Can Independent Theaters Save the Movie-Going Experience?

Empty chairs, blank screens, and abandoned theaters. The setting seems straight out of an apocalyptic film, but this was the bleak reality Hollywood faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which shut down movie theaters and expedited the rise of streaming. Still, with the pandemic in the rearview mirror, Hollywood is still facing a dying theatrical movie business. Since audiences can now wait for films to arrive on streaming, among other issues like rising ticket prices and the presence of social media,  movie attendance has remained low compared to previous years. Theater owners across the nation are concerned and under the impression that the business will die within the next two decades. However, if you visit an independent theater on a given weekend, you will likely see a totally different picture: long lines, enthusiastic crowds of all ages, and full theaters. While movie theater attendance may never achieve pre-pandemic levels again, the growing popularity of independent theaters shows how the film industry can stay relevant and timely for younger audiences.

Since the introduction of television sets in American households, the film industry has faced the existential question: is this the end of movie theaters? With T.V. encouraging audiences to stay home, the exhibitors  have long relied on creative and new technologies to distinguish the movie-going experience. Introducing 3D glasses and crafting wider screens, exhibitors hoped to give audiences an experience they could not find on their couch.

Nowadays, movie theaters face a smaller and mightier competitor: the phone. In response, theaters have integrated reclining sets, IMAX and Dolby Atmos technology, and dine-in experiences to detach audiences from their smaller screens. Nonetheless, even with the most advanced technology and comforts, commercial theaters continue to face closures and bankruptcies. While independent theaters are often the first to bear the consequences of a struggling industry, today, the growing success of indie exhibitors shows us that the answer to saving the movies might be simpler than it seems. According to a study by Art House Convergence, where they surveyed 32,000 audience members from the ages of 15 to 98 years old, a majority expressed a desire for more indie theaters in their communities. 

 While commercial theaters boast spacious and modern-looking multiplexes, most indie exhibitors have preserved the vintage and ornate aesthetic of theaters from the 20th century. With one or two screens maximum, tightly packed seats, and velvet curtains, art house theaters feel exclusive and intimate. Although they might not seem as luxurious as their competitors, the charm and appeal of going to a vintage theater lies in its simplicity and appreciation of movies as a communal experience.

Brain Dead Studios in Los Angeles is a prime example of how indie theaters are finding ways to adapt and recultivate moviegoing as a communal event for young people. Fashion designer and owner of Brain Dead Studios, Kyle Ng, transformed a 1940s silent movie theater on Fairfax into a retro and quirky venue for the use of creatives and film-lovers. In addition to being a movie theater, Brain Dead Studios has a café with a patio and a retail space selling clothing and physical media. Creating a collaborative and lively space for audiences, Brain Dead Studios showcases how theaters can serve as an important cultural and artistic hub in a time where loneliness and isolation is rapid.

Although Los Angeles serves as the headquarters of vintage and small theaters, indie theaters across the nation have found a loyal fan base through repertory programming. While commercial theaters must uphold their contracts with studios and primarily show new releases, indie theaters have the freedom to curate and program classic films to appeal to each of their niche (but loyal) audiences. From anniversary screenings to filmmaker retrospectives, shown in formats like  Nitrate or 35 mm, these theaters help audiences discover classic films and connect with other enthusiasts. Often pairing their screenings with exclusive interviews featuring actors, filmmakers, and historians, these theaters deliver an all-round experience, usually for prices as low as $10 compared to admission prices as high as $25 at AMC. 

The emergence of Letterboxd and Instagram or Tik Tok pages dedicated to the craft of cinema have also played a significant role in the success of indie theaters, especially among Gen-Z. The presence of classic movie clips, aesthetic posts, and behind-the-scenes videos have attracted the attention and curiosity of younger generations and made them into cinephiles. Some may argue that repertory screenings feed into audiences’ nostalgia and prevent them from engaging with new films. However, introducing younger audiences to classic films not only exposes them to film history but also transforms them into more thoughtful and open-minded movie-goers. More than nostalgia, the force driving young audiences to indie theaters is the desire for community. In a recent report, conducted by UCLA, found that when costs and transportation barriers are not considered, teenagers surprisingly prefer movie-going as their favorite pastime, over watching sports or scrolling on social media. Since Gen-Z grew up during the pandemic and digital age, young people have continuously searched for meaningful ways to connect with people outside the internet. Movie theaters can serve as influential “third spaces,” where Gen-Z can engage with popular culture and interact with friends, away from the constrictions of social media. 

To adapt the cultural shifts in the industry, commercial movie theater chains can take pointers from indie theaters that have made the movie-going experience feel personal and exciting for younger audiences. Whether it’s creating more innovative and welcoming spaces, or hosting more interviews with filmmakers and actors, theater chains have the potential to learn and reshape how they approach film exhibition. Sony Pictures is leading the way for commercial theaters, by embracing the indie model for theater chains. Sony began by acquiring Alamo Drafthouse, an art house theater that turned into a national chain by crafting intimate venues and programming special screenings.

Gen-Z can play an important role in leading this reimagination of movie theaters. With the consumer behavior of Gen-Z often associated with decline of the film industry, studios, exhibitors, and analysts constantly obsess over how young people watch and respond to movies. This particular attentiveness gives Gen-Z the cultural power and opportunity to communicate what they want out of  movie theaters. By hanging out with friends at a local movie theater, exposing yourself to contemporary and classic films, rather streaming the same content over again, or engaging in cultural discussions about art and film on social media, instead of doomscrolling, Gen-Z can reestablish the movies as a vital cultural hub for young people to gather around. The movie industry will face new and more advanced competitors as time goes by; however, what exhibitors need to remember is that as the world becomes seemingly more disconnected and isolated, movie theaters hold the extraordinary potential to bring people together.