Movie Theater Employee

Movie Theater Employee

PeopleOrderPopcorn

Boston Area, MA

Female, 21

I work at a movie theater. I work the concessions but I've worked long enough to know a little something-something about ushering and cashiers. And a little bit of what managers do. Ask me anything!

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Last Answer on October 23, 2014

Best Rated

Do you catch people sneaking into movies a lot? What's the penalty if they get caught?

Asked by ashleeeeee over 12 years ago

If it's in director's hall the usher will kick you out because those seats are pricey and reserved. Otherwise, they don't care. People sneak in all the time and they think they're being really slick. Hell, I do it even though i get free passes. If they catch you and you're nice about it, they'll probably let you stay. If you're a jerk and disruptive, you bet they'll kick you out and may even call a manager.

Do you and your co-workers let friends in for free? What happens if you get caught?

Asked by lets all go to the lobby ... over 12 years ago

I'm sure the ushers do it all the time. If they get caught, depending on the managers mood or how business is going, they might give the usher a warning or just go write them up. Friends normally ask for the use of the employees free passes

Have you guys ever caught people having sex in the movie theater? Any crazy stories?

Asked by Someones gotta ask over 12 years ago

Well the ushers have found condoms while cleaning the theaters before. And they don't normally check theaters unless they get a complaint. Especially if there's like 3 people watching the movie. And there's no cameras in the screen room itself despite those movie commercials showing people getting scared. However.... the best story I've heard is not about 2 patrons........ but about a patron and an employee! She gave him a BJ behind a stand and was caught on camera. The managers pulled her aside later and told her not to do it again.. she doesn't work there anymore. I've got tons of stories of all kinds. I can write volumes. Some more exciting than others. EDIT: Recently, an usher walked into a theater just to check on it. It looked empty, until he noticed a couple having sex in the back! After he told the whole establishment about it, nobody confronted the couple and they stayed through the whole movie. Would have been too awkward I guess.

Why is movie theater food so overpriced?!!?!

Asked by JP over 12 years ago

Only 10% of the profits made from the tickets go to the theater. Selling food is the only way we make money. It has to be enough to profit, pay employees, pay bills, ect

If I hate a movie and walk out, can I get my money back? Does that happen frequently?

Asked by boris over 12 years ago

It happens everyone in a while as not everyone is willing to sit through a movie they hate. As I said before, only if you leave within the first 30 min. But I remember that tickets are NOT REFUNDABLE but they will give you a free passes for whenever you may want to watch a movie. If you watch the whole movie and hate it then decide that you want to be compensated, it's not going to happen. They reason that if you watched the whole thing, it must have been not that bad and you just want free passes.

Have you heard of these new theaters that have waiter service to your seats? As in, you order food from your seat and they deliver it to you?

Asked by Munkee over 12 years ago

My theater actually has this. The more I think about the question, the more I don't like the idea. Its great for the customer as they can go in their movie, order food and avoid lines. However, there's a bit of an argument on who makes the food. They dont have a problem getting soda, popcorn and candy, but we also have a coffee shop, ice cream, pizza,burgers, fried dough, ect. waiters expect the concessionists to get the food for them. This might be fine on slow days. But it can be really irritating on busy days when we have huge lines and we have to stop taking customers and help the waiters that cut everyone and get their food. I feel that it's easier to just coach them as I'm getting a different order but sometimes I'm so stressed from the number of customers I have that I don't want to be holding someone's hand. But not everyone is cooperative. The waiter sometimes doesn't care for the quality of the food as they just want to get rid of an order or the concessionists might not want them to handle preparing the food because they're not trained for it and might mess up everything. Also, they are paid the same wage as me but they can keep tips and I'm not allowed to accept tips. Not fair :(

How do the economics of running a movie theater work? Like, does the theater PAY for the rights to show a particular movie and if so, what's the cost of that and how many tickets do you need to sell to turn a profit?

Asked by mrt over 12 years ago

Thats a tough one. This is what I think happens and it might be really different for smaller theaters" the theater picks what movies they want to show. Sometimes, they'll have an independent film or a really old one from the 1940's or something. Sometimes, an incredibly anticipated movie might come out like, the avengers would be soon, and we'll be sold out. Then the theater will pay for ADDITIONAL prints, get rid of the ones no one is paying for anymore and replace it with the popular movie. I hate days like these. The theater will never really make a large profit from ticket sales alone as 10% of it go to the theater. The rest go to the people who made the movie. Which is y u can only be given free passes for a movie you walked out on and can't get a refund. You'd have to get that from mel Gibson himself (south park reference ;)). Most of the profits comes from food sales, which is why it's so expensive. Generally, anywhere that sells tickets, like ball parks, don't profit from tickets and profit from food. Every year, the prices of some of the food might get raised a quarter because the employees had to be paid more. And that's all I really know :)

What size popcorn do people order most frequently?

