Poly Film plans to introduce cultural features into its cinemas. Provided to China Daily

 

One cinema chain is eschewing the motto of 'bigger is better'

As most Chinese cinema chains vie with one another to see who can build the most luxurious theaters, one chain is taking a different tack. For Poly Film Investment Co Ltd the watchword is not luxury but culture.

The man behind the push is Liu Debin, 39, general manager of Poly Film Investment, who says: "While we aim to build movie theaters at the extreme high end, that does not refer to luxury decor or fittings but to the fact that they will be the most cultured cinemas.

"At our places, moviegoers will not only have comfortable viewing, but will be able to learn more about the film world."

Liu is well-known in Chinese cinema, having successfully introduced the Hollywood blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean to the Chinese silver screen in 2003. The film, the first foreign movie debut in China through the introduction of a State-owned enterprise, had terrific box-office success that year, giving its sequels a great head start in the country.

Now Liu has his eye fixed on building cinemas that enrich people culturally rather than just entertaining them.

"Movies should not be treated as cultural fast food; we should make good use of them to help people learn more and see a wider world through the lens," he says.

Poly is now trying to do just that. The company recently began to invite film experts and cultural personalities to give a 15-minute talk about movies before the advertised starting times in its big cinemas in Beijing and other big cities. The subject matter for the lectures is wide and varied, ranging from how to operate a film projector to the social background of the film about to be screened.

"For instance, if the film is King Arthur, we might talk about the clothing the characters are wearing and the social conflicts that were the backdrop to the film to help people better understand the movie," Liu says.

At Poly cinemas, audiences will even get an early warning on when they ought to head off to the toilet so they do not miss the start of a film.

"It may all seem very simple, but the aim is to inform and to be helpful, especially with those who really enjoy watching films," Liu says. "This is the future of cinema culture."

Poly is even willing to sacrifice revenue if it means keeping its customers happy, to the extent of scrapping advertisements in some big cinemas to accommodate lectures.

"Although this may affect a cinema's income, cinema operators have to make a choice if they really want to build a movie theater that is unique," Liu says. "I happen to think that in the long term it may be worth it financially."

In addition to scrapping commercials, Poly will launch its own rating system this year, advising parents if films are unsuitable for children in certain age groups.

"There is no film rating system in China, and we hope our service can give audiences, particularly the young, some idea," Liu says.

In providing all these services Poly is motivated as much by its desire to muscle out its rivals in the push for market share as its desire to enhance the cultural aspects of cinemas.

"Once consumers accept the way Poly operates, a loyal consumer group will gradually form," Liu says.

Uppermost in Poly's mind, Liu says, is that as some cinema chains have folded over the past few years, it has become clear that the business model "bigger is better" simply does not work. Ultimately, if they fail to appeal to moviegoers by developing their own, unique characteristic, they will not attract or keep customers.

"The talks, rating systems and other services we provide are all added value for a ticket buyer at Poly cinemas."

In a further effort to cultivate loyalty, Poly opened its first membership-based cinema in April in Kunming, Yunnan province. One of its services is tracking its members' movie preferences and keeping in touch with the members, all of that with a ticket price equal to that of other cinemas.

"Membership-based cinemas have long existed in the United States, but in China this is still a new concept," Liu says.

Since the cinema opened, membership has steadily grown, and most are well-educated middle class people, Liu says. Buoyed by that success, Poly plans to do something similar in Beijing this year and other big cities in the near future.

At the end of last year, Poly says, it had 53 cinemas with more than 230 screens, covering most large and medium-sized Chinese cities. Liu predicts the screen number may reach 700 by 2015.

"We are not blindly expanding. Each location is carefully selected and, whether these theaters are big or small, they will have the same cultural characteristics."

Liu says that in recent years investors with no industry experience or professional knowledge have poured into the cinema business, and the blind enthusiasm for building has led to cut-throat competition.

"We are reluctant to get involved in this vicious competition, because what we attach great importance to is sustainable development rather than short-term, sudden success."

liulu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/03/2012 page13)