1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: Thing from I Heart Radio. When I think back to 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: the early days of the pandemic and those moments when 4 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: we started to grasp the severity of what was happening, 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: a particular date stands out March twelve, two thousand twenty, 6 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: the night Broadway theaters went dark around the same time, 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: movie theaters closed as well, and while there has been 8 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: little to replace live theater, many of us have gotten 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: used to streaming movies at home, very used to it. 10 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: Today we're talking about the future of the movie industry 11 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: and Broadway. Later, we'll talk with Pamela McClintock, senior film 12 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: writer at The Hollywood Reporter. She's covered the movie industry 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: for decades. But first I'll be talking with Bob Winkel, 14 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:57,640 Speaker 1: CEO of the Schubert Foundation and perhaps the most powerful 15 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: business person on Broadway today. In the history of the 16 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: Broadway theater, there are a few organizations as storied as 17 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: the Schubert's, founded by the three Schubert brothers in the 18 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: late eighteen eighties, the Schubert Organization owns seventeen of Broadways 19 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: for theaters, and Broadway is big business, bringing in billions 20 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: each year and employing nearly one hundred thousand people. Despite 21 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: how powerful he is in the business, Bob Wankel says 22 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: that while growing up on Long Island, his family didn't 23 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: go to see Broadway shows that often occasionally, but I 24 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: certainly would not say I was a theater rat. And 25 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,119 Speaker 1: I came to Sherbert because I worked for the public 26 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: accounting firm that ordered the Sherbert Organization. And that's how 27 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: I got the job, and that's how I've been here 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: for forty six years. And you've outlasted everybody I have outlasted. 29 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to make light of the fact that 30 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: your colleague passed away. Phil Smith were recently yet great guy, 31 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: somebody who I've met many times, and he was a 32 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: lovely guy. When you come to the Schubert Organization, you 33 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 1: started with them. When V now explain to people the 34 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: significance of the distinction of the Schubert Organization, meaning it's 35 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: different from the Needle Landers, it's different from ju Jamsen 36 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: and has a similar mission to make money and to 37 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: produce Broadway shows, but it's different. How it's different because 38 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: it's owned by the Sherbert Foundation. The Sherbert brothers. When 39 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: they died, they left all of their assets after they 40 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: took care of the family to the Sherbert Foundation. And 41 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: Subert Foundation is dedicated to the preservation of the arts 42 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: in this country and we give away thirty two million 43 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: dollars a year or so, or last year we gave 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 1: away thirty two million dollars to five thirty not for 45 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 1: profits across the country. Now does just confine ourselves to 46 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: Broadway in New York. The houses that you own, they're 47 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: not retail spaces where people show up with a check 48 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: in their hand and they just rent the space. You 49 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 1: want your tenants. You want to partner with them to 50 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: make sure that people that are in there are successful 51 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: correct correct. Described to me the process by which the 52 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: organization that's creatively the prospective tenants, we actually decide what 53 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: shows are going to play in our houses. Plenty of 54 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: producers come to us, but in the end we get 55 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: to decide which shows we're going to book. And that 56 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: process in recent years is being done by our creative 57 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: VP and myself does the Shubert Organization try to find 58 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: and hire people who have the greatest acumen as to 59 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: what's going to work on Broadway and what's not. Let's 60 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: face it, it's very challenging what works on Broadway and 61 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: what doesn't. You could go in with the best possible 62 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: creative team and the best possible title and it just 63 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: doesn't fly. And that's happened many times that shows just 64 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: don't work. I mean, obviously, it's always wonderful to be 65 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: able to book a show that's a big hit in 66 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: the UK because you already know it has an audience, 67 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: and even though when you transfer them, what worked in 68 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: the UK does necessarily work here. We're looking, obviously to 69 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: have shows that are going to run, and sometimes we're 70 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: dealing with creative people and we want to give people 71 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: a chance, and we want to give new producers a chance. 72 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: So there's lots of reasons why we book shows, not 73 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 1: always that we think everything is going to be a hit, 74 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: but we own the most playhouses, and so if you 75 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: have a play most of the people come to Subert 76 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: because we have all of the smaller houses, even though 77 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: there's many musicals and some of those playhouses. Now, when 78 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: you mentioned the pipeline, if you will, between London and 79 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,239 Speaker 1: New York, are those negotiations usually pretty standard in terms 80 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: of who's doing who a favor? When Andrew Lloyd Webber 81 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:44,679 Speaker 1: is printing money over there and calls you, is Andrew 82 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: Lloyd Webber doing you a favor or you doing him 83 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 1: a favor? Or is it mutually? Back scratching here, I'm 84 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: going to say it's a mutual. I mean, we've had, 85 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: we've enjoyed the benefit of most of Andrew's shows here 86 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 1: in New York, and we are certainly talking to Andrew 87 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: about his new show which is going to open in 88 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: the UK in May or June, called Cinderella. Well, obviously 89 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: are talking to him about the show for New York 90 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: and for people that aren't the pillars of that whole world. 91 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: When others are coming to you to do shows, what 92 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: is the basic understanding about who gets your attention? Is 93 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: it all about relationships? Well, relationships are important, but as 94 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: I say, we like to give new producers an opportunity, 95 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: and since we have the most houses, we have the 96 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: luxury of doing that. And we've certainly booked many a 97 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: show from new producers, and we are focused on that 98 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: for when we come back to bring in some new 99 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: shows with some new producers. So it's a combination. It's 100 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: a combination of availability of the buildings. It's when the 101 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: show is going to be available, what size house they need. 102 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: There's a lot of factors that go into the decision, 103 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,559 Speaker 1: but you know variety. We like to go across the board. 