Prepare To Be Watched While You Watch a Movie 433
BussyB writes "Gaining entry to some movie theaters lately gives patrons an experience that is on par with going through a TSA security checkpoint at the airport. Then once you've gained access, there are cameras strategically positioned that record your every move. Unfortunately, the extent to which these companies monitor movie-goers is only going to get worse."
even more reason to wait for the dvd (Score:5, Insightful)
The bigger problem (Score:5, Insightful)
The bigger problem we're facing with corporate practices like this is that, when the revolution comes, we won't have a wall big enough to put all these marketing departments against. We should really start to prioritize who will be first, and who goes second, third, etc.
so what!? (Score:1, Insightful)
If people are stupid enough to accept it then they deserve no better. The only acceptable backlash would be for the company who had that idea to go bankrupt but this won't happen.....
This is not like boycotting the government, boycotting a private company is simple but it is not convenient.
Just wrong (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:That won't be on the evaluation form. (Score:5, Insightful)
Instead of noticing that we loathe any and all of the ads, they are going to ask: "Which one did you enjoy the most?"
This assumes that we enjoyed any of the ads.
We don't, but that's not what they're measuring is it...
Elections usually run on the same principle. Why should marketing surveys be any different?
Re:Heh (Score:0, Insightful)
Your initial thought is dumb. It's quite clearly to stop people recording movies.
Re:Think of the positives! (Score:1, Insightful)
"With video feedback, perhaps movie professionals could automate audience reactions to various scenes, and systematically improve their movie products"
You mean all those annoying teens texting on their cells and lighting up the room will be hunted down and exterminated?
Re:Nothing kney; In 1995... (Score:3, Insightful)
There is a huge difference. You didn't digitally record the audience for all posterity. The information on those screenings is lost forever.The recordings from this company's product will be kept forever.
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, I don't fly because of the TSA, I guess the movie theater owners down't want my money any more than the airline industry.
Stupid cowardly people...
Re:Just wrong (Score:4, Insightful)
There are typically signs that say that there are cameras. Indeed, in the Wallgreens down the road, there is a TV monitor facing the doors as you walk in just to say "Yes, if you shoplift, we've got tape"
This? This isn't about shoplifting. There are also no signs or any indication that this is going on.
That's the difference.
--
BMO
Re:Heh (Score:2, Insightful)
And also to stop people watching movies too.
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
I used to go to theaters almost every week. But past 5 years, it's just once or twice. Getting a nice projector and having patience for DVD/BD release works for me.
And I can drink beer from bottle straight up.
My problem was not (just) theater owners, it had more to do with mobile loving teens.
use the cameras to identify the A-HOLES (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Just wrong (Score:3, Insightful)
And those security tapes are usually rotated rather than archived, sold, distributed, analyzed, etc.
Re:That AND the cost. I'll stay at home thanks (Score:5, Insightful)
You have no right to access private property on terms other than those of the property owner. If the property owner wants all bags searched, you comply or piss off. That's how trespass law works. It's not a right to search bags, it's a condition for entry. You don't want to meet that condition, the property owner has the right to deny you entry. The end.
I am not a lawyer and the previous should not be construed as legal advice.
Re:even more reason to wait for the dvd (Score:4, Insightful)
There are still movie theaters? I stopped going long ago. From all the people talking on their cellphones and talking to one another during the movie, to sticky floors and sitting on someone's old dirty popcorn etc., I'd much rather watch at home, I have a decent screen and sound system, I can pause whenever I want, watch whenever I want, I can rewind if I accidentally missed something or stopped concentrating, and I don't even have to get my ass out my chair and get dressed and sit in traffic etc. Not to mention the prices, and the overpriced snacks and limited snack choices. Perhaps if I cared about being more social and wasn't basically a hermit it would be a different story.
Options (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:The bigger problem (Score:3, Insightful)
So the patent lawyers go up against the wall first, problem solved.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
I have a fond memory from 1977 of witnessing this at a midnight showing of The Song Remains the Same at the now closed North Town 6 theater in Dallas. Everyone brought their own bottles of booze as well. No police busting people, the theater owners were happy to be filling seats, and the customers had a good time.
Of course, that kind of fun and freedom is now just a distant memory.
Re:That won't be on the evaluation form. (Score:2, Insightful)
Instead of noticing that we loathe any and all of the ads, they are going to ask: "Which one did you enjoy the most?"
This assumes that we enjoyed any of the ads.
We don't, but that's not what they're measuring is it...
