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Author Topic: Idiots who text at the movies Claude S. Ayakawa Film God Posts: 2738 From: Waipahu, Hawaii, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 02-01-2009 07:50 PM                        The Honolulu Star Bulletin had a very interesting article today about idiots who uses their cell phone to text messages during a movie at theatres. Because I do not see too many movies at theatres anymore, I have not noticed this problem before except when there were times when I would see teenagers playing with their phone before the movie starts. I have also at various times would be pissed when some idiots would pop open their phone a couple of times during a movie for a couple of seconds at a time for no reason at all. The article had reported harsh exchange of words between a person who had asked another to turn off his cell phone only to be told to shove it because he had every right to do what he was doing because he paid to be there when he bought a ticket. How serious is this problem at your theeatre and what do you do when it occurs? -Claude  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 02-01-2009 08:03 PM                        The severity of the problem depends on the movie. If it's something that attracts a teen - especially junior high - audience, then it can be a huge problem. I go into the auditorium periodically during the trailers and ask people to put their phones away. Once the movie starts I'll tell people if I can get to them without distracting others, but if they are in the middle of the row there isn't much I can do. When it's an especially busy show and I have time, I'll usually try to go in the auditorium and make an announcement before the show starts asking people turn off their phones and step into the hall if they need to take a call or send a text message. There have been a number of times when I've asked people to stop talking or put their phone away and I've gotten the "I paid my money response". They just don't seem to get that they paid to see a movie, not disturb everyone else.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 02-01-2009 08:15 PM                     Once again I'll say that it should be lawful to kill these inconsiderate assholes so that the future will be free of them. On more than a few occasions I have been cheered when I told one of them to turn off the phone or be escorted to the door. [ 02-02-2009, 11:53 AM: Message edited by: Bill Enos ]  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 02-01-2009 09:30 PM                        Don't see that happening much here any more. Not sure why. Maybe all the pre-show "warnings" have actually had an effect on people's behavior.  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 02-01-2009 09:51 PM                        It's enough of a problem that "no texting" is specifically addressed in a lot of policy trailers and door notices anymore.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 02-01-2009 10:22 PM                     I know of a few locations that have signage posted by the house doors to refrain from texting during performances. But, unfortunately, depending on what kind of movie it is (usually something that pertains to the young adult age), a blue glow exists in these houses from all the phones in use and it's hard to contain. Yet, I know of one indie house where the owner refuses to start the movie is he sees any 'glowing' phones in use.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-01-2009 10:39 PM                     If I had my way, any person who opens up a phone in a movie theater with a movie in progress should be thrown into a cage with narcotic-crazed gorillas. And if the offender was not ripped limb from limb from that encounter he should just be thrown in front of a speeding locomotive. I think just throwing the stupid jerk out the theater just doesn't seem to send a loud enough message to the many millions of idiot asshole text-o-holics wasting oxygen on planet Earth. I absolutely HATE people who use cell phones when they should not be doing so. I'd like to line up such people in front of a firing squad. They are that selfishly stupid to deserve such a fate. Just this week some tool in Utah pleaded guilty to 2 counts of vehicular homicide due to him stupidly texting while driving and then colliding with another vehicle because his hatefully stupid dumb assed eyes were looking at his phone instead of what was in front of him on the road. I think about that kind of stuff when I see some doofus compulsively clicking around on his phone during a movie. If it was legal, I'd carry an air-powered pellet gun into the auditorium and shoot such morons in the ear when I see anything resembling the brightness of a cellphone display in a dark auditorium. These offenders truly invite violent punishment for their sins against a proper movie-going environment.  |  IP: Logged Joe Elliott Master Film Handler Posts: 497 From: Port Orange, Fl USA Registered: Oct 2006 posted 02-02-2009 01:04 AM                     An EMP gun would be nice, highly focused beam of electromagnetic waves that renders their phone completely useless. (of course it would do the same to anyone in a straight line from them to, but its a nice thought.)  |  IP: Logged James Westbrook Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1133 From: Lubbock, Texas, Usa Registered: Mar 2006 posted 02-02-2009 01:59 AM                     I would favor a low tech approach, but it would involve a large football player type dude to pull it off... Large football player dude carries a sizeable bucket of water into auditorium, snatching offender's cell phones out of their hands and chucking them into the bucket of water and leaves. "What? A large fellow did THAT? Oh no, we don't have anyone employed like THAT..." Yeah. I wish.  |  IP: Logged Andrew Bangs Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Kerrville, Texas, United States Registered: Sep 2008 posted 02-02-2009 02:03 AM                        Frankly I would love to see new theatres constructed with built in Cell interference so they get no signal making it easy for them to simply turn the damned device off. No Calls, no text, no Nothing! One of our security guards badly wants permission to bring in a paint ball gun to snipe any idiot with a cell. We have even discussed setting up remote camera operated guns next to the screen so people get the idea. In Reality we operate on a one warning system. You get one warning the next time we come for you, you are leaving the theatre. My favorite Idiocy I have seen one more than one ocassion is the two teens sitting next to each other texting one another. Please explain this to me as I just don't get it.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 02-02-2009 02:59 AM                        At least they weren't TALKING to each other!  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 02-02-2009 10:06 AM                     By now, most people have "gotten the message" about not talking on a cell phone while at the movies. But texting continues to be a big problem. I once missed a motor cue becuase some idiot pulled out a laptop (!) to read e-mail or something right in the middle of a show. My eye couldn't help being drawn to the giant ball of light suddenly illuminating from somewhere in the middle of the theater and I missed the cue. Fortunataly, I have the privlege of working at several major film festivals every year where a strict "no cell phone" policy is enforced. You don't DARE open a phone or other electronic device anywhere, at any time, in the auditorium. (Even before the show begins) Anyone violating the the rule is approached by a very intimidating looking bouncer-guy who politely but firmly reminds them of the policy and escorts them out the door if necessary if they continue to give any problems.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 02-02-2009 10:40 AM                     IMHO, there should be a zero tolerance policy. Warren Theaters has started doing that. They have signs posted and information on their web site about the rule. That's enough of a warning. If you're caught messing around with a phone during a show you'll be asked to leave without a refund. Simple as that. How feasible is it to build an auditorium to where it blocks out any cell phone signals? Does it have to be sort of like a Faraday cage? I guess such a thing could radically increase the construction cost of an auditorium. But such a thing might be worth it if it works as planned. I'd sure advertise the heck out of the feature if I had a theater that was cell phone proof.  |  IP: Logged Julio Roberto Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 938 From: Madrid, Madrid, Spain Registered: Oct 2008 posted 02-02-2009 11:45 AM                    As many of you know, there are plenty of cheap cell phone blocker devices around, but their use is (probably) illegal in many countries. Still, I have a customer using one in their main auditorium. They are basically radio transmitters shooting out enough interference to render the whole cell band(s) useless in a range of so-many-meters. About $50-100 work on different bands (i.e. Europe GMS and 3G, USA GMS and CDMA). Although pbbly illegal for many of us, if properly installed it's not (much) different than being out-of-cell-range, so I don't see much damage caused. Just clearly advertise any use of a cell phone whatsoever inside your theater is not allowed and they should be turned off upon entering your premises.  |  IP: Logged Joe Tommassello Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 547 From: Coatesville, PA, USA Registered: Jan 2008 posted 02-02-2009 12:20 PM                  Julio just beat me to this point. I hear in the UK they are installing devices to eliminate cell phone signals in the theaters. The FCC has deemed them illegal for use in the US.  |  IP: Logged

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