![\"\"](\"http:\/\/cinelog.org\/cinelog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/StudioTheatreExt.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nLocated in the heart of Hollywood\u2019s, then new, cinema epicenter, the Studio Theatre was promoted as the \u201cworld\u2019s most unique theatre.\u201d Intended as a counter to a perceived overindulgence, which had become the movie theatre standard of the day, the Studio was to place the focus \u201cback on the pictures\u201d. Forgoing the cavernous and opulent design of the nearby Egyptian and Chinese theatres, the Studio repurposed a retail property into an intimate 303 loge seat venue, with streamlined modern d\u00e9cor. Taking a que from Hughes\u2019 interest in new technologies, the Studio featured automated sliding front doors (utilizing a pressure sensitive floormat), self-serve concession vending machines, a bill changing machine, and \u201cwhispering display cases\u201d which provided film information via prerecorded messages. Additional \u201cmechanical wonders\u201d included a photobooth, automated drinking fountain (activated with an \u201celectric eye\u201d photocell), and an air-conditioning \u201cweather factory\u201d which was visible through a floor window. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhile the assorted \u201cworld\u2019s first\u201d technologies may have been more marketing than innovation (several had already been introduced by the rival Trans-Lux chain), the true \u201crevolutionary\u201d and \u201cunique\u201d attributes of the Studio were found in the theatre\u2019s efficiency. The streamlined facility design had allowed for the theatre to be built and opened in a matter of months, at a fraction of the cost seen with traditional cinemas (a design concept which also addressed the “white elephant” issue we covered in an earlier post).<\/a> In turn, this design and the highly promoted automation technologies resulted in the Studio requiring as few as three people for operations (cashier, hostess, and projectionist), as opposed to the legions which had become standard practice elsewhere. Abandoning the prologs, intermissions, and stage shows of movie palaces, the Studio was able to schedule more daily screenings; aided further by the facility, which allowed for a quicker turnaround time between shows. Where even small-town movie houses regularly scheduled around extended gaps between shows, the Studio was purported to only be limited by the length of time it took audiences to exit\/enter the auditorium. The theatre also included a work around for the \u201cdead time\u201d business lull during screenings, via a soda fountain which opened to the sidewalk, allowing for continuous concession sales. In general, the business model was based on cutting expenses and increasing revenue streams, through a focus on efficiency of operations; a seemingly standard practice by modern standards, but one which was unique in the era of over-the-top showmanship and grandeur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n