The 4 best tech innovations we saw at CinemaCon, which could change the way you watch movies in theaters

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The 4 best tech innovations we saw at CinemaCon, which could change the way you watch movies in theaters

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If you want to take the pulse on forward-thinking ideas in the movie-theater business, the best place to find them is at CinemaCon.

The annual theater owners conference took place last week in Las Vegas, and along with movie studios showing off what they have in store for the coming year, there was a trade floor where hungry innovators presented products they believe will elevate the movie industry.

From an established player in the movie-ticket selling space getting into the subscription game, to how artificial intelligence could be the next step to theaters and studios gaining more revenue, we break down four things that caught our eye at 2019 CinemaCon:

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Atom Movie Access

Atom Movie Access

Movie-ticket subscription plans have shot up in popularity since MoviePass came on the scene, and the latest trend is helping theaters build their own.

Atom Tickets, the online movie-ticketing platform, has launched Atom Movie Access, which will allow exhibitors to use the Atom Tickets tech to customize their own movie-ticket subscription platform.

You can use the Atom Tickets app to not just order the tickets, but also reserve seats and pre-order concessions. And for the theaters’ needs, Atom will handle the payment process, customer service, and fraud detection.

Atom joins Sinemia Enterprise as companies looking to help exhibitors join the subscription craze by offering up their tech. And the options don’t end there ...

Infinity

Infinity

Another similar service also launched at CinemaCon: Infinity, from technology solutions company Influx Worldwide, is hoping to become the home of subscription plans for cinemas by getting theaters across the country to join a network of one united subscription plan.

Options for seeing movies in 3D and IMAX, rollover for times you didn’t see movies the previous month, and discounts on food and beverage are all on the table.

And unlike Atom, customers would go directly to the theater’s app/website to do the transactions, not a third party.

The movie-ticket subscription war is certainly heating up.

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Movio

Movio

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing all businesses, and that includes the movies. Studios and theaters are using AI to better understand the kind of stories audiences want, and Movio has been one of the leaders in that field.

The marketing data analytics company has been gathering machine learning techniques to analyze audience behavior and spending patterns.

Movio said moviegoers who got direct communication from the company increased their theater visitations by 0.89 last year.

Most in the industry will tell you that a good story still is the driving force for big box office, but movie-theater owners Business Insider talked to at CinemaCon who used Movio confirmed that the data received from the company contained the kinds of insights they had never had in the past.

PreShow

PreShow

MoviePass cofounder Stacy Spikes has found a new way to get people to go to the movies.

The man behind the movie-ticket subscription craze has now shifted his attention to a better way for brands to get in front of audiences. And the payoff for the person watching? They get to go to the movies for free.

With PreShow, you download the app, select a movie you want to see, and then are shown a piece of branded content on your phone (ranging from 3 to 15 minutes). When you have completed it, you get to see the movie you selected in a theater for free.

PreShow is still in a Beta/Invite Only phase. And this tech is a little advanced so don’t think you can select the ad and then run off and do the dishes. The app knows when you look away and will stop the ad. You have to look at it the whole time to get the free movie.

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