So how exactly are cinemas going to reopen?

gavinhanly

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I've been wondering myself about this - so I thought it was well worth a thread. The question is - how do you see cinemas reopening, assuming social distancing in place?

Things I see as taken for granted:
  • Only every other row used (unless a luxury cinema maybe)
  • One free seat between every booking - I don't see per-person being needed but there may have to be a checkbox to say you understand the risks
The biggest pinch-points are potentially:
  • Entering and - more importantly - leaving the screening. Leaving is usually the biggest scrum, so it'll be interesting to see how they dort that
  • Concessions - there's only so much room to queue with 2m space.
One thing that seems certain - they will have to reduce the screenings per day to allow for proper cleaning and the whole in/out process.

What do people think - and will you even go if they open in July?
 
Judging by the pictures on the News this morning of crowded tube trains and buses in the capital, it doesn't appear this is going to be an issue.:rolleyes:
 
Judging by the pictures on the News this morning of crowded tube trains and buses in the capital, it doesn't appear this is going to be an issue.:rolleyes:

To be fair - I don't think privately owned cinemas are going to be given the same leeway as the tubes and buses are.
 
I've been wondering myself about this - so I thought it was well worth a thread. The question is - how do you see cinemas reopening, assuming social distancing in place?

Things I see as taken for granted:
  • Only every other row used (unless a luxury cinema maybe)
  • One free seat between every booking - I don't see per-person being needed but there may have to be a checkbox to say you understand the risks
The biggest pinch-points are potentially:
  • Entering and - more importantly - leaving the screening. Leaving is usually the biggest scrum, so it'll be interesting to see how they dort that
  • Concessions - there's only so much room to queue with 2m space.
One thing that seems certain - they will have to reduce the screenings per day to allow for proper cleaning and the whole in/out process.

What do people think - and will you even go if they open in July?

It's rare, outside of the opening weekends / children's £1 weekend morning showings, for my local to be particularly busy anyway. So I reckon they'd be able to open relatively easily.

I'd probably go in a few months. Certainly once I'm back to work anyway.
 
I usually go during the day, ie before afternoon, and its always empty, so no fears going back, face masks will be compulsory, santizer in hand
 
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What leeway have tubes and buses been given?

What I mean is there's an argument that they're necessary to keep the economy running. It's getting a lot of press right now but at the same time there's a little degree of "but what can you do" about it. And agreeing on steps forward to improve things can be quite glacial giving the size and public nature of the organisation (without getting into that detail).

Compare that to a cinema chain. If they're seen to be cramming people in and creating what's perceived as a dangerous situation - they're a much, much easier target and it's considerably easier to lay "blame" (right or wrong).
 
It's going to be very difficult for them to reopen for a while.
As said above it doesn't matter if you are next to someone or 10 rows away. If they are coughing all over the place, in 2 hours in the same room as them, you will get infected.
 
As has been suggested, we'll be spaced out - empty rows, empty seats (families may be able to sit together).

Facemasks and hand sanitizers will be needed, but is the risk that great with people all facing the same direction? Its only airborne if people are coughing, and they'll cough away from you (if in front/beside) or at you from behind.

Maybe even temperature checks along with ticket checking?

The main cinema I'd go to can easily facilitate separate entrance and exits. Certainly on the two main screens. For larger complexes, fire exits could be used for exiting after a screening. Presumably these generally wouldn't interact with the flow of people into the building.

Edit: we may even see branded facemasks given out?
 
What I mean is there's an argument that they're necessary to keep the economy running. It's getting a lot of press right now but at the same time there's a little degree of "but what can you do" about it. And agreeing on steps forward to improve things can be quite glacial giving the size and public nature of the organisation (without getting into that detail).

