The indie music act the Polyphonic Spree isn't entertainment for the masses. Neither is the cartoon heroine Holly Hobbie, nor the anime fantasy "Fullmetal Alchemist."
That's fine with Jonathan Dern and Greg Rutkowski, co-presidents of digital movie distributor Bigger Picture in Woodland Hills. They figure theaters don't make money when seats are empty during off hours such as mornings or, say, early Monday afternoons. So maybe they can offer such niche fare then to entice people into the multiplexes.
The two are taking advantage of the growing conversion of theaters to digital cinema, which eliminates cumbersome film and enables movies to be delivered on hard drives or via satellite transmission at a fraction of the roughly $1,500 a print costs.
The technology also enables theaters to easily switch what's being shown in a theater, opening venues up to specialized shows so they can sell tickets and popcorn when they aren't showing Hollywood's latest blockbusters. Although major studio movies attract big crowds on weekends, Dern said that over the course of a typical week auditoriums are often filled to only 10% to 15% of capacity.
"If we can move the dial 1%, that's a big number," Dern said.
Bigger Picture started three years ago, when Dern and Rutkowski came up with the "Kidtoons" animation programs. A typical program might include a G-rated feature, such as this spring's "Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Blossom Festival," plus cartoon shorts, music videos and singalongs.
"The light bulb went on," Dern said. "We said, 'When else are there very few people in theaters? When else could we put people in seats?' "
At the Terra Vista 6 in Rancho Cucamonga, for example, "Kidtoons" screens every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for $2.50 a ticket. This month the feature is "Holly Hobbie and Friends: Best Friends Forever."
Partners such as Hasbro Inc. and American Greetings Corp. often produce and help market the films to promote their toys and characters. A media consultant and educator known as Dr. Donna reviews the films on the company's website, suggesting questions parents can ask their children afterward.
Dern, a former animation executive at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., and Rutkowski, a theater industry veteran, now aim to develop 50 specialty programs over the next five years that theater owners can run when business is slow.
Anime fans, for instance, might find cult titles such as "Fullmetal Alchemist."
