Talking during movie trailers

[Temis the Vorta]

I'd like to be able to watch trailers in silence but I do accept that they're just commercials and it's a bit unreasonable to expect other people to be quiet.

Talking during the main feature, however, ought to be punishable by death.

Wholehearteddly agree, I get a bit annoyed at people talking over the trailers but, like you say, they're just commercials at the end of the day--besides often me and my friend will discuss whether we think the film being trailed looks good or not and whether we fancy seeing it.

I can be a bit of a cinema nazi at times but even I'd never shush someone during the trailers

Same here. In San Francisco (and probably everywhere in America), the last part of the trailers segment is the "turn off your cell phones/no talking" message, which implies that such things are okay before that point.

Maybe the cinemas should go back to having trailers after movies (which is why they were called trailers in the first place). Most people leave a cinema during the credits so by the time credits finish the only people who would be left are people who like trailers.

#1 the movie companies wouldn't like that because they wouldn't have as big an audience and #2 people are used to using the trailers as cushion against late arrival - you can get to the movies 15 minutes "late" and still be okay. If you really can't stand trailers, time your arrival so that you get there as they are ending.

 

[Harvey]

Maybe the cinemas should go back to having trailers after movies (which is why they were called trailers in the first place). Most people leave a cinema during the credits so by the time credits finish the only people who would be left are people who like trailers.

I believe trailers are still the most effective form of movie advertising; there's no way that the studios would place this advertising when fewer people can see them. Whether people like them is irrelevant (indeed, people complain about trailers revealing too much plot information, but time and time again audience research has shown that these sort of trailers bring in larger audiences than the alternative).

 

[Miss Chicken]

Its not that I can't stand trailers, it just that I only see them as commercials not part of the entertainment. The problem with arriving later to miss them is that you risk getting poor seats. also if we arrive during the trailers isn't that even more annoying to people watching trailers - as we would be talking about which seats to take and also blocking some people's view before sitting down?

In the old days you could get the the cinema late and only miss the cartoons/short film and still end up with a good seat as you booked your ticket over the phone and you knew what seats you were getting.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

I heard talking during trailers all the time and rarely hear of people complaining about it. Sometimes if it's a highly anticipated trailer I hear people shushing talkers but that's it. I do hear people shouting "shut up!" once the movie starts though.

 

[Relayer1]

You really should be quiet during the trailers - whatever you think of them, someone else is likely to be paying attention.

By all means speak during the coke and popcorn ads if you must, but if you speak during the trailers, have some consideration / courtesy and keep it brief and low.

Anyone talking during the film itself should be killed. Horribly.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I very much enjoy the trailers and purposely get to the theater early to see them; if I am late and miss some I consider it a big disappointment.

I don't shush people during the trailers because I know some people are just arriving or getting settled, and I'm not a confrontational person to begin with. However, I do wish everyone could agree to quiet down on their own at that time.

The way I see it, once the lights dim you should be quiet and put the phones away. Usually here the lights dim after the commercials but before the trailers begin.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Film trailers will never be the same, now that Don LaFontaine has left us.

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Anyone talking during the film itself should be killed. Horribly.

After which they'll be sent to the "special hell".

 

[Captain Craig]

I'd like to be able to watch trailers in silence but I do accept that they're just commercials and it's a bit unreasonable to expect other people to be quiet.

Talking during the main feature, however, ought to be punishable by death.

Since we don't have a "LIKE" button I'll just requote this.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I very much enjoy the trailers and purposely get to the theater early to see them; if I am late and miss some I consider it a big disappointment.

I don't shush people during the trailers because I know some people are just arriving or getting settled, and I'm not a confrontational person to begin with. However, I do wish everyone could agree to quiet down on their own at that time.

The way I see it, once the lights dim you should be quiet and put the phones away. Usually here the lights dim after the commercials but before the trailers begin.

