block-booking
Mass reservation practice
Block-booking is the practice of reserving or selling multiple items as a single package—typically hotel rooms, theater seats, or film screenings.
In cinema history, studios required theaters to purchase films in bundles rather than individually: The distributor insisted on block-booking, forcing theaters to take B-movies along with the hits.
The term now applies broadly to any bulk reservation arrangement.
Limiting commercial competition unlawfully
- monopolyOne seller, no substitutes
- vertical integrationOwning multiple production stages
- unfair competitionDeceptive marketplace practices
- trade practicesCommercial conduct standards
FTC · Justice Department · consent decree · divestiture · enforcement · litigation · compliance · studio system
Venues for live performance
- exhibitorsThose who display publicly
- multiplexMulti-screen movie theater
- screeningsScheduled film viewings
- showtimesScheduled film start times
tickets · auditorium · seats · premiere · matinee · box office · marquee · concession
Creative production spaces
- releasesLets go or publishes
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- franchisesLicensed business operations
- indie filmsNon-mainstream cinema productions
arthouse · film festivals · producers · licensing · bundling · allocation
restraint of trade
Limiting commercial competition unlawfully
- monopolyOne seller, no substitutes
- vertical integrationOwning multiple production stages
- unfair competitionDeceptive marketplace practices
trade practices · FTC · Justice Department · consent decree · divestiture · enforcement · litigation · compliance · studio system
theaters
Venues for live performance
- exhibitorsThose who display publicly
- multiplexMulti-screen movie theater
- screeningsScheduled film viewings
showtimes · tickets · auditorium · seats · premiere · matinee · box office · marquee · concession · usher
studios
Creative production spaces
- releasesLets go or publishes
- distributionAllocation across recipients
- franchisesLicensed business operations
indie films · arthouse · film festivals · producers · licensing · bundling · allocation