How local Athens theaters are responding to the pandemic
by Andrew Bowman
In the midst of a global pandemic, our local theaters are some of the hardest-hit businesses by this lockdown. For our theaters, there are a few options for a path forward, yet it seems they are divided on the route to take.
In Athens, we have two theaters that both go by the name of Athena. The Athena Grand on East State Street as well as The Athena Cinema, located uptown on Court Street. The Athena Grand is privately owned by Rick Frame, whereas the Athena Cinema belongs to Ohio University.
More than the pandemic is an issue for the theaters during this time though. Streaming has become a popular alternative to seeing films in the theaters. So the question is, will our theaters be able to adapt to the changing times and survive to live on after this pandemic?
Athena Cinema worker Alex Kamody says that the cinema has made many changes since the pandemic hit. Kamody said, “We are offering weekly virtual programming to continue bringing contemporary independent films to our audiences, as well as offering virtual events such as our Sustainability Film Series and Science on Screen.” This transition to the virtual format seems to be an essential step if a theater is unwilling to reopen. In contrast, Frame at the Athena Grand has decided to take a different approach.
This route is more similar to theaters before the pandemic, staying open but taking many new precautions. Frame said, “We have adjusted. We comply with all the protocols and then some.” Staying open seems to have some advantages as well as its own disadvantages. But one thing is sure--both the theaters are hurting economically.
Frame reports that his revenue is “Down 80 - 90 %” since the pandemic started and Kamody notes that they have lost all of their box office revenue. Though thankfully the Cinema was awarded “two emergency relief grants for Art House Theaters,” which helped the theater pull through these hard times.
In these trying times, I was interested to see how sustainable the current state of these businesses is. Frame said, “We will not be able to continue like this for much longer.” Kamody said that it is hard to tell at this point, and thankful for the cinema’s connection to the university. Kamody said, “We feel a great deal of support from Ohio University and the Athens community, as well as the surrounding SE Ohio community. We are confident in our ability to adapt and create new opportunities so the theater can continue to thrive.”
These responses are worrying but it is also relieving to hear that the Athena Cinema is able to receive some help from the community. The Athena Cinema also has plans to increase their sustainability with a new program. Kamody stated, “Right now we are investing [in] several ways that we might be able to offer new programming and increase revenue. We are very excited about the opportunities we have ahead of us. Being in such a vibrant and supportive community has enabled us to focus on solutions and ways we can continue to fulfill our mission.” Though not all of the theaters are so enthusiastic. Frame said that he is not aware of any further changes that he wishes to make to his business and looks forward to the day when businesses can return to usual.
But the pandemic isn’t the only difficulty affecting these theaters. Another major killer of theaters around the world is streaming. With the rise of direct-to-stream films, there is little need and no opportunity to see these films on the big screen. And with the pandemic mixed in, distribution companies are even more incentivized to make a deal with Netflix or HBO rather than send it to theaters first.
But our local theaters are adapting. Frame noted that before the pandemic, his theater would not show any films that went direct to streaming but, “We do now.” Kamody also believes that streaming can be to the benefit of theaters and said, “We prefer to see it as complementary to what we do. We believe nothing will ever replace the experience of theater-going.”
The Athena Cinema has not yet reopened, but patrons are able to buy online tickets to the movies they currently are showing. Kamody said that the best way to support the Cinema at this time is to, “please consider renting a film through our virtual cinema at athenacinema.com.” The Athena Grand is currently open and Frame would like to let people know “they can have a safe and enjoyable experience at our theatre.”
Kamody also shared an enheartening sentiment, remarking that “It is important to remember that the Athena Cinema opened in 1915 and has survived so much—fires, the introduction of home television, the digital conversion (from 35mm to digital projection) and much more. We believe the theater is a very special community gathering place and that our audience values coming together for a shared experience.”
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