Asked by Ktown over 12 years ago

Small. Because it comes with a combo box deal and kids love those boxes. So customers order like 5 combo boxes instead of just buying a large pop and share.

Do a lot of kids try and sneak in to watch R-rated movies?

Asked by mayors over 12 years ago

All. The. Time. They might try to buy tickets at first but it won't be sold to them unless they have an id or an adult who'll buy it for If they pass that part, they need to get past the usher ripping tickets. If the adult left already they cannot go in. Sometimes, the kids get aggressive at this point but no one's dealing with that crap. The usher is gonna call security. A lot of the time, the adult will buy the tickets, get past the ushers and then leave the kids to enjoy the movie on their own. some kids will buy tickets for a lower rated movie in the same area as an r rated one then sneak into that one. As I said before, the ushers don't care if people snuck into a regular movie. They only care if they went into a special showing, it's crowded or if they're being assholes.

Does the movie theater itself have a say in what movies get shown?

Asked by irma over 12 years ago

The theater picks what movies they want to show. If its a really popular, we pick how many of that movie we want to show. We pay for every print.

How old is the popcorn and when's the best time to get it fresh? I get stale popcorn all the time...

Asked by Lily over 12 years ago

Ok, here's the deal with the popcorn: Depending on the theater, you'll get either prepackaged popcorn or popcorn made there. My theater makes their own. theaters don't just serve fresh popcorn out of the popper because we would be unable to keep up with the demand. So we make a little extra,even more so just before the busy weekend, and store it to use for the next day. We use to store them for up to a week! However, they've changed things around so now they're mainly a day old. At that point, it's still considered "fresh." the best time to get popcorn is on a busy weekend where we have to continuously pop fresh popcorn because all of the stored ones ran out. However, you might also run other things selling out or breaking down though

When you run a 3D movie, do you sanitize the 3D glasses after each use?

Asked by lets all go to the lobby ... over 12 years ago

To be honest, what happens to the glasses is a mystery to me. I assume it falls into an abyss cuz we never empty the bins. But we don't re-use them for sure. Our glasses come to the theater packaged and wrapped in plastic. I assume they just get recycled like any other paper or plastic thing. It might just be more cost effective to order new glasses and get rid of the old ones than to clean them out.

Be assured that the glasses you got are brand new :)

Why don't longer movies have intermissions?

Asked by i gotta pee!!! over 12 years ago

Hmmm... I don't really know why, Since we have intermissions for operas and double features. but if it helps your bladder, I know there's an app that you can download (don't remember the name) that tells you what times are the best times to leave during a movie. So you don't miss anything important.

Has your theater changed its security policies in any way, given the recent Dark Knight tragedy?

Asked by Sam over 12 years ago

I've gotten this question a lot. Truthfully, I hadn't noticed an increased number in security at all. Many patrons decided not to go to the movies anyway; it was a really slow weekend for us. I think a lot of people decided not to go because of the shooting, regard less of the number of security. I will say that the city requires the theater to have actual police present in the theater during the weekends because it's always busier. Weekdays have regular security.

I used to be an usher and let my friends in for free. Are they any more sophisticated these days about counting tickets sold vs. stubs actually ripped?

Asked by dog over 12 years ago

Nope. Its still rip & count tickets manually. I've never seen anything different.

Why don't more theaters have pre-assigned seating? If I could reserve a seat online so I wouldn't have to get to the theater super early to get good seats I'd go to the movies A LOT more often. Will that eventually become the norm?

Asked by byroNOLA over 12 years ago

It probably won't become the norm. There are already problems with pre assigned seats like double booking. Also, what happens when your preferred seats are already bought? Will you not watch the movie or will you just sit someplace else? Will other people be as cooperative? Even in our pre assigned seats, people still sit wherever they want. Even when an usher tells tells them to move to the seat they bought, customers can get pretty nasty. Pre assigned seating is similar to going to a regular seated movie as you would still have to go either online or go early to get the seats you want.

What's the most popular movie that's ever played at your theater?

Asked by samO over 12 years ago

The dark knight. That movie still haunts some of my coworkers. Then it's the Potter & twilight series.

EDIT: Memorial day weekend was the worst thing that ever happened. A movie for every age group and they were all highly anticipated movies. Fast 6 was THE most popular movie at the time.

Since you've been working there, what movie have the most people walked out of?

Asked by rotten tomato over 12 years ago

The only time I've seen people swarm to customer service is when there's something wrong in the theater, not the movie. As communication among movie lovers increases and sites like rotten tomatoes exist, only fools would watch a movie after they've heard it was crappy. The only instances where I can imagine people walking out like crazy would be in movies where it was heavily hyped and star studded but it was actually terrible. Like "the tourist" lol

Besides popcorn, what's the best-selling theater snack? I'm guessing Raisinets...