104 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: I must say, as you're talking and I'm thinking about 105 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: this idea of houses and sizes, and people would say 106 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: to me, we would do a show. The first time 107 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,159 Speaker 1: I was on Broadway was to do Loot. It was 108 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: my first time I'm Broadway, and they said, oh, now, 109 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: wonderful for you. You're in the music Box, which is 110 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: just the most wonderful theater. And then when I did 111 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: street Car, they were like, and you're in the Barrymore, 112 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,720 Speaker 1: just the perfect theater for the film Williams and everybody's 113 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: sense of the houses and the individual identities of the houses, 114 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: do you find that's true to each of those houses 115 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: have their own identity. They do, and many directors and 116 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: creative teams they would prefer particular house that they believe 117 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: works for their show. Much more challenging these days because 118 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: the demand for theaters has been so great, so therefore 119 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: many people will take houses not their first choice. But 120 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: music Box is one of the great musical and playhouse theaters, 121 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 1: as is the Barrymore and you played the Shawnfell too, 122 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,160 Speaker 1: as I recall, so you've played some really good house 123 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: played the show. Now that you mentioned that, I must 124 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 1: say the reason I love Broadway as you do tap 125 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 1: into this history and you do experience, especially when I 126 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: was younger and it was more wide eyed about it all, 127 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: and you do come across not a lot, but there's 128 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: enough characters, as you well know, colorful characters in the 129 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: Broadway world, none more so than Jerry. Yep, he was 130 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: one of my great mentors. I'll only tell one Jerry's 131 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: story here, maybe two, which was when I got sick 132 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: doing street Car and Jerry would call me up and go, 133 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: my boy, how are you feeling, And I'd say, I'm 134 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: really sick, Jerry, I had the flu. I missed three 135 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: shows one weekend and I didn't realize it's I mean, 136 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: I knew, but in an own the urgency of when 137 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: you're one of the leads in the show, when you're 138 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: out of the show and Jerry calls it, he goes, 139 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: I was wondering if I should send over one of 140 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: my doctors to examine you, would make sure you're okay. 141 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: And I said, no, Jerry, I'm okay. I'm gonna I'm 142 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 1: gonna think I'll be okay by tuesday. I'll be back tuesday. 143 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: I'm really said, all right, my boy, you get to 144 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: bed and drink plenty of orange juice and get your rest. 145 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: And he was such a character. My next question for 146 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: you is how Broadway has changed in your mind, which 147 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: is a very broad question. It seems to me that 148 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: some of the cannon, if you will, the real classics 149 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: of drama especially and some of the musical theater have 150 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 1: been assigned, perhaps to the not for profit world. That 151 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 1: it's not necessarily as easy to bring Iceman Cometh, even 152 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: if you have the real Piston and the engine there 153 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: with Nathan or someone like that to play that great role. 154 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: That a lot of these real war horses in the 155 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: of the dramatic theater are not as represented on Broadway 156 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: as they used to because they're too whisky. Do you 157 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: agree or not? When you put a big star in 158 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: them and they play for twenty weeks, they do really well. 159 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: And we've certainly had all of those classics in our 160 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: buildings over the years. It's all about since so many 161 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: people have seen the show it's about the star power 162 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: that is performing it. And those are shows that acquire 163 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: great performers, so they've done very well. I mean they're 164 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 1: not for profits to some of them. But to get 165 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 1: the star power is that the problem? Do you guys 166 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,599 Speaker 1: ever sit down when you're mulling over who's going to 167 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: come in with what show? And why do you mull over? 168 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: You're going to take a chance on somebody in the 169 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,719 Speaker 1: lead who isn't necessarily as big as star as you 170 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: might like for your comfort level. It depends on the show. 171 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 1: There are shows that don't need star power, it's more 172 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: about the show. And then there's shows that the star 173 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: is an insurance policy, and everybody likes insurance policies because 174 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: the cost of even doing a revival of one of 175 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: those classics has really gotten to be very expensive and 176 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,960 Speaker 1: it's only going to run for sixteen or twenty weeks, 177 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: and everybody wants to recoup their money. The star power 178 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: is important to certain shows, and other shows create stars. 179 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: I'll use music Man and Jackman as an example. Sometimes 180 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:54,959 Speaker 1: the show is announced with a star and I'll sit 181 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: there and think, my god, people still want to go 182 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: see that show? They do, but they like the fact 183 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: has your judgment and it's going to make a big difference, 184 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 1: and it will be you know, a giant, mega hit. 185 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: Good advance on that show. Absolutely, they're coming back in 186 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: what after the first of the year. There are schedule 187 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 1: to start performances in December. Most of our shows are 188 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: coming back. Now. Is there been a change in the 189 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: economics of Broadway? Like do you sit there and go? 190 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,199 Speaker 1: It's more expensive. These tickets are more expensive. We can 191 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: take less risks because of the demographic of the audience. 192 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,960 Speaker 1: There's no question the tickets are more expensive. But the 193 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: cost of producing is really very expensive. We're sixty labor. 194 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: The cost of doing new musicals is anywhere between fifteen 195 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: and twenty million dollars to put it on the stage. 196 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: Plays are between four and a half and five million 197 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 1: dollars to put it up for sixteen weeks, and then 198 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: the operating courts will kill you what they need to 199 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: gross in order to pay the bills. So it's expensive. 200 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: But there's no better form than a live show in 201 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 1: the a action between the performers and the audience. Whi's 202 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: why our attendance is booming. We've had record attendance for 203 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: a number of years now, So everybody wants to come 204 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: to theater. They're doing it on the road. The road 205 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:15,959 Speaker 1: theater businesses through the roof. Also, people want human interaction 206 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: when they go out for entertainment. This is kind of 207 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: an obvious remark, especially to somebody like you, But I 208 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: find that there this is no comparison to being there 209 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: live and seeing that coming out of someone's body live. No, 210 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,599 Speaker 1: there's no That's why that human interaction. I mean, you 211 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: get a different performance every night now, you sure can. Well, 212 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 1: you're the performers are playing to a different audience every night. Now. 213 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: One thing that I'm wondering from you, how it's changed 214 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: or not changed, is the significance of reviews and press. 215 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: Of course, the Times is one example, and the Tony 216 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:55,439 Speaker 1: Awards themselves. Those are important components positive Times, positive Tony nominations. 