This is topic Electronic Device Policy in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002803

---

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 05-25-2014, 12:01 PM:
 
Just wanted to get a "Movie Business" view on this subject.

I am noticing a new trend with the patrons at the theatres. Even though I am pretty much out of the management end of the business, I typically handle a shift here or there. I have been noticing this "thing" as of late - it quite annoying:

I do a theatre walk and spot a parent playing "Candy Crush" on their iPhone or Smartphone. I walk up to the parent and ask them to turn their phone off. The parent then says, "Oh, the phone is off, I am just playing a game". I then again ask them to turn off the device altogether. I then get a "Well, the policy just asked us to silence our cell phones, not to turn them off" response. To which I wait until they turn the device off.

This has been a trend that I have been noticing lately. It's weird enough that they paid for a ticket NOT to watch the movie, but the attitudes I get are quite disturbing. The other thing is the age of some of the people. I had to tell at least 6 elderly people to turn off their iPads/Tablets the other day (!!!)

Within our company, I am proposing to create a whole new policy trailer. One that denotes turning off ALL electronic devices as opposed to just silencing their cell phones.

Do they not understand how annoying it is to have all that light shining into faces throughout the auditorium?

What are some of the things your companies are doing to deal with this?
 

---

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 05-25-2014, 12:54 PM:
 
I have this sign beside the exit from the lobby to the hall that leads to the auditorium:



I have "the rules" posted on the other side of that entrance. Notice rule number 2 on the list:



I have another sign posted beside the actual entrance to the auditorium that also says "Turn off your Cell Phone."

I play one of the Cinetize cell phone policy trailers at the beginning of every show (before the trailers start).

I watch for the light from cell phones while the show is on. If I see your cell phone light, I'll tell you once to turn it off. If I see it again during the show, I'll invite you to come out to the lobby with me, and once you're there I'll tell you to leave.

I very rarely get to the second step these days. I used to have to throw someone out about once or twice a year but haven't done so now for... a good long while. Can't remember the last time I did that, in fact. I generally see a few cell phones going right up until I start the show and they all disappear within the first minute.
 

---

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 05-25-2014, 01:28 PM:
 
Like your rules sign, even though the ones who will violate it will not read it. We do have policy slides and snipes that say Turn Off Cellphones. When I have to enforce it I usually say "Please don't use that in here." Cuts down on discussions about what turn off means.
I just love the people who think they are hiding if by holding it their purses or really low, as if a beam of light in a dark theatre isn't noticeable. Some day I hope to make a policy trailer that is a shot of the dark theater and followed by cell phone lights coming on, individually scattered around the theatre and eventually a cascade of 385 lit cell phones.
 

---

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 05-25-2014, 02:15 PM:
 
If you're only noticing this "trend" now, consider yourself fortunate. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, we've been dealing with this for years. All these techno "saavy" people who think the rules don't apply to them because they bought some gadget. People who think its' rude to ask them to follow proper etiquette when in a private place with mixed company.

If you have the ability, you should absolutely change your policy wording. Something like "Please respect your fellow moviegoers, and turn off all electronic devices. Should you need to use your electronic device during your visit, please go out to the lobby before using the device. Thank you."
 

---

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 05-25-2014, 02:19 PM:
 
The objective of "the rules" isn't necessarily for people to read on their way past, but rather to head off people who, when told to do or not do something, will reply, "Where does it say that I can/can't do X?" "Look at rule number whatever on that sign" takes care of that argument.

I find that a lot of people don't seem to realize that their cell phone creates light in the room. My approach to any lit cell phone is to say, "Your phone is lighting up the room. Please turn it off." People don't seem to think of that factor on their own until it's directly pointed out to them.
 

---

Posted by Robert Harrison (Member # 3202) on 05-25-2014, 02:51 PM:
 
In one their early seasons, "SCTV" had a bit where some guy in a theater was talking and an usher came up to him and shot him. A title appeared on screen WELCOME TO THE CLINT EASTWOOD CINEMA. Obviously, this was way back in the "Dirty Harry" series days and before cell phones, but gee, don't you just wish...?

Through the miracle of DCP-O-Matic, I made a still image which reads...

AND NOW ITS TIME FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LOOKING AT THAT LITTLE SCREEN YOU ARE HOLDING IN YOUR HANDS TO PUT IT AWAY AND LOOK AT THIS SCREEN FOR AWHILE.

