Back in 2005 there was a thread about locating a movie theater in downtown Youngstown, and as a member of Cinema Treasures, I can shed some light on the possability.
First of all, the industry is phasing out movie film and going digital, and distributors are phasing out their stock of films, and theaters are struggling to change over to digital projectors at a very expensive price that is knocking the small houses out of the running, and this precludes them from showing first run pictures.
Unfortunately the chain theaters have a lock on first run pictures, so it's highly unlikely that we will ever see a first run house downtown.
The idea for an art house on the other hand is a possability since there is a large inventory of art films to choose from, but are they strong enough to draw crowds sufficiently to pay the rental?
Again, is there an existing theater to properly show the large format pictures since there would need to be two projectors capable of showing the large format films?
The Oakland was suggested, but is their stage large enough to support a CinemaScope screen and the sound equipment in such a way that they can be moved for live stage shows?
Powers not only has two working projectors, the sound system and a CinemaScope size screen, and Stambaugh also has projectors and screen although it isn't CinemaScope size, but aren't interested in having a regular movie schedule because of the cost of film rental vs. prospective attendance.
With Netflix who needs theaters?
Unfortunately Rick, you're absolutely right about Netflix, and add to that the high cost of a big screen experience in both terms of the tickets and the snack foods that go with the experience.
How soon after the first run does Netflix get the new pictures? And why should people have to shell out big bucks when they can rent a picture and view it at home.
Big Screen TV's are coming down in price, and by setting up a home theater, and pay pennies on the dollar not only for the film, but the snacks as well and not have to put up with noisy and inconsiderate people that don't knowhow to behave themselves in a big screen theater.
Times indeed have changed, and there are some things out of our past that will never come back in the manner we remembered them in our youth.
Live theater on the other hand is alive and well, and so long as we support it, whether it be in like Powers, and Stambaugh, or the Playhouse, Covelli Center, Oakland or the Victorian they will remain to provide us with quality entertainment at reasonable prices.
Now we all can't go to all the shows that come to these venues, and there are some shows that aren't to our taste, but trying out new things once in a while won't kill you.
Case in point, I enjoy classical music, and my idea of a "big band" is the Boston Pops Orchestra, and I try to attend whenever possable, and certainly the Youngstown Symphony is a good orchestra that is not confined to highbrow music, but like the Boston Pops performs a wide range of musical styles.
Yellow Creek Theatre in Poland is going on its tenth year and brings back the drive in aura.
Yellowcreektheatre.com
So far as yours, and the one at the Covelli Center are concerned ... great ... and hope they enjoy long years to come, but as for conventional movie theaters, literally thousands have closed theirdoors and turned off their lights, with most being demolished, and many of the larger ones being used as live venues as was the case with Powers (Warner) here in Youngstown.
What sort of films does Yellow Creek show, and do you go through a regular film distributer, and what size projectors are used? I ask these questions so that I might list it at CinemaTreasures.
In the future, CinemaTreasures will have to add a new class of movie theaters to cover those like Yellow Creek.
My wife has always concentrated on the classics and demands that the content remain family oriented. The rights to the movies are purchased to the tune upwards of $200 per showing. The projector we use is high lumen digital.
You should attend sometime in the summer, Iwasthere has been seen in the audience once in awhile.
What size film does it take? Am I correct that you are purchasing the movies as opposed to renting them? You say the projector(s) are digital, does that mean that they use DVD's as opposed to film?
Yes, DVD's
Could you send me a couple of photos (1) general (2) screen and (3) projector. I'm going to post info at CinemaTreasures.I guess that the classification would be outdoor theatre, and the times that you operate. Oh yes and the address. Theatres like yours are growing in popularity around the country, and hopefully this entry would draw people from Ohio and Pa to your theatre.
Please refer to Yellowcreektheatre.com
You may formalize you request with them, I'm sure they would be excited to work with you, I'm just the worker in the group :')
Just sent them an e-mail about it.
By the way, here is the link to CinemaTreasures, and at it you will find all the Youngstown theaters that I posted there along with photos.
http://cinematreasures.org/ (http://cinematreasures.org/)
As soon as I get a reply saying OK, I'll add it to the site.