I was sitting and looking at a boring and uninspiring to-do list on a Saturday morning when I got a call from my good friend Jordan. “Let’s go to the opera,” he said. Hmm, not remembering any strong connection between Jordan and opera, but knowing Jordan as an explorer, and a person who uncovers interesting experiences, I cautiously proceeded. “I’m not sure I’m up for a dash into NYC,” I said. “And what in the world are you talking about?”
That’s how I ended up at a live simulcast of the Metropolitan Opera in a New Jersey suburb in the middle of the day on a Saturday. It was packed, and it was terrific. I was blown away.
Rigoletto was being broadcast real-time from the Met in high definition on a screen sixty feet wide. The sound was excellent, the video was crystal clear, and it was much like a theater experience. During the two intermissions the principal actors were interviewed real-time by excellent commentators, and people in the movie theater chatted and milled around. There was a sense of camaraderie and community for the people there, who shared an interest in opera, but weren’t interested or able to make the trip to see it live, 30 miles away.
The whole experience intrigued me for it’s marketing and community possibilities. I had never heard of this option of high-quality simulcast to movie theaters. Every few months I make sure to get into NYC and see live theater, and I love to see live music and sometimes comedy. So, if I had heard about and option like this, I would have paid attention to it.
How many movie theaters are there? Well, one or two in every town, it seems. That’s a tremendous distribution platform for content. These theaters are generally rotating current movies, many of which are nothing special. Not at the same level, for instance, as a Train concert, or a performance of The Book of Mormon.
Movie theaters can and do charge a premium for special events like the Met performance I attended. I think it was $14, but it was nothing prohibitive. So, for a good draw (think Bruce Springsteen), it’s more profitable per show than an average movie.
People would seek out this quality content and experience. If you live in Odessa, Texas (Hi step-mom!), you are not going to see opera unless you get on a plane. For broadcasters of this content, if you can find the right draw you could strike gold. Think of major music acts, Broadway theater performances, and why not sports too? I guess you’d have to worry about the tailgating. 🙂
The company offering this experience is Fathom Events. Big screens, big sound, and big entertainment is one of their tag lines. Right now they are featuring a live interactive experience for The Big Bang Theory as part of the “ultimate TV fan festival – PaleyFest.” I signed up for their newsletter and liked their Facebook page and I can’t wait to see how they market this. I wish them all the success in the world.
I loved this content distribution option. I’m not in a field that can take advantage of it, but I know a few who are, and I can’t wait to bend their ear about this.
by 