From Insights to Impact: How CinePlan and CineMeasure Transformed Advertisers’ Strategies

Two years since its launch, Motivate Val Morgan’s cinema advertising platforms, CinePlan and CineMeasure, have set a new industry benchmark by providing advertisers with an unmatched ability to plan, execute, and evaluate their campaigns.

CinePlan offers flexibility by allowing advertisers to choose ‘predefined packages’ or customize their reach through the ‘by admission’ route, expanding the scope of cinema advertising. Complementing this, CineMeasure delivers detailed post-campaign analysis, seamlessly integrating with CinePlan to provide admission data.

These platforms, with their intuitive design and robust features, have empowered over 350 advertisers and agency planners to manage their cinema campaigns effortlessly by ensuring transparency, both in audience measurement and accountability, across a wide cinema network.

Reflecting on the platform’s success, Avinash Udeshi, COO of Motivate Val Morgan, said, “Cinema advertising has always had the power to create deep audience connections, but our vision was to take it a step further by introducing a data-driven, audience-centric platform that provides the granular data and measurement tools advertisers are accustomed to in digital and other media channels.

With CinePlan and CineMeasure, we’ve built a proprietary system that helps brands craft customized media plans tailored to their unique campaign needs. By combining detailed audience data with targeted advertising options, we’re enabling brands to connect with their audiences more effectively than ever before. The precision, transparency, and insights that these tools provide have transformed cinema into a strategic powerhouse in our clients’ media mix, ensuring that every campaign delivers measurable impact.

Early success stories highlight this effectiveness. Carrefour’s ‘Friday Sale’ campaign hit its target audience within three weeks, showcasing the platform’s cost efficiency. Similarly, Galaxy Chocolates used the ‘by admission’ strategy, blending on-screen ads with in-cinema sampling to enhance brand presence during Eid, all while staying within budget.

Explore our case studies to discover how CinePlan and CineMeasure have enabled leading brands to achieve their strategic objectives:

CinePlan & CineMeasure – Case Study – Galaxy
CinePlan & CineMeasure – Case Study – Carrefour
CinePlan & CineMeasure – Case Study – Dallah Healthcare Company
CinePlan & CineMeasure – Case Study – One World International School

 

A Vision for the Future of Cinema Advertising

Building on its latest ‘by city’ audience targeting capabilities, the game-changing bilingual platform plans to keep rolling out new features, including advanced analytics, improved reporting, and deeper audience insights. These enhancements aim to meet advertisers’ growing need for data-driven strategies, ensuring CinePlan and CineMeasure stay ahead in the evolving world of cinema advertising.

As Motivate Val Morgan continues to expand its cinema network and innovate its offerings, CinePlan and CineMeasure stand as a testament to the company’s dedication to providing advertisers with cutting-edge tools to achieve their campaign objectives. The platform not only represents a significant milestone in cinema advertising but also underscores Motivate Val Morgan’s role as a trailblazer in the industry, setting a new benchmark for what’s possible in this medium.

 

Start your cinema advertising journey here: https://motivatevalmorgan.com/planning-measurement/

 

 

(more…)

A Look at Upcoming Indian Movies in H2 2024

Indian cinema in the first half of 2024 presented a diverse array of stories and genres, albeit with varied reception. From notable Bollywood releases such as Fighter and Shaitaan to regional blockbusters such as Hanu-Man (Telugu), Manjummal Boys (Malayalam), and The Goat Life (Malayalam), the industry showcased a range of narratives that resonated with audiences across different regions.

As we move into the second half of the year, anticipation builds for upcoming releases that promise to elevate the cinematic experience. Whether you’re drawn to blockbuster spectacles, poignant dramas, or lively musicals, there’s a rich tapestry of films set to grace the screens.

Here’s a look at some of the most eagerly awaited releases that will light up the screens in the coming months.

 

Vettaiyan (Tamil) – October 10th

Superstar Rajinikanth leads an all-star cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, and Rana Daggubati.

 

Jigra (Hindi) – October 10th

The Story of unbreakable bonds starring Alia Bhatt and Directed by the visionary Vasan Bala.

 

Bougainvillea (Malayalam) – October 17th

Directed by Amal Neerad the malayalam action thriller stars Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Sharafudheen and Jyothirmayi.

