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Topic: Employees bringing friends to theatre

Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 02-27-2001 12:19 AM

What is your theatre/company policy regarding employees and employees bringing friends?

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 02-27-2001 12:35 AM

As far as an employee bringing friends to see a movie the policy is you and one guest everyone else is suposed to pay unless they have a special guest pass that you can recieve from management. Usually one guest pass a week to use at other theaters. As far as friends hanging around work as you work is not acceptable if it is interfering with your job.

Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

posted 02-27-2001 12:42 AM

At Colorado Cinemas Holdings LLC (or whatever the hell they are called) any employee can bring any freinds they want to for the late night Thursday print screenings. Of course the building is closed at this point and it is not normal operating hours. Does insurance still cover this if something happens to a non employee?

Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 02-27-2001 12:54 AM

No, As far as I know insurance does not cover this. Our policy is manage and projectionist are the only ones allowed to stay ad watch a screening. Now if the theater is open the insurance covers everyone in the building. When it is closed it only covers employees of the facility. That's why outside janitorial services have to be bonded and have their own insurance.

Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 02-27-2001 11:46 AM

Lots of theaters allow the "free for all" late night Thursday parties. I have heard way too many disasters from such after hours screenings from destruction of company property all the way to trips to the emergency room. In fact, one circuit had a party several years back and someone snuck in beer. One of the teenage employees got drunk and ran off of the road driving home and was killed. A similar incident involved a high school employee who stayed up to watch a movie and by 3am was just simply too tired to drive home with his regular early morning high school schedule and he ran off of the road too. As every theater chain that I have ever heard of has explained it...once the building is closed for the day that NOTHING is covered by insurance. It's one of those "read the fine print" things in the insurance contract. The only people covered are the people who absolutely have to be there (meaning projectionists) and most contracts also include management, for obvious reasons. Staff, friends of the employees and the general public are not covered. Of course I am sure there are some theaters that have set up full coverage even if the building is closed, but I've not heard of one yet.

I suppose once somebody trips down a flight of stairs and has a hundred thousand dollar medical visit, only for the theater chain to realize that it is coming out of their pocket and NOT the insurance, will the lesson be learned. This seems to be the case with most chains, as once a couple of bad incidents happen the policy is changed. Not to be a party crasher on this topic, but the safety of the employees really must come first. After all this is a business and not a playground.

Jerry Chase
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1068
From: Margate, FL, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-27-2001 11:56 AM

Agreed. Not only that, but the theatre would undoubtedly be held at least partially liable if an underage guest got into a car crash on the way home from a 2 AM screening. IMO, late night screenings should only be for projectionists and management. Too many times, I've seen beer and stinky cigarettes work their way in.

S.O.P. most places I've worked is: employee and one guest or employee and immediate family (mother, father, sister, brother) weekday shows. Don't hire employees with big families.

Oh yeah, courtesy is that employee and guest purchase something from concession. I've seen employees try to get free soda and drink for the guest. To me, that is going too far.

Greg Borr
Film Handler

Posts: 39
From: Watervliet, MI
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 02-27-2001 12:45 PM

At our local theatres we credit $35.00 per month to each employees Movie Card "Debit Card", they can spend it any way they wish, Movies, Concessions etc. They receive an employee discount on items only for them, and pay in full for any guests. The unused amount rolls over to the next month.

Greg Borr
Ready Theatre Systems

Jason Burroughs
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Allen, TX
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-27-2001 12:53 PM

Most chains have a policy against this. However even with policys in place it does not always work. And far too often its not just beer and cigarettes snuck in, at times so are drugs, which is a real problem.

I don't think that there would be too much of an issue, as long as it is supervised by management (although this does not always help as I've seen managers leading the way into trouble). Also the maturity of the staff at the theatre plays a part. I've been to theatres that had open screenings, and never had a problem.

Annother aspect that I've heard is that the studios do not want open screenings, from my understand they don't want the movies run period outside of a paying audience.

Paul Cunningham
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 02-27-2001 05:10 PM

At the family owned theatre I work for the policy is employee and immediate family only, no Fri or Sat nights, if the show is sold out then you miss out or pay, you are also expected to lend a hand if it is really busy for 15 min or so prior to the show. We do not have test screenings.

Paul

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-27-2001 06:42 PM

Paul,

My theatre is even stricter than that! We allow free admissions for the employees ONLY. No family, friends, boyfriends, kids, etc. They get a substantial discount on pop & popcorn, but again, only the employees get this.

I guess if we were starting from scratch I might be more liberal, but this was the policy when I started working here and it's just never changed.

Rachel Carter
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 248
From: Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 02-27-2001 11:15 PM

At my theater we give 6 free passes per month to each employee to use however they choose....no discount on concession items.

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"Blood is thicker then blondes" - From the movie, Save the last Dance.

FUNNY!!!!!

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-27-2001 11:37 PM

Whatever the theater or company policy is, it is up to you to make sure some idiot does not spoil it for the rest. Some theater chains, no matter how rottin' they are, depend on you to make sure the privilege is not abused.

Kevin Baglow
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 135
From: Yeppoon Qld, Australia
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 02-28-2001 03:53 AM

Hi from OZ.
from past experience new staff only get passes for the first 4 months and family free it they last after that. With future ones I will charge us US$2 for the first 4 months. And wait and see if they deserve privilages after that. Cheers

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Paul Cunningham
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 146
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: Jun 2000

posted 02-28-2001 07:39 PM

Hi Kevin

Did you buy that cinema in Yeppoon recently?
If I'm thinking of the right place I saw a brochure for it up for sale.

Paul

Russ Kress
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 202
From: Charleston, WV, USA
Registered: May 2000

posted 03-02-2001 12:01 AM

We give employees a pass that admits the employee and one guest to any performance Monday through Thursday (non-holiday). The pass is valid for the pass holder only on weekends and holidays provided that seating is available.

We carry special stock to allow the employee and guest to receive drinks for a quarter and popcorn (85 oz container) for fifty cents.

Test screenings are for the staff only. Management can bring guests. It's just easier that way.

There's no trouble at the screenings. The police department has an office across from the theatre and one or two off duty officers usually stop by for the screenings. (Police and fire personnel are admitted free to the theatre anyway).

I agree with Brad. There's no reason to open up the test runs to guests in a free for all situation. We make exceptions on a case by case basis, like when somebody want's to bring their mom, but the general rule is no.

Russ

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