Can Community Cinemas Bounce Back from the Pandemic?

This week, Daniel and Rebecca talk to guests Brandon Jones and Luke Parker Bowles about their efforts to revive The Bradley Cinema through their ownership group, Cinema Lab. Originally a single-screen theater in Bradley Beach, New Jersey dating back to the earliest days of commercial exhibition, The Bradley is being converted to a three-screen cinema with a live performance space slated to re-open in Summer 2021. Brandon and Luke discuss The Bradley’s history, its recent transformation, and the important role independent cinemas play in their communities. 

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Episode Resources:

• The Bradley’s Kickstarter Campaign 

What to Listen For

• 00:00 Intro.
• 00:46 Super Bowl trailer recap.
• 06:10 Cinema Lab’s The Bradley Cinema.
• 10:26 The struggles of community cinemas during the pandemic.
• 13:22 Considering financial viability while reviving community cinemas.
• 17:33 Gaining community support through a successful crowdfunding campaign.
• 21:47 Streaming won’t give you the moviegoing experience theaters can offer.
• 29:48 Challenges cinema marketers face during the pandemic
• 33:27 The Bradley to reopen as a three-screen theater in summer