 

Singham Again (Hindi) – October 31st

Ajay Devgn is back with his iconic role as the fearless Inspector Bajirao Singham. Get ready for a thrilling encounter between good and evil, all delivered with the larger-than-life style that has made Singham a pop culture phenomenon.

 

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (Hindi) – October 31st

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 returns with Kartik Aaryan taking on the mantle and Tripti Dimri joining the fun.

 

Barroz (Malayalam) – October (Release date to be confirmed)

A 400-year-old spirit, Barroz, assigned to guard D’Gama’s treasure is waiting to hand it over only to a true descendant of D’Gama.

 

Kanguva (Tamil) – November 14th

Superstar Suriya takes center stage in Kanguva, leading an electrifying ensemble that includes the powerhouse talents of Disha Patani, Bobby Deol, and Yogi Babu.

 

Bhairathi Ranagal (Kannada) – November 14th

The movie starring Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar is a prequel to Mufti that explores more about Bhairathi Ranagal.

 

Metro…. In Dino (Hindi) – November 28th

Follows stories of bittersweet relationships in a contemporary setting, exploring various aspects, hues, and moods of love.

Upcoming Indian Movies H2 2024

 

Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2  (Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada) – December 5th

Allu Arjun returns as the audacious smuggler Pushpa Raj, locked in an epic clash with the ruthless cop Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, played by Fahadh Faasil

 

Bazooka (Malayalam) – 2024 (Release date to be confirmed)

This action thriller, starring Mammootty and Gautham Vasudev Menon, is Directed by Deeno Dennis.

 

Leveraging the buzz around these highly anticipated Indian blockbusters provides an excellent opportunity for brands to connect with and engage the Asian audience. Contact us today to discover how the power of the big screen can help you achieve your brand objectives.

 

*Movie release dates are subject to change

 

Source: IMDb, Google, BookMyShow

 

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One | Cinema Campaigns | 2023

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is the latest thrilling installment in the iconic Mission: Impossible franchise, with the daring Tom Cruise leading the charge. Anticipation for the film’s release has been high among both devoted fans and esteemed critics, and it has already proven to be a resounding box office success.

 

In its opening week, the movie achieved remarkable milestones, grossing an impressive US$80M domestically within its 5-day opening and amassing a staggering total of US$235M worldwide. This success underlines the enduring appeal of renowned franchises like Mission: Impossible in the region, making them prime opportunities for prominent brands to engage in cinema advertising.

 

Leading automotive manufacturer BMW, ectronics giant Samsung and luxury clothing and accessories brand Carter & White, among others, seized this golden opportunity to captivate cinema audiences alongside this year’s most highly anticipated action-packed cinematic experience.

 

Here are the cinema campaigns booked to follow or coincide with Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One:

 

Gazebo Restaurant

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Expo City Dubai

Country: UAE
Campaign type: On screen 13-26 July 2023

 

Carter & White

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Country: UAE and KSA
Campaign type: On screen 13 July -09 August 2023

 

BMW

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

On screen campaign and Off Screen campaign – Refer to the article: BMW | Integrated Cinema Campaign | 2023

 

Ford Middle East

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Asyad Express – Ship Your Cart

Country: Oman
Campaign type: On screen 13 July -09 August 2023

 

Etihad Airways

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

American University of Kuwait

Country: Kuwait
Campaign type: On screen 07 July -20 August 2023

 

Samsung Flip

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Suzuki Grand Vitara

Country: UAE
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Massadr

Country: KSA
Campaign type: Follow the movie

 

Think cinema for ‘attention-grabbing’ advertising!

Check out the list of upcoming blockbusters in Q3 2023 and contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across the GCC, Egypt and Lebanon.

 

 

(more…)

Motivate Val Morgan Launches Audience Based Cinema Buying Platform

The newly launched platform has the capability to offer data and insight driven audience based cinema buying across Motivate Val Morgan’s network of cinemas in the Middle East.

 

Motivate Val Morgan, the leading cinema advertising company in the Middle East has launched a dedicated platform – CinePlan and CineMeasure, through which advertisers can plan and measure their cinema campaigns with ease.

