For those who attended our own Emagine Theatre opening here in Saline, last night in Hartland felt like coming home. [1,2,3,4]
That’s very important — not just to Hartland and Saline and to Emagine Entertainment itself, but to an industry about which writing in the main almost seems to take glee in covering as a dying relic. But looking beyond those articles, frequently accompanied by advertisements for however-large-the-living-room-wall-allows big screen televisions and immersive-to-the-extent-your-house-is-thoroughly-sound-proofed audio systems, the movies and the makers themselves increasingly argue that home viewing sells audiences short. [5,6]
Just last week, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie “took a break from filming Top Gun: Maverick to shoot a PSA on the importance of disabling the dreaded ‘soap opera effect’ on modern TVs.” And this week, no one was talking about Aquaman in anything but terms tied to the full Emagine-style theater experience. [7,8,9,10,11,12]
Of course, Paul Glantz saw the greater mosaic of which these anecdotes are a part even before breaking ground in Hartland in April. Didn’t just see that big picture, but, specifically citing experiences “in smaller markets like Birch Run and Saline,” identified Hartland as the place that would benefit from his next opening. [13]
“Paul can pick a needle out of a haystack,” Emagine Chief Executive Officer Anthony LaVerde explained to Saline Journal last night. “That’s why I run operations, so he can identify the next opportunities.
That’s what he does. That’s why Emagine Entertainment is Paul Glantz.
Mr Glantz himself attributes much of this divining to an innate ability to empathize with his theater guests, describing that emphatically as a “really big deal.” Even as the number of screens continues to increase (now at 249, before 25,000 seats across four states), he makes it a personal priority to talk with his team members in each venue about ways in which these can continue to be “welcoming” places.
“Movie-going is ‘neighborhood retail,'” he said by way of summary to Saline Journal on site in Hartland late yesterday afternoon.
Of course his technical infrastructure gives Emagine an advantage with visual spectacles such as Aquaman from the DC universe, as well as increasing entries from Marvel. “Emagine Hartland is the first and only theatre in Michigan showcasing movies with 100% laser projection systems,” according to the company press statement. It is the “first in Michigan to deploy 10 Christie CP4325-RGB pure laser digital cinema projectors featuring high contrast lenses.” [14,15,16]
But all other details are treated with equal care. “Every seat here is heated,” he continued intently, as if describing a Cadillac motorcar. “If you don’t like the way we have the air conditioning set, you should be able to make it right for you — without bringing a blanket from home.”
One might imagine him having these thoughts in making choices in his own life, for his own home, perhaps suggesting that Mr Glantz’s most important role is that of customer ombudsman here.
He still comes across as the man who was up all night stringing electrical wiring for the first Emagine Theatre in Birch Run so many years ago (followed by laying carpet the morning of its opening). Words like “ultra-luxious” and “beautiful” are not cliché for him, not cliché among the culture of his team. ADA accessibility, his own hands-on contribution of front-row “cuddle chairs,” and healthier-option OliveEpop popcorn offering are as top-of-mind in his consideration of details as the full seven-foot spacing between seating rows in theaters.
This is what it means to have Emagine Entertainment come to a community.
That thinking continues to instruct the grand openings as charity events. Benefactors sell tickets for admission, keeping 100% of the proceeds. Emagine Entertainment pays for all the food and ancillary expenses, along with providing complimentary access to any of ten first-run features last night. In Saline, our charity organizations were Foundation for Saline Area Schools and Saline Area Social Service. For Hartland, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan and LaCasa Center were the causes served. [17,18,19,20]
Detroit appears to be the next big thing on an agenda that continues to prove that there is growing interest the right kind of movie theater among local patrons. Like Campbell’s soup, Emagine Entertainment is not just building theaters, it’s growing the category.
And with that success in building attraction, all of its constituent venues can be expected to grow as partners in that increasing brand value. [21]
References
- Emagine Entertainment (home page).
- “New Emagine Hartland movie theater like ‘a 5-star hotel’” Jennifer Timar (December 15, 2018) Livingston Daily.
- “Emagine Entertainment expects ‘sell out crowds’ at new Hartland movie theater” Jennifer Timar (December 4, 2018) Livingston Daily.
- “‘Luxurious’ Emagine movie theater set to open in Hartland Township in December” Jennifer Timar (October 29, 2018) Livingston Daily.
- “Theaters taking hits from movie viewing at home, weak box office” Mike Snider (August 2, 2017) USA Today.
- “Global Box Office Hits Record $40.6 Billion in 2017; US Attendance Lowest in 23 Years” Brent Lang (April 4, 2018) Variety.
- “Tom Cruise” IMDb.
- “Christopher McQuarrie” IMDb.
- “Top Gun: Maverick (2020)” IMDb.
- “Tom Cruise wants to fix your TV, films PSA from Top Gun sequel set” James Hibberd (December 4, 2018) Entertainment Weekly.
- “Aquaman” IMDb.
- “Review: ‘Aquaman’ Is Thrilling New Addition To Superhero Cinema” Mark Hughes (December 11, 2018) Forbes.
- “Emagine to break ground on $15 million cineplex in Hartland” Kurt Nagl (March 26, 2018) Crain’s Detroit Business.
- DC Comics (home page).
- Marvel (home page).
- “Christie CP4325-RGB pure laser cinema projector” Christie.
- Foundation for Saline Area Schools (home page).
- Saline Area Social Service (home page).
- Gleaners (home page).
- LaCasa Center (home page).
- “Emagine, Big Sean plan to open movie theater, live music venue in Detroit” Kirk Pinho (February 27, 2018) Crain’s Detroit Business.