217 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: Everybody wants to get great notices because great notices helps sells. 218 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: But that's why people spend a great deal of money 219 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: marketing the show's up front, because if you build a 220 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,960 Speaker 1: big enough audience, then you can let the word of 221 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: mouth really be the key factor in selling shows. And 222 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: I think word of mouth is probably one of the 223 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: most important reasons people go to see shows. You've got 224 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: to please the consumer. You got to put on a 225 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: good show, and the consumer has to like it, and 226 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: the consumer has to say, you must go see Mr Baldwin. 227 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: Is the Times as significant as it used to be? 228 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: It's not as much as it is anymore. Why do 229 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: you think, Well, because the readership is. People get so 230 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 1: much of their news and stuff online and social media 231 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 1: and all of these things. Everybody wants a great New 232 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: York Times review because it's still the New York Times. 233 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: It's still considered the cultural paper. And when they give 234 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: a great notice, it usually shows up in the box 235 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: office instantly. As far as the Tonys are concerned, do 236 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: you see where you would like to see changes in 237 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: how the Tonys are presented, awarded, calculated? Well, No, we 238 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: seem to think the system is pretty good. You do 239 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,320 Speaker 1: we do? You do? Do? We think that there's enough 240 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: voters and the administration committee and the nominating committee have 241 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,640 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time and focus on that, And 242 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 1: the integrity of the awards are we think are good? 243 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: And the diversity of that committee and the diversity of 244 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 1: that pool of people. If that's something you'd like to 245 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: see change, it has been changing. It has, Yes, absolutely, 246 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: the diversity has been being worked on and the diversity 247 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: has changed. We think the nominating committee is really a 248 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: very good, distinguished group of people. In my life. March 249 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 1: twelfth of last year was nine eleven. That was the 250 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: day everything shut down. I was doing a TV show. 251 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: We were in rehearsals. We shut down. They said, go home, 252 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: take me through the thinking. Did you go on stages? 253 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: Did you think we're going to reopen in June, July, September? 254 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 1: Were you stumbling along thinking or did you know? Did 255 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: you have an access to information, government whatever? Because it's 256 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,839 Speaker 1: such so much money involved with your business that this 257 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: was going to be the long haul now in actuality, 258 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: when we closed on March twelfth, our initial closure was 259 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:14,440 Speaker 1: for four weeks through April twelve, and then we extended it. 260 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: We certainly did not realize that we would be closed 261 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: for a year or probably a year and a half 262 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: before we come back. So when it didn't happen for 263 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: July fourth, we focused on Labor Day. Then we focused 264 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: on the holidays. But obviously, as Corona got worse across 265 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: the country because of how many people we put in 266 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,480 Speaker 1: the buildings that we were concerned that would take a 267 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: while before we could come back, and so we were 268 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: the first to go down and will probably be amongst 269 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: the last to reopen because we need to open at 270 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: almost capacity. We can't really deal with social distancing. The 271 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: economics of our business don't work. I got an email 272 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: I was people reached out to me. I was amazed 273 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: at the level of participation and enter g surrounding a 274 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: benefit to save the West Bank Cafe. And where all 275 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: the great network of Broadway related. It doesn't matter what 276 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: it is, whether it's also Joe Allen Day's artiste, and 277 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 1: all the great Broadway saloons and restaurants and so forth, 278 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: all of them struggling and hurting desperately, including the staffs 279 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: of all these facilities, no question. And I was wondering 280 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: did the Shubert Foundation Was there any discussion about giving 281 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: money to these people who worked for you know, the 282 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: foundation doesn't do those kind of grants. As I say, 283 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: it's focused on the performing arts. I mean, obviously we 284 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: the industry has worked hard to help many people within 285 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: the deal and the Actors Fund has been a great 286 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: support to those that are really in trouble. We've worked 287 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: on getting government packages. I think you're going to see 288 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: the new Cares package is going to be very helpful. 289 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: For the first time. The package is going to support 290 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: the commercial theater, the commercials. It has never received federal 291 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: grants before, so hopefully we're our concern about getting everybody back, 292 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: and we've worked as a community to try. We've got 293 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: so many tasks, force everything going through the Broadway League 294 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: because the whole community is on it. We're very anxious 295 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: to bring everybody back. And if you've been in Times Square, 296 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: you will see Without Broadway, Times Square is just effectively closed. 297 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: It's a very small part of New York City, but 298 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: it's fifteen percent of its economy. Because we bring fifteen 299 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: million people to the theater, they spend a great deal 300 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: of money. They go to the hotels, the restaurants. We 301 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: directly and indirectly support nine thousand people. So Broadway is important. 302 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: Many people don't realize that in New York the real 303 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: pillars of the economy in a Wall Street and the 304 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: financial markets. The other is the real estate market, and 305 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: the third of the arts, and that includes museums and 306 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: all of the attractions that are in New York. I 307 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: was wondering what that in my because Broadway is such 308 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: a huge piston in the economic engine of the city. 309 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 1: How much cooperation, how much assistance, how much attention did 310 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: the state government give you. Obviously, we need the governor 311 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: to sign off in order for us to reopen, because 312 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: he has to agree to our protocols or dictate various protocols. 313 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: So it's important for the state to work with the state. 