Compare that to a cinema chain. If they're seen to be cramming people in and creating what's perceived as a dangerous situation - they're a much, much easier target and it's considerably easier to lay "blame" (right or wrong).
Seeing those scenes of people on the tube just goes to show you can't trust people. I went for a walk this morning and a bus went past me. The bus had half a dozen people on it all but one of them were sitting at the back of the bus, in two rows of seats, leaving the rest of the bus empty. That's the common sense of the great british public at work. The very same common sense Boris and his cohorts want us to rely on. Seeing things like that only makes me more determined to avoid as many public spaces as I can.
 
It's going to be very difficult for them to reopen for a while.
As said above it doesn't matter if you are next to someone or 10 rows away. If they are coughing all over the place, in 2 hours in the same room as them, you will get infected.
Its only airborne if people are coughing, and they'll cough away from you (if in front/beside) or at you from behind.

The infected person doesn't even need to be coughing (ie asymptomatic) in order to spread the virus.

I saw this mentioned on the news yesterday - having strong air conditioning in the middle of summer might become a big risk factor, that makes a 2m distance insufficient.
 
It's going to be very difficult for them to reopen for a while.
As said above it doesn't matter if you are next to someone or 10 rows away. If they are coughing all over the place, in 2 hours in the same room as them, you will get infected.

I think that's why - as @raigraphixs says - masks will be mandatory. Private companies tend to make those decisions much, much quicker than public bodies.
 
The infected person doesn't even need to be coughing (ie asymptomatic) in order to spread the virus.

I saw this mentioned on the news yesterday - having strong air conditioning in the middle of summer might become a big risk factor, that makes a 2m distance insufficient.
Interesting. I always assumed asymptomatic people were passing it by touching things. Realistically, how much viral matter are you just generally breathing out? That suggests it is airborne.
 
Interesting. I always assumed asymptomatic people were passing it by touching things. Realistically, how much viral matter are you just generally breathing out? That suggests it is airborne.
It is airborne. The 6 ft advise comes from studies that took place in the 1950's and 60's. Also studies in 2000 with SARS. The studies showed when you breath you produce droplets that travel 3 ft, so two people need to stand just over 6 feet apart so the droplets don't reach. However in March of this year they found the Covid-19 virus could be carried outside of a room occupied by an infected person, they found traces of it in hospital corridors and corridors in a cruise liner. It was carried there by the movement of people, in and out of the contaminated rooms. Research shows when you breath you produce droplets which can reach 3 feet but also much smaller droplets which can travel further. These droplets can carry the virus. Home made masks won't protect anyone, if you can breathe through a mask easily, the droplets will also pass through the mask easily. The mask needs to be airtight and water resistant to afford any protection.
 
Interesting. I always assumed asymptomatic people were passing it by touching things. Realistically, how much viral matter are you just generally breathing out? That suggests it is airborne.
Also probably people speaking/shouting while eating which often involves a bit more spraying than if keeping your mouth closed...we’ve all done it before & had to apologise to someone for getting spittle on them ;)
 
Also probably people speaking/shouting while eating which often involves a bit more spraying than if keeping your mouth closed...we’ve all done it before & had to apologise to someone for getting spittle on them ;)

I hadn't even thought about eat and drinking during the movie, that's cause I hardly ever buy anything when I go. That will make face masks almost pointless and Cinema's main revenue stream is their concession stands.
 
I think there will need to be masks at the door as you enter. Can't rely on people to bring their own, and are they really going to turn people away? They need the revenue, but then the fuss it would cause if someone didn't have a mask on. They'll need ushers back then as well!!

Food and drink is going to be a real bad one for them. It's so expensive anyway and are people going to trust it?

And how do you eat and drink with a mask that's meant to stay on?

(Sorry if some of this has been said already, just babbling it out as it hits my brain :D )

Gonna be an absolute logistical nightmare. Could turn what's meant to be a very pleasant experience into an absolute ballache.

Thinking about it I'm not looking forward to it anymore!! Nice one gav! :laugh:
 
I think there will need to be masks at the door as you enter. Can't rely on people to bring their own, and are they really going to turn people away? They need the revenue, but then the fuss it would cause if someone didn't have a mask on. They'll need ushers back then as well!!