Asked by mmm... almost 12 years ago

Other than drinks (Pepsi/coke) icees would be the next popular item. In terms of candy, Buncha Crunch is immensely popular. Sour patch kids are also very popular and because we sell 2 kinds of the stuff, it sells more than any other candy.

Is it true that bedbugs are becoming a huge problem at movie theaters?

Asked by emily over 12 years ago

Ah, I remember when my theater was hit with a bedbug scandal. Truth is it's not a problem. If a theater has bedbugs and an inspector finds them, the WHOLE THEATER would shut down and have to be fumigated. You will probably never see any bedbugs at theaters. In our case, it ends up that the bedbugs rumor was spread my a disgruntled coworker who was recently fired. There were no bedbugs. However, we do have a fruit fly problem seasonally. Its not an infestation by a long shot. They mostly hang around trash barrels and are kind of annoying.

Is there a limit on how many minutes worth of previews can be shown before the actual movie starts?

Asked by Sy over 12 years ago

15 min of previews.

If I walk into a movie theater but the only seats left are in the first row, can I get a refund (assuming I leave and don't watch the movie)?

Asked by Mo sizzle over 12 years ago

The policy where I work says that you'll be compensated (but not refunded) if you leave within the first 30 min of the movie.

To get into a rated R movie can I just show the ticket worker my birth certificate?

Asked by TreShon Rouse over 11 years ago

So then, how will they know it's yours? If you're going to do that, you might as well get a state id.

In short, no.

Can you bring in outside drinks to a movie? They used to be strict about that and actually go through your bag, but I feel like I haven't been hassled about it in years.

Asked by mila over 12 years ago

I think that's about right. We did use to care but now we don't even have the sign that tells people not to bring food anymore. A new manager might be adamant about it but gives up soon after. I think we only mind when you bring in something ridiculous like a shopping cart like this only lady did. I brought a box of pizza once. But I don't suggest you do that :)

If you could commandeer the projector and show any 5 movies you want, what would they be?

Asked by 2121 over 12 years ago

Hmm. That's a tough one.. if I was to pick my favorites: 1. Everything is Illuminated 2. The Princess Bride 3.Lord of the Rings: Return of the King 4: Shutter Island 5: Howl's Moving Castle if I was looking to make my employees hate me and fill my theater with people, I'd pick movies that have developed a legion of fans. 1. Harry Potter series 2. Twilight series 3. Hunger Games 4. High School Musical (ew) 5. The Dark Knight

Have you seen any good fights break out in the audience when someone wouldn't shut up or was talking on their cell phone during the movie?

Asked by brassy monkey over 12 years ago

Absolutely. There have been times when we've needed to call police and an ambulance. Fights happen for all kinds of dumb reasons. Cutting in line, being obnoxious during the show and even because someone took their seat! Just las week, this teen was jumped by other teens and they all ran out before anything could be done.

This thread is awesome, thank you for doing it! Why aren't there more healthy snack options at the concession stands?

Asked by Mellie over 12 years ago

Thanks :) I'm just surprised this is the only food related but not money related question. The truth is because no one will buy it. The theater I work at use to sell packaged fruits & veggies with dip. But no one really bought them and they spoiled very quickly. So we discontinued them.

What percent of a theater's revenue comes from concessions versus tickets? How about PROFIT?

Asked by DimDime almost 12 years ago

Ok, I wasn't able to get percentages. Basically, a HUGE chunk of the revenue comes from concessions. That's where we make our money. A little comes from ticket sales. How much of the ticket sale profit we get depends on the movie company (for example, Paramount gives more than the other companies) but the average is about 10%. Some money comes from local businesses advertising at the theater.

But like I said, a big slice of the pie comes from concessions. This article might shed some light on why and might give you a better idea of how much : http://goo.gl/u19Ow

Why is it always either freezing or boiling in the theaters? And if a customer asks the manager to adjust the temperature, will he usually do it?

Asked by Theo O over 12 years ago

I've only been in a cold theater once. And that was when Titanic first came out. Where I work, the ushers have to regularly take the temperature. If a customer complains, I think an usher checks the temperature. If it's truly too cold or too hot, we'll change it.

How strict are you guys about letting underage teens into R-rated movies without an adult?

Asked by Kinsburger over 12 years ago

Pretty strict. You can't buy a ticket without an adult, you can't even get into the theater without one, and if an usher sees you, you can't continue to watch the movie without one. An adult has to be present at all times or else they'll kick you out if they catch you

Is saving seats in a theater allowed? Meaning, if I'm saving a seat for a friend in a packed theater and someone else requests it, does that person actually have the right to claim that seat? (I assume most people respect the saved seat, but for a popular, first-run movie, I can see where this could get ugly).

