In India, we have mandatory breaks somewhere in the middle of all movies. Even for Hollywood Movies, it is just shut off, sometimes right in the middle of a fight or an intense scene. We pee, have snacks and make phone calls. :-)
My first reaction when I saw Sin City somewhere in Detroit was, "How long is this movie?" Then I realize why everyone had popcorns and everything before the movie starts.
It also helps in increasing popcorn and coffee sales. I have witnessed many folks buy items at the start and during intermission (break during the movie)
This is before my time, but I have heard from a few people that there were a few, at least one Hindi classic movie [1] back in the 70's that had a running time of 255 minutes and this movie was screened with two intermissions, understandably.
That's because Bollywood movies tend to be on the "longer side" its crazy how short most Hollywood films are now....catering to the short attention spans of their viewers.
having said that.....this app must die, its a terrible idea :)
TIL that intermissions don't exist in a lot of countries. I always get pop-corns and coke during the second half.
No wonder the theaters often cut to black (for a break) at abrupt points during Hollywood films. A lot of Bollywood films on the other hand have well defined "half time" or intermission.
The only US movie that I've seen this for was Gettysburg when they showed the Director's Cut in theaters for a limited run. My father, rest his soul, took me to see that. I recall playing Street Fighter on the arcade machine at some point during that trip. Thanks for bringing up that memory!
I note that the app store reviews[1] mention that it does a lot of forced ad-watching. One says "must sit through a 10 second bright full screen ad for bladder medication upon opening". This seems counterproductive for an app that you may want to glance at during the film, to say the least...
We think 4D movies; movies that gets the audiences' devices involved into the experience could be a way of the future. Similar to the texting PSA in China created by Volkswagen (very effective).
>We think 4D movies; movies that gets the audiences' devices involved into the experience could be a way of the future.
That is certainly an interesting idea. I'm thinking, though, that getting it to work and be stable across the many devices we have is prohibitly difficult.
If I were to do something like this, I'd look at the Firefox OS phones. I don't think they are ready yet, but crazy cheap Firefox OS phones will come. They target developing countries, but would also be good for something like this. So when people buy their ticket, you also sell them this cheap device which you've prepared so that it'll work out of the box. It'll be similar to the way they currently sell 3D glasses at the cinemas.
Oooooh, how smart. I imagine a soccer/football game, give speakerblast your seat number for timing/placement purposes, rolling vuvuzela/team cheer-wave. Me likey!
I went to the movies on Friday, the guy in the seat ahead was looking at his (bright) phone ~ 5-10 times during the movie.. it was pretty annoying. I really hope this sort of thing doesn't become the norm to be honest!
There is another, less high-tech, approach. Use Depend(TM)underwear or equivalent and simply pee as needed. Simple and non-disruptive to the movie experience of other patrons in the theater. Seems to me that the urge to solve all problems with an App is not a good trend.
Movies in the U. S. used to have intermissions. _2001_ has been mentioned here. More recently, _Tess of the D'Urbervilles_ and _Ghandi_ in the 80s. (All of these from memory, I'm sure there are other examples.) It seems that after that cinemas just didn't do it anymore.
I understand that cinemas want you in and out as quickly as possible. At the same it would seem they can sell more high-margin soft drinks and popcorn if folks are given the opportunity to do so. In fact, there's no way in hell I'm buying anything at all even before the movie starts if I know it's a 3 hour "epic" that won't have an intermission. I'm going into that with a bladder that resembles Death Valley.
I don't think that's the case at all. Most good stories ebb and flow. It's important to give the viewer a chance to relax and build up tension before another exciting scene. But you're right, "Crank" is one of those movies that puts the peddle to the metal and doesn't let off. There is of course merit to that type of story telling as well.
I usually make sure I've emptied myself out before the movie starts, then return to the "loo" sometime after the movie has completed. If the director left a scene in a movie, at least one person thought it was important enough to be watched ... after screening a film, I sometimes think the whole movie was a pee-time.
I usually try to go during a scene I've seen online (for example, XMen:DoFP had the airplane scene that was available online well before the movie came out)
I hate seeing the bright phone screen in the middle of watching a film. [I have no idea if cinemas have a formal policy on that, though]
That said, the app had a "low key" design so it doesn't shine bright in the theater. ( Theoretically anyway).
When the movie starts you start the timer, and put the phone in your pocket. The the phone vibrates when a pee-time comes up. You don't have to take out your phone [until you're in the bathroom and want to read about what you're missing].
I've put a lot of thought into that. If you take a look at the app - it's free for now - you can see that it's easy to use without bothering others in the theater. The Timer feature is the most obvious method of using the app unobtrusively, but there are also other ways, like simply memorizing the time/cue for the Peetime of choice and looking for it during a film. We try our best to make the "cues" as memorable as possible.
That being said, there's nothing I can do to prevent, how to put this, less than considerate people from abusing the app.
I work for a relatively major cinema chain and we're experimenting without outright phone bans in a few of our trendier cinema sites. Seems to be going well so far, people respond well to it in general. Hopefully we can push it out to more sites.
Believe me, this is something I've been thinking about. Hopefully by year's end I'll have some integration like this. Not that it takes that long to develop, but I have a lot of other things on my plate right now.
I'd love to see an app the combines Popcorn time with this. Instead of just reading about the missed parts, it'll stream the relevant part on your phone.
Obviously it would have to be legal, therefore with some kind of partnership with the studios, and should recognize the scene you left the movie.
That is, if you're ok with using a phone while peeing.