314 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: You probably have seen they have this new pop up 315 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 1: program to bring the arts back to New York which 316 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: are going to start in April, and so that was 317 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 1: done by the state. So obviously we will work with 318 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: the state in terms of protocols. I mean, our point 319 00:17:37,560 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: is to bring back our cast crews and obviously our 320 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: customers in a safe building so that we want them 321 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,400 Speaker 1: to come back, and we want them to come back 322 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: in big numbers. We're gonna do whatever we can to 323 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: make people feel safe in returning to our buildings. The 324 00:17:54,720 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: Shubert Foundations CEO Bob Winkle. If you like conversation with 325 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: extraordinarily successful business people, go to our archives. From my 326 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: talk with Starbucks Howard Schultz, who says he never predicted 327 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: the specificity of people's coffee orders, I'm told there's eighty 328 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:19,680 Speaker 1: five thousand gyrations to customization and Starbucks. I never imagined 329 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,199 Speaker 1: that customers would start telling people exactly what they wanted, 330 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: But I think one of the drivers of our success 331 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: has been our ability to customize what you want when 332 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: you want it. Our original business plan when I was 333 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: raising the original money was a hundred stores, and I 334 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: was having a terrible time and I didn't have enough 335 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:43,680 Speaker 1: money to reprint the business plan, so I crossed out 336 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: a hundred and wrote seventy five. I mean, that's how 337 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: tight things were. Here more of my conversation with Howard 338 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: Schultz that Here's the Thing dot Org. After the break, 339 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: Bob Wankel talks about Broadway's role in helping New York 340 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:16,200 Speaker 1: bounce back from tough economic times in the past. I'm 341 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to Here's the Thing. The 342 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: Governor of New York, working with health officials, will determine 343 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: when Broadway theaters will reopen, but Bob Wankel says it 344 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 1: will be a while. Theaters operating a reduced capacity simply 345 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: can't cover the costs of putting on a show each night. 346 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: The Governor did agree to reopen theaters with thirty three 347 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 1: percent of capacity a hundred people or a hundred and 348 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: fifty people max. Now, obviously a Broadway theater can't open 349 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: with a hundred people are hundred fifty, but some of 350 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: the smaller theaters can. We're hoping that as the vaccine 351 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: rolls out better and the cases keep going down, which 352 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: they have been doing quite nicely over the last that 353 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: those restrictions will be eased. I mean, we don't see 354 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: mess going away in the theater for at least through 355 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: it the end of the year or longer. That will 356 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: depend on protocols and concerns and safety. We have the 357 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: same concerns over our cast and crew. I mean, the 358 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: performers will be you know they as you know you've 359 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 1: been in a number of Broadway theaters. There's not exactly 360 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: a lot of luxury space there. People are working closely 361 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 1: and obviously the performers cannot wear masks while they're performing, 362 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: so we we are concerned. We've been working closely with 363 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,400 Speaker 1: all of the unions and the gills. I would imagine 364 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 1: backstage you've got to be even more diligent because if 365 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: the cast goes down, if anybody gets sick back there, 366 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: then you're right back to Squire one. Yeah, we don't 367 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: want to have to open and then reclose. And so 368 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: obviously the safety and the science is getting better, the 369 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:55,160 Speaker 1: testing is getting better. So hopefully the vaccine will be 370 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,120 Speaker 1: the real game changer that if they continue to roll 371 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: it out and seventy and nine of those will take it, 372 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: that is a game changer and will make people feel comfortable. 373 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: So the COVID aside, there's also the concurrent economic damage 374 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 1: to the city. We've had guests on the show to 375 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: discuss the comparisons to the nineteen seventies and the last 376 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: time the city was laid so low economically. One are 377 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: the comparisons you think back to nineteen seventy five and 378 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: the last financial crisis in terms of what happens to 379 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: Broadway where we're in the period of this intense financial crisis. 380 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: What happened back then, well seventy five was when Broadway 381 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: was just coming back. A chorus line moved into the 382 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: Sherbert Theater and that was a game changer. I think 383 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: the last problem was really nine eleven when we shut down, 384 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: but we came back in two days and the city 385 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 1: and the mayor said, go to a Broadway show. Go 386 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: to a Broadway show. That's all he said, every press conference, 387 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: every day. Go to a Broadway show. And it made 388 00:21:58,040 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: a difference, and New Yorkers came out and Broadway did 389 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: extraordinarily well after nine eleven. And I do believe that 390 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,400 Speaker 1: people will come back to the theater in big numbers 391 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: as long as they feel safe. People who once they 392 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:15,679 Speaker 1: feel comfortable, will of course come to New York for 393 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: that thing. You can only get a New York roots 394 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: or at that level. Someone said to me, what do 395 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: you love most about New York? I said, you close 396 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: your eyes at eight o'clock at night, and you know 397 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: that the curtain's coming up on the greatest performers in 398 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: the world, all on stages across the city. Ballet, opera, symphony, musical, drama, poetry, 399 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 1: you name it. I mean, when eight o'clock, the curtain 400 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: comes up and it's New York, it's New York. The 401 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:42,959 Speaker 1: greatest of the greatest are here, and people will come 402 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,000 Speaker 1: to avail themselves with that. However, a striking number of 403 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: people are leaving the city when we have an economic 404 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: crisis here. Do you think that there's a core of 405 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,920 Speaker 1: support for the arts in New York that you're worried 406 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: about them leaving. We are the capital of the aucts 407 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: in many ways, and I think people will come back. 408 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: I don't think as many people that said they would 409 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: never come back to New York. They're going to come 410 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: back to New York and show the heart Alec. When 411 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: you live in New York, the sickness is. The crazy 412 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: thing is that when you live in New York, that's 413 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: your town and it works for you, and you know 414 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: where to go to get your coffee, and you know 415 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: where to go to get your eggs, salad and your bagel. 416 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: I remember in the early days when I first lived there, 417 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: and I didn't have enough money to really appreciate it. 418 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 1: And finally I dragged somebody to an event and we 419 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: go see some symphony and the symphony starts and the 420 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: tears are running down my face. Where a Carnegie Hall 421 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 1: watching you know, Malla or something. And my friend said, 422 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 1: why do you stress yourself to go from your home. 423 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: You're in your living room and you're getting dressed, and 424 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,439 Speaker 1: you get in a car and you travel here and 425 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: you stand in line you're going to sit down. She said, 426 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: why do you put yourself through this? And I said, 427 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: what is a greater act of self robbery than to 428 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: live in New York and not avail yourself of the 429 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: things in New York itself. My friend of the silly line, 430 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,679 Speaker 1: he said, that's like opening your Christmas presents and playing 431 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: with the boxes is in New York. If you live 432 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 1: here and you don't avail yourself of the things you're here, 433 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: you might will move out. Well as you know. Just 434 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: wait you start bringing all your kids to a Broadway 435 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: musical and watch them light up. I it's so amazing. 