Asked by brassy monkey over 12 years ago

Ok, if you go into a theater with friends and you find seats, then your friends decide that they want to get food and ask you to save the seats for them, that's fine. Technically, there should be enough seats to accommodate everyone who bought a ticket and you were there first. the only time where there would be a problem with a shortage of seats is when people sneak into a crowded theater. In director's hall, people pay for reserved seats so there's no reason why anyone would be asking for your reserved seat. Of course, other patrons may not like having been denied a seat they prefer so an argument may arise. Then, a manager will be called to solve the dispute. If the people who stole the seat are being really nasty about it, its probably in everyone's best interest if they just find new seats to avoid conflict. Hope it helped :)

is it safe to say that most movie theater employees wind up seeing the majority of movies in their theaters? Could you be the next Siskel or Ebert? :)

Asked by N(an)C17 almost 12 years ago

At first, we do. Whenever someone first starts, they will see LITERALLY EVERY MOVIE that comes out. After a while, the novelty wears off and we start watching them less & less often. There was a point where I didn't see one for months. The employees would watch them as much as they did before they were hired or even less so. Only a handful of my coworkers watch movies enough to talk about them regularly.

With movie theater attendance on the decline, is your theater making any changes or offering new incentives to get people to come see movies?

Asked by hungryBird almost 12 years ago

The only thing I've seen lately, outside of the usual promotions, are the new rewards cards. we're all kind of taken aback by the lack of customers lately. Then again, most customers come in during vacation, like winter & summer break. It's also when the best movies come out.

How much does it cost to rent out a whole theater for a private event like a kids' birthday party?

Asked by Ray Zuhnets over 12 years ago

It's possible to rent out a whole theater but the price depends on the size of the theater. However, the cost needs to make up for the losses the cinema would have had as if they cancelled the showing. In other words, say a theater seats 300 people so you'd have to pay for all those 300 seats (about $3300) and I don't know think they charge you for other stuff. So we rarely get someone renting a theater unless it was a company renting it for it's employees. We do have birthday party rooms but it's just what they are: rooms with decor targeted towards a younger audience. It's $18/ child and it doesn't include food.

Have you ever caught someone bootlegging a movie? Do they really just do it by sitting there with a digital camcorder?

Asked by Hzah9441 over 11 years ago

I haven't heard anybody catching someone do that. From the bootlegged movies I've seen, it really does look like someone just sits with a camcorder. It'd have to be in an empty theater though, since a crowded one will have obnoxious teens, people getting up and talking as well as MUCH higher chance getting caught. If it's empty, not even the projectionist will glance at the seats. 

However, you might get an usher just taking the theater's temperature and might look at who's there.

*EDIT

Recently, we had a couple of kids sneak into Fast 6 and set up a tripod right at front row! They thought since it was a slow day, they wouldn't get caught. They bought child tickets online (usher was suppose to deny them entrance because they were clearly not under 11) and their bags weren't searched (been doing that since the Colorado incident). After they were caught and were told to put it away, they had the gall to stay and continue recording. When the managers caught wind of it, we remembered that it's a federal offense bootleg. Police were called and they will be persecuted. JAIL TIME!

Does the movie ticket scanning machine make a special noise when it scans a senior or youth ticket? I want to know how easy it would be to sneak in with a discount ticket.

Asked by PT almost 12 years ago

Hmm. My theater doesn't have any scanners nor have I been to one that has them. I wouldn't know anything about it :/ I'm assuming the noise doesn't change

What is the point of the guys who walk up and down aisles with a flashlight? it kinda ruins the movie, like its really distracting,

Asked by Brandilyn over 11 years ago

My theater isn't that dark that they need flashlights. But thhose guys are just checking things out. Making sure everything is ok. They shouldn't be there for long

What happens if a teen gets into an R rated movie and watches the whole thing but then when they walk out the staff who hols the doors open notice them? Do they get in trouble?

Asked by Stranger over 11 years ago

It happens. Nothing that can really be done about it after they've seen it. Managers are not going to be chasing them down and ushers are not going to make a big deal about it. At the end of the movie, their main concern is cleaning the theater as they only have a few min to clean the whole thing. They probably don't even notice the teens coming out.

I'm 17 and i'm planning on going to the rocky horror show on halloween. I bought my ticket and my friends got their parents to buy them. they're all 16, will we be able to get in since I have my permit showing that i'm 17?

Asked by claudia about 11 years ago

You are able to go in so long as you have a picture ID proving you're 17. Your friends, however, cannot go in unless someone OVER 18 is with them. Unfornately, you cannot be that "adult."

:(

How would you describe your theater? Mainstream? Art house? Big or small? Just wondering since you show classic films.

Asked by V for Vendetta over 11 years ago

My theater has 20 screens with the smallest being more than enough to seat all oof the employees. So it's pretty huge.

As for design, there's nothing too fancy about it. Sure, we might have some decor, but it's not works of art, hanging curtains, ect. So I guess it's definitely, "mainsteam"

What are some strategies that teens use for sneaking into a rated-R movie?