Food and drink is going to be a real bad one for them. It's so expensive anyway and are people going to trust it?

And how do you eat and drink with a mask that's meant to stay on?

(Sorry if some of this has been said already, just babbling it out as it hits my brain :D )

Gonna be an absolute logistical nightmare. Could turn what's meant to be a very pleasant experience into an absolute ballache.

Thinking about it I'm not looking forward to it anymore!! Nice one gav! :laugh:

Mission accomplished!

But no - a couple of points worth picking up on there. They may well have to forego food and drink - which could make it unprofitable. So - do the movie companies potentially give them a better deal on ticket percentages? Might be worth it to get the theatres open.

As for masks - marne they can be the new 3D glasses? A way to increase prices..!

But all of the above kind of highlights the problem. It's easy to start with "yay the cinemas are back" but it's not long before the conversation moves to "but how...?". Regardless - there's potentially a lot to sort out before Tenet hits.

But then again - a lot could change in two months!
 
Mission accomplished!

But no - a couple of points worth picking up on there. They may well have to forego food and drink - which could make it unprofitable. So - do the movie companies potentially give them a better deal on ticket percentages? Might be worth it to get the theatres open.

As for masks - marne they can be the new 3D glasses? A way to increase prices..!

But all of the above kind of highlights the problem. It's easy to start with "yay the cinemas are back" but it's not long before the conversation moves to "but how...?". Regardless - there's potentially a lot to sort out before Tenet hits.

But then again - a lot could change in two months!

As with everything, it's not going to be simple.

Someone above mentioned temperature checks. They could do that at the door, and that might help matters. It could also be a way of preliminary testing people, and possibly alerting them to the fact they need to have a proper test. That might help make people inside feel easier as well.

I don't feel uneasy about going back myself, but I do like my rare trips to the cinema. If they become a faff and more of a pain than an enjoyment, I'd have to reconsider even going.

Except for Top Gun of course. I'll crawl through hell to see that.
 
As with everything, it's not going to be simple.

Agreed. Many people, including me have/had concerns about cinemas reopening. But then I heard a journalist on Radio 5 Live today who for me put it into perspective.

He was talking about demands from some Premier League footballers about not wanting to return to work until its 100% safe. He pointed out if everyone including businesses and the government took that attitude, the economy would never restart and we would never come out of lockdown, as this virus may be with the world for years and we may (possibility of) never find a vaccine for it.

General consensus seems to be rather than cinemas, pubs and eateries being high risk where social distancing can be more easily applied, its public transport that could be the worst carrier. Particularly in London where the tube can get packed. The last time I saw it reported which is a few days ago, 46 members of staff of TFL (Transport For London) had died. In part thats thought to be or may purely be due to inconsideration from passengers re social distancing rules.
 
General consensus seems to be rather than cinemas, pubs and eateries being high risk where social distancing can be more easily applied, its public transport that could be the worst carrier.

Public transport is directly related to everything else though. If your business opens up people need to use public transport to get there. The more things open up the more people use public transport.
 
I think there will need to be masks at the door as you enter. Can't rely on people to bring their own, and are they really going to turn people away? They need the revenue, but then the fuss it would cause if someone didn't have a mask on. They'll need ushers back then as well!!

Food and drink is going to be a real bad one for them. It's so expensive anyway and are people going to trust it?

And how do you eat and drink with a mask that's meant to stay on?


You can't eat and drink with masks and this is why a mask policy will not work. Theaters run of very thin margins and a massive portion of their income is from the overpriced concessions as Studios keep a huge portion of ticket sales.

People are not going to want to spend money to wear masks for 2 hours sitting in a theater with the possibility of catching covid when they can simply wait 90 days for the movie to come out on VOD and have 0% chance of catching covid while being comfortable. As much as I want to see Tenet I'm not spending money to sit in the theater with a mask on. I wouldn't even go for free.
 
Also how do you get pass anyone on your row, when entering/leaving or going to the loo in the middle of the movie thats usually a close squeeze.
 

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