This leads to what strikes me as a potentially negative heuristic for determining what moments in a given film have worth. Summer flick drivel aside, would RunPee assign a high pee time to, say, Drive, which has a significant amount of mood-setting long shots without any dialogue or plot-relevant action?
Excuse me for probably taking this too far, but this app seems to imply that films are merely the sum of plot-related scenes, and that doesn't sit quite well with me. Would the app consider every establishing shot in Alien to be pee-able?
If this app were ever to be wildly successful, enough people would try to leave the theater at the same time that cinema operators would either lock the toilets or start having intermissions.
It's not their problem. Possibly people would just not leave if too many left already since with waiting in the queue they could not make it back on time.
Btw, I think we had startups like this already. Is it the same one with some more sexy domain or something different?
I guess we're at the point where each of us carry around sufficient technology to give us subtitles on demand, useful if we missed a few lines of dialogue.
(We're probably not socially or legally cool with that, though.)
Ooh, a more experimental place like the Alamo Drafthouse might be able to pull off restrooms attached to each individual theater, simulcasting the show onto screens in there. Licensing for extra screens, even tiny ones, might be complicated though...
[+] [-] Brajeshwar|11 years ago|reply
My first reaction when I saw Sin City somewhere in Detroit was, "How long is this movie?" Then I realize why everyone had popcorns and everything before the movie starts.
[+] [-] slaxman|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pavanred|11 years ago|reply
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mera_Naam_Joker
[+] [-] swatkat|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] deancognation|11 years ago|reply
having said that.....this app must die, its a terrible idea :)
[+] [-] Indyan|11 years ago|reply
No wonder the theaters often cut to black (for a break) at abrupt points during Hollywood films. A lot of Bollywood films on the other hand have well defined "half time" or intermission.
[+] [-] mathgeek|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] TazeTSchnitzel|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] deancognation|11 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] kemayo|11 years ago|reply
[1]: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id450326239?mt=8
[+] [-] paul9290|11 years ago|reply
We have a live demo on our site if interested - http://speakerblast.com.
We think 4D movies; movies that gets the audiences' devices involved into the experience could be a way of the future. Similar to the texting PSA in China created by Volkswagen (very effective).
[+] [-] erikano|11 years ago|reply
That is certainly an interesting idea. I'm thinking, though, that getting it to work and be stable across the many devices we have is prohibitly difficult.
If I were to do something like this, I'd look at the Firefox OS phones. I don't think they are ready yet, but crazy cheap Firefox OS phones will come. They target developing countries, but would also be good for something like this. So when people buy their ticket, you also sell them this cheap device which you've prepared so that it'll work out of the box. It'll be similar to the way they currently sell 3D glasses at the cinemas.
[+] [-] notlisted|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kunaalarya|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] patrickdavey|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] downandout|11 years ago|reply
"The Timer is our ace in the hole. You start it when the movie begins and it will vibrate before each Peetime"
[+] [-] mleonhard|11 years ago|reply
Not installing.
[+] [-] reedlaw|11 years ago|reply
1. http://www.xprivacy.eu/
[+] [-] drallison|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] makeset|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] foxylad|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jonknee|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] zephjc|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mikestew|11 years ago|reply
I understand that cinemas want you in and out as quickly as possible. At the same it would seem they can sell more high-margin soft drinks and popcorn if folks are given the opportunity to do so. In fact, there's no way in hell I'm buying anything at all even before the movie starts if I know it's a 3 hour "epic" that won't have an intermission. I'm going into that with a bladder that resembles Death Valley.
[+] [-] kyberias|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] skrebbel|11 years ago|reply
I guess "Crank" comes quite close.
[+] [-] RunPee|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] untog|11 years ago|reply
Now I haven't seen the movie, but that doesn't sound unimportant...
[+] [-] notjustanymike|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] smoyer|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bdcravens|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] benbristow|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] reboog711|11 years ago|reply
That said, the app had a "low key" design so it doesn't shine bright in the theater. ( Theoretically anyway).
When the movie starts you start the timer, and put the phone in your pocket. The the phone vibrates when a pee-time comes up. You don't have to take out your phone [until you're in the bathroom and want to read about what you're missing].
[+] [-] RunPee|11 years ago|reply
That being said, there's nothing I can do to prevent, how to put this, less than considerate people from abusing the app.
[+] [-] nizmow|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tomphoolery|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fiatjaf|11 years ago|reply
I really think there are more important things to do with all this technology.
[+] [-] wmeredith|11 years ago|reply
Then get crackin' buddy ;)
[+] [-] dallasgutauckis|11 years ago|reply
They should implement something similar, given the watch concept is significantly less intrusive and… bright.
[+] [-] RunPee|11 years ago|reply
Also, integration with Google Glasses. #WIN
[+] [-] jbkkd|11 years ago|reply
That is, if you're ok with using a phone while peeing.
[+] [-] codechick|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] shekhar101|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cronin101|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Yahivin|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Jehar|11 years ago|reply
Excuse me for probably taking this too far, but this app seems to imply that films are merely the sum of plot-related scenes, and that doesn't sit quite well with me. Would the app consider every establishing shot in Alien to be pee-able?
[+] [-] tobych|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] comboy|11 years ago|reply
Btw, I think we had startups like this already. Is it the same one with some more sexy domain or something different?
[+] [-] gpvos|11 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brownbat|11 years ago|reply
(We're probably not socially or legally cool with that, though.)
Ooh, a more experimental place like the Alamo Drafthouse might be able to pull off restrooms attached to each individual theater, simulcasting the show onto screens in there. Licensing for extra screens, even tiny ones, might be complicated though...
Here's to home viewing I guess.