Asked by Carolyn over 11 years ago

Nice try, teen.

1) Get a a parent to buy them a ticket

1b) Buy a ticket for another movie that's playing around the same time in the same vicinity.

2) Have the parent continue to walk with them (or by themselves if they bought it for a different movie), past the usher ripping the tickets.

3) Go into the restricted theater. 

Sounds simple? You're suppose to have a parent be with you at all times. If there isn't one present, They wont sell you the ticket, you wont get past the usher, and if they see you in a theater without an adult, they'll ask and will kick you out if you don't have one. 

But please, don't get mad if you're caught. It wont help your situation and we might get security if you're being difficult.

Why have movies doubled in price over just the last 10 years? Are movie tickets basically price-independent in that you'll sell just as many even if the price goes up a little bit or have you noticed an immediate drop in sales for previous hikes?

Asked by ra.walker over 11 years ago

Ticket prices are a agreed upon by the movie companies that make and distribute the movies, independent of the theaters. People have other ways to watch a movie without spending their paycheck so they come less often.  I havent worked long enough to see a significant change yet, as the price doesn't increase as fast as the snacks do. 10 years is a long time. Plenty of time for customers to acclimate to the change in ticket prices.

That doesn't stop some customers to tell me about the good 'ol days...

In the end, I havent seen a difference in sales. 

Say you're 16 and have tickets already purchased to an R rated movie. Will the employees ever deny access even though you have a ticket already purchased?

Asked by Someone over 11 years ago

Unless you have an adult with you, you will be denied entry every time. 

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_18810

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_16253

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15996

 

 

What one movie at your theater resulted in the most complaints, either because it sucked or parents thought it was inappropriately rated?

Asked by bravery over 11 years ago

The only times I see a lot of people complain is when a show, like an opera, is playing live but   something goes wrong with the picture. The can complain about the content of the movie all they want but there's nothing we can do about that. We didn't make it and we didn't decide on the ratings.

... I will tell you a time that sort of fufills the "inappropriately rated" part. A few years ago, we have a theater full of kids and their parents ready to watch Tangled. So the movie begins to play... and a very gory scene from Saw 3D plays instead. You can imagine the terror coming from that. The parents sued. I don't know what happened to the case but I assume it was settles out of court.

Can you get banned from a movie theatre? If so, for what reason?

Asked by Mentalcase over 11 years ago

I assume you can ( but maybe not forever) although I haven't heard of anybody getting banned. Patrons can be really disruptive, rude and irritable. Some steal, some fight and some destroy property. At that point, police can get involved and they probably wont be back for a while.

Also, when I say not forever because combine the fact that thousands come in on the weekend and the high turnover rate, it's really easy for someone to slip through the cracks.

What happens to the films that have already played, do the theaters return them, or do they keep them in a room?

Asked by potatos over 11 years ago

When we had film reels, a 3rd party dropped off the reels and collectdthem to send them back to the movie companies when we stopped playing them. In a way, we're just renting the reels.

Movies are digital now but it's basically the same thing but with hard drives. 

What would happen if My friend payed for his ticket and just let me in throught one of the exits while noone was there and we got caught? Or whats the worst thing?

Asked by Mike over 11 years ago

The actions depend on the employee. Sometimes, if it's not busy or something, they'll let it go. Or they might just kick you out.

It's the same situation in this question: 

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15969

 

I live in the Northeast. What months of the year are movie houses usually the slowest for business? Since most are PT workers do some workers loose hours or are laid-off??

Asked by Joseph over 11 years ago

The slowerst months are the fall-spring. Most of the patrons have school or work full time jobs so there's a significant decrease in business. 

However, this is also true for the employees. They arent laid off, they leave voluntarily. A huge chunk of my coworkers (from 14-18+) have left for school. It's not like the employees that are staying get more hours seeing as less people are needed during the slower seasons.

The minors (-18) can't legally work too many hours anyway. So if they stayed working after school started, it'd probably be only on the weekends until 7 or 9pm

How old do my kids have to be to watch a different movie from what I watch in a same theatre around the same time schedule? I enjoy a lot of kids movies, but sometimes there are some that I really don't wish to watch...thank you!

Asked by Mamabanana over 11 years ago

That's more of a subjective question. If you think your toddler can sit sit and watch a movie than most 14 year olds can, then by all means let him. You know your kids and they are allowed to see the kids movie, not like they need an adult constantly like R movies. 

I only ask to make sure your movies end around the same time or establish a meeting place with your kids before hand. Not all theaters have them, but mines have an arcade where my siblings can entertain themselves there for a bit until my movie's over.

What if someone went to the theatres, bought a ticket, but went to a different movie than the movie you bought the tickets for? but theyre the same price? would you get caught? how bad of trouble would you be in?
Thanks!!:) ????

Asked by LouLou about 11 years ago

This is the most frequesntly asked question I get.

