Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi has said that while employees will have to wear masks, moviegoers won't be required to don face coverings. Cinemark owns a number of cinema brands, including Century Theatres, CineArts and Tinseltown USA. It currently has over 500 complexes worldwide and employs close to 20,000 people.
On the same call, which took place on Wednesday, Zoradi said that Cinemark would begin reopening its theaters beginning June 19. The approach will be phased, meaning that not all venues will open, or be at full capacity, straight away. Cinemark is the first company to officially announce reopening plans, following the shutdown of almost all cinema chains worldwide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Further details about how Cinemark will deal with social distancing guidelines were revealed on the conference call (via The Wrap), with Zoradi making the surprise announcement that guests will not be required to wear masks. Rather, Zoradi said, guests will be encouraged to wear masks in the interests of their own safety, as well as that of fellow moviegoers and Cinemark employees. Zoradi added that while masks will be optional for guests, they will be mandatory for employees. This, he said, is part of a set of "enhanced health and safety protocols" that Cinemark has developed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. These aren't the only steps Cinemark will be taking to ensure a safe environment, though.
Zoradi said that further measures will include "seat-buffering technology," which will help guests physically distance while sitting in the theater, as well as increasing cleaning and sanitation in order to make sure they exceed guidelines released by the WHO and CDC. Finally, interactions between employees and guests will be minimized at the box office and concession stands, and plexiglass screens, similar to those used in grocery stores, will be installed to reduce interaction.
While the measures Cinemark are taking are admirable, their reluctance to enforce face coverings for attendees may deter some patrons from visiting their theaters. Many members of the public will remain concerned about contracting Covid-19 until a reliable cure or vaccine has been developed, and will already be wary of attending mass indoor gatherings.
Whether this move affects Cinemark's bottom line remains to be seen. There is a segment of the population who may be drawn to Cinemark as a direct result of the chain not requiring masks, but whether that's large enough to help them recover from the shutdown is unclear. With AMC revealing it has "substantial doubt" whether it will survive the pandemic closure, it's clear that cinema chains are going to have to fight to survive. With an early reopening and relaxed face mask guidelines, Cinemark is apparently attempting to make sure it thrives in this difficult environment.
Source: The Wrap