Showest is over

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"It's 33 years old, but it's just a shadow of its former self. It used to be prestigious, but now it's seen as a chore. The movie studios used to vie for the attention of theater owners and operators with elaborate dog-and-pony shows, celebrity meet-and-greets, and teaser reels about upcoming films. No more -- ShowWest just isn't a big deal to Hollywood anymore.

"Blame the consolidation of screens by leading chains Cinemark, Regal [and] AMC, which control a combined 14,000 screens and 55% of the box office revenue.

"'ShoWest started out as a gathering of hundreds of mom-and-pop exhibitors who really were making choices about which pics to play. Now studios can cover the entire country for the most part by speaking with the top chains that have tonage with screens,' an insider explains. The days of the big dais -- remember how Warner Bros' used to groan with heavyweight stars? -- are passe. Now hick theater owners and operators are lucky to get a cocktail party." -- Deadline Hollywood Daily's Nikki Finke.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 13, 2007 at 1:28 AM

comment #1

EDouglas says ...

As per usual, Nikki Finke doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about. I spent two and a half hours watching an impressive line-up of footage from four of the studios (WB decided to bow out) being shown to international exhibitors which certainly whet my appetite for the coming year. (I expect most journalists skipped international day altogether) There are plenty of parties in the next week, too... maybe the studios aren't spending as much money doing ridiculous promos because they know they don't have to with movies like Spider-Man, Pirates, Shrek and Harry Potter, but I'm not even slightly disappointed by my first visit to ShoWest.

Posted by EDouglas at March 13, 2007 4:07 AM

comment #2

The Hey says ...

I'm sure ShoWest is still fun but it's no where like it used to be.

Looking at the schedule it looks no better than what the fanboys get in San Diego in July (Although I think they would appreciate the Digital Cinema seminars alot more than the Theater Owners.)

I would rather have the fans in SD to see panels about upcoming films and the stars of them than a small bunch of theater owners.

Posted by The Hey at March 13, 2007 10:58 AM

comment #3

Drew says ...

Actually, like the proverbial broken clock that's right twice a day, this is one of those rare moments when Nikke Finke isn't full of shit.

ShoWest is dead. Every studio I talked to this year is working on phasing out of it entirely. They have no budget for it, and they'd all rather focus on ComicCon.

And if it's your first time, how can you begin to comment on this compared with what used to be, Ed? I covered ShoWest for many years, and trust me... what you're attending right now is a shadow of a shadow.

Posted by Drew at March 13, 2007 12:42 PM

comment #4

EDouglas says ...

And if you're not here, Drew, how would you know that? I'm not making any comparisons, just saying that it seems to be exactly what I expected, no more, no less. Nikki Finke makes that comment probably without even being here herself, just spouting gossip from one of her studio contacts who decided not to bother.

Posted by EDouglas at March 13, 2007 5:58 PM

comment #5

Drew says ...

How would I know?

Ummm... because Quint is there, and in the years he's been covering it, it's fallen off, and those years are already a dramatic fall-off from the years when I was covering it.

Ummm... because as I said above, I've spoken to reps from every studio, and 90% of them don't even bother producing original ShoWest content anymore.

Ummm... because I know the people who stage ShoWest, and even they have commented on how it's becoming an increasingly unimportant press event.

You know, Ed, not everything demands that you react like an ass right away. If you're having a good time in Vegas, fine. But if you think that what you're at is anything like the heyday of ShoWest, you're just fucking delusional.

Posted by Drew at March 13, 2007 11:49 PM

comment #6

EDouglas says ...

"not everything demands that you react like an ass right away."

Wow, you're one to talk.

Quint has only been here only *once* before himself. 90% of the studio reps said that they're not producing original content? Well, I've seen big bell and whistel presentations by Sony, Universal, Disney, Paramount and Lionsgate is doing one today. That's 5 of the big ones. Who's left? Fox and WB. Maybe ShoWest hasn't become as an important a press event because they treat the press like SHIT (you can read posts by Quint and other onliners saying that in aa few more words).

I never made any comparisons to previous ShoWests in other years or in its heyday because I've never been here, I just said that it was pretty much what I expected and that there is definitely stuff here worth seeing and writing about despite the shabby treatment of the press. (Who knows? Maybe they just didn't give Nikki Finke credentials or something.)

Posted by EDouglas at March 14, 2007 7:36 AM

comment #7