Essentially, this happens 

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15969

What if your 16 but look older like 18 to 20 and you want to go see a Rated R movie would they ID you? What happens if you show them an ID from your school saying your a Junior? Would that make it better? Or what?

Asked by Sallie over 11 years ago

Yes, nope, nope. You will get carded well past 18. In my state, you can obtain an ID when you're 14. I don't know about other places but it's always good to have. They're not going to take your word for it.

Kicking people out is the most favorited part of the job.

What if I pay for a ticket to see a pg movie but instead I see a different one that rated R. I'm 13 btw

Asked by Susan over 11 years ago

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_18810

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_16253

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15996

I want to go see a movie with a girl I like. She is 17 I'm only 16. The movie is rated R so I am thinking about trying to sneak in to it. I don't want a parent coming with. Do u think I could get away with buying a ticket. If not what would u suggest

Asked by Loverboy40 over 11 years ago

You can't. She can buy and watch the movie but since she's not a legal adult she can't buy the ticket for you. Close but no cigar.

I don't know what to tell you without breaking the rules. 

How often does your theater show classic films? And double features where two movies are worth the price of one?

Asked by Anonymous over 11 years ago

My theater shows the classics every week. As well as opera preformances and mma/boxing matches.

aint nothing worth dem ticket prices, man

Hi I was wondering what happens if your caught sneaking into a R rated movie but with pg-13 tickets? Thanks!

Asked by 16 year old kid over 11 years ago

Still sneaking in, same scenario as these questions

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_18810

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_16253

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15996

How old do you have to be to work at a movie theater? I am 17

Asked by kayla about 11 years ago

14 is the legal working age in most states.

Seeing as you're 17, you're more sought after than anyone younger than you because you can legally operate more machinery and stay longer hours.

It's a decent first job. You can kiss your weekends goodbye

Hi! At my church, we won some free "manager passes" to a local movie theater. What is a manager pass, and how can I use it?

Asked by musteatducks about 11 years ago

I think it's just a fancy way of saying passes. Your church should let you know which theater you can use them at (or it might say on the passes themselves). Once there, i think you can just go to guest services to redeem them

will you need to to take ID if watching a 15 rated movie if under 16

Asked by Rose over 11 years ago

In my state, you can get an ID as soon as you're 14. However, it's pretty easy to spot a child from a teen but not so much a teen from an adult. I'm actually not too sure on what the policy is on pg13 (or whatever age) is.

I'm not even going to lie, I'm planning on purchasing tickets to a PG-13 movie with my friend and then sneaking in to see The Conjuring. What are the chances of me getting caught, what will happen if I do get caught?

Asked by Amanda over 11 years ago

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_18810

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_16253

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15996

I'm 16 looking for a first job, would you recommend working at a movie theater? Also what position would you think would be best to do?

Asked by Michael over 11 years ago

Don't recommended if you've been coddled all your life. We don't tolerate that lol.

Since you're 16, you can't close (lucky) so the latest you'll get out is like 9:30 and you can't operate machinery.

Concessions, where I work, I feel have the greatest variety of people, but most wish they worked somewhere else.

QSR (quick servie restaurant), where they serve burgers and fries, is easier and required cooking.

Cashiers, I think have the easiest job but you might have to worh customer service too. And people will be stupid!

Ushers just clean and it's what qsr & concessionist want to be. Grass is greener I guess. You will have to clean up vomit! And what people leave behind in theaters and it can get weird.

I think following twitter accounts like @Movie_Probz (my fav) will give you a good sense of what eployee life is like. Also, you might see the occasional celeb at work!

 

All in all, there isn't going to be an easy 1st job and it won't be as glamorous as you think, no matter what you apply for. Just work hard and be nice to everybody. Your coworkers can be some of your best friends and make work better :)

What is the craziest story EVER? Related to your job, of course.

Asked by awesomeness GURL over 11 years ago

Ohhh.... that could be anything. So many to pick from...

1) Lady stabs herself in the bathroom for no apparent reason.

2) Lady was drunk and indoors but thought she was trapped outside or something. Grabs a velvet rope post (those things weight A LOT) and smashes a glass door with it. then she pees herself

3) Man in the crowd spots my black coworker, follows him, spits on him and calls him the N-word. This is a random stranger. Lose faith in humanity

4) Whatever sex scandal is happening at work recently

ect ect

how much are you fined if you sell a ticket for an over 18 movie to an underager? is it more than the 7,000 fine for buying alcohol for underagers?

Asked by soph almost 11 years ago

good question

it's a misdemenor so it's a $2,500 fine, i think

but the difference between booze and a movie is that your parents can't buy you alcohol and everyone is cool with it. but anyone over 18 can buy you that ticket so long as they stay with you

Let's say me and my girlfriend are making out at the end of the movie when everyone leaves and the clean up guys walk in do you think I could bribe them to give me like 10 minutes alone with her? What would you do? How much would you ask for?