CinePlan is a tool that can be utilized to build a cinema media plan based on advertiser requirements, and offers two routes: By Admission and By Package. The By Package route presents advertisers with the option to book existing pre-designed packages sold by Motivate Val Morgan, while the By Admission route is a new extension to the existing bouquet of cinema advertising offerings, where advertisers can define their advertising reach at cinema locations of preference.

CineMeasure is a post campaign measurement tool that works seamlessly with CinePlan to analyze and report admission data for an executed campaign.

Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner, Motivate Media Group, said, “As the region’s leading cinema advertising company, with over twenty-three years of regional experience, we are committed to constantly improve and innovate our offerings. The launch of CinePlan and CineMeasure marks a significant milestone for Motivate Val Morgan, as it establishes a first-to-market platform through a self-service model, a major focus for the company as we look to empower advertisers and provide autonomous cinema planning and measurement.”

The platform will add exceptional value for advertisers as it has the capability to offer data and insight driven audience-based buying across Motivate Val Morgan’s network of cinemas in the region, improving accountability and transparency to address concerns on cinema audience measurement, a byproduct of the pandemic.

Avinash Udeshi, Chief Operating Officer, Motivate Val Morgan commented, “While being a market leader, we have always had a consultative approach in terms of buying and delivering on campaign objectives. Through this platform, we will offer the same total flexibility and convenience to advertisers and agency planners, with admission data from the cinema box office. Thus, cinema advertising can now be further planned, bought, and measured through a simple yet comprehensive dashboard. The system has the capability to buy audience by numbers, demography, and income groups, right down to a granular level of an individual screen at a particular location.”

Advertisers can leverage CinePlan and CineMeasure to connect the dots between ad exposure and a campaign’s outcome.

 

Promo/Launch Video:

 

Visit: Motivate Val Morgan to start planning your cinema advertising campaign.

Nissan Egypt Partners with ‘The Batman’ to Launch Juke Kiiro

Nissan Egypt in partnership with VOX Cinemas Egypt and Warner Bros., sponsored an early premiere of ‘The Batman’ to support the launch of the limited-edition Juke Kiiro.

The premiere took place on 01 March, 2022 at VOX Cinemas – City Centre Almaza, one day prior the blockbuster’s much-anticipated release. The premiere was attended by several individuals from various Industries, as well as five lucky winners of the Nissan social media competition. The Juke Kiiro brand was on display on the Cairo Tower at the same time as the premiere, sharing the spotlight with both ‘The Batman’ and VOX Cinemas.

 

 

Nissan Egypt also booked four on-screen commercials through Motivate Val Morgan to follow ‘The Batman’ at VOX CinemasCity Centre Alexandria, City Centre Almaza and Mall of Egypt.

 

 

 

‘The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffery Wright, and Paul Dano, has surpassed $598 million at the global box office (Box Office Mojo), making it Warner Bros.’ biggest hit since Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker in 2019.

Watch our Sizzle Reel for the upcoming list of blockbusters and contact us to display your brand in cinema.

What’s Buzzin Behind The Screen – Industry News – January 2022

In this edition of ‘What’s Buzzin Behind the Screen’, we bring you the latest industry news – everything you need to know about what’s happening behind the scenes in Hollywood. From the latest trailer releases to box office collections and movie announcements, here’s the January 2022 update:

 

  1. Given the cinema closures and audience worries during the pandemic, there have been some successful movies in 2021. But it took the MCU to deliver a true blockbuster, as Spider-Man: No Way Home crossed the $1 billion mark globally just 12 days after it was released. As of now, the movie is at $1.05 billion, making it the third-fastest film to reach that mark, after Avengers: Infinity War and the top title holder Avengers: Endgame.

 

  1. For the second year in a row, China ended 2021 as the world’s largest theatrical film market. Total movie ticket revenue in the country clocked in at $7.3 billion (RMB 47.3 billion, assuming an average annual exchange rate of RMB 6.45 to $1), more than double last year’s total and down just 26 percent from a pre-pandemic high of $9.2 billion (RMB 64.3 billion) in 2019, according to data from regional box office tracker Artisan Gateway.

