Boxoffice Pro - December 2019

(Another example of being open to
off-the-beaten-track options in programming:
Anime does really well at Megaplex
Theatres. “We kind of stumbled onto the
fact that there are huge anime fans out
here in Utah,” says Gundersen. FanX, a
well-attended comic convention, puts
on events in Salt Lake City several times
a year. Megaplex Theatres taps into that
crowd by screening films from anime
distributor Funimation as well
as Fathom Events, which
has a partnership with
anime powerhouse
Studio Ghibli. “We
[screen anime]
quite often, two
or three times a
month if we can
get that much
content. … The
anime’s turned out
to be a lot bigger
than what I thought it
was going to be.”)
When it comes to making
potential moviegoers aware of smaller
titles, Megaplex benefits from other
components of the Miller empire. “We
own a local radio station, so we can
help get the word out [with that],” says
Andersen. “We own sporting events, so
we can place adds in the Jazz arena or
in our Bees stadium.” (Basketball team
the Utah Jazz and minor league baseball
franchise the Salt Lake Bees are owned
by the Miller family through their LHM
Group.) In addition, Megaplex creates
its own pre-show, giving the chain more
“Megaplex
Theatres and its
team are the best in the
business. Megaplex Theatres
has provided a worldwide launching
ground for local indie films coming
out of Utah consistently for 20 years.
They do what few in the business can,
at an unprecedented level.” —
Brandon Purdie, President,
Purdie Distribution
Megaplex Theatres’ Jordan Commons location counts D-Box motion seating among its luxury amenities.
freedom to promote
independent
titles months out
from their release.
“There isn’t much
that happens” in the Miller
empire, Gundersen explains—
whether it’s Megaplex Theatres, sports
teams, or car dealerships—that “the
[Miller] family is not highly involved in.”
That strategy won’t change. Gail Miller
“continues to be a very viable part of the
community and is very much involved
in trying to give back,” Gundersen says.
And the Miller children and grandchildren,
Andersen explains, “are active in
the business and learning the ropes from
the ground up. The Miller family has
all of the children who want to work
in the business start just like everyone
else: in the concession stands, the ticket
booth, doing what everyone else does to
learn the business and work their way up
through the ranks. … As we continue
to grow and reach out and spread our
footprint throughout different areas in
different states, I hope that we can continue
to operate in a way that melds with
[our] communities and that brings in
innovative ideas and technologies.”
“Megaplex Theatres is terrific and has made every effort to make our independent
films successful. So here’s my plan ... I’m not dead yet. We’ve got more films to
make, so we’ll keep producing and you keep being great!”
—T.C. Christensen, Filmmaker
“For 20 years Megaplex Theatres has been here for both film lovers and
filmmakers. By helping local filmmakers showcase their work on the big screen,
they support talent in Utah and allow audiences to see stories from their own
backyard. They are true community builders.”
—Virginia Pearce, Director, Utah Film Commission
Blake Andersen and Gail Miller cut the cake at
Megaplex’s 100 Millionth Guest Celebration in
December 2018.
DECEMBER 2019
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