Movie Previews and Credits as an Information Ground
Brief Description:
The research took place at a movie theater. To narrow this vast information ground, research focused on time spent in front of the screen before the previews and during the credits.
How it Fits the IG Framework:
People don’t go to a movie theater for the purpose of sharing information among one another. The only anticipated information exchange is the receiving of information from the movie itself (about the plot, possible non-fiction events, etc.)
Questions to Guide Research:
- Will interaction occur in either or both of these idle times surrounding the movie?
- What kind of topics/importance of information will be discussed?
- Does the genre generate a Correlation to the information Shared.
- Does Time of the Movie Correlate with the Information Shared.
- Are there any ways to manipulate the environment to induce interaction between groups?
Method:
To observe people participating in the information ground, researchers Mike and Kaitlyn took their seats 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the movie. This allotment provided ample time to observe the interactions of a variety of audience groups before the previews began. The researchers also stayed 15 minutes after the end of the film to gather data during the closing credits.
Results/conclusions:
Pre-previews:
Interaction before the previews appeared to be elicited by boredom and lacking stimulus. The particular theater at which research took place opted to loop boring factoids before the previews. Without entertainment on the screen, the audience filled the silence with random banter. Witnessed conversations included a girl nagging her boyfriend, a group arguing about the best type of cookie, and a girl complaining to a friend about her day. From these results, the research suggests that pre-preview time does is not conducive to important discussions or decision making.
Credits:
The credits yielded conversation similar to what took place during the pre-previews. Deviance from this theme was in the form of remarks and criticism about the movie.
Suggestions for Facilitating Information Flow:
Information flow can be facilitated via two different approaches. Physically, information flow can be facilitated by making the environment more secretive and comfortable for the audience. Dim lighting enhances the sensation of privacy. In conjunction with comfortable seating, this environment improves the likelihood of information sharing.
Technologically, information will flow better within small groups with well-adjusted lighting and a sound system playing just loud enough to prevent conversation from being overheard. In theory, if a stimulating pre-preview or credit show played, information flow would be greatly decreased due to the lack of time to share information. Additionally, it is arguable that the movie topic could control or manipulate the conversation occurring after the movie. In Addition the temperature of the Facility is something that if manipulated could improve or hinder information flow.
Why it's particularly cool for information (people, place, information):
Who would have thought that you could pay ten dollars to enjoy a different reality for three hours and do it sitting next to a significant other? Well 20 years ago, it wouldn’t happen. Most don’t object to stepping out of the reality they are constantly immersed in and instead, live vicariously through the main character of a movie. It brings people of all ages and demographics together who share only their taste in movies. A movie is also an opportunity to learn something; whether it is profound and life-altering, or a simple observation about the world the director and writer wanted to convey to the viewers.
Adam Argo, Kaitlyn Grady, Mike Knowles, Zakiya Qadir, Roger Ung