About Alamo Drafthouse

Since its founding in 1997, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has established itself as the cinema of choice for serious film buffs and beer connoisseurs alike. Offering something for everybody, Alamo Drafthouses feature popular new releases alongside hard-to-find cult classics. Award-winning restaurants on site offer curated menus, specialty cocktails, and, like their name suggests, an extensive craft beer list.

But as streaming platforms become increasingly popular and home entertainment options multiply, Alamo Drafthouse was faced with one of the biggest challenges in their 20 year history: how to meet audiences halfway between the big screen and the small screen while still providing the highly-differentiated entertainment experience that guests have come to expect.
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Opportunity to Create a Unique Identity

Recognizing the way the wind was blowing, Alamo Drafthouse reflected on their roots, honed in on what their loyal customer base loves best about their cinemas, and sought a VOD solution that honors the spirit of what makes their cinemas a unique theatrical experience.

Partnering with Shift72, they created Alamo On Demand, a custom VOD platform that offers:

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• A highly-curated, exclusive library offering rare, obscure, and classic films
• Highlights from their annual Fantastic Fest film festival dating back to 2005
• Popular new theatrical releases
• Filmmaker and partner curated collections
• Thematic Six Pack bundles to create a mini, in-home film festival

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In addition to broadening their reach with their VOD platform, Alamo Drafthouse has also listened to their customers throughout the United States and delivered on their most pressing cinematic concerns by:

• Enforcing a strict code of conduct so guests have a distraction-free experience
• Screening a custom pre-show prior to showings in lieu of paid advertisements
• Offering special family-friendly events, but maintaining an adults-only policy
• Curating award-winning menus and libations, often themed to a particular film

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Looking Forward

Alamo Drafthouse’s customer base has responded enthusiastically to the Alamo on Demand platform. In particular, their annual film festival, Fantastic Fest, has benefitted from their VOD platform, and the wider reach it provides. In 2021, 42% of Fantastic Fest @Home participants attended the festival for the first time, demonstrating the growth and revenue potential a VOD platform affords.

By offering something for everyone, whether in-person or at home, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema continues to craft a unique cinematic experience for movie goers and couch potatoes alike.

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“...Anyone who runs a festival, anyone who runs a theater is just here to serve creators.  We're here to lift up the films and the filmmakers and give them the widest reach that we can.”
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Ahbra Perry, Head of Alamo on Demand

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"The Shift72 team really helped us do something that is going to prove to be a very useful tool for Alamo and great in the future if we can continue to run Fantastic Fest as a hybrid option, opening up accessibility and getting our indie films out there to way more people."
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Ahbra Perry, Head of Alamo on Demand