
tickets directly from
their local cinema chain.” A
recent study conducted by
Vertigo Research for WMP
revealed that 30.8 percent of
U.S. moviegoers find show
times on their exhibitor’s
website, which also accounted
for 36.8 percent of online
ticket sales.
BOOST’s premium digital
solutions, which include
innovative websites, mobile
applications, CRM, online
ticketing solutions, and soonto-be-announced
integrated voice AI initiatives, allow exhibitors
of all sizes to gain control of their online ticketing sales.
BOOST has recently released the new Showcase Cinema
U.S. websites, signed France’s CGR Cinemas on a new
CRM platform, and renewed a multiyear relationship with
B&B Theatres.
Bobbie Bagby Ford, EVP of B&B Theatres, affirmed,
“Webedia Movies Pro have been a valued digital partner
for three years, from creating our weekly newsletters to
boosting our online ticketing conversion through responsive
frameworks. We look forward to continuing our partnership
by taking advantage of their new innovations and mobile
solutions. They are simply great partners to B&B.”
32 APRIL 2019