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File this one under collaborations we didn\u2019t see coming: AMC is working with Zoom to turn some of its movie theaters into massive videoconferencing spaces<\/a> for 75 to 150 people for when you really need your meeting to leave an impact. AMC will even provide \u201cfood and beverage offerings, possible movie viewings, and concierge-style personalized handling of meeting needs,\u201d though for an additional cost, of course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The theater chain says that when companies are planning a gathering, they can book theaters across the country online, so their employees can have a similar experience on the call. When you book the service, you\u2019ll get a three-hour block at whatever theaters you select, with AMC and Zoom providing \u201cthe necessary equipment for a fully functional Zoom Rooms experience.\u201d (Zoom Rooms is the video calling company\u2019s term for its conference room system<\/a>.) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The service won\u2019t be available at every single AMC theater; the company says it\u2019s only planning on launching it in \u201cup to 17 major U.S. markets\u201d next year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The press release pitches the move as a way to connect remote workers, providing a \u201ccentrally located venue\u201d in cities that aren\u2019t necessarily located near your company\u2019s HQ. From a business perspective, the partnership makes sense, as it lets AMC make money off of theaters that may have sat empty during the day. And AMC\u2019s definitely looking for ways to make money; while its Q2 earnings report<\/a> revealed that it\u2019s doing significantly better than it was in 2020 or 2021, it\u2019s still expected to announce losses<\/a> during its Q3 earnings call on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But as someone who\u2019s attended a lot of Zoom meetings, I feel like the theater experience may be a bit overwhelming. It\u2019s hard to imagine any of them being improved by the \u201cstate-of-the-art sight and sound technology\u201d AMC brags about having. (Though I\u2019m also struggling to think of anything that wouldn\u2019t be improved by a bucket of popcorn.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n AMC also says that Zoom Rooms at AMC could be used for \u201cin-person events,\u201d and references businesses using it to present things to customers as well. That feels like a more fun use of the tech; I can definitely imagine people making a trip to their local theater to watch a Comic-Con panel or an announcement livestream from their favorite gadget maker. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n