Australian cinema attendances dip in 2014

The Australian cinema box-office declined by 2.28% last year, with its $1.074 billion in receipts maintaining Australia's status as the 10th largest international cinema market.

According to the Motion Picture Association of America’s annual survey global cinema box office takings rose by 1% in 2014, to a record $US36.4 billion, on the back off astronomical growth in China. Revenues in China jumped by 34% to $4.8 billion, compared with North America’s $10.4 billion.

At this rate of growth, analysts predict China will overtake the US/Canadian cinema market by 2017 or 2018.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) figures showed ticket sales in North America declined by 6% to $1.27 billion in 2014, the lowest in more than a decade, with attendance falls in every age group under 40.

The international cinema markets has grown 24% in US dollars in the past five years, reaching $26 billion in 2014, accounting for 72% of the global total.

The waning popularity of 3D films in Australia is mirrored in North America where 3D movies generated $1.4 billion, just 14% of the market, despite the release of a record 47 titles in that format.

After the USA, the top 10 markets internationally in US dollars were: China $4.8 billion, Japan $2 billion, France $1.8 billion, the UK and India both with $1.7 billion, South Korea $1.6 billion, Germany $1.3 billion, Russia $1.2 billion and Australia $1 billion.

The MPAA’s study found frequent cinemagoers in North America are more likely that the general population to own devices such as smart phones (83%), tablets (68%), video game systems (60%) and streaming devices (58%).

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