Ramon Biarnés, general director of Cinesa: “Platforms are not competition, but a complement”

The reaction of cinemas to the consolidation of platforms, the importance of technological investment or experiences parallel to the exhibition of films: Ramón Biarnés, general director of Cinesa, addresses the current situation of the theaters and exposes the paths that the chain is following to ensure the viability of its more than 400 theaters in Spain.

Threats, threats and more threats. Catastrophism, proclaimed by analysts and experts (not always sharp in their predictions), has accompanied the exhibition industry for more than 80 years. The consolidation of television was the first great “enemy” of theaters, offering viewers an alternative window to other realities from their home. Subsequently, the internet or mobile devices have posed new challenges that the exhibition world has managed to overcome by relying on premieres that become social events thanks to the power of marketing, innovation in audiovisual technology or the ritual of being part of a collective viewing experience.

Going to the cinema has been part of the DNA of multiple Spanish generations; a constant in your leisure plans. In 2019, according to the SGAE Yearbook of Performing, Musical and Audiovisual Arts, the frequency of attendance was 2.23 times a year, and the number of spectators was 104,984,567: figures that confirmed the room resilience in a year in which video-on-demand platforms consolidated their presence in Spain.

Just five years later, the landscape has transformed. The attendance trend break, consequence of confinement, change of habits and standby of production, was accompanied by millionaire investments by the VOD world, materialized in direct premieres and a transformation of exhibition windows.

Likewise, the absence of major film events during the last five years (with the exception of the historical Barbenheimer) and a new form of visual consumption based on microcontent has filled the generational change with unknowns. As an example, the actress's statements Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), who served as a spokesperson for his generation by emphasizing to The Sun how complicated it seemed to him to consume a movie: “People come to me and say: “You should see this movie, it's going to change your life.” And I respond like: “How long am I going to have to sit and watch it? Because my brain and I don't even know how to keep an eye on my own movies.”

Los latest available attendance data in 2023, extracted from the report Movie theaters: Data 2023 of the Federation of Cinemas of Spain (FECE) and the Gremi de Cinemes de Catalunya, show a reality that is still far from the pre-pandemic data. Compared to the 100 million viewers in 2019, in 2023 they attended theaters 77.8 million: the trend in recent years is clearly positive, but will the levels of five years ago be recovered or will cinema have to settle for a new status quo in the consumption of audiovisual content in Spain?

Cinesa, belonging to ODEON Cinemas Group (the largest exhibitor in Europe), has more than 400 rooms distributed in 35 multiplexes located in important leisure centers in the main Spanish cities. In recent years, the company has undertaken a transformation process to introduce new experiences displays supported by technology (iSense, IMAX or DBOX), the comfort (Luxe) the alternative content such as football matches, operas, concerts or outreach television programs.

In this interview, Ramón Biarnés, CEO of the company and managing director for Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Finland and Norway from ODEON, addresses the news of the exhibition and defends the relevance of the rooms in the leisure of European citizens, among many other topics of interest.

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From your point of view, what is the state of film exhibition in Spain?

I firmly believe that we are facing a very interesting moment for the sector. Phenomena like that of Barbie y Oppenheimer They show that big premieres are more capable than ever of moving the public and arousing their interest. Little by little, people have been recovering the habit of returning to the cinema to enjoy movies in the best possible way: on the big screen and with the best image and sound quality. And this shows that the power of the exhibition market is unquestionable today.

It must also be noted that we are in a time of change. At Cinesa we have always wanted to listen to our clients to give them exactly what they demand at all times. That's why we not only bet on big film premieres, but we also program different content in our rooms that provide you with a different and exclusive experience. I am referring to content such as the Taylor Swift and Beyoncé concerts, which were a resounding success in our rooms at the end of last year.

The power of the exhibition market is unquestionable today.

In this sense, I believe that the future of cinema also involves bet on technology and innovation as a key to success. At Cinesa we have rooms that allow the viewer to experience the film in a totally different and special way: our rooms iSense, IMAX, Screen-X y D-BOX They provide an exclusive cinematic experience whose common denominator is quality.

