6 reasons why video services can become more popular than cinemas

In 2021, the revenue of domestic video services increasedRussian VoD Market 2021 / TMT Consulting to 43.4 billion rubles, and box office receipts in Russian cinemas amounted to only 40.7 billion. The numbers do not lie: viewers are gradually moving to online platforms. And that's why.

1. Here you can laugh at a comedy, cheer for your favorite team and watch a culinary master class

The cinema poster is updated slowly - you can wait weeks for something interesting to appear. And there are also days when there is simply no film in the mood: the soul craves comedy, and the box office persistently offers only thrillers. Video services do not have this problem. In one evening, you can watch the same comedy, and an action movie, and a cartoon for dessert.

By the way, there are not only movies online. Series, amateur videos, vines, tutorials - there are really a lot of formats. And if cinemas constantly have to fight for their viewers with sports arenas and concert halls, then on a high-quality video service all the entertainment is collected in one place.

The variety of online content is gradually changing user habits. You no longer need to wait for the evening and adjust to the movie screening schedule, because you can watch a 10-minute episode of a web series at breakfast and go to work.

2. You don’t have to look for interesting films in the poster, the algorithms will offer them themselves

Before you buy a couple of tickets for the last row, you have to review all the trailers and reviews of the cinema's repertoire. Otherwise, the evening may be ruined. On video services, as a rule, there are advanced algorithms that themselves offer interesting content to the user. In addition, the choice of videos is not limited to the poster: you can get acquainted with the premieres and review world masterpieces one by one.

Algorithms will analyze your preferences: which videos you watch to the end, which bloggers you follow, where you put likes and dislikes, and where you write comments. For example, if you are subscribed to scientific publics, the neural network can offer a lecture by a famous scientist or an interesting documentary. And if you often listen to programming webinars, the system will show more educational videos on this topic.

3. You can choose the quality of video and voice acting from your favorite studio

Video services allow you to customize all views for yourself. ‎You can send your movie to the projector and enjoy 4K picture and surround sound just like in a movie theater. And you can start the video on your phone even without the Internet, if you download the video in advance. At the same time, online platforms have features that an ordinary cinema cannot repeat. For example, many films are uploaded to services with several voice acting options, and before starting to watch, the user can choose what voice the main character of the tape will speak today. And on many video services it is convenient to enable or disable subtitles. If you are learning a foreign language, this setting will help you immerse yourself in the language environment: appreciate original jokes, puns and special slang phrases.

In many services, content is synchronized between gadgets. If in the morning you watched the trailer on your phone, then in the evening the system may offer to turn on the full movie, but on the big screen. The player will select the optimal video quality depending on your device and internet speed. And it’s also convenient to add videos to playlists - for example, for children, family viewing or a house party with friends.

4. You can buy one movie ticket or watch a subscription video for a whole month for the same money

If you are going to the cinema with a large company, then everyone has to buy a ticket. And the client of the video service only needs to subscribe - and you can invite friends. In addition, during the evening you will have time to watch not one film, but several at once. If you don’t like a movie, you don’t have to watch it to the end just because you feel sorry for the money spent. Just switch at any time to something more interesting. By the way, on some sites, any video content, including top movies, can be watched for free, so you don’t even have to spend money.

5. Online creates trends and brings actors closer to the audience

Professional content with multi-million dollar production is no longer the basis of entertainment. Viewers love amateur videos, social media dancing, simple reviews, and spontaneous live streams. New formats appear quickly, and fly into trends even faster. For example, a few years ago, no one could have imagined that vertical videos even have the right to existence - to shoot and photograph someone without turning the phone upside down was considered almost bad tone. And today there are even short vertical series, which, by the way, no one is in a hurry to transfer to the wide screens of cinema halls.

And video services have brought viewers and their idols closer than ever before. 50 years ago, a dedicated fan could only try to write a letter to their favorite actress. But whether it would have reached the addressee is a big question. Now, any user has the opportunity to connect to the broadcast of a popular blogger or tag an actor in their own video and have every chance of getting an answer.

6. No one will crunch popcorn or shout spoilers.

And finally, online is, first of all, about personal comfort. It is enough to launch your favorite video service on Smart TV and you can enjoy movies in a familiar environment. At the same time, you do not have to waste time on traffic jams and queues at the cash desks. If you like silence, then at home no one will annoy you with rustling packs of chips and popcorn crunch. And if, on the contrary, you can’t imagine a movie show without snacks, then you can go to the kitchen or order pizza at any time - extraneous smells will not distract anyone. The toilet is also always at hand - you don’t have to make your way in the dark and listen to the disapproving clatter of your neighbors in the row. And you definitely won’t miss anything: any video can be paused or rewound to review the moment you like.

Online platforms allow you to watch videos not only at home, but in general anywhere: on a treadmill, on an airplane, and even at a boring meeting. With them, it is easy to stay up to date with the news of the film industry, because a fresh video or video can be launched where it is convenient for you.