2014 dome survey results summary blaze digitalcinemaworks_030814

2014 DOME SURVEY
Presentation of Survey Results
IMERSA Summit, Denver, CO
March 8, 2014
Presented by: Paul Fraser, Blaze Digital Cinema Works

Survey Goals
1. To capture the similarities and differences between the
world s larger permanent fulldome theaters and the giant-
screen film dome theaters
2. To better understand the potential for convergence of
these two sectors.
2

Survey Methodology
Self-administered online survey, using FluidSurveys
application.
Sample description: operators of fulldome theaters and
giant-screen dome theaters, with at least one dome of 18
meters in diameter or larger.
210 individuals representing as many domes and 196
unique organizations, in 37 countries, were sent emails,
inviting them to take the survey.
Surveys were completed between February 1 18, 2014.
Total number of usable sets of responses received: 57
3

Survey Design
Preamble to survey questions:
Thank you for participating in this survey. It should take only about 10 -15 minutes to complete. We
wish to capture the similarities and differences between the world s larger (15+ meter) permanent
fulldome theaters and the giant-screen film dome theaters, with the goal of understanding the potential
for convergence of these two sectors. One possible outcome of this survey is that dome theaters such
as yours may be better served by content suppliers and equipment vendors.
Your answers will remain anonymous. Please note that only one completed survey per organization
can be accepted*, so if you think another person at your organization may be better-suited to
answering these questions, please forward the email with the survey link to that person.
(* With the exception of 2 or more dome theaters at the same attractions; instructions for this scenario
will be given later).
This survey is designed by Blaze Digital Cinema Works, with the assistance of and for the benefit of
IMERSA and the GIANT SCREEN CINEMA ASSOCIATION. A summary of the survey results will be
presented at the IMERSA Summit, which is being held in Denver, March 6 9, 2014. For those who
complete this survey and provide an email address at the end of it, electronic of the presentation will
be made available during the week of March 10. IMERSA and copies GSCA members will be able to
download the summary from their respective websites by the end of March.
4

Note to Reading the Following Charts
In those cases in which there is likely a significant difference between how
respondents
(A) having a giant-screen (GS) film dome system,
versus
(B) NOT having a GS film dome system,
answered a question:
Such differences are shown off to the side of the chart in this way: (A/B)
.where A is the percentage or absolute number of respondents who
belong to group A, and B is the comparable figure belonging to group B.
For instance, in Q.4 (slide #10), (81/16) means that 81% of those
respondents with GS film systems have domes 21 meters or larger, whereas
only 16% of those who do not have GS film systems have domes of this size.
If no (A/B) appears, it means there s not likely to be a significant difference.
5

Q1. Do you have more than one
permanent dome theater at your venue?
n = 57
6

Q2. What projection systems are installed
and regularly used in your permanent
dome? (check all that apply)
Response Chart Percentage
Digital Fulldome 55%
Giant Screen Film (15/70, 8/70, or
10/70 film based)
46%
Starball Projector 23%
Other digital system projecting a
rectangular image that fills a
portion of the dome screen
21%
Other digital system, with a
custom lens projecting a partial
dome image that fills at least the
area that would be covered by a
giant screen film dome system
4%
Other media systems, please
specify...
14%
n = 57
7

Q3. Do any of your projection systems
have 3D (stereographic) capability?
n = 57
8

Q3i. If yes, which systems have 3D
capability?
Digital Fulldome 67%
Giant Screen Film (15/70, 8/70,
10/70 film based)
0%
Starball Projector 0%
Other digital system projecting a
rectangular image that fills a
portion of the dome screen
25%
Other digital system, with a
custom lens projecting a partial
dome image that fills at least the
area that would be covered by a
giant screen film dome system
17%
Other media systems, please
specify...
0%
n = 12
9

Q4. What size is your dome (diameter)?
15.0 17.9 meters
(approx. 50-59 feet)
13%
18.0 20.9 meters
(approx. 60-69 feet)
39%
21 meters or larger
(approx. 70 feet or larger)
48%
n = 56
(16/64)*
(81/16)
* See slide #5 for explanation of numbers in brackets
10