436 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: I just want to say. I don't think anyone in 437 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: the entertainment business has my heartfelt sympathy more than you do, Bob, 438 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: because you became the head of the most prominent theatrical 439 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: enterprise and history just as COVID shut it down. Bob, 440 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: what can you say? What a nightmare? And I can't 441 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: wait for this to be over. I can't this to 442 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: be over. Listen, the glory will be when it comes back. 443 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: And it will come back, people will realize how much 444 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 1: they missed the arts. They missed the arts they do 445 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 1: we know that, we know how much they miss it. 446 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:55,760 Speaker 1: Bob Wankle, CEO of the Schubert Organization. While Broadway theaters 447 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 1: are likely to be one of the last entertainment venues 448 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: to reopen. Movie theaters are already selling tickets at reduced capacity. 449 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: Pamela McClintock is the senior film writer at The Hollywood Reporter. 450 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 1: She says that COVID nineteen accelerated the challenges that movie 451 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 1: theaters were facing even before the pandemic. Attendance has been 452 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: falling for years, right, but prices have gone up, so 453 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: every year we have a record year, But that belies 454 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:28,479 Speaker 1: the fact that attendance has actually dropped. So they were 455 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: already struggling when COVID hit, and and the struggling was 456 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 1: because of streaming. I think the struggling is for numerous reasons. 457 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: Gaming to go completely different. Media has taken their attention, right, 458 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:44,040 Speaker 1: or they don't want to pay that much to go 459 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:45,680 Speaker 1: because the night out of the movie is, right, you 460 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: have to pay a babysitter. Let's see, your company have 461 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: to pay a babysitter. You have to pay for concessions. 462 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 1: It can easily cost like a hundred dollars when all 463 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: of a sudden done right, you know. Lauren Michaels once 464 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 1: joked with me. He said that the cartoon he envisioned 465 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: was two young men or standing. One has an iPhone 466 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,199 Speaker 1: and the other one says, what are you watching? And 467 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,959 Speaker 1: the guy hold the phones is Lawrence of Arabia on 468 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: an iPhone. That we've completely lost, We've completely lost the 469 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,119 Speaker 1: magic of cinema as we know at across high Do 470 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:19,159 Speaker 1: you think that's true. I think it's in jeopardy. And 471 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: I think that people will want to get to the 472 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: house when the pandemic comes back, but I think it 473 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:29,520 Speaker 1: will be difficult, difficult, how difficult. Whereas let's say there 474 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: was the population that went to the movies once a year, right, 475 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 1: maybe somebody like me it was a little bit older, 476 00:26:35,640 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: doesn't like crowds, and then with the pandemic, will I 477 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 1: ever return? Frequent movie goers have always made up the 478 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: biggest chunk of the audience, and you know that may 479 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: not change. But the number of people that, let's say 480 00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 1: go to the movies once or twice a year, if 481 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: that changes, theaters are in a lot of trouble. Well. 482 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: I think there's a couple of points that could be 483 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: made about this principle, among which is that I think 484 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: people are going to the movies last, especially grown ups, 485 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: because there's not much there for them. You know, It's 486 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: like a diamond shape. You know, at the top is great, 487 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: at the bottom is pure crap, but in the middle 488 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: of the thick middle of it is all forgettable. Is 489 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: something that can't be perfectly enjoyed on a computer or 490 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: on a flat screen in your home. Do you think 491 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: that's correct. I think there's an argument to be made 492 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 1: that actually mid range movies may prosper post pandemic, because 493 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: I think people will want to get out of the 494 00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 1: house and a movie like Nomad Land does look beautiful 495 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: on a big screen. But the question is, will Hollywood, 496 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 1: you know, leave those movies in theaters or just put 497 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 1: them on streaming? Right? And that's to your point, what 498 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 1: will the studios provide that product to the theaters? But 499 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: I mean I wonder also what might the changes be 500 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:55,359 Speaker 1: in film exhibition, Like how many theaters serve booze? Now 501 00:27:56,119 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: I don't know the percentage, but I would, right would 502 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: imagine maybe more will right, I wonder what are the 503 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: changes that they're going to now allow the movie industry 504 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: is going to go to the government's local or whatever 505 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 1: and say, hey man, we need a little help here 506 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:14,199 Speaker 1: to get people back let's open a bar. Yeah, there 507 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 1: is an argument to be made that the more luxury 508 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,919 Speaker 1: cinemas will do better than the non luxury in the 509 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: postdemic world. I mean, I wonder if movies will creep 510 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: toward Broadway where the tickets become so expensive that it 511 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: becomes an experience You don't You just don't have that often. 512 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,479 Speaker 1: The mp A just released their annual movie going report, 513 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 1: and what is your analysis of that? Well, this speaks 514 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 1: to your fact about mobile It says last year, for 515 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: the first time, globally, streaming subscribers hit one billion, you know, 516 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 1: just exploded. And it says here that more than of 517 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: children and more than fifty of adults were watching movies 518 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: and TV shows on their mobile devices, which is crazy. 519 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: The idea of watching anything on the phone is just 520 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: preposterous to me. What about you here, you are covering 521 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: this quadrant of the business. How do you consume movies 522 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: and TV? I really like the biggest screen I can 523 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: get in the home. I'm of the age and the 524 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: generation to the idea of watching something on a phone 525 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: is just insane to me. I have no no interest 526 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: unless I was desperate and I had no other resources. 527 00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 1: You know, when you said that the business wasn't doing 528 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:29,680 Speaker 1: that well before the COVID and that the prices were 529 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: going up, but the ticket sales were going down. So 530 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: they had record sales. They were all doctored because the 531 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: prices were regulated. When you get into the COVID period, 532 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: we see these changes. We see these changes that are 533 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: going to have an impact on festivals and marketing. They're 534 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: gonna have a impact on exhibition. And I want to 535 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 1: ask you about that specifically, which is that when Warners announced, 536 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: when they said we're gonna stream what was it wonder Woman? Yes, 537 00:29:56,640 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: described what happened with that? Why was it a shock? 