my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » How do you advertise midnight shows? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: How do you advertise midnight shows? Sean Kapp Film Handler Posts: 30 From: Columbiana OH USA Registered: Jun 2008 posted 05-02-2009 04:55 PM                     Ok so either we live in an area with a ton of stupid people are or we arn't thinking on their level when we advertise for midnight shows... We did a midnight show for X-men. Marquee and other signs at theater states May 1st special midnight showing. Our website and phone system stated Come out late Thursday (April 30) night for a midnight showing! We have an attached cafe to our theater. This morning when our manager for it came in, she found a nasty letter written by someone who came last night for a midnight showing. We also received a message on the voicemail system claiming 45 people were here at midnight, May 2nd. Not sure how much more clear we can make it when we do midnight runs. What do you guys do for clearly communicating midnight shows to your locals?  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 05-02-2009 06:53 PM                        We (Cameo, Newberg, OR) promote the midnight show as "Thursday night/Friday morning" on the website and in the showtime e-mail. We then remove any mention of a midnight show by Friday morning from the website. I'm sure that doesn't get through to everybody, but we tried. Brian is opening Star Trek next weekend and has already set showtimes, but I won't put them on the site because I know if I do, people will show up THIS weekend demanding to see it. Of course, a few people still show up at the drive-in thinking the drive-in lineup is the lineup actually playing at the Twin or the Cameo. We've taken steps in the site design over the years to better differentiate the properties because of this, but some people still think it's confusing...  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 05-02-2009 08:17 PM                     We bill shows starting at the 12 o'clock between Saturday and Sunday as "Saturday Midnight", if a date is given it is the date of Saturday. There has never been any confusion.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 05-02-2009 08:45 PM                     I do the same as Bill. Current example: Wolverine Thursday Night April 30th at Midnight. I've been doing it this way for a few years and haven't had any problems.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-02-2009 08:52 PM                        Our signs, website and ads say: MIDNIGHT SHOW, Friday May 1 - TICKETS GO ON SALE THURSDAY at 11:30 Then on Thursday, we put a sign in the front window - MIDNIGHT SHOW TONIGHT We also have a general policy of not doing midnight shows unless school is out. About half the crowd for such shows is school kids and I'd rather have a few disgruntled kids than 100% disgruntled parents (who don't have the guts to say "NO, you can't go to a midnight movie on a school night.") I think this topic has been covered somewhere around here before.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 05-02-2009 09:45 PM                        I always say Thursday night at midnight. If I include Friday at all it will be "Thursday Night (Fri morning)" For most people, the calendar doesn't really switch to Friday until they wake up in the morning. Unfortunately, many customers are idiots and it's falls on us to make everything as idiot proof as possible.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-02-2009 11:16 PM                     You could put up - "12:01am, Friday Morning" This approach seems to work with these special midnight showing of these summer blockbusters in our megaplex area... And since we show midnight shows at our local discount theatre on wknds, we do get the clowns showing up Thurs night thinking that it's Friday night since it's posted on our marquees for the full week duration -which is it clearly spelled out "Fri and Sat" midnight showings of all features.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2009 12:41 AM                        Film companies are not helping in this by plastering the "Opening date" all over their advertising but then allowing shows to begin at 7:00 the day before. No wonder people don't know what's going on.  |  IP: Logged Sean Kapp Film Handler Posts: 30 From: Columbiana OH USA Registered: Jun 2008 posted 05-03-2009 12:57 AM                     Thanks for all of the replies everyone! Keep all of them in mind the next time we do a midnight show. Chances are someone will still show up on the wrong night though. Silly public!  |  IP: Logged Thomas Pitt Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: May 2007 posted 05-03-2009 03:52 PM                     Cinemas in the UK tend to advertise midnight showings as starting at 00:01 the following day. So for example, a showing at midnight on Thursday would be shown as starting at 00:01 on Friday. I get the impression this is more to help the ticketing system than anything else, though (something might go wrong if the movie starts and finishes on different days!) Regarding school kids, VUE cinemas at least has a policy regarding late showings. Any movie starting after 10pm is classed as a 'late show' and persons under 18 will not be admitted.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-03-2009 05:24 PM                        I would think that "11:59pm Friday and Saturday" would be less potentially confusing than "12:01am Saturday and Sunday," personally. The extra minute could be filled with a policy trailer, if need be.  |  IP: Logged Sally Ann Burgess Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: Queenstown, New Zealand Registered: Apr 2008 posted 05-04-2009 01:34 AM                     For our midnight of Wolverine (which showed Tues night Weds morning here in NZ)we put a small poster up in front of the Wolverine poster clearly stating Midnight Tuesday, and doors open at 23:50 Tuesday night. We also told people when they bought the tickets.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 05-04-2009 07:56 PM                     As Thomas mentioned above the chain I work for doesn't let under 18s in to any film after 10:30pm. It is definitely the easiest way to avoid aggro from parents. We advertise as (day) Late xx:xx on the flyer.  |  IP: Logged Mike Spaeth Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1129 From: Marietta, GA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 05-05-2009 02:19 AM                        I've never had any confusion on the issue...  |  IP: Logged Jeff Lacey Film Handler Posts: 54 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Jun 2005 posted 05-05-2009 03:08 AM                     quote: Sean Kapp Ok so either we live in an area with a ton of stupid people Well, you do live in Ohio, so..... But yeah, I've never had a problem either, but I'd just say late Thursday night.... In regards to X-Men, I'd say something like, "regular engagement starts, Friday, May 1st, be the first to see it in an advance showing late Thursday night, at 12:01 am"  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.