So, I would say that the current panorama of the sector depends a lot on the ability of innovation and diversification of content, something that Cinesa has on the order of the day.

Once the pandemic period has passed, the panorama of film exhibition has changed in Spain. How has Cinesa adapted (or evolved) to new film consumption habits?

At Cinesa we always listen to the viewers. That is what our strategy is based on: being very attentive to the new trends to adapt and provide our clients with what they need at all times. And the most recent example of this is the launch almost a year ago of Cinesa Unlimited Card, which has meant a revolution in terms of cinematographic consumption. And a few years ago no one thought that by paying a monthly (or annual) fee you could go to the movies as many times as you wanted. And we have done it. The key is in not be afraid and reinvent ourselves betting on initiatives that the public asks of us and that show that there is no single way to experience cinema.

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Cinesa, facing the platforms

How would you say exhibition windows have evolved since the arrival of video-on-demand platforms?

When they ask me this question I always answer the same thing. And at Cinesa we do not consider that streaming platforms are competition, but a complement. Therefore, having to adapt to this reality, I don't know if it is the exact word. What we do is listen to our clients' preferences to try to provide them with what they demand at all times, regardless of whether it has to do with the platforms or not.

We listen to the preferences of our customers to try to provide them what they demand at every moment, regardless of whether or not it has to do with the platforms.

An example is the launch of the Unlimited Card, which we have already talked about before, but there is more: the Reserved Pack, through which you can rent a room to enjoy the movie you want exclusively with your family or friends, or the Pack Gaming, to play a video game on the big cinema screen privately. Both are the perfect example of how we adapt to go one step further when it comes to offering a differential and unique cinematographic experience.

We are seeing, with increasing frequency, that majors or VOD giants with their own distribution channels reduce their distribution sales in cinemas to the maximum. How does Cinesa face this new panorama?

We are dedicated to the exhibition business and, from my point of view, we should not give an opinion on the business strategy of other companies. What I can tell you is that we continue to have very good films in theaters, that many more will arrive and that we know that people want to see them in the best possible way, on the big screen and from the comfort of a cinema seat, because that is what our clients have told us and shown us.

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The return to pre-pandemic data: a chimera?

According to different studies of consumer habits, cinema is still far from the attendance of 2019. Are there possibilities of returning to those levels or will multiplexes like Cinesa have to adapt to a new panorama?

If something characterizes us at Cinesa, it is that we always we see the glass half full and, therefore, we are very positive about the future of our sector. In the last year we have already seen an exponential change in the influx of people who come to our rooms. We have many titles that are examples of this: Barbie, Oppenheimer… People want to enjoy cinema and to do it in many different ways: with premieres, of course, but also through other differential experiences such as movie series, content that is not usually seen on the big screen but that we also offer, celebrating a birthday in our rooms privately, playing a video game on the big screen...

Now, more than ever, there is talk that the value of the exhibition is the experience and not so much the film itself. What is your vision and what do you consider to be the vision of your viewers?

We base our business on that, so at Cinesa we agree with this statement. Of course, our core business It is cinema and, therefore, the films that we show on our screens. But we find a viewer who is increasingly demanding; who seeks new experiences. And at Cinesa we want precisely this: to provide our customers with a cinematographic experience that goes beyond just watching a movie.

Our core business is he cine (…). But we find a viewer which is every time more demanding; what are you looking for new experiences.

We want from the moment the customer decides to buy their ticket to Cinesa and until the moment they leave our theaters after watching the film, they feel special and think that what they have experienced in our space is unique. And this is achieved through various factors: with a commitment to technology, providing differential comfort, with catering products that are not normally found in a cinema or through tailor-made experiences such as our Gaming Pack or the Reserved Pack.

Do you think that technology is a fundamental element to attract spectators to movie theaters?

Absolutely. The commitment to technology is one of the main pillars of Cinesa's business. We want our customers to feel that watching a movie in the cinema is an experience different and unique. For this reason, we are strongly committed to innovation and comfort to make rooms available to you, which we call rooms. Premium, with different features for a superior experience.

