FEATURED
Romancing the Cinema Finding Your Fellow Community Cinema Connoisseurs and Enthusiasts By Sam Cavitt
I
have been going about this all wrong. Sure, I have been sharing all the great things happening in the private cinema world – the technological advancements, the best practices, the great projects. We are able to create private cinemas now that are better than ever before, in fact, better than just about any movie theater that most people will ever experience. Month after month, year after year, I am able to share that message thanks to publications like this one, and business is good. But I struggle with the knowledge that the word is still not reaching our ultimate audience: the public that we want to serve. There is a story being told, a message sent. But it is not the right message. I thought I was above it all. My focus had been to avoid getting too technical and focusing on the importance and value of delivering quality and performance. Experience nonpareil. To be sure, I have been careful to eschew the typical tech talk of loudspeakers, formats, pricepoints, and budgets in favor of what I call the “attributes of excellence” – the things that private cinema professionals and enthusiasts should be considering. It was with this smug confidence that I shared my company’s new website with a business associate, explaining that it would be a good place for him to start familiarizing himself with private cinema. From the mouths of neophytes: “Impressive,” they said. “Clearly you have a lot of knowledge about designing great theaters, and your portfolio is full of beautiful work. But, where’s the romance?” I love the movies because great ones cause me to drop everything and just get lost in them. Like a romance, I can think of nothing else. I’m obsessed, and I like it! It seems that you would have talked about that.”
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He’s right. We’ve been going about this all wrong. Remembering the Passion of Movie Fans If we in the industry want our audience to seek us out, if we would enjoy an audience that is happily obsessed and insisting on our best, we need to provide a better reason. Romance. Specifications and performance pale in comparison to passion. Life is already full of necessities and requirements. Private cinema is a sanctuary, a special place for escape in today’s trying times. But it remains a pleasure unappreciated. Why is that? Those of you who we hope to serve already enjoy sundry pursuits – fine automobiles, wine and dining, mega yachts, vacations, and adventures, exquisite art, jewelry, and fashion. What is it about these diversions that render them undeniable? Possibly a more important question is, what is it about these pursuits that motivates you, the aficionados, to discuss, share and pursue these passions within a community of like-minded enthusiasts? Communities of enthusiasts thrive for many classes of prestigious pursuits. Rather than trade and professional organizations, these are fraternities of passion. The Classic Car Club of Manhattan, with the motto “We Travel the World. We Race. We Wrench. We Drive. We Rock. We Roll. We Do It Together” is not selling anything. Likewise, the Automobile Club of Monaco, with the mission “to exhibit the most exceptional antique and vintage cars, as well as to make sure that they parade in front of a public of enthusiasts” is all about exhibiting their love of fine antique automobiles and sharing that passion!
Some groups do originate from their respective industries. The world of fine art, for instance, is well represented by interest groups. Ranging from networks of enthusiasts (ARTNET is an online resource for the international art market, and the destination to buy, sell, and research art online) to museumsponsored groups such as Société des Amis des Musées d’Orsay and de l’Orangerie (Society of Friends of the Museums d’Orsay and the I’Orangerie) to one striking example which is Fine Art Connoisseur. Fine Art Connoisseur serves art collectors and enthusiasts with innovative articles about representational paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints – both historical and contemporary, American and European. Founded and published by artists and art enthusiasts, the magazine is a great example of what could be. Film itself is considered by many a singularly rich and important contemporary art form. A notably rich medium, film comprises genre, setting, storytelling, drama, characterization, imagery, theme, sound, music, cinematography and more. But the unique aspect is its effect on us, the audience. Roger Ebert said “For me, the movies are like a machine that generates empathy.” Renzo Piano says, “Moviemaking is the most complete, truly contemporary art form. It brings narrative, acting, scenery, lighting, sound, and music together into the most marvelous machine for emotion.” The movies change us. Like romance. Private Cinemas Can Create Moments Why then, does private cinema, this incredible personal amenity that has the capacity to draw us in and immerse us in this marvelous machine for emotion like no other, have no community? Don’t such powerful moments, shared with