After several months, I noticed that since there was no sound during this clip, that most of the jugheads who were looking at their device didn't look up to see the message, so recently I put some sound effects on the clip to hopefully get their attention; it consists of phone sounds and a voice at the close which says THE NUMBER YOU HAVE REACHED HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED.

What I would REALLY like to do is make a special video of people sitting in a church, all of them looking at their devices. The following song would play on the soundtrack, to the tune of "Onward Christian Soldiers:"

O, O, HOLY SACRED CELL PHONE
NEVER SHUT THEE OFF
MUST STARE AT THY SCREEN
EACH MINUTE OF THE DAY
I WOULD SURELY DIE IF I
PUT MY CELL PHONE AWAY

And then have a narrator say something like:

"If you must worship your phone, please do so elsewhere. The other folks here today would like to watch the movie you supposedly came to see without distractions. Also, shut up!"
 

---

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 05-28-2014, 07:22 PM:
 
switch OFF your mobile phone!!
 

---

Posted by Jim Cassedy (Member # 4115) on 05-28-2014, 08:13 PM:
 

quote: Edward Havens

---

In Los Angeles and San Francisco, we've been dealing with this for years.

---

quote: Frank Angel

---

I for one would LOVE to watch them frantically pushing buttons to no avail and then see their heads explode.

---

Alas, that doesn't get them to turn them OFF. They will just keep them on and keep punching away at them. What we need is a variance for movie theatres to use a baseball bat on them (user or phone, take your pick).
 

---

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 06-05-2014, 03:51 PM:
 
OK, guys, you are TOO nice.

Opening #1 trailer: "Please do not use cell phones at all tonight"

trailer 2 and 3

Trailer 4: "No cell phones, dammit."

Trailer 5 and 6

Trailer 7: Graphic of cell phone in use with usher coming down aisle with large gun: "BLAM" "When usher escorts the cell phone user OUT, the audience is expected to cheer wildly and throw things at him." Thank you.
 

---

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-05-2014, 05:54 PM:
 
I would buy such a package. There should also a PG version where the cellphone user just gets beaten up.

In all seriousness though, turning them off doesn't help in the slightest with phone nuts because phones are like cigarettes. If the phone nut doesn't look at the phone now and then, he starts to go crazy with the craving. Even if it's just to check the time. I'd bet half of the phones that get turned off at showtime are back on before the movie is half over.
 

---

Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 06-05-2014, 10:22 PM:
 

Women who was seated behind Rude Cellphone User


Theater Patron who refused to turnoff Cellphone...Stumbled leaving theater!
 

---

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 07-05-2014, 09:56 PM:
 
After a good number of years, I just finished throwing someone out for his cell phone. I started the movie, saw the light and told him to turn it off. He turned the screen off and I started walking away. I was no more than five feet away before he turned it on again and continued texting.

I threw him out. Three of his friends decided to leave with him.

This guy is in his mid-twenties; should be old enough to understand simple rules and instructions. Maybe he was showing his girlfriend what a tough guy he is.

I don't think I've seen this guy before and if he never comes back I won't miss him at all.

Grrr. What is wrong with some people? Of course he has to make a production about getting thrown out, too.
 

---

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 07-05-2014, 10:21 PM:
 
You have to be very careful here in the States. You can not ask any doctor or emergency personnel to shut off their phones. These people may have to be reached movie running or not. Tis is why signal jammers are illegal.

Mark
 

---

Posted by Edward Havens (Member # 4715) on 07-06-2014, 02:43 AM:
 
It's not illegal to ask a doctor or emergency personnel to shut off their phones at a movie theatre, Mark. Well, it might be illegal in a handful of local backwater townships in rural areas, but not on any widespread level.

Cell phone jammers are illegal because they can interfere with emergency services, but let's be honest here... less than 1/10th of 1% of moviegoers at any given time are off-duty doctors or emergency personnel "on call" in case of emergency.
 

---

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 07-06-2014, 03:12 AM:
 
The location I work at must be full of metal or fancy gridwork, for within some houses and some other rooms, you simply have no service.

Other areas, the signal is weak where you walk a few feet and dropped calls is the results.

I have to go outside to get a good signal to make important calls.

Knew one cinema owner who would just simply shut off the movie if a lot of blue screens pop up and tell the kids, "either it's me or you".
 

---

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 07-06-2014, 09:06 AM:
 
In the days before cellphones, the doctors coming to our low attendance single screen theatre would just tell me where they were sitting if they were on call. That system always worked.
In the early days of cells, our building would block them pretty effectively.
Alas, now, everyone has one and every call is a life or death situation.
 