This might be a major difference. Here the trailers and the other commercials are together. A trailer is shown, then a commercial, than another trailer etc and the lights aren't dimmed until just before the movie starts.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Today I went to see Dark Shadows with two friends. While watching the Prometheus trailer my friend and I were discussing whether Prometheus was a prequel to Alien or not. We were talking in our normal voices, as were the people behind us. People were still coming into the cinema to take their seats and a couple of them talked about where they should sit.

A women two seats in front of us turned around and said "You are not in your loungeroom at home, you know". I think she was directing it both at us and the people behind us.

I have never been bothered by people talking during trailers or during other commercials and I was a little surprised it annoyed this woman.

Do you think people should be quiet at this stage i.e. before the actual movie starts?

I talk to my friends during the trailers all the time: about whether the movie looks good or the film's subject matter. Of course I also employ the ancient ninjutsu stealth art of leaning toward them, whispering, and keeping my remarks brief so that I don't disturb people two rows in front of me with my conversation.

The general rule of thumb I have observed (as BDJ noted) is that once the lights go down (or the trailers start), so should the noise, or at least talk should be reduced to a respectful quiet level. There are of course exceptions to this such as cheering, laughing, or clapping (within reason) because of something on the screen. You're supposed to get excited or emotional during movies and trailers. Otherwise, they're doing it wrong. Also, people understand that others are still entering the theater during trailers or going to the bathroom or concessions, which is acceptable, but those things can still be done relatively quietly and respectful of others.

Just because you don't think trailers are important or anything more than glorified commercials you gloss over doesn't mean everyone else shares that opinion. For some people trailers are an important and entertaining part of the moviegoing experience. Some people go to see movies they don't even care that much about strictly because of a particular trailer that's playing before it.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Of course, the opposite extreme would be Rocky Horror, in which case it's almost unnatural NOT to have people talking during the film.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Another thing is that quite often before the main feature cinemas will show trailers for movies which seem like an odd mix for the film people have paid to see. The common factor between a film being advertised and one being shown may be certificate and/ or studio rather than genre or style. I think it's somewhat unreasonable to expect everyone in the cinema to be interested in every single film that's advertised in the trailers and to accordingly expect everyone to be silent.

Whereas when people have made good money (and often a lot of it) to see the actual film, I think they're entitled to do so without a running commentary or persistent use of mobile phones etc.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I very much enjoy the trailers and purposely get to the theater early to see them; if I am late and miss some I consider it a big disappointment.

I don't shush people during the trailers because I know some people are just arriving or getting settled, and I'm not a confrontational person to begin with. However, I do wish everyone could agree to quiet down on their own at that time.

The way I see it, once the lights dim you should be quiet and put the phones away. Usually here the lights dim after the commercials but before the trailers begin.

This might be a major difference. Here the trailers and the other commercials are together. A trailer is shown, then a commercial, than another trailer etc and the lights aren't dimmed until just before the movie starts.

That is a big difference. During the commercials, people are talking freely, coming in and out, using their phones, etc. The lights are on and nobody cares about seeing the commercials properly. They are usually the same or longer versions of commercials you've already seen on TV anyway.

I don't know much about cinematography, but the commercials "look" different from the trailers, they are crappier quality and the volume isn't as loud. When the trailers begin, the volume increases and the film quality improves to feature presentation level. I guess that to me these are all cues to quiet down.

 

[Miss Chicken]

The general rule of thumb I have observed (as BDJ noted) is that once the lights go down (or the trailers start), so should the noise, or at least talk should be reduced to a respectful quiet level. There are of course exceptions to this such as cheering, laughing, or clapping (within reason) because of something on the screen. You're supposed to get excited or emotional during movies and trailers. Otherwise, they're doing it wrong. Also, people understand that others are still entering the theater during trailers or going to the bathroom or concessions, which is acceptable, but those things can still be done relatively quietly and respectful of others.

Here any cheering, clapping or booing would be considered rude. It just isn't done at all. Laughter tends to be quiet laughter.

However talking during trailers/commercial is common and as I said I have never heard anyone tell anyone off for talking in trailers before this woman did it.

That is a big difference. During the commercials, people are talking freely, coming in and out, using their phones, etc. The lights are on and nobody cares about seeing the commercials properly. They are usually the same or longer versions of commercials you've already seen on TV anyway.