 

  1. Josh Hartnett is the newest addition to Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer, despite already including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, and Rami Malek. The movie is set in the backdrop of WWII, and portrays the life of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in developing the atomic bomb.

 

  1. Actors today are increasingly interested in portraying Hollywood luminaries of the golden age. Both Jamie Bell and Tom Holland have been linked with Fred Astaire in the last couple of years and now Chris Evans is rumored to be playing Gene Kelly in a new movie. The movie will revolve around 12-year-old boy working at the MGM lot in 1952 who develops an imaginary friendship with legendary movie star Kelly while he works on his next film.

 

  1. Taika Waititi is directing an adaptation of Alejandro Jodorowsky and Mœbius’ graphic novel The Incal – an epic space opera, which follows P.I. John Difool who stumbles upon a mystical artifact which forces him on a journey to save the universe. As for Waititi, his next project to arrive in theaters will be Thor: Love and Thunder, and he’s also working on a Star Wars movie.

 

  1. With Encanto out in the world, Disney has now announced its next big animation project –Strange World. The movie will tell the story of an uncharted and treacherous land where fantastical creatures await the legendary Clades, a family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest — and by far — most crucial mission. A November 2022 release date has been set for the movie directed by Don Hall.

 

  1. Dave Bautista, who had a great year in 2021 with Dune and Army Of The Dead, now plans to add another respected director to his impressive list of collaborators as he has signed on to direct M Night Shyamalan‘s next film, Knock At The Cabin. The filmmaker’s follow-up to Old is, naturally, a complete mystery so far, with Shyamalan merely teasing the title. Bautista is also involved in Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out 2 and is currently working with James Gunn on Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3.

 

  1. The reuniting of Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot from Wonder Woman will have to stand in line. Jenkins has stepped down as director of Cleopatra, a chronological thriller starring Gadot as Egypt’s renowned ruler. The director of the Marvel superhit The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, namely, Kari Skogland will now be directing the movie. However, Patty Jenkins will not leave the filming completely. She’ll continue to produce Cleopatra as she concentrates on her following two films, Warner Bros.’ Wonder Woman 3 as well as Disney and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

 

Stay tuned for the latest industry news in our February 2022 edition.

 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Empire Online

 

 

(more…)

2021 | MVM Yearly Wrap | The Return of the Big Screen

2021 witnessed the return of movies to the big screen with the release of the most anticipated movies that were delayed by the pandemic.

Hollywood had an active year with a variety of films released, such as sci-fi flicks, Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, musicals, character dramas, thrillers, and animations. The audience were quick to re-embrace cinema as their favourite cultural activity.

As we are nearing the end of 2021, let us look back at some of the highlights from the year 2021 that helped bring movies back to the big screen.

 

Top 10 Movies of 2021 – by Country

 

UAE:

  1. No Time to Die
  2. Fast and Furious 9
  3. Godzilla vs Kong
  4. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  5. Al Kameen [Arabic]
  6. Shang – Chi : The Legend of the 10 Rings
  7. Black Widow
  8. Jungle Cruise
  9. Free Guy
  10. Cruella

 

KSA:

  1. Waafet Reggaala [Arabic]
  2. Wrath Of Man
  3. No Time to Die
  4. Fast and Furious 9
  5. Mesh Ana [Arabic]
  6. Cruella
  7. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  8. A Quiet Place: Part II
  9. Mama Hamel [ Arabic ]
  10. El Ens W El Nems [Arabic]

 

Egypt:

  1. Al Arif [Arabic]
  2. El Ens W El Nems [Arabic]
  3. Mesh Ana [Arabic]
  4. Waafet Reggaala [Arabic]
  5. Al-Baa’d La Yazhab L Al-Ma’zoun Maratayen [Arabic]
  6. No Time to Die
  7. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  8. Fast and Furious 9
  9. Mako [Arabic]
  10. The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It

 

Oman:

  1. Fast and Furious 9
  2. No Time to Die
  3. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  4. Jungle Cruise
  5. Wrath Of Man
  6. Sooryavanshi [Hindi]
  7. Shang – Chi : The Legend of the 10 Rings
  8. Master [Tamil]
  9. Kurup [Malayalam]
  10. A Quiet Place: Part II

 

Kuwait:

  1. No Time to Die
  2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  3. Escape Room: No Way Out
  4. Black Widow
  5. Shang – Chi : The Legend of the 10 Rings
  6. Cruella
  7. Mesh Ana [Arabic]
  8. Free Guy
  9. Fast and Furious 9
  10. A Quiet Place: Part II

 

Bahrain:

  1. No Time to Die
  2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  3. Jungle Cruise
  4. Free Guy
  5. Fast and Furious 9
  6. Shang – Chi : The Legend of the 10 Rings
  7. El Ens W El Nems [Arabic]
  8. Dune
  9. The Suicide Squad
  10. Mesh Ana [Arabic]

 

Qatar:

  1. No Time to Die
  2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  3. Free Guy
  4. Shang – Chi : The Legend of the 10 Rings
  5. Luca
  6. Black Widow
  7. Fast and Furious 9
  8. A Quiet Place: Part II
  9. Dune
  10. The Boss Baby 2: Family Business

 

Lebanon:

  1. Fast and Furious 9
  2. No Time to Die
  3. Mesh Ana [Arabic]
  4. Shang – Chi: The Legend of the 10 Rings
  5. Black Widow
  6. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
  7. Jungle Cruise
  8. Free Guy
  9. Eternals
  10. Dune

(based on Box Office)

 

 

Most Watched Genres of 2021 – Regional

 

Most Watched Genres - 2021

 

 

Top 10 Cinema Ads of 2021

 

10 blockbuster ads (in no particular order) that lit up the big screen in 2021, as featured in Campaign Middle East :

 

Brand: Cartier

Title: Expo 2020 Women’s Pavilion

Agency: MediaCom MENA

 

 

Brand: Yas Island Abu Dhabi

Title: Stayin’ On Yas

Agency: Starcom

 

 

Brand: stc

Title: Our Culture is Our Future

Agency: Universal Media KSA

 

 

 

Brand: Etisalat

Title: #TogetherMeans

Agency: Initiative Abu Dhabi

 

 

 

Brand: Hermès

Title: The Legend of Hermès Della Cavalleria

Agency: Havas Media ME

 

 

Brand: NEOM

Title: Made to Change

Agency: Starcom

 

 

 

Brand: Mercedes

Title: The New Mercedes-Maybach S-Class

Agency: OMD

 

 

Brand: TRA Bahrain

Title: Digital Theft

 

 

Brand: Gulf Bank

Title: AlDanah

Agency: Wavemaker MENA

 

Brand: Porsche

Title: Macan – Your Sidekick,Everywhere

Agency: BPG Kuwait

 

 

 

Looking Forward

 

There are a dizzying amount of exciting new movies coming to theaters in 2022. These are the top 10 movies you should be looking forward to in the coming year:

 

  1. Morbius – January 27
  2. The Batman – March 3
  3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – April 14
  4. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – May 5
  5. John Wick: Chapter 4 – May 26
  6. Top Gun: Maverick – May 26
  7. Jurassic World: Dominion -June 9
  8. Thor: Love and Thunder – In cinemas July 7
  9. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – In cinemas November 10
  10. Avatar 2 – In cinemas December 15

 

For more on the movies coming out in 2022, be sure to check out our sizzle reel, which launches towards the end of January 2022

 

 

Souces : Vox Cinemas, IMDB, Box Office Mojo

(more…)

Cinema – What We’ve Learned During The Pandemic

It’s been nearly two years since the onset of the pandemic, and whilst the world is moving towards returning to near normalcy, cinemas around the world are now open, with audiences back to enjoying movies on the BIG screen at cinema.

 

However, the lingering question that remains is that, despite the surge in streaming content, can cinemas return to pre-pandemic levels?

 

We have explored current market trends and how the present will influence the future of this time-honored tradition – watching a movie on the BIG screen:

 

The Great Escape: Cinema is undoubtedly a means of escape. Movies were the most popular form of entertainment during the dreary moments of pandemic, but recent box office figures have proven that viewing movies at home is just a ploy to compensate for the inability of watching movies in a theater. A majority of audiences believe movies enjoyed at the cinema offers a range of richness and passion that goes beyond the mere escape from reality.

