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Author Topic: Restricting and/or banning children Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 07-07-2003 04:06 PM                     Las Vegas security people are not to be screwed with! After woring late on a projector in a casino, I sat down at the bar for a refreshment and to enjoy the scenery - about 4AM. Three shots drew my attention to the nearby poker compound where the security guards had interrupted a man trying to rob a table. Some curtains were quickly erected around his corpse (really quickly - maybe 2 minutes), the police came in a hurry, then the coroner or whoever that removed the body, then maintenance came and cut out the bloody carpet and replaced it. All over without a trace in about 45 minutes. I walked into another casino with a friend and his companion, and in about 1 minute a security guy came and spoke to the woman. She said we had to leave as she was banned. I was fairly amazed that with the thousands walking in daily from many entrances they picked her out.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Duvall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Denver, CO Registered: Dec 1999 posted 07-08-2003 03:13 AM                     I have worked with those guys here. They have brought great looking color printouts of culprits that have stolen posters out of my poster cases. Those printouts were from the security camers throughout the casino. Funny thing is that the ones that run the camera room are unknown by EVERYBODY. Only the head of security knows who they are. These guys are in street clothes when they enter. They have secret entrances to the casino that not even the GM of the casino knows about. He doesn't even know who they are. Whenevery the head of security needs to talk to me about our routine setup for dealing with the Friday night punk kids, he has the camera guy track me down when I enter the building. It can be a bit un-nerving at times.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 07-08-2003 02:54 PM                     Yep, the Senator has a good policy. When my project is up and going all seats will be the same price. If I can I will include a cry room.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 07-08-2003 03:02 PM                        I have a problem with Cinemark's policy. Restricting children up to 16 can't be good. I know that some kids that age can be a pain in the ass, but their parents are not going to want to watch 90% of the films that their kids want to see, so you are not only going to lose those admissions, those kids are going to be less likely, when the grow up, to go to the show as often as kids who were able to go to the show more often when they were younger. Basically, I don't think that the policy is good for the long term growth, or even sustainment, of the industry.  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 07-08-2003 03:53 PM                     Daryl, you are correct. Cinemark must have given plenty of warning to the local press but not the public. Also, putting that policy into effect on the 4th of July -- when kid flicks do substantial business -- was sure to cause major embarrassment. All this in the city where AMC has its headquarters! Cinemark said it was going to add more arty product to the Country Club Plaza 14. As per the Cinemark website that theater has no arthouse titles this week and one starting Friday.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 07-08-2003 05:20 PM                     We frequently allow those with babes in arms to go to the balcony (which is usually closed) where they can rock, chatter and feed the baby without disturbing others, even a little light crying isn't audible to the audience below. They're happier and so is the rest of the audience.  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 07-09-2003 04:27 AM                        I can think of two particularly annoying cinema experiences I had as a result of young kids in the auditorium, with parents that seemed oblivious to the disturbance their 'little angels' were causing. First one - watching Fantasia (a matinee showing) - when I myself was not yet a teenager. The kid sitting directly behind me was not only far too young to have enough attention span for animation set to classical music, thus constantly asking his mother questions about 'the story', but also had a cold, and didn't attempt to cover his mouth / nose when coughing / sneezing. Yeah, just what I wanted, little kid snot & boogers in my hair. Second instance - watching 'The Contender'. At the start of the feature (a 9-something showing), all adults in the auditorium, though not too many in total. One couple was sitting at the back of the front half of the auditorium, the rest of us (less than a dozen if I recall it correctly) sat in the back half. Well, the couple up front had their two children in another auditorium, watching something more appropriate for their ages (somewhere from 5 to 10), which of course, ended much sooner than 'the Contender'. So, the kids' feature being over, the kids decided to frequently dash in and out to whine at their parents, loudly, with complaints ranging from boredom to hunger to a desire to play the arcade games but they were turned off... And yes, I was enough of a wench to vent (to a manager, along with the friend who endured the annoyance with me) how frustrating I felt it had been to watch the last third of the feature with children running in and out to pester parents who obviously didn't think to check on running times before deciding when to bring the kids to the cinema - as this couple & their obnoxious spawn were walking towards the lobby & were well within earshot.  |  IP: Logged Steve Anderson Expert Film Handler Posts: 168 From: Nashville, TN Registered: Feb 2000 posted 07-09-2003 01:42 PM                        I remember when cry rooms were common in most theaters. I once attended a birthday party at a theater which had a party room ( complete with 4 small rows of theater seats ) It was located at the back of the theater( next to the booth ) It was so cool!  |  IP: Logged Adam Fraser Master Film Handler Posts: 499 From: Houghton Lake, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 07-09-2003 02:48 PM                        Cry rooms are good if you have someone to monitor them. We have one and it has to be watched fairly closely b/c people think that because it is private that they can do whatever they want iin it. For example, about a year ago a lady brought her little kid in there and when at the end of the show she left and we went to check it out it looks as if she dumped out the 130 oz popcorn and a bunch of candy on the floor and let the kid treat it as a playpen, popcorn and candy ground into the floor, smeared on the windows and all the seats needing to be cleaned. It is good to have the cry room so it can be viewed by the employees during the show or people will treat it badly. Overall it has been good though as we try to check in on the cry room a few times per show. Make sure to lock your cry room when not in use, otherwise customers treat it as a private make out room also.  |  IP: Logged Dennis Benjamin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1445 From: Denton, MD Registered: Feb 2002 posted 07-10-2003 11:03 PM                        Here in Las Vegas, this issue has come up more than any of the other 29 markets I have worked in. I think that as an industry, along with the MPAA, a plan should be developed in regards to this situation.  |  IP: Logged Dave Williams Wet nipple scene Posts: 1836 From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA Registered: Jan 2000 posted 07-13-2003 01:16 AM                        Here is how I see it... G - All Ages at Any Time PG - No one under 6 PG-13 - No one 6 - 11 without parent throughout viewing R - No one 12 - 16 without parent throughout viewing NC-17 - Forget about it.... No one under 6 after 8:00 pm No one 6 - 11 after 9:00 pm No one 12 - 17 after 10:00 pm without parent In the case of the 10:00 pm if the show is going to start before 10:00 but end after 10:00, a parent must be there for the viewing. This is a SLIGHT departure from my earlier wants and desires, but I think this fits pretty well. Dave  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-14-2003 11:12 PM                        Anyone watch the Dan Rather news tonight (7/14)? They had a story on a Leows theatre in NYC that has an 11:00 AM set of matinees on Tuesdays where they CATER to moms with babies. They showed the auditorium playing "Legally Blonde 2" and I don't know how anyone heard ANY of the movie sound, with all the baby-related mayhem in there. People changing their kids' diapers on the lobby floor. Yecch. They even offer "valet parking" for strollers. I heard a report on the same thing on XM a few days ago (on the CNBC channel). All the baby racket from the soundbites got so annoying I had to change stations. Supposedly Leows is doing this in several locations...anyone here work at one? I guess it's a good thing if it keeps the little nippers out of the regular shows.  |  IP: Logged Ky Boyd Hey I'm #23 Posts: 314 From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-03-2003 02:54 AM                       The Parkway (a cinema pub) in Oakland has Baby Brigade night for the prime show every Monday night and it has quite a following. They just turn the sound up. I accidently went to see a movie once on baby bridage night. It was quite an experience. Sort of like the neighborhood dogs. One starts barking, er crying, and then another one picks it up, as the first one quiets down another one starts. The crying moves around the room until everybody is cried out (for a few minutes) Like I said it was an experience. That being said, I like the Senator's sign. We've had the "at what age do you charge" thing come up a bunch with Winged Migration and Whale Rider. Personally, I don't like children and I'm not about to jump on the gayby brigade. When they are in my theatre, I want them to be well behaved, quite, enjoying the movie, and snacking! I will admit having parents with kids in to Winged Migration makes up for the little ol ladies who don't buy anything. One of our employees has brought his son to Winged Migration several times. He makes sure the child is very quiet and they usually only stay in the back for about 10-15 minutes. But now everytime they are near our street the child asks his father "birds?" Apparently movie now = birds.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 09-04-2003 11:58 AM                    quote: * Cinemark Country Club Plaza 14, Kansas City MO: Children 6-16 must be accompanied by a parent attending the same feature. Children under 6 not admitted. This policy went into effect 7/4; it drew a picket line yesterday and news of the picket line made the Associated Press wire. The Country Club Plaza 14 has also banned all G and PG titles per the AP story. (Terminator 3, yes; Finding Nemo, no.) I think some of this has to do with the fact that they have VIP rooms. Also if memory serves this theater is split in half with part of it on one side of a street and the other part on the other side with a walkway crossing the street. Of course not knowing the full reason why they implemented the policy for this theater. people do have to pay a lot of money to watch a film there. Especially the VIP rooms. This policy only pertains to this one theater not all Cinemarks.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 09-05-2003 09:15 AM                     No one under 3 should be allowed to the movies, ever. It's not like they pay attention, and the parents seem to get way too comfortable and disrupt everyone else. I heard a mother trying to reason with her 2-year-old, OUT LOUD in the theater while he kicked and screamed because he wanted to run up and down the aisles like The Hulk. Jesus tapdancing christ! Take the brat OUTSIDE to discipline him!!! At that point, the parent was making more of a racket than the kid. As Mike said, the diaper thing gets out of control, too. Who the hell wants to buy popcorn and drinks when they have to walk past an area that smells like baby shit?!?! And where do they put the dirty diaper? IN THE LOBBY TRASH!! So that has to be changed regardless of whether it's full or not. I saw a woman once begin to lay out all of her baby-changing supplies on our CONCESSION COUNTER right next to the condiments. Upon confronting her she got all pissy because we didn't have a baby changing station. I explained to her that movie theaters really don't cater to babies. She got so pissed she took her kid and left, but not before consulting with it. Just about as dumb as people who converse with their pets and answer their own questions. "We're leaving! Right sweetie? That's right. Yes. Yes. We're going..." Yep, this is the kind of General Public we have to deal with. And until an establisment like the Senator steps up and does something about it instead of treat customers like their shit don't stink (pun intended) then it will just get worse. Are you running a theater or a day care? Strollers are another problem. They wheel them in and park them anywhere they want. In the concession line, in front of the door stand, and once they get in the movie... yep, right smack in the middle of the aisle! Try to tell them to move it, and you get, "Well what am I SUPPOSED to do?!?" Hire a damn babysitter. What's worse is those morons who have to have the complete-state-of-the-art-superdelux-Xtreme strollers that take up the equivelant of three seats in the theater. I wish I could put a sign up: "NO ONE under 3 admitted. NO exceptions. No.. Don't even ask because it's going to be NO. You don't like it? There's the damn door. Enjoy the show." Whew! Think I'll go grab some coffee now. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged

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