As I said commercial and trailers are shown together here, before the lights are dimmed. The trailers are shown on TV as well.

Another thing is that quite often before the main feature cinemas will show trailers for movies which seem like an odd mix for the film people have paid to see. The common factor between a film being advertised and one being shown may be certificate and/ or studio rather than genre or style. I think it's somewhat unreasonable to expect everyone in the cinema to be interested in every single film that's advertised in the trailers and to accordingly expect everyone to be silent.

Couldn't agree more. I had absolutely no interest in "Rock of Ages" one of the trailers that was shown at the showing I went today.

Not that many movies are shown in Tasmania so, if you are going to the cinema each fortnight you tend to see each trailer three or four times. This was the third time I had seen the Prometheus trailer (I previously saw it during The Hunger Games and Battleship).

 

[Relayer1]

In the UK you get ten minutes of adverts (like on TV) for various products which have a definite end. Then there is a 'coming soon' announcement before the trailers start - it's at this point I expect people to quieten down...

 

[Locutus of Bored]

The general rule of thumb I have observed (as BDJ noted) is that once the lights go down (or the trailers start), so should the noise, or at least talk should be reduced to a respectful quiet level. There are of course exceptions to this such as cheering, laughing, or clapping (within reason) because of something on the screen. You're supposed to get excited or emotional during movies and trailers. Otherwise, they're doing it wrong. Also, people understand that others are still entering the theater during trailers or going to the bathroom or concessions, which is acceptable, but those things can still be done relatively quietly and respectful of others.

Here any cheering, clapping or booing would be considered rude. It just isn't done at all. Laughter tends to be quiet laughter.

Yeah, I read it when you said that up-thread, which is why I commented on it. That sounds rather uptight and boring in the opposite extreme from the trailer talking. What's the point of a comedy movie if you're supposed to retrain your laughter? It's rude to do some completely out of place crazy DeNiro in Cape Fear laugh, but you're supposed to be moved to laugh or cheer or clap or cry by a movie.

 

[Jax]

I hate people having conversations during films BUT trailers are fine as long as its quiet indoor voice. When I went to see Avengers with friends we kept making short comments during the trailers about them...That women needs a chill pill.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I hate people having conversations during films BUT trailers are fine as long as its quiet indoor voice. When I went to see Avengers with friends we kept making short comments during the trailers about them...That women needs a chill pill.

That's the thing, though. Going by Miss Chicken's description, a woman two rows ahead of her and three rows ahead of another group of people talking was bothered by them having conservations. If it can carry that far over the sound of the trailer, that doesn't sound like a quiet indoor voice to me. She said they were using normal conversational voices as well.

Apparently Miss Chicken has read the pulse of the entire Tasmanian moviegoing public and therefore knows that this woman is some kind of weirdo for expecting to be able to watch the trailer in relative quiet, but I don't find her expectations to be that unreasonable. I personally wouldn't have shushed someone for it, but I don't think she's out of line or anything.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Sorry, double post.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Yeah, I read it when you said that up-thread, which is why I commented on it. That sounds rather uptight and boring in the opposite extreme from the trailer talking. What's the point of a comedy movie if you're supposed to retrain your laughter? It's rude to do some completely out of place crazy DeNiro in Cape Fear laugh, but you're supposed to be moved to laugh or cheer or clap or cry by a movie.

I think we are taught as children to be as quiet as we can once a movie starts. Maybe we are more boisterous during commercials and trailers because we are quieter during movies.

Apparently Miss Chicken has read the pulse of the entire Tasmanian moviegoing public and therefore knows that this woman is some kind of weirdo for expecting to be able to watch the trailer in relative quiet, but I don't find her expectations to be that unreasonable. I personally wouldn't have shushed someone for it, but I don't think she's out of line or anything.

Would you like it if i told you not to cheer, or clap, or boo during a movie because I wanted to look at the movie without such behaviour?

I fail to see why making noises such as cheering, or clapping or booing during a movie would be more acceptable than talking during a trailer.