 

Content: Filmgoers are willing to return to the cinema for content they believe in. During the early stages of reopening, cinemas struggled mainly due to the lack of content, as a result of  major tentpoles placed on hold, while others released across on-demand platforms. However, when studios were willing to take risks, which was the case with Shang-chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, it paid off well.

 

An Experience: The pandemic has changed the consumption behavior of cinema audiences. However, this change represents a huge opportunity for the industry to engage in more innovative and personal ways with moviegoers. Cinema visits can be part of a broader experience-based value delivered to audiences. For example, an increase in the number of films made in new digital formats – such as IMAX and Dolby, illustrate the positive shift in the audiences’ fondness for cinema as an experience.

 

Patience is Profit: When movies are released simultaneously on streaming platforms, the profit potential – for blockbusters, is hindered. For example, Marvel’s Black Widow, which had the potential to gross between $750 million and over $1 billion at global box office, made much less due to simultaneously releasing on streaming platforms. In a similar manner, the earning potential for original movies to become megabuck movies is also limited by streaming release.

 

The Future: Increased production costs have been a pain point for independent filmmakers, for only the larger studios that can take bigger risks in terms of funding and marketing their movies. Studios recognize that the economics of blockbusters are based on box office. Thus, for the next few years, original scripts will be less sought after by studios for theatre releases in favor of franchises and reboots. It is also likely that more studios will expand their animation offering to adult and family audiences, given that it is easier to produce.

 

It’s becoming clearer that the pandemic likely exacerbated trends that were already in place before it began—blockbusters earn bigger bucks, and the gap in terms of fare between independent films and superhero movies grows. 2021 has done necessary legwork for cinema recovery. While the franchise frenzy will continue to drive the cinema recovery in 2022, audiences are yet to be tested on their willingness to support smaller movie releases in theaters.

 

 

Sources: Variety, CineBlend, Deloitte and IMDB

Winners of the META Cinema Forum Awards 2021

VOX Cinemas wins the Highest Grossing Exhibitor in The Middle East 2020-21 award for generating revenue amounting to US$171.7 million in the Middle East from October 2020 to October 2021 at the META Cinema Forum Awards 2021.

VOX Cinema’s US$171.7 million box office revenue represents more than 21 percent of the US$800 million box office revenue expected in the Middle East in 2021, according to research by Omdia.

 

The 4th edition of the META Cinema Forum – the largest cinema convention, covering Middle East and African markets, powered by Yummz Hot Chips Cafe, took place between 26th and 28th October 2021 at the Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai.

 

Eight winners were honoured with the highest industry accolades at the META Cinema Forum Awards for their achievements – based on the numbers collated from industry sources – making it the most authentic industry awards based on performance. Two of the awards were presented by META Cinema Forum while the rest 6 were presented by Comscore.

 

VOX Cinemas won the Highest Grossing Exhibitor in The Middle East 2020-21 award for generated revenue amounting to US$171.7 million in the Middle East from October 2020 to October 2021.

 

Cinemarine Cinemas won the Exhibitor of the Pandemic Period of Turkey. Cenk Sezgin, Chief Executive Officer, Cinemarine Cinemas, received the award for his organisation.

 

Murat Cemcir, Enterprising investor, Producer, Artist, was adjudged the Fastest Box Office Success in a Very Short Seasonal Period in Turkey. His organisation saw 21 million in admission and TL226 million Turkish Lira box office revenue in 10 movies.

 

Four Star Films won the Highest-grossing English Title in the Middle East 2020-21 for Fast & Furious 9 with box office revenue reaching US$16.98 million in the Middle East.

 

Empire Entertainment and Orient Films won the Highest-Grossing Arabic Title in the Middle East 2020-21–for Waafet Reggaala, which generated US$15.08 million box office revenue in the Middle East.

 

Film One won the award in the Highest-Grossing Title in Africa 2020-21 category for Omo Ghetto: The Saga, with box office revenue reaching US$1.66 million in West Africa.

 

Muvi Cinemas won the Exhibitor of the Year 2020-21 award for its recent accomplishments in growth and development during a period of great uncertainty having established 121 screens over 13 locations across Saudi Arabia.

