Film Journal March 2018

ASK THE AUDIENCE
- A COLLABORATION BETWEEN -
Ask the Audience is a monthly feature from Film Journal International and National
CineMedia (NCM) that allows you to ask an audience of 5,000 frequent moviegoers,
known as NCM’s Behind the Screens panel, the pressing questions of our industry.
When it comes to finding showtimes
and purchasing tickets, movie audiences
have an almost overwhelming number
of options. From in-person at the box office
to clicking through the latest app, there
are countless ways for an audience member
to begin their movie experience. So which
method is most popular, and how much
competition are you facing from outside
companies? Let’s ask the audience.
First, we’ve got some good news —
47% use their local theatre’s website or
app to find showtimes and other movie
information, such as rating or run time.
That’s encouraging, and a sign that you
should continue to make your digital
presence a priority as you develop your
business, since many people will use it as a
resource if it’s available. Third-party websites
were the second most popular option for
finding showtimes and other information,
with 34% saying they rely on outside
companies. Of those sites, Fandango was
the most commonly used, followed by
IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes. Interestingly,
Millennials were 89% more likely to list
Atom Tickets or MoviePass than their
older counterparts. Finally, 12% used
a search engine such as Google to find
the information they were looking for.
When it came time to purchase their tickets,
our panelists revealed they’re still somewhat
traditional and often head to the theatre
in person. 42% purchased them at the
ticket window, and another 12% used the
self-service kiosks in the lobby. Somewhat
unsurprisingly, Millennials were more likely
than older generations to use the kiosks
(got to love that fear of human interaction!).
When asked why they would opt to purchase
in person rather than digitally, 47% of the
respondents said it was because they
wanted to avoid the online convenience
fee. 28% of the community purchased their
tickets online, and another 17% used an app.
As you’d expect, adults 44 and younger
were significantly more likely to use an
app than people older than 55. Among
those who bought the ticket digitally,
we again have good news — 57% used
their theatre’s website, and 55% of those
loyalists say it’s because it allows them to
add to or use loyalty rewards. Of those that
used a third-party site or app, Fandango was
again the most popular platform.
With so many options for researching and
purchasing, it can be difficult to stand out.
But it seems that investing in your digital
presence or partnering with a trusted vendor
who can help to grow your reach would be
worth the return, because many of the
Behind the Screens panelists opt for their
theatre’s website or app when it’s available.
Being able to participate in the audiences’
moviegoing experience all the way from
showtime look-up to rolling credits? That’s
the dream... the very achievable dream.
To submit a question, email
AskTheAudience@ncm.com with your
name, company, contact information,
and what you would like to ask the
Behind the Screens panel.
HOW CUSTOMERS
FIND SHOWTIMES
47%
THEATRE’S
WEBSITE
OR APP
1%
NEWSPAPER
2%
OTHER
34%
THIRD-PARTY
WEBSITE
OR APP
12%
4%
SEARCH
ENGINE
GOING TO
THEATRE
HOW CUSTOMERS
BUY TICKETS
IN PERSON
BOX OFFICE TICKET WINDOW
MOBILE APP
THEATRE’S/THIRD-PARTY
17%
ONLINE WEBSITE
VIA SMARTPHONE/TABLET
14%
ONLINE WEBSITE
VIA COMPUTER
14%
IN PERSON
BOX OFFICE KIOSK
12%
42%
#
1
#
2
#
3
#
4
#
5
BEST PURCHASING
EXPERIENCE
MOBILE APP
VIA THEATRE’S/THIRD-PARTY
ONLINE WEBSITE
VIA SMARTPHONE/TABLET
ONLINE WEBSITE
VIA COMPUTER
IN PERSON
BOX OFFICE
IN PERSON
BOX OFFICE KIOSK
PURCHASED AN ADVANCE TICKET TO STAR WARS:
67% THE LAST JEDI THROUGH THEIR LOCAL THEATRE
14 FILMJOURNAL.COM /MARCH 2018
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2/12/18 3:13 PM