Asked by Bo77 about 11 years ago

There are a few reasons why that wont work:

1) Ushers only have a few minutes to clean the whole theater. They cant do that if you're still in there. I doubt the both of you would be comfortable making out while the ushers are watching, waiting for you to get out anyway.

2) As soon as they're done, the next showing can be seated. Again, you're getting in the way of that. Patrons will complain.

3) There's more than one usher. Are you willing to pay them all off? 

4) Most importantly, kicking people out is the best part of the job. They're not going to take that bribe.

a customer comes out of the theatre and says its too cold what do you usually say to them?

Asked by hobby over 11 years ago

http://www.jobstr.com/threads/show/3786#question_15971

I often go to the ticket kiosk and purchase a senior ticket at the reduced price. What will happen if I ever get caught?

Asked by corbetthaas@gmail.com over 10 years ago

ehh, i think the worst that could happen is that they'll have you pay for the regular ticket. They certainly wont ban you and i doubt they'll kick you out for it.

Can I pay for my 13 year old and a friend to see a rated R movie but not go and see it with them?

Asked by Jennifer almost 11 years ago

yes, you can pay for them.

but they won't be able to watch the movie after you leave.

Why do teens have to buy adult tickets but can't see rated R movies?

Asked by Blair about 11 years ago

well they're certainly not children. Nor are they seniors.

You can watch a rated R movie... Just with an adult. Because you're still a minor, legally.

 

If parents call ahead and give name, etc. and okay you to see a rated R movie can you see it (with a student ID or something, of course)

Asked by Lisa over 11 years ago

nope :)

can children 11-13 go to a rated r movie with an adult? we were thinking of going to the conjuring

Asked by Megan over 11 years ago

Yes. But they must be with you at all times.

That movie is wicked scary T_T

I left my glasses in my case under my seat at the movies. Would you have thrown it out?

Asked by Daniel about 11 years ago

No. at least not right away

It'll go to lost and found for the day. but if you dont pick it up by the end of the day, they might keep it in the office or in storage for a week. But if you take too long, it will eventually get thrown out.

Credit/debit cards arent thrown out though.

How old do you have to be to sell tickets

Asked by Shawna over 10 years ago

its not like you have to operate machinery or do anything dangerous.

14

Can a big group of teens go watch an R rated movie with one adult? And can the adult leave like in the middle of the movie if they dont feel comfortable which leads them to waiting outside?

Asked by Kaya about 11 years ago

yes and no. 1 adult (18+) can be the guardian for a whole group. However, they need to be with that group through the entire movie. So if they left halfway, then you no longer have an adult in that group. The adult would have to come back in, or the whole group leaves with them.

can teenagers go see a movie at any time or is there a specific time that underaged people can go?

Asked by Yenis over 10 years ago

There's no time restriction for teens. If there's a pg13 movie at 1am, go ahead and watch it.

do you know if there is ID check or ticket check at the door of Annabelle

Asked by Lindsey about 10 years ago

There is if you look young and don't have an adult with you

how many employee does a movie theater have

Asked by leax06 over 10 years ago

Depends on the theater. A small private one culd have just a handful of employees. One that's as big as mine could have over 100.

Hi Is working as a usher a good job? Do they trained them or they expect you to know from the video ?

Asked by angel over 10 years ago

Kinda both.  The videos give you the run down but you'll be trained.  Ushers are what everyone wants to be.  Si it must be better than concessions or cashiers! I think they do the least communication with customers.  They'll still ask you questions

Ok, next wee my friend and I are going to see 22 Jump Street, which is rated R. I'm 17 but I don't have an ID and I didnt want to stand in that long line just to get one. So I was wondering, would it be ok to just bring my birth certificate ?

Asked by Kay S. over 10 years ago

No

How much of a tip would we have to pay to get into an R rated movie?

Asked by Ashlynn And Gloria almost 11 years ago

I don't know, are you willing to tip everyone just to get into the movie?

you're gonna have to pay the ticket seller, the usher ripping your tickets, the other ushers checking the theaters for any trouble

How much are you willing to pay to break the law?

if i have a medical card with my DOB & name, and my school ID with name & picture. can i buy a rated r ticket with that? at regal stadium or even regancy ?

Asked by Lindsey about 10 years ago

I don't work at either company,  so I don't know their policy.  I did that very same thing when I was trying to buy a M video game and I didn't have an id and it worked. So that MIGHT work out

i have a question for you do the recent movie theatres have security cameras inside the theatres dose it affect the couples privacy

Asked by karthik almost 11 years ago

There arent any camera's in theaters. But's it isnt about the couples. It's about everyone's privacy.

