Regal Theaters now have a 20 min advertisement section prior to the movie.

[StageLeft]

I remember a while back noting about 15 min of ads before a movie and being shocked. Well on the news today they were saying how regal theaters (sorry if this is old news, I don't go to many movies!) has something called the "twenty" (something like that) and it's 20 minutes of ads and "original content". Unfortunately ticket sales are still very strong, so obviously the general public doesn't much care about being forced to watch the equivalent of a TV show of ads before their movie. I wonder where the "sweet spot" is? 30 min? 40?

I know home theater fans represent a small minority of movie goers, but I think increasingly the low-cost and still decent home theater setups will, God willing, cut into movie theater profits, and they'll be forced to adapt and give people like me something better than ads, talking, and uncomfortable seats, all for $8/ticket

 

[Freeze]

I was actually at a Regal Friday. The 20 is the 20 minutes before the scheduled showtime. My showing was at 10:20, so the "20" started at 10. At 10:20, the "previews" started, with the movie starting around 10:30...

 

[LordJezo]

"The Twenty"

Been that way for a long time.. but I actually like having something to watch before the movie when I get to the theater early. If the movie says the start time is 11:30 those 20 mins of ads will start at 11:10.

Also, that 20 minutes of ads is 20 minutes before the scheduled start time of the movie.. so if you show up when the ticket time of the movie is those ads will be over.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Freeze
I was actually at a Regal Friday. The 20 is the 20 minutes before the scheduled showtime. My showing was at 10:20, so the "20" started at 10. At 10:20, the "previews" started, with the movie starting around 10:30...

I suppose that's better, because I would rather watch ads than stare at a blank screen. The news blurb said to show up 20 min late to avoid this. Silly news!

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
I remember a while back noting about 15 min of ads before a movie and being shocked. Well on the news today they were saying how regal theaters (sorry if this is old news, I don't go to many movies!) has something called the "twenty" (something like that) and it's 20 minutes of ads and "original content". Unfortunately ticket sales are still very strong, so obviously the general public doesn't much care about being forced to watch the equivalent of a TV show of ads before their movie. I wonder where the "sweet spot" is? 30 min? 40?

I know home theater fans represent a small minority of movie goers, but I think increasingly the low-cost and still decent home theater setups will, God willing, cut into movie theater profits, and they'll be forced to adapt and give people like me something better than ads, talking, and uncomfortable seats, all for $8/ticket

You don't get out much do you?

 

[TheToOTaLL]

Malco has about 5-10 minutes of commercials in front of the trailers... talk about 20 minutes wasted!

Get used it to, it's going to be the norm. Europe has been doing it for a year and a half already.

 

[ndee]

$8? that's nothing. It costs $13 here in Switzerland.

 

[Ameesh]

it before the showtime, so its not so bad

 

[Danman]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
it before the showtime, so its not so bad

Yea, it's better than just sitting there. I'd rather watch Brittney Spears shake it in her new music video.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: cashman

Originally posted by: Ameesh
it before the showtime, so its not so bad

Yea, it's better than just sitting there. I'd rather watch Brittney Spears shake it in her new music video.

*nods*

 

[Vortex22]

The Regal Theaters around here show 20 minutes of ads before, and 20 minutes of previews at the start time. (Not exaggerating, I timed it at 20 mins.)

I still go to Regal though because they have the most comfortable seats.

 

[EagleKeeper]

AMC has started playing commercials between the previews.

They are now getting paid for the commercial and my ticket. :disgust:

Saw five movies this holiday wee at 3 different theatres. Same deal.

Sent a letter to AMC billing for my lost time for the commercials. :evil:

When they deny the invoice, \(as expected)I will have to take matter into my own hands.
Will start calculating time taken by the commercials, multiply by hourly rate charged for work (value of my time).
When the value matches the cost for a movie, I will see an extra movie on their dollar (theatre hopping).:beer:

 

[RossMAN]

This is why whenever possible we try and see a movie at Century Theatres instead of Regal.

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: Freeze
I was actually at a Regal Friday. The 20 is the 20 minutes before the scheduled showtime. My showing was at 10:20, so the "20" started at 10. At 10:20, the "previews" started, with the movie starting around 10:30...

Those ads are incredibly boring. They try to make it entertaining by having trivia games and "Find the Coke bottles" games, but it's just dumb.

 

[PlatinumGold]

i prefer that they have these things. it's not like i'm FORCED to watch them, i can wait outside the theater etc. what's the big deal.

i can arrive JUST on time to see it.

would you rather the curtains were closed and ONLY music played?? but they have ads on the music too.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: igowerf

Originally posted by: Freeze
I was actually at a Regal Friday. The 20 is the 20 minutes before the scheduled showtime. My showing was at 10:20, so the "20" started at 10. At 10:20, the "previews" started, with the movie starting around 10:30...

Those ads are incredibly boring. They try to make it entertaining by having trivia games and "Find the Coke bottles" games, but it's just dumb.

Ah it would seem I've seen them. I thought that this 20 minutes would be worthwhile. Those find the coke bottle things are retarded, and everything cycles through about every 10 min with retarded trivia garbage.

 

[Thraxen]

Well, the ads before the start time really don't bother me. But I HATE the TV ads that they show before the movie previews. What a load of BS. I didn't pay to watch commercials about cars and soft drinks.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: ndee
$8? that's nothing. It costs $13 here in Switzerland.

in atl it's gone up to $10 for the local 32 theatre cinema's..

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: se7enty7

Originally posted by: ndee
$8? that's nothing. It costs $13 here in Switzerland.

in atl it's gone up to $10 for the local 32 theatre cinema's..

Do they still have matinees? They have matinee prices here, but have killed off the evening discounts I used to love so much.

 

[EagleKeeper]

i can arrive JUST on time to see it.

Problem is that you can have a seating problem if you wait outside.

No way I am going to pay money to see a show, and then have to sit in the first few rows when the rest of the decent seats fill up.
Ruins your eyes and is also difficult to see the full screen.

I have gone back for a refund/raincheck if forced to sit up front due to limitied seating.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
Well, the ads before the start time really don't bother me. But I HATE the TV ads that they show before the movies previews. What a load of BS. I didn't pay to watch commercials about cars and soft drinks.

That is my complaint.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

i can arrive JUST on time to see it.

Problem is that you can have a seating problem if you wait outside.

No way I am going to pay money to see a show, and then have to sit in the first few rows when the rest of the decent seats fill up.
Ruins your eyes and is also difficult to see the full screen.

I have gone back for a refund/raincheck if forced to sit up front due to limitied seating.

then get there early and sit and DON'T watch, it's not that big a deal. what's the difference between watching bad commercials and watching nothing at all??

 

[Thraxen]

then get there early and sit and DON'T watch, it's not that big a deal. what's the difference between watching bad commercials and watching nothing at all??

I guess it depends... are these ads actually commercials or just the usual slides? I might be a bit annoyed if they were loud TV ads. My friends and I usually like to sit and chat before a movie starts.

 

[SinnerWolf]

let them blow their advertising dollars thinking they're getting to a niche audience when in fact I'm either
a. taking a nap
b. playing games, surfing the net, or reading emails/ebooks on my pocket pc/cel phone
c. engineering a make-shift blow dart gun for the rats that have infested my local Regal for over a year now (of which I am thankful....have yet to pay for a movie yet thanks to those vermin)

 

[K1052]

All the advertising is a symptom of other problems in the industry that make any extra revenue very valuable.

I understand why they do it and it really does not bother me that much.