Q5. How many seats does your theater
have? (check the applicable range)
Fewer than 150 seats 9%
151 300 seats 67%
301 450 seats 25%
More than 450 seats 0%
n = 57
(43/4)
11

Q6. What is your theater's seating
configuration?(Check one)
Unidirectional 79%
Other, please specify... 21% (14/31)
n = 56
12

Q7. Is your dome screen tilted?
n = 57
(90/58)
13

Q8. What audio channel configuration do
you have?
stereo (2 channels) 7%
5.1 (6 channels) 42%
6.0 (six channels configured for
IMAX)
37%
7.1 (8 channels) 7%
More than 8 channels 9%
n = 57
14

Q9. Does your organization have plans for
any major changes (upgrades, additions
or replacements) to any of your dome
theater systems?
n = 56
15

Q9iii. Please describe the changes that
are planned for your dome theater system
n = 27
16

Q10. What type of content is regularly
scheduled on your dome screen now?
Please indicate the percentage of your average weekly show schedule.
- Pre-rendered fulldome shows produced
originally for fulldome
Average percentage of schedule (26/56) n = 31
17

- Giant screen film content (regardless of system used at your
dome theater it could be presented in large format film,
reformatted for fulldome, or another digital format)
Average percentage of schedule (92/15) n = 39
(80/9)
(0/58)
18

- Comprised of real-time computer graphics,
with or without a live presenter n = 29
Average percentage of schedule (4/27)
19

- Other live presentations n = 29
20

- Other pre-rendered content n = 17
21

Q11. What is the typical number of
programming slots in any given week at
your dome theater?
n = 52
14/46
71/38
22

Q12: Does your dome theater play pre-
rendered content of any kind, film or digital
formats (e.g. 15/70 or digitized GS films,
fulldome shows, or any other digital content)?
n = 52
23

Q12i-i. Regarding pre-rendered content
films or fulldome shows: | i. What is your
preferred running time?
24 minutes or less 0.0%
25 - 29 minutes 19%
30 - 39 minutes 26%
40 minutes or more 53%
n = 47
(75/36)
(5/32)
24

Q12i-ii. Do you play shows that are not
based on astronomy or other space
science topics?
n = 47
25

Q12i-iia. If yes (to playing non-astronomy
topics), enter percentage of programming
slots not based on astronomy or other
space science.
n = 39
Average percentages (72/31)
26

Q12i-iii Regarding pre-rendered or pre-
produced content, how many different
titles do you play each year?
n = 42
Average counts (7/12)
27

Q12i-iv. Regarding pre-rendered content,
how many different titles do you have on
your public show schedule this week?
n = 41Average number of titles (4/7)
28

Q12i-v. With regard to live-action versus
CGI animation pre-rendered content, what
are your programming preferences:
Do you prefer -
Live action only 2%
Live action, but not necessarily
exclusively (some CGI or
animation is alright)
24%
CGI animation only 0%
Animation, but not necessarily
exclusively (some live action is
alright)
16%
No preference it does not
matter. Other factors are more
important, such as overall
production value, editorial, etc.
58%
n = 45
(0/25)
(32/17)
29

Q13. Does your theater have a fulldome
system?
n = 49
(67/12)
30

Q13i. Have you licensed shows that were
re-formatted to digital fulldome from giant-
screen films?
n = 28
(14/33)
31

If yes, which shows?
(please write all titles)
Forces of Nature
Sea Monsters
32

Q13ii. Whether you have or have not
licensed them, what is your opinion of the
fulldome shows reformatted from giant-
screen films?
n = 27
(40/55)
33

Q13iii. Do you produce original fulldome
content for exhibition at your theater?
n = 30
(29/70)
34

Q13iv. Would you like to see fulldome
content distributors offer variable license
fees based on percentage of revenue or
per-head charges?
n = 30
(100/84)
35

Q14. Does your theater have a large
format/giant screen film system?
n = 47
36

Q14i. Are you interested in adding a
fulldome system so you can play fulldome
content?
n = 21
37

If no (to adding a fulldome system), why?
Response Chart Percentages
Already have a digital
fulldome theater
25%
Not needed 25%
Unsure 50%
n = 8
38

Q14ii. Are you interested in adding live-
presenter shows using real-time CGI
content?
n = 21
39

