We believe the Cinespia is not just a fad because of its widespread appeal.

Hypothesis

The Cinespia phenomenon is not just a fad

because of its widespread appeal, and

something similar would work in other

locations.

Methodology

①survey

monkey

②email

interview

③content analysis

④observational

research

Methodology

● 10 questions○ 4 free response○ 2 discarded

● 114 maximum responses● USC demographic with outliers● Basic questions about Cinespia● From SoCal?

SurveyMonkey

Methodology

Email Interview: Jamie Katz Cinespia attendee

Q1: How did you first hear about Cinespia?“Wanted something cheap and fun.”

Q2: How often have you attended Cinespia?“Several movies, the all-nights, Breaking Bad finale.”

Q3: What appeals to you most about Cinespia?“Huge movie fan...love being outdoors.”

Methodology

Email Interview: Jamie Katz Cinespia attendee

Q4: Who do you attend with?“Roommate, friends, family.”

Q5: Social Media sharing?“Instagram and Facebook.”

Q6: How early do you arrive?“Early...street parking or Uber.”

Methodology

Email Interview: Jamie Katz Cinespia attendee

People are always looking for relatively inexpensive and fun things to do in Los Angeles and Cinespia

provides just that!

Methodology

Email Interview: Jay Boileau

VP & Director of Cultural Events Programming, HFCQ1: What do you look for in events?“Space and history...beautiful experience.”

Q2: Why did you decide on Cinespia?“Liked their approach to screen classic films.”

Methodology

Watching older movies is an act of remembrance.

Email Interview: Jay Boileau

VP & Director of Cultural Events Programming, HFC

Methodology

Content Analysis: Media Coverage● Only 10 articles in major outlets in

last 10 years

● Coded for both themes and key words

Methodology

Content Analysis: Media Coverage

Methodology

Content Analysis: Public Sentiment (Yelp)● Yelp reviews more comprehensive

than other social media● Time frame: 2014 summer season

(5/9 - 9/27)● 51 reviews● Coded for themes

Methodology

Observational Research

10/25: Beetlejuice(special occasion screening)

11/8: Blade Runner (standard experience)

Observational Research Pre-Show

● Doors open 1 ½ hrs before show

● Line forms 2-3 hrs before doors open

○ Chairs, friends, games and food while in line

○ Security present

Observational Research Doors Open (Pre-Show & Lawn)

● 5-min walk from front gate to Cinespia grounds

● Very large lawn with speaker system throughout

● No concessions (unexpected)

● Not many Cinespia staff

Observational Research Getting Seats (Pre-Show & Lawn)

● Blankets and chairs laid out on lawn

● Outside food, drinks and alcohol allowed

● Group size ranges from 2 to 6 people

Observational Research During Show

● Before show: personnel speaks about film○ Shoutout to film’s affiliates in audience

● Audience very quiet during show○ Noises looked down upon

● Very loud speaker system○ Clearly audible even from far seats

Observational Research During Show

● Audience very tuned into movie

○ Attendees stayed seated

■ Photo-booth closed during show

○ Moving through crowd made others upset

○ Late arrivals were shamed

○ Audience applause during film

Key Findings

SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey

Q: Given website explanation, would you go?

92%

8%

63%22%

15%

SurveyMonkeyQ: Do you think something similar

would work in different cities?

Q: Rate Cinespia experience - CUT

SurveyMonkey

Q: How did you hear

about Cinespia?

SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkeyQ: What is similar/different from Cinespia and other outdoor movie screenings?

Cemetery ExperienceDJs

Outliers

Indie

Celebs

Eerie

Is there a difference?

Similar or different from other outdoor theaters

Would it work in different cities?

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis

Content Analysis: Media Coverage

Content Analysis: Public Sentiment (Yelp)

Very little media coverage

“...Hollywood Forever's focus is continuums between the

living and the dead.”

Cinespia survives by word of mouth & social media

Lack of media coverage

Marketing Analysis• Social Media Promotions

○ Facebook: 91,343 Likes○ Instagram: 22.4K Followers○ Twitter: 17.4K Followers

• Primary Marketing○ Posts focus on announcements, event

recaps, photos and new screenings○ Also includes photos, quotes and

birthdays of famous film stars

Marketing Analysis:Social Media

Marketing Analysis:Word Of Mouth• Person to person communication (often

recommendation)• WOM marketing more important with social

media• Majority attended Cinespia due to friend’s

recommendation

Marketing Analysis:Word of Mouth

Expected Personas Actual

Challenges

● Main form of marketing: social media

○ Limited audience / hard to attract new fans

■ Must follow Cinespia to receive updates

■ Social following not very large

○ E.g. Cinemas on The Street @ Downtown Santa Monica:

32k Facebook Followers

Lack Of Marketing & Promotion

Challenges

● Word of mouth

○ Lack of buzz

○ Cinespia doesn’t begin conversation

○ Rely on attendees’ recommendations

● Lack of media coverage

Lack Of Marketing & Promotion

Challenges

● 38 of 114 responses INCOMPLETE○ Many questions skipped○ Inconsistency in number of

people who answered

● Not enough info about Cinespia from description○ “Don’t know,” “Can’t say,” etc.

SurveyMonkey

Challenges

● Responses● Finding attendees● Finding willing participants

Observational Research● Finding a date to attend● Transportation

Research

Challenges

● Attendees not chatty

● Cinespia’s “mysteriousness”○ Last-minute screening announcements○ Cult following: sold-out tickets○ Finding info: via online or interview

● Different methodology reach different audience groups

○ Results don’t necessarily coincide

General Challenges

Hypothesis Disproved

Geographics of Cities’ Main Historical Cemetery

= city’s center or downtown = main/ historical cemetery

San Francisco

Los Angeles

cc

c

San Diego, CA

Chicago

Geographics of Cities’ Main Historical Cemetery

● Special vs. Normal Screenings○ Demographic○ Set-Up○ Costuming

● All about the film

● All about the cemetery

Movie Screenings

FOR

● Concerts

● Movie Screenings

● TV Screenings

HFC: A Venue For Cultural Events

BECAUSE

● Unique

● Open-air

● Location

Context of Movie IndustryOther popular outdoor movie screenings in L.A.:

Outdoor screening is only one of many ways to watch a movie:

● Movies: long been popular leisure activity

● Lower movie theater attendance, but total movie watching still around same

Context of Movie Industry

Fave leisure activity -- Harris Interactive Poll, 2013 (U.S. adults)

the end

cinespia team: anna ovaert, lauren camp, melissa martino, shuwen zhang