That’s a theme that O’Leary intends to spotlight at CinemaCon, especially as the theatrical exhibition industry wrestles with the ongoing challenges of declining attendance and the proliferation of streaming content. Especially in smaller communities, knowing what’s playing at your local movie theater—and knowing the people who run them—is a possible enticement to choose a night out over staying in.
“At the end of the day, we’re in the business of selling experiences,” O’Leary says, candidly. “There’s a lot of competition out there for consumers’ time and attention and we’re fighting for it every day. The secret sauce of these Behind the Screens videos is that exhibitors are opening themselves up to the world and saying, ‘I do this every day and I love it.’ That’s a positive thing that impacts people.”