538 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: There was some movie that were getting delayed again and 539 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 1: again and again. Wonder Woman was one of them, delayed 540 00:30:04,360 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 1: from being exhibited in the normal way theater. Yes, because 541 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: you know when the when COVID first hit, everyone thought, oh, 542 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:12,240 Speaker 1: we'll be back in two weeks, or we'll be back 543 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: in a month, or okay, so we'll move this movie again. 544 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: And so finally with Wonder Woman, they talked to the 545 00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,160 Speaker 1: exhibitors and they said, we want to do this plan 546 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,440 Speaker 1: where we released it in the cinemas that are open 547 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:29,200 Speaker 1: and on HBO Max and Christmas Day and the exhibitors 548 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: were okay with that because they need product. But then 549 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers rocked the town a few weeks later when 550 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: announcing they were going to release their entire slate on 551 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: HBO Max and in cinemas, and people went insane. Did 552 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: that violate a contract they had with the exhibitors. It 553 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: doesn't violate the contract, but it sort of strains the goodwill. 554 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: So there was no contract exhibitors had with the studios 555 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: to guarantee that they had the first crack at their release. No, 556 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,200 Speaker 1: but in past times, if the studio did that, the 557 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 1: theater would just say we're not playing it. Take a walk. 558 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,680 Speaker 1: But now theaters are in such a quandary because they 559 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,040 Speaker 1: need products, so they're willing to take it even if 560 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: it's debuting on streaming. But it's still a difficult proposition. 561 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: I know that here on Long Island, the Hampton's Film Festival, 562 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,560 Speaker 1: which is the one I'm heavily involved with. Like other festivals, 563 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: no doubt that everything's been upended. But you know, out 564 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 1: here we went and bought a couple of these inflatable screens. 565 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: And for people who don't know how this works, you 566 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 1: got you find a place out here. We have one benefactor, 567 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 1: someone who's on our board, accessed the parking field of 568 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: a private school out here, a big field that they 569 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 1: only have a big piece of property, several acres, and 570 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: we took their decent sized parking lot. They put up 571 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: the screen there, and then you get a piece of 572 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:52,600 Speaker 1: equipment you buy that beams electronically the sound into the 573 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: radio of your car and you dial onto a low 574 00:31:55,360 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 1: frequency on the band and you get the sound for 575 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: the movie in your car. You just have to turn 576 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 1: on the FM radio when you're there. So we have 577 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: everything we need. We have a limit of a hundred cars. 578 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: Let's say let's say each car brings at least two 579 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: and maybe four people, So we have a hundred and 580 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: fifty maybe a couple of hundred people coming to each screening, 581 00:32:14,560 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: which is for us, is decent. We're not out to 582 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: make any money. It's not a revenue source for us. 583 00:32:19,120 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: But it's all just about offering some programming, you know, 584 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: while we can't during the COVID. So we did that, 585 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:27,200 Speaker 1: we worked fairly well. Then we wondered to ourselves, is 586 00:32:27,200 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: it going to stay that way? What are the things 587 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: that I talked about, the alcohol thing and what are 588 00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: the things that are happening they're going to remain? Did 589 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: HBO did time warnant to say that as soon as 590 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: the COVID is over there going to go back where 591 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 1: they're going to keep it this way? They're saying they're 592 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: going to go back, but no one is quite sure 593 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: whether they really mean not right, I think what's in 594 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: their interest? I think it's too early to say. I 595 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: think it depends on how quickly we rebound and get 596 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: back to normal. But I think drive ins, which is 597 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: what you're essentially talking about in terms of what you did, 598 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: I think they will stay fashion for like a couple 599 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 1: of years. You've been covering this aspect of the business 600 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: for how long? Almost fifteen years? What are some of 601 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: the seismic changes you've seen in this world? It's funny 602 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: one seismic change and I don't even remember what year 603 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: this was, but I just watched it again. It involves you, 604 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: and it shows me how much the kind of movies 605 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 1: that are playing in theaters are have changed. Which was 606 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: that movie Malice? I don't remember what yeready made that, 607 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: but we shot it right, but it was that think 608 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 1: about it. There was all those kind of adult drama 609 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: thrillers that you don't see anymore in theaters. The middle 610 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,840 Speaker 1: movie left. Yes, we used to joke and say the 611 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: thirty forty million dollar movie died. So movies, So movies 612 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:49,400 Speaker 1: now are five million dollars or two five million dollars 613 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: and everything in between. You when you like when Nancy 614 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: Myers did It's Complicated, and I did that movie with 615 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: Meryl when we did the movie It's Complicated, and it was, 616 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 1: you know whatever, the cost was eighty million dollars for 617 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: spoken word comedy, no thrill, no action, no nothing. And 618 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:08,280 Speaker 1: that's the kind of movie that one of the last 619 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: of its breed. You know that that one kind of 620 00:34:10,280 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 1: got in there somehow. But all those movies like Malice 621 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:16,239 Speaker 1: and things like that, they died to make way for 622 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,760 Speaker 1: Mission Impossible. That type of movie, that big budget action 623 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:22,560 Speaker 1: thriller has squeezed everybody else out, or you'd have the 624 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:24,920 Speaker 1: very small movie like No mad Land. Is that what 625 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,960 Speaker 1: your experience has been. Yeah. Absolutely, it's gotten to the 626 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 1: point where you have the big blockbusters and then once 627 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 1: in a while you'll have a breakout and then you 628 00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,800 Speaker 1: see the power of you know, the big screen experience 629 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:39,640 Speaker 1: because it becomes a water cooler movie and everyone has 630 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:42,520 Speaker 1: to see it like crazy Rich Asians was like that, 631 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: but it's it's very rare anymore. Pamela McClintock, Senior film 632 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 1: writer at The Hollywood Reporter. If you're enjoying this conversation, 633 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: don't keep it to yourself. Tell a friend and follow 634 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 1: here's the thing on the I Heart Radio app, Apple 635 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:03,520 Speaker 1: podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. When we come back, 636 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 1: Pamela McClintock and I wonder if there is any living 637 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: filmmaker who can restore the power of a theatrical release. 