That Will Never Work #62: Resurrecting the Great American Movie Drive-In with an Urban Twist - Feat. Special Guest Mitch Lowe
Aug 2, 2022
Mitch Lowe, a veteran film executive who paved the way for Netflix and disrupted the industry with MoviePass, joins Ben Chow, founder of We Drive-Ins, which turns urban parking lots into drive-in theaters. They delve into the challenges Ben faces with studio licensing for daytime displays, exploring the nostalgic role of drive-ins in cinema culture. Mitch shares insights on overcoming legacy studio restrictions and offers practical strategies for Ben to gain approval and scale his innovative concept.
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Founder Reborn Drive-In Experience
- Ben founded We Drive-Ins to repurpose urban parking lots into modern drive-in theaters using advanced car audio and projection.
- He faces a licensing barrier from studios that restricts daytime-capable LED screens despite operating successfully in Santa Monica at night.
Drive-In Nostalgia Sparks The Idea
- Mitch recalled childhood drive-in memories in Nebraska and an El Camino tarp trick to avoid paying the fee.
- He connects nostalgia to the communal value of watching films together, enhancing the drive-in's appeal.
Legacy Windowing Blocks New Tech
- Studio licensing rules trace back to legacy windowing and distinctions between private digital use and public theatrical exhibition.
- That legal interpretation forces venues into theatrical licensing when charging or showing to many people, limiting new display tech.
