Log booking decisions to see where films get lost
NICE's Ontario study logged 238 booking decisions on Canadian films. Where a distributor made contact, 32% ended in a booking, against 5% without contact — an association, not proof of cause.
Published 9/28/2026
The idea
A simple decision log shows whether titles are rejected on merit or never properly considered — useful for exhibitors and distributors alike.
Evidence
Cinemas recorded 223 titles, 648 playdates and 238 booking decisions on 17 Canadian releases. They had heard of the film in 115 of the 238 decisions. Where a distributor made contact, 32% of decisions ended in a booking; where no contact was made, 5% did.
Operator takeaway
The transferable value is the operating mechanism, not an assumed outcome. Adapt it with a clear baseline and decision rule.
Try this
For one quarter, log every title considered, whether you had heard of it, whether the distributor contacted you and the decision with a reason code.
Measure
Titles considered; Awareness before decision; Distributor contact; Booking rate by contact status; Reason codes for declines.
Watch out for
The contact comparison is an association; the study does not show contact caused bookings. Sixteen self-selected cinemas in one province over seven weeks may not represent other markets. Exact group sizes within the contact comparison are not restated here.
Operator, market and timing
NICE, Canada, report published 14 September 2026 with support from Ontario Creates. Sixteen independent Ontario cinemas logged decisions for seven weeks in February–March 2026.
What the initiative does
Cinemas recorded 223 titles, 648 playdates and 238 booking decisions on 17 Canadian releases. They had heard of the film in 115 of the 238 decisions. Where a distributor made contact, 32% of decisions ended in a booking; where no contact was made, 5% did.
Why it may matter to an operator
A simple decision log shows whether titles are rejected on merit or never properly considered — useful for exhibitors and distributors alike.
Terms, eligibility and restrictions
The 115/238 awareness figure and the 32% versus 5% contact comparison answer different questions and should not be combined.
What is known and what remains unknown
The contact comparison is an association; the study does not show contact caused bookings. Sixteen self-selected cinemas in one province over seven weeks may not represent other markets. Exact group sizes within the contact comparison are not restated here.
A practical adaptation or test (CIA suggestion)
For one quarter, log every title considered, whether you had heard of it, whether the distributor contacted you and the decision with a reason code.
Resources and commercial or operational risks
A shared spreadsheet and a few minutes per decision. Risk: incomplete logging when programmers are busy.
What to measure
Titles considered; Awareness before decision; Distributor contact; Booking rate by contact status; Reason codes for declines.
Stay updated
Get new Cinemas in Action briefings by email.
Occasional operator briefings and new case studies — no marketing, no third parties.