638 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin and this is here's the thing. Before 639 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:28,280 Speaker 1: the pandemic, films were usually released exclusively in theaters before 640 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: being available for streaming. However, the pandemic has created a 641 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: new set of challenges for studios as well. In December, 642 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers announced it will release its entire slate of 643 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:45,360 Speaker 1: projects in theaters and streaming on HBO Max at the 644 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 1: same time. Despite the shock waves this cost in Hollywood, 645 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:54,520 Speaker 1: Pamela McClintock says, the collapse of the theatrical release window 646 00:35:54,920 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 1: started years ago. It's called one word Netflix because Netflix 647 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: came along and you know, it can go to a 648 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,719 Speaker 1: film festival, which I know you attend a lot of 649 00:36:06,719 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: and know about the markets, and can spend fifty million 650 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,560 Speaker 1: dollars on a movie, so they can just out buy 651 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:16,120 Speaker 1: all the small distributors, right. I don't want to disparage 652 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: Netflix because you know they for people who don't really 653 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: appreciate I'd love to get your take on this because 654 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:25,040 Speaker 1: of your knowledge of distribution, you know, one day there's 655 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 1: no market for their product. This includes syndicated TV thrives 656 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:31,839 Speaker 1: because there's nowhere else to go with the product. If 657 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: I have a library of episodes of Friends Were Seinfeld, 658 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm going to send that to the affiliates around the 659 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,600 Speaker 1: country to rebroadcast that. And that's the secondary market for 660 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:44,439 Speaker 1: this abundance of all this TV because there's nowhere else 661 00:36:44,480 --> 00:36:47,920 Speaker 1: to go. Then when someone comes up with Netflix and 662 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:49,719 Speaker 1: they say you can stay home and watch it on 663 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 1: demand whenever you want, the on demand thing is critical. 664 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: Obviously you can watch it on demand, then all hell 665 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 1: breaks those But the thing for me is that once 666 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: TV got that beachhead in people's homes, like there was 667 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 1: like the fireplace, it was a gathering place. TV has 668 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: thrived on the fact that you didn't have to leave 669 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 1: your couch. I recall one company tested this in a 670 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: kind of a sea level market somewhere Dayton, Ohio or something. 671 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: It was like a small city. Before the movie comes on, 672 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: it says, are you hungry? Click yes, Type in your 673 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: zip code, click enter. Click what type of food you want? Greek, Asian, Japanese, 674 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:34,360 Speaker 1: Italian pizza, Click which one Enter Here's a list of 675 00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,919 Speaker 1: the following restaurants in your area that deliver that food. 676 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: Type in your order. Click send. Given your credit card 677 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:45,920 Speaker 1: information put in the gratuity. Movie begins. You're watching the 678 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: movie bing Bong the food us. Press pause, Go to 679 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,280 Speaker 1: the door, get the food. Come back. While you're watching 680 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: the movie, Press pause. This is the one that really 681 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:58,239 Speaker 1: killed me. Press pause. The A list actress is coming 682 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 1: through the door of the hotel with a dress on. 683 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,240 Speaker 1: Press pause, Click onto the dress. Do you like that dress? 684 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I love that? Gasp of yours that was priceless, 685 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:10,720 Speaker 1: But click on the dress. The car pulls up. Matthew 686 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,719 Speaker 1: McConaughey gets out of the car. Click the car. The 687 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:15,880 Speaker 1: following is a list of dealerships in your area that 688 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:20,439 Speaker 1: sell that car. The dress, the shoes, the car, all 689 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: of it. Go shopping while you're watching a movie. Now, 690 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 1: I found that chilling. The people that own the companies 691 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 1: now are a different breed of people. Meaning when you 692 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: have these conglomerates that own these entertainment companies who want 693 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 1: these companies to perform, they've made an investment in these 694 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: companies that they want money and they know there's a 695 00:38:37,480 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: lot of money there. Potentially, they don't care what goes 696 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:41,839 Speaker 1: in there as long as it makes money, as long 697 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: as it pays the rent. There are no creative people 698 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,439 Speaker 1: at the top of the networks or the studios now. 699 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 1: They're accounting people, marketing people, their executives some companies who've 700 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:56,400 Speaker 1: been moved over where it's all monetizing money, money money. 701 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,799 Speaker 1: Do you agree? You just have to look at who 702 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:05,040 Speaker 1: is the companies? Right, A, T and T owns Warner Brothers, Comcast, 703 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:09,839 Speaker 1: A Catal company owns NBC Universal. Right Sony has been 704 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 1: owned forever by electronics company. Yeah, electronics company. But yeah, 705 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:19,080 Speaker 1: and I think the race to streaming, everybody wants more subscribers. 706 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,240 Speaker 1: How do you get more subscribers You put more movies 707 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:25,319 Speaker 1: on your service or more series. So the question is 708 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:27,440 Speaker 1: where will the pressure be in terms of where you 709 00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:31,280 Speaker 1: put your movies. The thing about Netflix, as we all remember, 710 00:39:31,480 --> 00:39:33,759 Speaker 1: they started by sending you a DVD in the mail. 711 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:39,880 Speaker 1: Remember when the beginning of that Netflix was Blockbuster meets FedEx, 712 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 1: Blockbuster meets ups. Don't leave your house. Here's the envelope, 713 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:49,680 Speaker 1: you mail it back towards. That seems like something out 714 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:52,239 Speaker 1: of the nineteen fifties now doesn't seem like. The big 715 00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:55,240 Speaker 1: turning point was the idea of putting a whole series 716 00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:59,120 Speaker 1: on a one time bing binging all ten episodes. First, 717 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:01,879 Speaker 1: Why do you think people want to binge? Why? I 718 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:03,920 Speaker 1: think if you're into a story, you don't want to 719 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,760 Speaker 1: wait a week, right, You're ready for it. You're ready 720 00:40:06,800 --> 00:40:09,719 Speaker 1: for it. And Netflix doesn't have any ads. I mean, 721 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 1: you know the difference. I'm sure when you watch broadcast TV, 722 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,440 Speaker 1: if you watch it anymore, you're like, WHOA, look at 723 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:16,600 Speaker 1: all those ads. I forgot what that world was like. 724 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:19,279 Speaker 1: I wonder if people like Scorsese, for example, who have 725 00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:23,480 Speaker 1: been highly critical of streaming films, and will the Scorsese's 726 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 1: of the world be able to say, hey, you got 727 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 1: to show my movie in a movie theater only for 728 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,840 Speaker 1: a number of months. I'm gonna have a wide release, 729 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna say you can't have my movie if 730 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 1: you stream it within six months or three months or 731 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 1: whatever they think is right for them from the theatrical 732 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: I wonder if that's gonna happen. We they're going to 733 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,080 Speaker 1: force them to keep the movie on screens. Who do 734 00:40:42,080 --> 00:40:44,919 Speaker 1: you think has that power? What director is big enough 735 00:40:44,960 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 1: to have that power. I don't think anybody has that power. 