Imagine a magical weapon out of science fiction: a machine of gratifying proportions and a cartoon that unleashes a magic potion that eradicates the scourge of the past and brings families together safely.
Except that it is not a Marvel prop, it is an electrostatic disinfectant spray – an idiotic but crucial protective device that will become a staple for viewers in a post-pandemic world.
This spray gun, which hoses down the seats, guardrails and door handles between each film shown around the world, is part of one of several new protocols Variety seen on a recent cineplex tour in California, as the state slowly opens up locations for customers after a year’s quarantine outage.
“We are preparing for this moment, for the magic moment for people to go back inside and enjoy what is a community experience naturally, although now it is a little further away,” said Andrew Gualtieri, district manager of SoCal-based Regency. Theaters.
The network’s location in Van Nuys, miles from downtown Los Angeles, has been functioning as a drive-in cinema since August. Gualtieri spoke about exciting phone calls and emails from the community asking when their indoor facilities would be opened again.
In order to reopen on March 31, Gualtieri accompanied us through the reinvented space, built around the CinemaSafe protocols issued by the National Association of Theater Owners.
Some new restrictions will break with the longstanding traditions surrounding going to the cinema, he said. The concession stand will be protected by plexiglass with credit card swipe devices moved to the customer’s side, eliminating unnecessary points of contact.
“As soon as you get that popcorn, you want to jump right in, but you have to wait until you sit down to start enjoying the snacks,” said Gualtieri. The condiments will be prepackaged and contained (no self-service butter for your popcorn, which is, frankly, better for you).
The bathrooms have also been reduced to avoid overcrowding. Most tickets will be application-based and will use a buffering system to block theater seats on either side of a given party. Operators and visual aids will instruct guests to leave the theater row by row, with exclusive entrance and exit doors.
Take a first-hand look at the new normal in cinematography in our video above.