On December 20, 2024, the first Chinese language concert film in mainland China, "Zhang Jieyao's Beidou Tour Concert," was officially released. According to data from Lighthouse Professional Edition, the film grossed 27.998 million yuan on its first day of release, accounting for 39% of the total box office with a screening rate of 18.2%, breaking the record for the opening day and single day box office of New Year documentaries and mainland film and television documentaries. With various activities such as concerts, live sports events, talk shows, and interactive programs entering cinemas, cinemas are constantly exploring new identities and becoming comprehensive venues that integrate multiple forms of entertainment. Industry insiders believe that cinemas should distinguish between peak and off peak seasons, provide basic screening services, and actively leverage their spatial attributes to generate more value. Moving the concert into the cinema, entering the screening hall of Nanchang Yinxing International Cinema, the blue fluorescent sticks forming the "Star Sea" seem to bring people into the concert venue... "The atmosphere at the venue is super lively, not much different from a concert," fan Xiaozhou shared her feelings with reporters. The immersive sound and light experience of the cinema and the atmosphere of the live fans can greatly recreate the concert scene. Compared to concerts, movie tickets are cheaper and easier to purchase. According to a search by reporters, the ticket prices for Zhang Jie's "Yao · Beidou" tour concert in 2023 range from 280 yuan to 1680 yuan, and several shows were sold out within a minute of opening. For some fans who cannot go to the venue, the cinema is a good choice, "said Xiaozhou. While immersing themselves in the atmosphere of the concert, the cinema also provides a venue and platform for some fans to communicate. Fans often organize various collective movie watching activities, "said Xiaozhou. Bringing the concert into the cinema, 'Zhang Jieyao's Beidou Tour Concert' is not the first 'tester'. As early as 2009, Michael Jackson's "This Is It" was introduced to China; In 2017, Deng Ziqi's "Against the Wind" and Wang Leehom's "All Fire" appeared on the big screen successively; In 2023, Taylor Swift: Time Tour Concert, which was released in Chinese Mainland, became the box office champion of Chinese film history music documentary with a box office of 101 million yuan. In the current era where concerts in big cities are gradually becoming saturated, the new form of "concert movies" can drive concerts to "sink". Normally, it's not even possible to go to my city to hold a concert, and the cost of going to a nearby big city to watch a concert is too high. This time, I can watch the concert movie with friends right at my doorstep, "fan Xing told reporters. On December 28, 2024, in the screening hall of Donghuan Cinema in Beijing, a magician was performing a unique children's magic show in a comprehensive venue that integrates various forms of leisure. Compared to the theater, the lighting and sound effects of the magic show in the cinema are more immersive and interactive, "said Ms. Guo, who brought her children to watch the performance. In 2021, the National Film Administration released the "14th Five Year Plan for the Development of Chinese Film", which mentioned the need to "closely monitor and accurately grasp the global film industry and audio-visual technology development trends, and actively cultivate new film consumption models"; On December 14, 2023, the relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism emphasized at the press conference of the State Council Information Office that they support the development of new formats such as performance spaces and immersive performances, encourage the creation of new consumption scenarios, expand new consumption spaces, and enrich new consumption experiences. The staff of Donghuan Cinema told reporters that after the relaxation of relevant policies, Donghuan Cinema is also constantly trying to expand new businesses beyond film screening, such as talk shows, magic shows, etc. Although the number of people coming is not particularly high, there has been a significant increase in the flow of people on weekdays, "said the staff member. Under the dual effects of profit pressure and favorable policy directions, cinemas are seeking a "new identity" beyond screening movies and exploring becoming comprehensive venues that integrate multiple forms of leisure. During the 2024 Paris Olympics, "watching the Olympics in the cinema" has become a popular choice for many viewers. According to data, more than 800 cinemas across the country have participated in the live broadcast of Olympic TV programs, screening over 2300 shows and attracting a total of 55000 viewers. The cinema has much better sound effects than the TV at home, making watching games more immersive and providing a great experience A fan who watched a live table tennis match at the cinema said. In 2024, a survey on audience expectations for cinemas found that in addition to mainstream choices such as watching games and concerts, the option of "taking a nap in the cinema" is also highly regarded. As early as 2022, Chengdu Leina Star Cinema made such an attempt: providing paid lunch break services during weekdays. However, recently, when the reporter called the cinema, they were informed that the business had stopped. Previously, the 'lunch break business' was launched because cinemas needed to explore new businesses to increase revenue. Later, with an increase in screening and limited theaters, we closed our lunch break service Ms. Pan, the manager of Chengdu Reina Star Cinema, told reporters. Industry insiders suggest that cinemas should distinguish priorities at different stages and do a good job in basic screening and service work. There is a saying about the size of the movie market. During the upcoming Spring Festival peak season, people's demand for watching movies will increase, so cinemas still need to focus on doing a good job in movie screening and increasing their services to audiences. During the off-season, cinemas can fully utilize their spatial attributes and hardware facilities such as sound equipment to explore more possibilities. The cinema should expand the non cinema part and fully unleash the spatial vitality of the cinema, allowing it to generate more value during the off-season, "said the industry insider. At the same time, experts also suggest that cinemas need to "act" according to their actual situation when exploring new business models. Associate Professor Weng Yang from Beijing Film Academy once pointed out that cinemas need to adapt to local conditions and act within their capabilities when introducing new business models, in order to prevent them from falling into operational difficulties due to excessive expansion or unreasonable resource allocation. (New Society)