736 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,719 Speaker 1: I'm just being fanciful here, but I'm wondering, what is 737 00:40:51,040 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: at all possible, What is in any way possible to 738 00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,400 Speaker 1: lure people back to movie screens into movie theaters. Like 739 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: you said, people want to get out. You know, it's 740 00:41:00,920 --> 00:41:03,759 Speaker 1: the same thing with movie theaters and home screening. And 741 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,080 Speaker 1: I wonder what the casualty of that is. Is that 742 00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:10,439 Speaker 1: the concentration that it takes to really enjoy a movie 743 00:41:10,560 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: is gone. I want to digest that film the way 744 00:41:15,000 --> 00:41:18,759 Speaker 1: the director intended me to digest that film, to sit 745 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:21,520 Speaker 1: and engage when that that film in a dark room 746 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: and nobody talks, and I just you beam at me 747 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:26,399 Speaker 1: what you want me to take in, and I take 748 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 1: it in and I breathe it in real time, and 749 00:41:29,600 --> 00:41:31,799 Speaker 1: we don't press pause and all this other crap. I 750 00:41:31,840 --> 00:41:34,560 Speaker 1: wonder if the death of that has influenced the kinds 751 00:41:34,600 --> 00:41:37,399 Speaker 1: of stuff we have on like right now, I think 752 00:41:37,400 --> 00:41:40,200 Speaker 1: the content of a lot of TV is very violent. 753 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 1: There are shows I binge. I'll name you one example, 754 00:41:43,440 --> 00:41:45,080 Speaker 1: and I don't want to name names. When they wrote 755 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:47,719 Speaker 1: themselves into a corner, they just started killing people. I 756 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:51,399 Speaker 1: wonder if research they're doing it's promptly them to make 757 00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:54,279 Speaker 1: shows that it doesn't really matter whether you pause it 758 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:58,480 Speaker 1: or not. You don't have to be that engaged with 759 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:00,439 Speaker 1: it in the first place. Does that make any sense 760 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:03,640 Speaker 1: to you all? I think that makes sense, and I 761 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 1: think for me personally, you know, I'm not going to 762 00:42:06,600 --> 00:42:09,120 Speaker 1: name names, but there's some movies that all it is 763 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,799 Speaker 1: is buildings falling down and lots of noise, and it 764 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,320 Speaker 1: doesn't really captivate me. You know, it doesn't catch my attention. 765 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:17,240 Speaker 1: And you mean that not as a sign of your age, 766 00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:19,520 Speaker 1: myself included, which is when we get older, we want 767 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:22,319 Speaker 1: something a little more thoughtful, a little more I think 768 00:42:22,360 --> 00:42:24,879 Speaker 1: age for sure has a part of it. But I 769 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:28,399 Speaker 1: just you know, there's a series of movies that are 770 00:42:28,440 --> 00:42:32,800 Speaker 1: incredibly popular, and I can't, for the life of me, 771 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:36,400 Speaker 1: can't ever watch them because they're so loud and so destructive. 772 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,480 Speaker 1: So we talked about how the impact of the quarantine 773 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:44,480 Speaker 1: has had on movie festivals, which are of course are 774 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,880 Speaker 1: big markets. Many people that don't understand, who are not 775 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:49,880 Speaker 1: in the business that when you go to a film festival, 776 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,080 Speaker 1: we don't just sit around and eat wine and cheese 777 00:42:52,719 --> 00:42:54,719 Speaker 1: and kiss each other and take pictures with each other 778 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:57,080 Speaker 1: and watch each other's films. They're there to sell films. 779 00:42:57,080 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: It's business. It's a pure market. Some festivals more arct 780 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:03,720 Speaker 1: than festival quite frankly, and that has been severely damaged 781 00:43:03,719 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: by the COVID, and the festivals have had to use 782 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:09,319 Speaker 1: their thinking caps to get themselves out of that, which 783 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:11,080 Speaker 1: the one I work with it that they've done very 784 00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 1: they've done fairly well, although it's still horrible the drag 785 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:18,560 Speaker 1: on the business. Number two critics and what I'm wondering 786 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:22,759 Speaker 1: is you go to a movie and you have seated 787 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:25,760 Speaker 1: with their popcorn and their raisinnets and everything and their drinks, 788 00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,520 Speaker 1: a crowd of the age appropriate demographic, and the Batman 789 00:43:29,560 --> 00:43:32,760 Speaker 1: movie comes on, and they have nine different trailers before 790 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 1: the Batman comes on. They have a whole twenty minutes 791 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:38,960 Speaker 1: of trailers coming out, or it seems there certainly feels 792 00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:42,120 Speaker 1: that way of trailers all for movies of the same ilk, 793 00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:46,520 Speaker 1: which is just violent men punching other men in the face, 794 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:49,480 Speaker 1: then getting punched out of windows and falling down the 795 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:54,240 Speaker 1: sides of skyscrapers. Violent movies, one after the other. However, 796 00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:57,799 Speaker 1: this is marketing. You got that crowd there, that's your 797 00:43:57,840 --> 00:44:00,200 Speaker 1: crowd there. They paid to see a Batman movie. While 798 00:44:00,239 --> 00:44:02,439 Speaker 1: we have that captive audience, Let's tell them what else 799 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 1: is coming? How is the COVID affected marketing of films 800 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:08,399 Speaker 1: and advertising of films? You kind of hit the nail 801 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,200 Speaker 1: on the head trailers in theater, trailers or your most 802 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:14,200 Speaker 1: important source of advertising. That's what I've been told. Yeah, 803 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:17,960 Speaker 1: that's been gone. And then what's number two is sports? Right? 804 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:21,680 Speaker 1: So sports or have been off TV? So what do 805 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:25,840 Speaker 1: they do? I've heard some funny thing, maybe gold for Nascar, 806 00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:28,200 Speaker 1: that all of a sudden got a ton of movie advertising, 807 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:33,440 Speaker 1: Like can you imagine the dichotomy of that? You're literally 808 00:44:33,960 --> 00:44:38,360 Speaker 1: people like she's lining up his spot. If he sinks 809 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: this put, if he birdies this put, he will win 810 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 1: the jacket. He'll be wearing the green jacket and he 811 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:46,359 Speaker 1: puts and people cheer, you go, We'll be right back 812 00:44:46,640 --> 00:44:51,680 Speaker 1: after this word from the Avengers screaming and the smashing 813 00:44:51,800 --> 00:44:54,680 Speaker 1: the cacaphony. Yeah, you're right. I'm not quite sure that's 814 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 1: the best mix the movies and golf. Yeah, there was 815 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:02,000 Speaker 1: some what was it? Maybe tennis too? But basketball has 816 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:04,080 Speaker 1: been back on right. But I guess also with their 817 00:45:04,120 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 1: TV shows, are they doing a lot of movie advertising 818 00:45:06,239 --> 00:45:08,600 Speaker 1: on the TV shows they own because they own both? Yes, 819 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:11,239 Speaker 1: I think there's been a lot of TV advertising for 820 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:13,920 Speaker 1: TV shows on the sports as well. No, but know 821 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:18,319 Speaker 1: they advertising movies on television shows? Probably? I wonder about 822 00:45:18,320 --> 00:45:20,640 Speaker 1: that because they own both products. Yeah, probably a big 823 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:23,799 Speaker 1: like Oprah Winfrey. I don't know if there's any movie adds, 824 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:26,480 Speaker 1: but that would have been I'm sure they would. I'm sure. Well, 825 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:29,879 Speaker 1: I mean that's a ratings bonanza. Yeah, they need money. 826 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:33,080 Speaker 1: What's one thing you hope to see when we come 827 00:45:33,080 --> 00:45:35,399 Speaker 1: out of this? You want to see what from your 828 00:45:35,440 --> 00:45:40,080 Speaker 1: perspective as covering this movie industry exhibition distribution for the 829 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:42,200 Speaker 1: Hollywood Reporter, what would you like to see when we 830 00:45:42,239 --> 00:45:44,560 Speaker 1: come back. I'd love to see like people walk in 831 00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:47,000 Speaker 1: the can red carpet again. They'd like to see a 832 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:50,239 Speaker 1: movie premiere if it's not virtual. The tradition, Yeah, I 833 00:45:50,280 --> 00:45:53,640 Speaker 1: think the tradition and seeing people interacting. I think it'd 834 00:45:53,640 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: be nice to go to the Beverly I don't know, 835 00:45:56,560 --> 00:46:00,720 Speaker 1: some swanky Beverly Hills restaurants, see studio heads at lunch, 836 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:05,840 Speaker 1: you know, just some sort of normalcy, business as usual. Yeah, well, listen. 837 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:08,360 Speaker 1: Thank you very much, Thank you so much for tracking 838 00:46:08,360 --> 00:46:14,680 Speaker 1: me down. Stay safe, Stay safe. Pamela McClintock, Senior film 839 00:46:14,719 --> 00:46:18,440 Speaker 1: writer at The Hollywood Reporter. Hi'm Alec Baldwin. Here's the 840 00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:22,480 Speaker 1: thing is brought to you by iHeart Radio. We're produced 841 00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:27,600 Speaker 1: by Kathleen Russo, Carrie donohue, and Zach McNeice. Our engineer 842 00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:29,920 Speaker 1: is Frank Imperial. Thanks for listening.