As the lifting of restrictions imposed in connection with a pandemic of mers in different countries resume cinema and set. However, not all film distributors are ready to get to work. Many people afraid of additional security measures, limits bandwidth, and the lack of new products that might attract viewers, because most of the big premieres have been postponed to a later date.

  • © RIA Novosti / kinopoisk.ru

At the end of April and in early may, the governments of various countries began to loosen restrictions due to pandemic coronavirus. As a result, the film industry has been slowly returning to life. However, while some cinemas are preparing for the early opening and constitute a repertoire, others prefer to take the time to be able to assess the damage from COVID-19.

One of the first to remove restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic began, the U.S. government. As reported by CNBC, 20 April, the Governor of Georgia Brian Kemp spoke about the plans to rebuild the economy of the state, saying that a private enterprise can resume its activities on Friday, April 24. Cinemas were encouraged to accept visitors on Monday, April 27, subject to social distance and hygiene.

However, despite concessions from the authorities, some of the largest cinema chains including AMC and Cinemark, refused to open the cinemas on these dates. According to the leaders, before they were forced to lay off a lot of employees. In addition, all sites are closed from mid-March to prepare for work in a few days, given the current situation impossible.

Another obstacle was the repertoire: many anticipated releases was postponed for a few months, and now cinema can only offer pictures of independent distributors and tapes that were already in distribution.

Texas authorities have begun to ease the restrictions for business since 1 may, allowing the cinemas and private companies to return to work with 25% capacity and in compliance with all safety requirements. Here, as in Georgia, are major chains, like Cinemark, AMC and Alamo Drafthouse, chose not to open their cinemas, while the Evo Santikos Entertainment and Entertainment has launched several cinemas in early may.

The repertoire Santikos Entertainment was the movie “Trolls. World tour”, “Bloodshot”, “Believe in love”, “invisible Man” and others. For the first may weekend three cinema chains located in the city of San Antonio, called for a little less than 3 thousand people.

It is expected that on may 15 in new York city earn first chocolates.

In late April, gradually began to operate cinemas in South Korea. So, a leading chain CJ CGV on April 29 opened in 36 theaters. 30 April, earned six cinemas Lotte Cinema, and may 1 — 11 Megabox cinemas. This provides a number of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of guests: Seating staggered, shortened the number of sessions the temperature measurements from the audience, etc.

Owners of many of the multiplexes in South Korea have started to implement contactless technology. The chain CJ CGV in some cinemas have replaced the staff with robots, have installed automated kiosks and have prepared a convenient mobile app. Thanks to all these measures, the viewers no longer need to contact the staff to reserve, receive or scan their tickets.

In 22 cinemas Lotte Cinema has also introduced similar technologies. To buy tickets for movies, banned to certain age groups, viewers have to scan your ID.

Meanwhile, the Chinese authorities announced the possibility of opening cinemas on may 8, under the condition of limiting the number of visitors and compliance with all security measures. However, as of last Friday evening in the repertoire of cinema chains was not a single film.

On the same day, made possible the work of the Hong Kong cinemas with the bandwidth limit to 50%. In the repertoire of one of the largest local networks of multiplex Cinemas Broadway included several Asian tapes, and films of the American independent distributors, “don’t worry, he won’t get far”, “Man has a hard life: Welcome home, Tora-San!” and others. Also in Hong Kong cinemas is planned rental of the animated film “Trolls. World tour” and dramedy “Emma”.

  • People in masks in the Prague cinema
  • AFP
  • © Michal Cizek

In Europe the government of Norway was allowed to visit the cinemas from 8 may. But because of strict sanitary measures and lack of releases, many networks have refused to return to work. However, some still decided to take a chance and opened their doors. They include, for example, Vega Scene.

Some cinemas have earned in the Czech Republic they started opening on may 11. The Minister of health of the country Adam vojtěch warned that the number of viewers at one screening, may not exceed 100 people.

In may, is expected to open cinemas in Germany. Halls in Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein will start the screenings on may 18, and in the Federal state of North Rhine — Westphalia — may 30. According to the rules established by the authorities, the minimum distance between the audience should be about one and a half meters, equivalent to about three seats in the cinema. Also, cinemas will have to implement the rules of social distancing in the lobby. However, as noted by Variety, the lack of updates, the lack of detailed guidelines for security in some regions and coordination between the owners of cinemas and film distributors across the country made the prospects of opening cinemas is very vague.

