On the King’s Business

I prefer to write about writing, but after spending the past week at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for CinemaCon, I thought it time to write about my other job, my day job, my job in the King’s palace (see About Me). Besides, I had hit a wall with my script. A story problem had been nagging at me the past couple weeks, so the trip to Vegas was timely. Sometimes the best thing for my writing is not to write. While some stories are extroverts and won’t leave you alone. Other stories are introverts and need to be left alone. You have to let them come to you when they’re ready. I digress.
 
Run by the National Association of Theater Owners, CinemaCon is a convention and tradeshow dedicated to “Celebrating the Moviegoing Experience.” Since it is not consumer facing, like ComicCon, most movie-goers have never heard of the event, but it is one of the most important gatherings for the worldwide motion picture industry. The convention includes a trade show with the latest products and innovations in projection and sound, concessions, seating, ticketing, and in-theater displays. There are extravagant parties in the evenings hosted by Hollywood’s corporate players. Most consider the highlight of the four-day event to be when each of the major studios (20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Brothers) presents their slate of upcoming films. The presentations are often accompanied with a parade of movie stars and filmmakers all politely imploring, “Please put our movies in your theaters.”
 
My role at the convention was to meet and present to the marketing and sales leads from the national theater chains. We shared our studio’s priorities, celebrated the success of the past year, and gave them a sneak peek at content from our upcoming films. My job was made easy because, quite frankly, we have a lot of great movies on our slate. When I wasn’t in the suite presenting, I was dining with industry partners, debating if day-and-date movies in the home are good for the business, and explicating what the movie theater of the future should look like. And when I wasn’t doing that, I was losing my money to Caesar.
 
It was a productive and insightful week. Any job in any career can become routine. But I will admit, on more than one occasion this past week I thought myself, “I get paid to do this.” 

It was around the time the craps stick pulled my last $20 away that my introvert story reappeared. The problem had, in a flash, resolved itself. “Of course! That’s it! How did I not think of that before?” It’s funny the places you’ll be when the idea finds you. I left the convention with empty pockets and a new idea. I’d say I’m even.