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Author Topic: How full do you sell your theatres? Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 09-04-2001 07:07 PM                        Dustin - How I do this is quite simple. First, it requires an alert podium usher. The usher keeps track of people going into their correct movie (a one-hall 8-screen). Second, if it is a big R-rated movie, I post an usher on the door to simply check for ticket stubs. Third, usually when seating is necessary ... one person will go in and hold seats while the rest of the group goes to the concession stand. I'm not saying that this method would work everywhere, but it works at my theater.  |  IP: Logged Steve Scott Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1300 From: Minneapolis, MN Registered: Sep 2000 posted 09-04-2001 09:33 PM                     Our computers are set up to be able to sell all but twenty seats in the house, what they call "limited seating." But in my experience, the house is filled up when there's only thirty seats left unsold (In a 262 seat house).  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 09-05-2001 12:07 AM                     Ahh, I understand Mike. Unfortunately we couldn't do that, we aren't allowed enough ushering staff. I might give it a try come Thanksgiving, but until then no need to worry .  |  IP: Logged Joel Michalec Film Handler Posts: 17 From: North Cape May, NJ, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 09-09-2001 10:19 AM                        We sell our auditoriums down to 20 empty seats. This way, we have the overcrowding situation down. I hate doing this because my largest house is only 166 seats. Joel  |  IP: Logged Sherry Legare Film Handler Posts: 12 From: Thornhill, ON, Canada Registered: Nov 2000 posted 09-10-2001 09:44 AM                     We set 90% capacity as being a sell out point. At that time our box office computers display low seating. If possible someone announces that the show is sold out and signs are put out. If it is a children's show during a matinee where there are lots of infants and toddlers being taken in without tickets, we stop earlier. If everyone has cleared from the concession and the show is not too far into it, we will sell to people that come in with a warning that seating is limited and they may not get to sit together.  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 11-08-2004 11:44 PM                 It has been 1155 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Chris Brown Expert Film Handler Posts: 105 From: Fairport, NY, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-08-2004 11:44 PM                        Typically depending on auditorium size, we sell down to 15-20. If its a big release in a big auditorium, I may have an usher go in an help with seating. We've tried the sell every seat approach and it didnt go so well, so after that we went back to leaving some space. Interesting ideas though everyone!  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 11-09-2004 12:16 AM                     Another factor that enters into the equation has to do with the placement of the aisles and seats. Most of our bigger auditoriums have a main seating section with an aisle on either side and then a section of seats 3-5 wide between the aisle and the wall. Some of our smaller screens don't have these outside sections though. With the '3 section' auditoriums you end up with a lot of single seats. There are of course the 'bookers seats' to deal with-hard left and right, front row. I genuinly feel bad when people have to sit in those seats, they really suck ass. However, with the 'single section' auditoriums it is much easier to comfortably fill every seat. Since only our smaller auditoriums have this arrangement (for now) this normally would not happen but occasionaly we make a placement mistake or some fluke of business will sell one of the small theatres out.  |  IP: Logged David Yauch Expert Film Handler Posts: 206 From: Mesa, AZ, USA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-15-2004 02:10 AM                     We sell to 96%. Generally the biggest problem movies with theatre-hopping are the popular teen movies. We have no problem going in to these when every seat is full(an impossibility with our computers) and asking to see every ticket. The customers who paid have no problems pulling out their tickets and usually thank us because they get better seats. Meanwhile a lot of people were suddenly and miraculously given the wrong tickets at the box office all of the sudden or suddenly remembered that all of their tickets are with their friend in another theatre... Sometimes the dog in our courtyard eats their tickets as well. We usually don't have any problems with people jumping in to our bigger shows. Not sure why, but we dont.  |  IP: Logged Chase Hanson Expert Film Handler Posts: 172 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Oct 2004 posted 11-15-2004 10:09 PM                     I think we lock at between 2 and 20 seats under max capacity, depending on the situation. Occasionally they will run shows down to absoluete zero, at which point I smack my forehead and request that a manager assist in seating patrons.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: California, U.S.A. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 11-16-2004 02:37 PM                     Depending on the movie we sell up to between 85%-90%. It tends to varry depending on the movie. We check tickets inside the auditorium so there's usually a wall of people in the hallway coming in but it limits sneak-ins, at least durring the pre-show and trailers. If it were my call I'd put an extra person in the theater seating patrons as needed. Most of the time if it's a sold out movie like Spiderman-2's midnight show was or something to that effect the manager or I stand inside the auditorium durring most of the feature.  |  IP: Logged Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 11-17-2004 12:34 AM                    We have two auditoriums with 245 seats, one with 165 seats, and two with 125 seats. I haven't seen one of the smaller auditoriums sell out in a long time, and I wasn't a member of management then, so I've never really had to deal with that. But in the two 245-seat auditoriums, we usually call it a sell-out around 230 and offer re-admission tickets to those who are unsatisfied with seating.  |  IP: Logged

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