The funny thing is, I enjoy ads... as a supplement to the product, and as a form of art of their own. But not for their intended purpose. I noticed I tend to enjoy ads of products I've already decided to buy or already own and like. So if it's clever, interesting or a funny ad of something I care about, then yes, it's thumbs up from me.
But that still leaves out a crucial detail that the advertisers actually want to know: Was the advertisement interesting and did it influence my decision to buy a product? Usually no. Seeing a product live can possibly make me buy a product if I already considered it, but reviews and word-of-mouth are usually the things that do the selling these days.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
I was in college at SIU that year, and they had the Mississippi River Festival; a different big name act every night, close enough to hear from the balcony (I was married and we were in on-campus housing).
Alcohol wasn't allowed, so people would bring coolers of beer and have to leave the beer. There were mountainous piles of full six packs outside the gate, so we'd sit outside and drink beer and smoke dope and listen to the music.
The next morning we'd go down to the audience area before the cleanup crews came and we'd find at least a couple ounces of pot.
We didn't have to buy any beer or pot all summer. Man, those were the days!
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
I never understood, whey you can drink huge amounts of sugar drinks in US cinemas but not a decent beer (if you get a decent beer in that part of the US - but I digress) as you can do it in most European cinemas. Poor Americans!
Re:Heh (Score:4, Insightful)
It doesn't matter how good or bad the items being advertised are, I don't want my attention distracted from the story the film is telling.
Basically, as long as the characters don't "advertise", I think the public is fine with it.
For example, if Q says to Bond, "now, let me tell you about the 'additions' to the BMW Z3...", and that's the only mention of the make or model of the car in the movie, it's probably OK. But if Bond were constantly asking people if they "want a ride in my BMW", it'd be too much (like the mentioned Omega watch example).
Re:That AND the cost. I'll stay at home thanks (Score:3, Insightful)
And as I said before, it's not a right to search bags. If a property owner (or agent thereof) says 'I want to search your bag' you can say 'no' and they can't search your bag, but they can then ask you to leave and that can and will be enforced by a responding law enforcement agency. The only way protected classes would be an intervening factor is if the request for search or the request to vacate were made in a clearly bigoted way.
(IA still NAL)
Re:Heh (Score:1, Insightful)
Product placement is nothing new for Mr. Bond. From cars to watches to boats to smokes, there's always been some obvious product sponsorship going back to at least the first Roger Moore movies.
What's kind of sad about this is that Bond represents the embodiment of British power and the idea that no matter how far the British Empire has fallen since its glory days, no matter how much it is no longer the country to be feared, well, they still have Mr. Bond to show that Britain can go anywhere and do anything, on the land, in the air, in the seas or even in space.
The idea of Britain being a country to be feared is more or less as much of a fantasy as Mr. Bond himself. They barely manage land and air. The seem to be having trouble with the seas lately, or at least the rocks within the sea, and space? Yeah. Sure.
So it's not so hard to accept that the erstwhile hero of the empire, the UK equivalent of Superman, Mr. Bond, is reduced to hawking smokes and Glasstron boats and Ford Mondeos. Not even an Astin Martin -a Ford Mondeo! Sure it's nice and all, but wow.
IMHO, there was only one truly great "Bond-endorsed" product and that was the theft-proof car. It did not, in fact, get stolen.
There's a viable alternative (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
Implicit in that statement is the silly idea that the government and the corporations are separate entities.
Implicit in that statement is gross oversimplification of the complex relationship between corporations and government. It makes for an easy slogan, but isn't helpful beyond that.
Re:Heh (Score:5, Insightful)
And Bond wore a Rolex Submariner traditionally
I suppose it's how you define "traditionally." OO7 hasn't worn a Rolex since 1973's "Live and Let Die." In fact, aside from the early Connery films Bond has usually *not* worn a Rolex.
Hence "traditionally" all other Bonds other than Connery are pretenders to the throne.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
But if you're buying/renting the DVD, you're not following your own advice.
BTW, most of the time, one or more of the following will work on DVDs: menu button; top menu button; chapter skip button [likely multiple times]; stop then play. Except for rarely the MPAA warning (even then I can often go into 1.5x mode on one of my players), I can only remember seeing a VERY small number of DVDs with truly unskippable/stoppable stuff.
Re:Heh (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, I can do that at home too, but you know what I mean.
Don't worry, we'll be looking into that little loophole soon enough.
Love,
Your Nanny-State Govt.
Re:Heh (Score:2, Insightful)
And also too the Grammar Nazi posts aren't usually often considered relevant. Because communication it doesn't need perfect grammer. or spelling. It's like fucking without an instruction book. If you cum, it couldn't have been that awful.