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Author Topic: Cell Phone Announcement At Rave Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-02-2010 03:21 PM                        Went to the Rave Festival Plaza last night (Friday, Jan 1). Pretty good sized crowd. After the trailers and corporate snipe (what's a snipe in the digital world?), the lights came up and the picture went off. An usher came in an made an announcement for everyone to turn off their cellphones. Texting and phoning, he said, are the two biggest problems they have and if they were caught doing either they would be asked to leave without a refund. He also asked people to keep talking to a minimum (instead of STFU). But it's a start. It didn't stop the chattering old folks across the aisle, at least the soundtrack was loud and noisy enough to block them out most of the time. Anyway, to Rave in Montgomery. Is this company wide? Are other chains doing it? I hope it is a result of the power of positive complaining.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-02-2010 03:43 PM                     We have a position specifically for it at 50% of our theaters. We call them a "Host" and their job is to keep the lobby swept (because they are cruising from theater to theater constantly), to keep the restroom checks frequent (sending ushers or doing it themselves) be the first person to help a guest with any issue in one of the theaters or get a manager if the situation calls for it and give a speech on cue from the projectionist before each presentation. We let folks know to tell them or any of our staff if there's a problem, we give examples of the lights, tempterature, sound, picture, or any disturbances. We remind folks to set their phones to off, silent, or vibrate for their own enjoyment and as a courtesy to others and to take important calls or text outside the auditorium. One quick plug for the website and they're on their way, preferably this is done in the last 30 seconds before showtime as the presentation begins immediately afterward so it's all seamless. 99% of our staff absolutely detests it and doesn't like to do it...but oh that 1%...  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-02-2010 04:08 PM                        Bravo! to Rave! Sounds first class to me! Every cinema should do this on every show. Including thanking them foir coming. Perhaps new employees should be selected for "loving this part of the job." Louis  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-02-2010 05:44 PM                     You have to admit that this is a hell of a much better attention getter than running a policy trailer. Now all you have to do is find ushers who are courageous enough to get up in front of several hundred people and make the announcement. Anyway, kudos to Rave.  |  IP: Logged Mike Croaro Master Film Handler Posts: 394 From: Millbrae, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 01-02-2010 06:41 PM                     Hi Folks: Landmark Theatres have been doing this in their San Francisco and Berkeley, CA art houses for the last 1-2 years. And yes, it does get peoples attention better than a trailer. Mike  |  IP: Logged John Joseph Fink Film Handler Posts: 60 From: West Hartford, CT Registered: Feb 2006 posted 01-02-2010 07:08 PM                        Sounds great. Film Forum in NYC has a snip it that reminds patrons to turn off their electronic devices with an animated crowd of annoying light up screens, they slowly turn off. The clip lasts longer than it should to enforce the point, this shows right before the show starts up. As for intros, Crown Theaters did this for a while at the Palace in Hartford, then when they went up on the auction block they stopped. (The manager did the intros). Edgewater Multiplex (Edgewater, NJ - National Amusements) used to do intros years ago as well but they've since stopped, this was mostly the manager coming in and saying "hey if you need anything, stop by customer service". I personally think these intros are a cheap way of bringing some of the excitement of a film festival to movie going, granted you aren't going to have a programer up there talking about the merits of the film, but it creates the perception of an experience, all the better if your able to rile up a crowd before a fun picture, if people have a good time, you'll hook them to come back and have another fun experience.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 01-02-2010 10:33 PM                     Do the staff have access to microphones? Usually the PA system plugs in places I've worked are behind the curtains/masking and difficult to get to, so even if there were the staff to make a speech it would be awkward in a big screen. It's a really good idea that should be adopted more widely.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-03-2010 10:05 AM                        They didn't use a mic at Rave, but it was loud enough to be heard. They seem to be new at this, it was not very "professional". The usher just came in and started speaking from the front entrance, he didn't go to the front center of the theatre. They need to work on their showmanship, or at least get as bored as a flight attendant  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-03-2010 10:30 AM                        Can anyone say CELL PHONE JAMMERS?! Isn't it really time the FCC gets off its butt and reviews this restriction? Why do people think there is a constitutional "right" to be able to use cell phones every place on the planet. What did people do when they went to the theatre in past decades? Did terrible fate befall them? Did they put themselves in dire danger and risk life and limb? There are plenty of places where cell phones can't get signals -- the world doesn't stop turning if you can't get signal and can't be reached for 2 hours. Many countries allow cell signal-blocking without disaster striking. The FCC needs to get out of the pocket of the telephony industry and make the change already.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-03-2010 10:42 AM                        Totally agree with you Frank, but as a political reality it is right up there with repealing the 2nd Amendment (or the 1st if you prefer that analogy). We're talking millions of addicts who are fed by a multi-billion dollar industry who rips them off blind and demands they say "Thank you sir, may I have another?" This in conjunction with the motion picture industry unwilling to antagonize or offend a single potential customer (unless that customer is using their cell phone to take a picture of what's on the screen). That impenetrable wall vs a relative handful of cranky film lovers. Which one are you going to put your money on?  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-03-2010 06:45 PM                        A passive "cage" is legal in the US. An active jammer is not. The effect is the same. I would put a small jammer inside the cage; this means that my jammer stays inside my building, away from judgement. The cage would also reduce cell coverage in my building. Louis  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 01-06-2010 12:56 PM                     I really wish more theatres would do this.. It's time we ask folks to return to old-fashioned common courtesy and respect in our society and respect the movie theatre for what it is, or else leave and wait for the DVD. I'm sick of folks ruining my "night out at the movies". I'd pay extra to go to a theatre that makes such an announcement and enforces the no talking/no cell phone policies.  |  IP: Logged John Hawkinson Film God Posts: 2273 From: Cambridge, MA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-07-2010 12:39 AM                     Wake up! Phone calls are not the problem, text messaging and the lights from it are. Jammers won't help. Even if their texts were jammed, people will still try to do it and produce the light. --jhawk  |  IP: Logged Carl Martin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1424 From: Oakland, CA, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-07-2010 04:08 AM                        well, phone calls are a problem, and jamming will stop people from lighting up their phones to see who's calling them. do people actually initiate texts during movies? well, i would think they'd stop once they realize they can't do it. they'll still light up their phones to check the time, of course.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-07-2010 08:30 AM                        Carl, yes, people do initiate texts during movies. They also compulsively check their damn messages, use the light to find their seats or signal to their friends where they are sitting and I am pretty sure they play games and listen to music. As I said above, they are addicts.  |  IP: Logged

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