In turn, the UK government has published recommendations on the way out of the pandemic, according to which the cinemas in the country will earn not earlier than July 4.

Still later begin to function Irish cinemas on August 10.

Interestingly, many of the Swedish cinema in General is not closed during a pandemic. So, continued to operate the second largest network in the country Svenska Bio, which 47 theaters and 200 screens. The number of spectators was limited to 50 per session. In addition, it was observed all the other security measures.

The lack of Prime

It is obvious that immediately after the resumption of the activities of the global film industry will face several challenges, one of which being the lack of content. A number of Hollywood productions, which was looking forward to people from around the world, moved in a few months or even a year. Among these paintings — “No time to die”, “Mulan”, “Quiet place 2”, “Black Widow”, “the fast and the furious 9”, “Wonder woman: 1984”, “Minions: gravity” and many others.

To save the situation in the market of independent distributors, but, as noted by Variety, and they don’t want to release their films immediately after the opening of the cinema, fearing that the audience would be too small.

Among the few distributors who are preparing to release their first tape — French unit Memento Films Distribution and the Spanish company A Contracorriente Films. Most European distributors pushed back the premiere to the fourth quarter of 2020 or the beginning of next year, risking to deal with the influx of pending and new releases from American studios, such as Sony and Paramount. The majority of the European distributors do not consider the option of distributing her paintings through VoD services, because they fear that the movies will be lost in the sea of online content.

It seems that the only one not afraid of all the challenges facing the film industry after the end of the pandemic and the lifting of all restrictive measures is Christopher Nolan. The Director refuses to transfer the premiere of her new movie “the Argument”, which is scheduled for 16 July in Russia and on July 17 in the US.

  • Closed at the time of a pandemic movie theater in Los Angeles
  • Reuters
  • © Lucy Nicholson

However, according to Variety, some insiders believe that the July release is unlikely because the number of cases of coronavirus is still growing in many States. Also there is a fear that the weakening of preventive measures in Georgia and Texas and resume of certain businesses will lead to new waves of epidemic that will push plans to return spectators in cinemas across the country.

With a production budget of about $200 million “Argument” can not go only in those areas which are least exposed to coronavirus. The film is focused on foreign audiences, but in other countries similar situation prevails. Cinemas began to open in several countries, but most major international markets return to life much later.

The resumption of filmmaking

Together with the opening of cinemas and resumed film production. An important step was the mitigating measures against the spread of coronavirus in the Czech Republic. On may 11, are permitted to hold events involving no more than 100 people. Thus, in the near future to continue shooting such series as “Carnival row” (second season), “Wheel of time” (the first season) and “the Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”

In France, 11 may began easing restrictions related to the pandemic coronavirus, and the resumption of production is expected in late spring — early summer.

7 may publication Deadline reported that New Zealand is already enabled filmmaking. On the territory of this country shall be removed such anticipated projects as a continuation of the “Avatar” series on the “Lord of the rings.” Upon arrival on the territory of New Zealand crews will need to register in order to facilitate contact tracing and monitoring of disease.

  • The shooting of “Avatar 2”
  • © kinopoisk.ru

In Russia, the press service of the Ministry of culture reported that on the basis of the cinematography Department of the planned creation of a single point of contact for the resumption of the shooting process. Specific decisions will be made in accordance with the recommendations of the CPS and the orders of the authorities of the regions.

While all the houses

While it is impossible to talk about the end of a pandemic, providers of online content in the Russian Federation develop measures for maintaining the quality of services provided at the proper level.

21 April 2020, the Association of legal online cinemas “Internet video”, which includes Amediateka, Megogo, ivi, tvzavr, and Okko, sent the Ministry a letter with a request to oblige operators not to limit the traffic even in conditions of high load on the network, reports “Kommersant”.

This measure will allow the pads to consistently provide users with high-quality content that the organization deems particularly important in conditions of isolation.

In early April, the Ministry of communications offered by some Internet companies measures for content optimization, including disabling AutoPlay of materials and the limitation of video quality.

In March, the streaming service Netflix has announced the restriction of video quality in Europe for the sake of reducing load on the network.