Paramount launched a Twitter campaign to give audiences a chance to see Super 8 a day early. Atypical Tales presents an editorial about the bold move.
2011 is proving to be an important year for Hollywood. The film industry is nervous right now over smaller ticket sales, so studios are trying all sorts of tactics to woo the public back into theaters. With the technology for online piracy becoming more streamlined and the release of legitimate direct-to-home movie releases, fewer people feel the urgency of getting to a theater to see what will happen in the next summer blockbuster.
And let’s be honest, you can’t control your experience at the theater like you can your own home. I’ve been to the theater much more this year than I have in the past due to writing for Atypical Tales, and I have had mixed experiences. Sometimes the theater is a mess, and sometimes the audience is loud and obnoxious. The cinema that’s just down the street usually does a poor job policing any behavior in its theaters, so audiences either have to put up with the distractions or leave.
It’s not fair to blame the movie industry or all theaters over a few poor experiences, but those rowdy audience members can certainly reduce the impact of any movie.
2011 has seen a huge influx of 3D movies, which have met with varying levels of success. I, for one, am probably only going to watch one or two more movies in 3D for the rest of the year. It’s definitely fun to splurge for 3D when it’s a movie that you know was specifically made with the technology, but it’s a let down when the film doesn’t impress.
The most interesting development for winning audiences back in 2011 came this week with the release of the sci-fi film Super 8. Paramount Studios took a big chance and invested in a social media campaign on Twitter where users could click through to buy tickets to see the movie a day early. Of course, to see the movie early, one had to purchase tickets to see the film in IMax.
I live in New Orleans where the rate of living is pretty affordable. I generally pay $7 – $9 to see a movie on the weekends. In order to see Super 8 in IMax, I would have had to pay $15 for the tickets plus an extra dollar for the online provider’s service charge. Instead of paying $16 to see the film in IMax, I was able to see it on a regular screen at a midnight showing (only 12 hours after the first available IMax screening) for 5 bucks.
Hollywood, I’m excited you’re trying something new. As a social media junkie, I’m thrilled to see studios fully embracing a new form of communication, but I’m not going to pay double the standard rate to see a film a day early.
As a side note, the midnight showing for Super 8 at my theater had a smaller attendance than the previous week’s X-Men: First Class. Perhaps all of the early viewers had already seen the film in IMax, or perhaps the audience was more uncertain about this movie than X-Men.
What about You?
Did you see the film in IMax on Thursday? If so, what kind of crowds were at your theater?
About the author
Michael is a huge fan of storytelling in all of its various forms. Beyond writing for Atypical Tales, he has also written a zombie comic book called The Hidden and Dark Heritage, an ongoing weekly horror webcomic and blog.
Read more posts by Michael
