A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue.

The term is often used, especially in the context of the film industry, as a synonym for the amount of business a particular production, such as a film or theatre show, receives. This can be measured in terms of the number of people who see it or the amount of money raised by ticket sales. The projection and analysis of these earnings is very important for the creative industries and often a source of interest for fans.

Some complain that industry focus on profit has diminished the attention given to film as an art form. However, analysis of the financial success of films is very influential the production and funding of future works.

There are numerous websites that monitor box-office receipts and profits, such as www.the-numbers.com and Box Office Mojo.

For a list of films which are major box-office hits, see List of highest-grossing films.

There are also several sites or forums on the internet that run Fantasy Box Office games, for members who are fans of the business of the movie box office. Fantasy Box Office is an example of one of these games.

Etymology

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The term "box office" originates from from the early days of the theatre. Entry into cheaper sections of the performances cost a single coin, and this fee was collected in small, locked boxes with entry slots in the top. Upon the boxes being filled up, a runner would take the coin-filled box to a back room where it was counted and stored. Hence, the room associated with the financial aspects of the theatre became known as a box office.

External links

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• Boxoffice Magazine
• The Numbers
• Box Office Mojo
• Box Office Prophets
• The movie times
• Current Box Office
• Wildbill's Movie Ratings

Film | Stage terminology | Parts of a theatre

Box Office | Box-office | Liste over mest innbringende filmer | Box office