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Has anyone seen or made some COVID-19 pre-show policy clips?
Stuff like "please make sure you wear your mask when not consuming food or drink" or "Thank you for respecting the 2m distance between patrons/groups"?
I was just discussing making some DCP policy clips with a local theater owner last weekend. The problem is that right now, here in Northern CA, theaters are still closed and the re-opening dates, as well as the rules for doing so, seem to keep changing. So, until firm dates and policies are nailed down, I've decided I'm not going to waste my time making a policy DCP that could be obsolete by the time it's needed. , , , if ever.
There’s no reason why one can’t use PowerPoint or Photoshop to make one or more still frames then program them into a playlist. That wouldn’t take much work at all.
However, putting up a message that says “We’re safe,” can also mean that there is danger lurking, somewhere, to be concerned about.
Planting a subliminal message of danger in customers’ minds probably isn’t what theaters need to be doing, right now.
I think it best to just post a generic sign at the box office and let it be well enough on its own.
That's what we're doing here. Outside of the plexiglass thing on the concession counter (and our people are wearing masks), everything else is as normal as possible. I figure they go to the movies to forget what's going on in the world, not to be reminded of it.
I made some slide DCPs for a drive-in that I service, from artwork in the form of PNG files that they supplied. They say (in English and Spanish) pretty much what you'd expect: wear a mask if you get out of your car for any reason, etc. etc.
I'm a bit surprised that Deluxe or one of the other big distributors hasn't done nicer looking ones and put them on trail mix drives (assuming they haven't and I don't know about it), though.
Early on I wrote an email to our mailing list that said "I don't want to treat you like lepers or lab rats."
We still haven't reopened, but it looks as if we ever do I will have to do both.
We've got to "communicate procedures" like using hand sanitizer and keeping masks on when not consuming food or drink in a method which is acceptable to the public health agency in order to obtain approval to reopen, so I figured telling them we would show a trailer outlining that would keep them happy.
We strive to provide a normal experience. We don't wear masks, and we don't have plexiglass but we do have hand sanitizing stations set up. We wipe down the seats, and restrooms between each show. We adjusted the air conditioning and heater so the air will cycle through cloth flags and drapes. Most of what we have done is not seen by the customer.
On Halloween we hosted an old fashion spook show. We added a second show to keep the theater from being crowded. The smaller crowds allowed for a comfortable distance between groups.
We've got to "communicate procedures" like using hand sanitizer and keeping masks on when not consuming food or drink in a method which is acceptable to the public health agency in order to obtain approval to reopen, so I figured telling them we would show a trailer outlining that would keep them happy.
If you’re going to play a PSA about COVID, I think you should keep it light and, maybe even funny. Throw in a little joke or something. (In a socially appropriate manner, of course.)
People don’t want to be told how to go about their daily lives. They go to the movies to escape. If you have to play a PSA, try not to make it something that will throw a wet blanket over their night out.
I think that a little bit of humor would go a long way.
Start on a black screen. Play the opening fanfare from the William Tell Overture over black.
Fade in a picture of the Lone Ranger with a virus mask PhotoShopped in.
Bring in the caption, “Who was that masked man?”
Fade to black again. End with an audio clip, “High-Ho Silver! Away!”
Start the show...
The whole thing should last about ten seconds... Just long enough to play the main chorus of William Tell.
It’s funny, it’s short, sweet, it gets the point across without being preachy and it would be easily done with the software tools available on most peoples’ computers.
I saw a little girl walking down the street yesterday carrying her stuffed tiger, and the stuffed tiger had its own mask on, too. I thought that was really cute. Maybe an image like that would help?
For what it's worth, there is a "CinemaSafe" trailer put together by NATO being shipped on TrailMix drives which outlines some of the precautions you (may?) are taking.
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