For a short amount of time, I worked at a movie theater in my hometown. And let me tell you that I absolutely loved it. I loved the people, I loved the environment, and even though it was a very, very small theater (just 4 screens), it was the only one in our town. It got a lot of gyp for being disgusting and gross, but everyone would go. Everyone, despite how awful they claim it to be, shows up on the weekends and enjoys a feature.
After working there this past summer, I stumbled onto a few things that happened to me that I don’t think general patrons know about us employees. I’d like to share that with you, hopefully to clear the air.
6. Not Everyone Who Works There Is Into Movies
You would think this is a given. I certainly did. I was a film major hoping to be thrust into a working force of people who shared my passions, able to talk hours upon hours about classics like Lawrence of Arabia and the new and upcoming like The Dark Knight Rises. I was ready to talk in nothing but movie quotes, thinking it less of a challenge, and more like a rite of passage necessary to work in a movie theater.
Well, I was wrong. Not wrong in the sense that the people I worked with were incredibly interesting and nice, but wrong in the sense that only about four of them were very into film. And not the study of it, but rather just the movies themselves, as they were, shipped to the cinemas and all.
So, if you’re a cinephile like I am, and you approach someone working at concessions and ask them something along the lines of, “Do you think Martin McDonagh’s new film will be as good as his last one?” Don’t be surprised if you get a blank stare in return. The fact is, some people chose the movie theater as a last resort, or just thought it would be cool, or just hates that they couldn’t be working when the Harry Potter franchise was still going.
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11 Comments
Nice article, though I don’t necessarily agree that buying more popcorn is a friendly gesture that makes everyone happier. If you have even a small family, going to the cinema nowadays will cost you around £36 for four tickets, and near on £20 for, say, four popcorns and drinks.
I don’t know if it’s any better price-wise in the States where you are, but over £50 spent on watching a single film for two hours is ridiculous. I understand that cinemas have to make money from popcorn and stuff ’cause not as many people are going to watch films these days, but ticket prices are already double what they were five years ago. It’s horribly exploitive.
…that wasn’t really the point of that entry. That was a side-comment for friendly, conclusive purposes.
Great list, and yea the movie theater I work at is very similar. But when the shooting happened, my theater (which is in canada) told us to just supposed to reassure the guests. We had security personal just as an extra precaution, and for peoples peace of mind. And on the topic of up-selling, if someone is willing to spend $6 on a small popcorn why not pay .50 cents more and get double what your originally going to get. That’s something I don’t understand till this day
And the winner for biggest douche bag loser is…….YOU…..
Your IQ must be off the charts. I mean how can it not be. You must be in your early 20′s working on your 5 year plan. That being of course your goal to be making $8 dollars an hour and still living at home with the aspiration to be able to pay for your own movie instead of getting in for free by working at the theater.
You have so much potential you find it easy to laugh at an innocent child because why shouldnt you? You are on the fast track to mopping floors, then working the cash register, then who knows maybe in 5-10 years you can be a manager.
Keep it up champ. You are clearly a beacon of professionalism. Just know that the kid that you laughed at and turned away will one day be your boss and they will take great pleasure in laughing at your pain when you are let go for being 50 years old still working in a movie theater.
WHAT AN ABSOLUTELY STUPID ARTICLE.
Here is my list of 6 things you should know about the people that at the movie theater.
6) They prefer employment where long term is 6 months or more
5) They consider leftover Mike and Ike’s a perk of the job
4) Employee age range is 16-24 with excpetions of 1 or 2 retirees
3) This is most likely their first or last job
2) Most people who work there are “aspiring” to be something but havent actually done shi*
1) They chose this job because no drug test was required
this about sums it up!!
Working a summer job at a movie theater in a town with one movie theater, while I attend a university four hours away? I’m still in school. And I’m not making fun of my job or bitching about the people who work there.
Or can you just not read?
Nice accusations. They all happen to be wrong.
Ah it was all in good fun. I thought Oracle’s take was pretty funny. He didnt accuse you of bitching about the people you work with but rather the people you serve. So I thought he or she read it just fine.
Hey you were the one who says they got some satisfaction from watching a kid cry because they didnt have enough money.
That’s cold blooded right there Jack.
After I discussed the fact that I’ve worked with kids in roles of service practically my entire life.
I’ve worked at under-privileged camps and the like. And I don’t laugh at kids “crying.” Oracle’s “humorous” take was an assault; mine was not. I’m respectful to every patron of the theater and I’m happy to work there. “The kid you laughed at and turned away”…does this person legitimately think I’m staring down a child, laughing in their face, and making them cry? Is this person four? How would I even keep my job in that case?
This is an instance of someone on the Internet who likes to live within their own means and finds themselves above those who work at establishments like movie theaters. So, no. I don’t respond well to that. Asking people to throw away their trash for the betterment of other customers and things of the like is not beyond any reason.
And just to further the point; no kid has ever cried because they’re a few dollars short. They look at you, bug-eyed, and come back with more money. Good grief. I know this is the internet, but this is just ridiculous.
This is hilarious however your sarcastic tone my have been lost on him.
Hey, can I make a top ten list bitching about my job?
What a tool..
The quasi ‘attacks’ and painfully defensive rebuttles have really destroyed the intended playful, frivolous nature of this ‘hard-hitting expose’ for me.
I’m going to play solitaire and forget I was ever witness to this brutal example of anonymous internet confrontation.
If I may say, though, I enjoyed your writing style and if I felt like it, I would be happily amused to write a similar article based on my experiences at Starbuck’s.
And to you, Cardouche- assuming anything about such a largely diverse employment force is uncalled for.
I’m sorry, were we all supposed to be lawyers and professional Trolls right out of high school?
I worked at a theater, paid my dues, and am probably better suited to ‘aspire’ to some shi* now because of the money I earned at said vocation.
Haters, as they say, are going to…what is it? Hate.
I appreciate the compliment and apologize for the turn of the comments. While I stand by what I said, I should have directed it better and more maturely.