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Technological progress in movie theaters

How has Cinesa updated its movie theaters, and with what technologies?

At Cinesa we can assure that we have special rooms that provide viewers with a unique cinematic experience. And this is precisely thanks to technology. The room iSense It has Dolby Atmos surround sound, the most advanced technology in terms of sound; extra-large screen that extends from wall to wall and generates a feeling of absolute immersion, and Full HD projector of maximum definition. The room IMAX It features an extra-large, curved screen to offer a feeling of absolute immersion from any point in the room. It has a speaker system located from the floor to the ceiling.  On the other hand, the room DBOX It has seats with immersive movement whose intensity can be regulated by each spectator. The seats of these are also reclining for a more comfortable experience.  and the sala ScreenX It has side screens that complete the story that is being told on the main screen and seeks to provide the viewer with a more immersive experience. In this way, it provides a 270-degree view.

In the next years, we hope to expand the laser projection, which provides a better image quality on the big screen. Also that there is a roll-out of technologies such as IMAX, Screen X o DBOX.

To these, we add our rooms LUXE, with fewer seats and more space between them. LUXE rooms offer a more personal and immersive experience to viewers. The seats are all reclining to offer maximum comfort to spectators and incorporate a table to enjoy the premium products of Cinesa's O's bar in a much more comfortable way. They have Dolby Atmos sound, which enhances the realism and impact of each scene, and screens with state-of-the-art 4K digital projectors.

What future technological trends aimed at movie theaters do you think we will see more and more frequently in theaters?

In the coming years, we expect the laser projection, which provides better image quality on the big screen. Also that there is a roll-out of technologies such as IMAX, Screen

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Ways to ensure the survival of cinema

Cinesa focuses more and more frequently on the broadcast, whether live or not, of special events or premieres far from cinematic fiction. Do you think it is a trend that will continue to grow over the years? Should cinemas look beyond fiction?

At Cinesa we have always opted to offer our clients a wide range of proposals that respond to the wide variety of tastes and preferences of viewers. Of course, the The basis of our business is formed by film premieres, but in our DNA is the objective of always trying to go further, providing new experiences that make your experience in our rooms broader and more global. And this is where our alternative content programming becomes important.

Los times will change and the viewers' preferences also they will. That is why it is essential that we are attentive to all these trend changes so I can reinvent ourselves.

Live or delayed operas, broadcasts of football matches or the finals of such notable competitions as Eurovision and even the screening of highly anticipated documentaries or concerts such as Taylor Swift's, which we recently had on our screens, allow our customers to experience cinema in a different way than what we can a priori imagine, turning the action of going to the cinema into an unparalleled event. These are contents that work very well among our clients and we are convinced that this trend will continue to rise in the future.

On the other hand, the Luxe rooms continue their expansion. What is your view on this trend? Will movie theaters necessarily go through a transformation process towards these premium proposals?

Our Luxe rooms are the result of the company's commitment to offering a differential experience to our clients. This is the leitmotif of our business. Any movie exhibition company allows you to watch a movie on the big screen, this is clear. But at Cinesa we want to go a little further and make our clients live a unique cinema experience. And this can be achieved in many ways: with special screenings, with content different from the big premieres, with rooms where technology is the protagonist and also with rooms where comfort prevails: with reclining seats with space between them, individual tables...

What paths do you think large movie theaters in general, and Cinesa in particular, should follow to not only ensure their survival in the exhibition scene, but also recover (if possible) their role in the leisure of the Spanish population?

I think that first of all the most important thing is to be clear that cinema has a future. This has been questioned many times and it is 2024 and movie theaters continue to exist. And this is no coincidence: it is a product of the fact that people continue to want to enjoy movies on the big screen and that they continue to want to enjoy a plan that involves leaving the house, meeting their family or friends and enjoying an afternoon or night at the movies together.

From here, it is clear that Times will change and viewer preferences will too.. That is why it is essential that we are attentive to all these changes in trends in order to be able to reinvent ourselves and continue responding to these new preferences of cinema lovers.

An interview by Sergio Julián Gómez