If no, (to adding real time content) why?
Not a good fit 16%
Our flat screen theater can
do this
16%
Our fulldome theater can do
this
33%
Unsure 33%
n = 6
40

Q14iii. Would you like to see giant-screen
film distributors offer fixed license fees?
n = 22
41

Q15. Is there a separate admission
charge for your dome theater?
n = 48
(90/75)
42

Q15i. What is your current top adult
admission price to one presentation
(one film or show) in your dome theater?
n = 39($10.10/$9.22)
43

Q16. Do you now record, or are you
capable of recording, attendance per
show/film?
n = 46
(100/92)
44

Q17. How is your dome theater managed
from a financial perspective? That is, does
your organization
set budgets and account for
the dome theater's share of
revenues AND its costs
77%
set budgets and account only
for the dome theater s costs
23%
n = 47
(19/28)
45

Q18. On what basis do you license films
or pre-rendered content? (check all that apply)
Variable basis: License fees
calculated on a percentage of
revenue and/or a fee "per head"
59%
Fixed basis: Fixed license fees
per title for the duration of the
license period.
46%
Hybrid: A mix of the variable and
fixed fee approaches above for
the same license contract
25%
n = 44
(19/63)
(64/33)
(12/33)
46

Q18.iii. If you checked "fixed basis" above,
what factors are used in determining your
fixed fee? (check all that apply)
n = 20
47

Q19a. What are your typical annual
budgets for all
i. For licensing pre-rendered
content/films?(US Dollars)
ZERO 8%
$10,000 or less 11%
$11,000 - $50,000 32%
$51,000 - $99,000 18%
$100,000 - $199,000 21%
$200,000 - $300,000 8%
$600,000 3%
n = 38Average budget ($183,000/33,000)
48

Q19a. What are your typical annual
budgets for
ii. For your own in-house production(s)
(US dollars)
ZERO 50%
$5,000 or less 21%
$15,000 - $25,000 12.5%
$50,000 - $75,000 12.5%
More than $100,000 4%
n = 24Average budget ($5,600/$22,000)
49

Q19b. How many new show or film titles
do you typically license or produce per
year for the budgets above (Q 19a)?
i. Number of new pre-rendered titles
(films or shows) licensed per year
n = 42Average number of films/shows(3.7/2.4)
50

Q19b. How many new show or film titles
do you typically license or produce per
year?
ii. Number of new in-house productions
per year:
1 33%
2 20%
ZERO 47%
n = 30Average number (2/1)
51

Q20. On average, how many equivalent-
to-full-time positions are required to
operate your dome theater?
1 - 3 34%
4 - 6 52%
7 - 10 14%
n = 44Average number of FT positions (5/4)
52

Q21. Not counting your theater's or your
organization's web/social media website,
does your organization market shows at
your dome theater or its shows using
paid, external media?
n = 46
(75/50)
53

Q22. Approximately how much does your
organization spend annually on marketing
your theater and/or shows on a per-head
basis?
n = 22Average per head ($0.72/0.54)
54

Q23. What media does your organization
use to market the theater and/or its
films/shows? (Check all that apply.)
Web (websites, web banners,
social media)
100%
Out-of-home (billboards,
transit advertising, banners in
parks, etc.)
67%
Print (hard copy newspapers,
magazines, etc. not online
versions of them.)
89%
Broadcast (television, radio) 63%
Sales collateral and direct
marketing (brochures, rack
cards, mail, email campaigns)
85%
Other, please specify... 11%
n = 27
(82/36)
(76/36)
55

Q24. Do you present trailers before
screenings of your scheduled
films/shows?
n = 28
(93/67)
56

Q24i. If you don't present trailers, why?
n = 5
57

Q25i. Please check the box
corresponding to the annual attendance of
your attraction as a whole.
n = 43
(16/65)
58

Q25ii. Please check the box
corresponding to the annual attendance of
your dome theater only.
Less than 30,000 5%
30,001 - 50,000 12%
50,001 - 70,000 12%
70,001 - 100,000 21%
100,001 - 150,000 19%
150,001 - 200,000 0%
200,001 - 300,000 14%
300,001 - 500,000 7%
500,001 or more 2%
n = 43 (42/91) up to 150,000
(58/9) 150,001+
59