---

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 07-06-2014, 11:02 AM:
 
I agree with Frank. The technological solution (i.e. allowing cellphone jammers in theaters, as long as the operator can prove that the jammer is not affecting the signal in the areas surrounding it) would remove the need for theater staff to have to police a no cellphones rule, with all the stress, and potentially even risk, that this would involve. The only problem is that jamming the signal probably wouldn't stop a few morons from trying to use them offline.

Being an arthouse, we have a strict no cellphones policy, which is announced by a volunteer or duty manager from the stage at the start of each and every show. They also walk up and down the side aisles regularly during the show, and will and have kicked out people for using them. As a general rule the problem is not a big one for us, but it can surface when we're showing cult or more mainstream movies that attract an audience which isn't really our regular customers. Believe it or not, film festival audiences are also a bigger problem than the usual crowd. I've looked down from the booth into the balcony and seen glowing cellphone screens, even during obscure 1930s German subtitled pics. I even once nearly mistook one that suddenly lit up in the corner of my right eye for a motor start cue.
 

---

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 07-06-2014, 12:04 PM:
 
I used to have to throw someone out for cell phone use about once every six months or so, but this episode last night was the first one in a few years. I had (foolishly) hoped that everyone was educated and it might no longer be necessary to do that.

I wonder if I'll see that guy from last night again. Since this is the only theatre in town, I have had it happen in the past that someone who gets thrown out for whatever violation will come back in a few days to apologize for their actions and ask if they will be allowed to come back to the theatre again. It'll be interesting to see if this guy does that, since he had no shortage of attitude on display last night.
 

---

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 07-06-2014, 12:22 PM:
 
How about installing a remote controlled video camera in the auditorium, facing the audience and connecting it to the video switcher on the projector.

Before the movie starts use the camera to pinpoint people using cell phones and put hem up on the screen. Put a flashing caption under the image that says, "Turn off your cell phone."

Heck! You probably don't even have to do this in real time.
You could probably just shoot a video in the theater, edit it, make it into a DCP and run it as a part of your trailer program.

I think social pressure is more effective than any rules.
 

---

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 07-06-2014, 09:12 PM:
 
If the culprit is a teenage girl, just shine a flashlight on her and politely ask her to shut the phone off. She'll be so embarrassed that she'll want to crawl under her seat, and her friends will not want to risk being embarrassed. Teenage girls would rather be drawn and quartered than be embarrassed.
 

---

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 07-07-2014, 04:23 AM:
 
Overall I think this is just a "me" centric attitude that has become ubiquitous in our society. A theatre just happens to be the "ideal" environment to witness this. We see it with people who won't turn off their phones, people who won't be quite, people who simply think they can do what they want just because they paid their admission. Or in some cases just because they showed up.

Last season we started a policy in our drive-in of no trucks, vans, or SUVs in the first few rows. This was in response to numerous customer complaints that they had trouble seeing past the giant trucks that had to park in the very front. Unfortunately, we have had some very negative responses to this policy. People who insist that since they got there first they should be able to park where they want, or who act like it's going to completely ruin their whole experience. We even have people say that if smaller cars can't see over the trucks, they should just get there earlier.

Another example is the free kids shows we run during the summer. We have people who refuse to sit in a seat that isn't at the back of the auditorium. We also will get people showing up late - sometimes by as much as 30 minutes, and getting all bent out of shape because they can't get the seats they want.

Some days I am disgusted by how self centered people can be.
 

---

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 07-07-2014, 06:02 AM:
 
"It is OK to jeer cellphone users and to pelt hem with your unwanted concession items. Have fun."
 

---

Posted by Manny Knowles (Member # 1171) on 07-07-2014, 09:35 AM:
 
We created an on-screen text that says:

"Please be courteous and turn off all electronic devices at this time. Thank you!"

The light cue (from trailers to feature) occurs at the start of this little snipe. The dimming of the lights signals cell phone users that it's time to look up at the screen.

At first, I tried putting it earlier in the program, but I noticed two problems. If you place the snipe too soon, some of the audience will be absent, and miss the memo. Additionally, if they are using their cell phones, they won't be reading the memo. When I moved the snipe to the end of the trailers, and inserted the light cue, I noticed people looking up, seeing the message, and turning off their phones. So that's how we do it.
 

---

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 07-07-2014, 10:25 AM:
 

quote: Mark Gulbrandsen

---

You have to be very careful here in the States. You can not ask any doctor or emergency personnel to shut off their phones. These people may have to be reached movie running or not. Tis is why signal jammers are illegal.

---