The trailers you see of people getting scared in theaters are all fake

So i got caught sneaking into a imax movie. A determined worker recognized me (I've done this multiple times) and told the manager on me. She said pay for the proper ticket or get kicked out. How long should i wait for them to not regonize me anymore

Asked by Squiggles over 10 years ago

Forever

how old do you have to be to go to a movie theater by yourself

Asked by Person over 10 years ago

There really isn't a policy on how old you have to be to see a movie by yourself in general.  Just on the movies themselves.  Like,  you can't have an underage person watch a rated R movie by themselves.  But you can have a 7 yr old or whatever watch a pg movie alone.  A lot of parents do that seeing as they don't always want to watch a kids movie with them And they'll watch another movie that just gets out at the same time as the kids one

What is the job title of ripping movie ticket stubs?

Asked by Lola about 10 years ago

Usher

can children under 13 or 11 go to movies alone? (without an adult)

Asked by lily over 10 years ago

I think that if you know they can be well behaved, it shouldn't be a problem. A lot of the time, a parent doesnt want to see the same movie as the kids so they'll cordinate the times the movie ends so they'll meet up again quickly. We have spots like the arcade and the lobby where we have tv's as popular meetup locations.

All in all, it should be ok to have a kid go watch a movie alone, provided that they're watching an age appropriate movie. a 7 yr old probably wont be able to get tickets for a pg13 movie

This may seem random but why is there typically a glass panel separating you (the ticket buyer) from the ticket person (or whom ever sells the tickets at the theater)? Is this a security thing, a cultural thing, or a mixture of both?

Asked by A-nother person about 11 years ago

That's not in my theater. But I think the glass thing is only if the ticket booth is outside of the building? All of the theaters I've gone too have the booth inside and none had glass, so that's my guess.

It's definitely a security thing. Sometimes it does have a nostalgic effect but the glass is to protect the vendor.

I've been told that if no one is in the movie theater you can sneak behind the movie screen? I have no idea what's back there but I really wanna find out. What are the chances of getting caught and what would happen if I was?

Asked by Eli Lexington over 10 years ago

I don't know about other theaters. But at mine's there's nothing behind the screen. Just a wall. There is a room by the emergency exit but there's nothing in it. If anything was stored there, you'd have to go in during a movie to retrieve it, disrupting the movie.

Besides, even if there was no one in the theater itself, it doesnt mean there's nobody at the projection booth. There's a possiblity they'll see you.

"What's that guy doing? [Calls usher to check it out and watches everything from afar]"

I'm sorry, you won't find any dead bodies behind the screen. If that's what you're wondering

Do you check id's for r rated movies for people who look like they're 17 or 18

Asked by snash883 over 10 years ago

Yes. Id check for errbody

What is a role of an usher

Asked by angel over 10 years ago

You're expected to clean. This includes spills, theaters, sometimes puke, take out the trash, show people their seats,  ect... If you're of age,  you can do other cool stuff like change the signs,  or uh... shovel the snow. .. 

im 17 and want to go to see a rated R movie, but the thing is i do not have a licence so how can i get in if they ask me for and id?

Asked by sam about 10 years ago

Get yourself a state id. You can get one as soon 14. You won't have to worry about this kind of thing anymore

What happens if a 21 year old gets a minor in a rated r movie but then leaves when she gets him in?

Asked by taylor over 10 years ago

Well if the minor ever gets up to get food or whatever, they cannot go back in without the adult. If the adult with the ticket is not present, they have to leave.

No refunds, thanks

I plan on applying to work at the movies. When I'm asked "Why do you want to work here?" What should I say? What shouldn't I say?

Asked by Kat over 10 years ago

Well, why do you want to work there?

A job there isn't exactly a carreer job and they know that. Don't worry about it too much. If you're really concerned, you can say you love the entertainment business and love to serve and make people appy.

Is there any rule regarding PDA during a movie?

Asked by Skins46 over 10 years ago

rule? only those set by society. dont do anything you wouldnt do in public. Because that's where you are. In public

How crazy was the theater for the first couple premiers of the fault in our stars?

Asked by Lilli over 10 years ago

Hmm,  not too bad.  This movie mostly appealed to young teens so many couldn't watch the Thursday night premiers seeing as it was a school night.  They rarely have their own money so they tended to stay away the stands and gravitated more around the 22 jump Street cardboard cutouts and took selfies as they stroked Channing Tatum's 2d muscles. 

... did I answer the question? 

Can the satellite see people be sexual while the movie is on

Asked by hi over 10 years ago

... What?

Satellites? Like in space? Or do you mean cameras? There are no cameras in the theaters. And stop being sexual. You're in public and people are trying to watch a movie.

and hi :)

instead of my mum supervising me in a movie im too young for, can she talk to the manager on the phone and tell him its ok for me to see the movie

Asked by Nicholas over 10 years ago

nope

rules be rules

Are there cameras in the auditorium and do they watch the people?

Asked by Wondering over 10 years ago

No and no