Q25iii. What percentage of your annual
attendance to the dome theater is from
organized school groups?
n = 45
(30/17)
(5/17)
60

Q26. How would you describe your recent
attendance trends? | Dome theater only
Increasing 33%
Flat neither increasing nor
decreasing
47%
Decreasing 20%
n = 45
(30/13)
(25/42)
61

Q26. How would you describe your recent
attendance trends? | Entire attraction
n = 41
62

Q27. In what type of attraction is your
dome theater located?
Museum, science center,
planetarium, observatory
93%
College, university, school 5%
Government/municipal building 0%
Theme park/commercial attraction 0%
Private company 0%
Other, please specify... 2%
n = 44
63

SUMMARY At a Glance
Comparisonof theaterswith a GiantScreenFilm Domeversusthosewith
Giant-Screen-sizedFullDomeand othersystems
GS Film
Domes
GS FD
+others
Size of theater larger
Incidence of
unidirectional seating
greater
Incidence of tilted domes slightly higher comparable
# of programming slots
per week
higher
# of different titles this
week , and per year
much higher
Preferred running times 40+ min. 25 29 min.
Incidence of playing any
non-astronomy films
similar similar
% of schedule for non-
astronomy films
much higher
Content type preference live action, but
not exclusively
animation, but
not exclusively.
License fee model mostly variable mostly fixed
Programming budgets much higher
GS Film
Domes
GS FD
+others
Programming budgets much higher
Marketing budgets much higher
Incidence of separate
theater ticket
higher
Ticket pricing higher (+10%)
Incid nce operating as a
revenue (vs. cost)center
slightly higher
# of new film licenses
per year
slightly higher
# of people needed to
operate theater
slightly lower
Theater annual
attendance
higher but trend is
better
Host attraction annual
attendance
higher
In a museum, science
ctr, planetarium, obs ry
similar
almost all
similar -
almost all
64

SURVEY CREDITS
Research design, analysis, presentation of results:
Blaze Digital Cinema Works LLC (Paul Fraser)
Online survey programming, data management:
Giants Screen Cinema Association (Kelly Germain)
Field: IMERSA and Denver Museum of Nature & Science
(Dan Neafus, Terry Moore )
Giant Screen Cinema Association
(Tammy Seldon)
Thanks also for input on survey questions:
Dan Neafus, IMERSA
Annette Sotheran-Barnett, Sky-Skan; Micheal Daut, Evans & Sutherland
© 2014 Blaze Digital Cinema Works LLC. All rights reserved.
Copies of this summary of research results may be distributed by: IMERSA to
its delegates of the 2014 Summit and to its members; and by GSCA to its members.
65

DISCLAIMER
Although care has been taken to ensure complete and accurate survey results,
recipients of this document accept the possibility of unintended errors or omissions.
Statistical significance tests were not applied to the results, and the relatively small number of
respondents answering some questions would make it difficult to find statistically significant
differences in certain results. Survey respondents collectively under-represent the population
of giant-screen sized film domes and fulldome theaters, likely due to language barriers.
(The survey was fielded in English only).
This project was conceived and implemented by Blaze Digital Cinema Works LLC
on a pro bono basis - no fees were paid to Blaze by any organization or individual.
66

BLAZE DIGITAL CINEMA WORKS
Blaze is a consulting and project management firm specializing in business planning and
development for clients with an interest in digital cinema, in virtually any of its forms - flat
screen or dome, and in all functions - content development, distribution & exhibition.
Blaze serves clients in both the giant-screen (GS) and fulldome (FD) sectors.
- for producers: development and other executive production services;
- for distributors: territory-wide and individual theater licensing;
- for exhibitors: planning for and overseeing acquisition of new digital systems - flat screen,
fulldome, other digital domes.
www.blazedigitalcinema.com
Blaze Digital Cinema Works LLC
1771 Post Road East, #164
Westport, Connecticut
USA 06880
Attention: Paul Fraser, President
(203) 292-5745
paul@blazedigitalcinema.com
About
67

2014 dome survey results summary blaze digitalcinemaworks_030814

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2014 dome survey results summary blaze digitalcinemaworks_030814