In fact, movies are sold not only to theaters but also to airlines.
"In fact, the films provided by distribution companies are not only sold to theaters, but also to airlines. If it's a Hollywood film, you can purchase it through an agency called a CSP (Content Service Provider) that acts as an intermediary, and have it distributed on board." (Saori Okamoto, In-Flight Entertainment Department, Foreign Film Division)
As a rule, Hollywood movies can be screened on board three months after their US theatrical release. Therefore, not only blockbuster movies that are currently being shown, but even movies that have been released in other countries before Japan can be viewed earlier than in Japan, so long as it has been three months since their release. In such cases, airlines may prepare Japanese subtitles or dubbing for foreign movies that have not been released in Japan. However, the situation is a little different for Japanese movies.
"Basically, there are no agencies like CSP that act as intermediaries for domestic films. Therefore, we deal directly with distribution companies. We select the films we want to put on the in-flight channel and negotiate with them." (Uemura Yuka, Japanese Film Division)
In the case of JAL, there are more than 100 channels just for movies, and about 70 foreign movies and about 10 Japanese movies are screened on board every month. We have a selection of the best movies from a huge selection of movies.
The works are selected from various perspectives. There are also original versions exclusive to airplanes.
"We hold a selection meeting every month to decide. First, we decide based on the box office takings in the US and Japan, the timing of the film's release in Japan, as well as the overall evaluation of the film, such as reviews and word of mouth, and the number of viewership on airplanes in the past. We also choose films ranging from humorous to serious, without placing too much emphasis on any particular genre or target audience." (Okamoto)
Bohemian Rhapsody, which was a big hit in Japan, is a popular work with many viewers on board, so it continues to be screened for a long time. Furthermore, some works are "in-flight original versions."
"There are three versions: the theatrical version, which is the same as the theatrical version; an edited version that removes violent scenes; and an in-flight version that removes the anxiety-inducing elements that would be caused by being on an airplane," says Okamoto.
At JAL, we respect the quality of the work and try to screen the theatrical version exactly as it was released in theaters.
"By the way, my current (August 2019) recommendation is 'Dumbo.' There will be a lot of live-action versions of Disney movies in the future, so I think people of all ages, from children to adults, will enjoy them. There is also a good selection of American comic book movies, such as 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Shazam!'" (Okamoto)
"As for Japanese films, "Kingdom" and the movie version of "Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire" have been added to the lineup. I hope you will watch them on board." (Uemura)
The audio programs are original productions exclusively for the in-flight experience. What's difficult is...
Now, speaking of in-flight entertainment, it's not just movies. JAL has 8 channels of audio programming on domestic flights and 125 channels on international flights (as of August 2019), so you can choose according to your taste, from J-pop to classical music to rakugo.
"The programs that can be listened to on airplanes are all original productions by us. During the production process, the most difficult part is dealing with the rights to the music. In some cases, we need to get permission from the artist himself, and it can take more than a month to get permission to use the music." (Tanaka Takaaki, Audio Division)
We plan the program four months in advance, select the music, compose the music, prepare the narration, and prepare the audio source, and finally we can put the music on board. And because there are passengers of all ages on the plane, we stock a wide variety of genres. In the office, we have a row of audio titles like this.
"We have a five-person dedicated team that selects the songs, but we also ask music critics and other experts to help us pick the songs. We choose a theme for each production, so that the content doesn't feel the same every year, and that it has a seasonal and travel feel. We also sometimes take requests on the official JAL Facebook page," says Tanaka.
A way to make the most of the limited time spent in the air. Movies will be shown on domestic flights in the future!
The most popular genre is surprisingly easy listening. By the way, the person in charge's top recommendation is the Rakugo program "JAL Masters' Association," which is also his hobby. In fact, they hold public recordings every month in Tokyo (admission fee is 1,000 yen!), and you can listen to a wide variety of stories, from literal masters to up-and-coming young people.
Tanaka: "We've designed the JAL Mooove! program so that you can easily choose what you want to listen to during your limited air travel time."
By the way, the new Airbus A350 aircraft, which will be launched on some flights between Haneda and Fukuoka in September 2019 (please check jal.co.jp for details), will be equipped with LCD monitors on all seats, and some movies will be shown on the screen, which was not possible on domestic flights until now. In addition, the audio program will also be expanded.
*The screen is for illustrative purposes only.
The movies and music enjoyed on board are collected and selected by a dedicated team. Each program is selected from the perspective of "Which movies are suitable for enjoying on board?" Choosing a movie while thinking about "Why was this movie selected?" is one way to enjoy air travel for the connoisseur.
We'll take you behind the scenes of JAL's work, including inside stories on the introduction of the A350 and the development of in-flight meal menus.
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