 

Eagle Films won the Distributor of the Year 2020-21 in recognition of the support and dedication to deliver a pipeline of quality films during a period of risk and instability having more than 46 most films released during October 2020 – to October 2021 – including Wrath of Man and The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.

 

Unlike other industry awards that are based on either corporate marketing presentations, public perception or jury nominations, META Cinema Forum Awards is based on pure numbers that puts them at the top of the ranking in each category where the names were chosen from.

 

Leila Masinaei, Managing Partner, Great Mind Events Management, said, “This is a true reflection of the best performance in each category in the film industry and we are pleased to honour them with their well-deserved awards.

 

“The numbers dictate who wins the awards. For example, Four Star Films won the Highest-grossing English Title in the Middle East 2020-21 for Fast & Furious 9 that is based on the box office revenue figure, reaching US$16.98 million in the Middle East. No one can dispute its rank as top-grossing film in the region.

 

“As MENA Cinema Forum matures as the largest cinema convention in the Middle East and Africa, we want to make thing more transparent to ensure authenticity of the awards that are based on third-party research.”

 

Box office revenue in the Middle East is set to cross US$800 million in 2021, US$1 billion in 2022 and US$1.3 billion in 2024, recovering from US$250 million in 2020 – marking the fastest recovery in the world, according to research by Omdia.

 

More than 500 industry delegates, experts and participants discussed the opportunities and challenges faced by the industry stakeholders at this year’s META Cinema Forum. The three-day mega film industry conference took place just a few weeks into Dubai Expo 2020 – the largest event in the Middle East and Africa region.

 

The Middle East and Africa region has one of the fastest growing entertainment industries in the world and governments are investing heavily to diversify economies and reduce dependency on a single economic sector

 

Motivate Val Morgan was a media partner for this year’s META Cinema Forum.

 

 

Sources: Press Release (Great Mind Events Management)

 

(more…)

Shang-Chi: The Story Behind Disney’s Successful Experiment

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Marvel’s first epic to star an Asian hero and Disney’s first theatrical-only release since 2019, had a lot of factors against it, but it didn’t just overcome them, it practically somersaulted over.

 

According to tracking website Box Office Mojo, Shang-Chi earned $8.8 million from Thursday night (September 2) previews which began at 7pm across North America, the second highest preview result of the pandemic era behind Black Widow‘s $13.2 million, but rang up an estimated US$75.5 million at U.S. theaters between Friday September 3, and Sunday September 5 (labor weekend). As of September 19, the blockbuster has garnered US$160.9 million and US$112 million at the domestic and international box office (respectively), which equates to over US$272.9 million at worldwide box office (1.8 times the production budget of US$150 million), and is the second biggest opening of 2021.

 

Bob Chapek, Disney’s CEO, described the film as an “interesting experiment”, for the movie was the first franchise by studio to exclusively release in theatre, without the simultaneous release on Disney+, since the outbreak of the pandemic. But Simu Liu, the lead actor in Shang Chi, wrote on twitter – “We are not an experiment… We are the surprise.”

 

Media and industry pundits too labeled Shang-Chi as a ‘gamble’ for the studio’s choice of committing to a theatre only release, citing various reasons: the pandemic affected box office ticket sales, the fact that Labor Day weekend is typically slow for theaters, and the protagonist is a newcomer (with tweethearts of social media even referring to Liu as ‘Shang-Who’). However, based on movie reviews and box office figures: Shang-Chi broke the high-risk perception by major studios of releasing exclusively in theatres and not having a simultaneous streaming release, proved that the pandemic won’t stop people showing up for Marvel, and that even on a traditionally slow weekend, audiences were willing to return to the big screen for highly anticipated blockbusters.

 

After Black Widow, Jungle Cruise and Cruella concurrently released on Disney+, the studio announced last week that the rest of its 2021 slate — including Marvel’s Eternals and Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story — will each screen exclusively in theaters. The news is promising for cinema exhibitors, for Disney films are routinely among the highest-grossing of the year.

 

Next up for Marvel are Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Eternals and Spider-Man: No Way Home, releasing October 21, November 4 and December 16, 2021.

 

 

Contact us for cinema advertising alongside these upcoming blockbusters.

 

 

Sources: npr, The Numbers, Variety, Vulture, L.A Times and Cinemablend

(more…)