I'm toying with the idea of doing one but if I read it correctly, it looks like you have to be there for beginning of EVERY showing of a particular movie. It seems like a hassle to keep going back there. Am I understanding it correctly?

Yes, you understand it correctly. Not necessarily hard work, but it does tend to take up your entire day. I did it once......said NEVER again, BUT since I had done it that one time, (and I don't think anyone else wants them), the MSC has offered me some pretty nice bonuses to get them done. If you have nothing better to do that day, you may want to try it so that 1) it puts you "on the company's radar" for that type of assignment, and 2) If something were to go horribly wrong, better to know about the pitfalls when it is only a 10.00 job as opposed to an 80.00 job. It hurts less if for some reason they reject it.

I've done them too. I believe its not worth it.

I've often wondered about those, too. Is it simply writing down the trailers that they show and then moving on to the next showing? Do you notify the management that you're there or is it strict mystery shopping? I ask because I've oftened wondered about how you would get around buying one ticket and then remaining in the theater the rest of the day.

jpgilham Wrote:
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> I'm toying with the idea of doing one but if I
> read it correctly, it looks like you have to be
> there for beginning of EVERY showing of a
> particular movie. It seems like a hassle to keep
> going back there. Am I understanding it
> correctly?

That is how the traditional theater check works. Yes, it is hard work and shoppers disagree on how profitable these shops are without bonuses. There are different types of theater shops, though.

Some are overt. Some are covert.

Some require you to check all showings of a particular movie at a theater on a particular day. Others require you to attend only one showing of almost any movie (often not 3D) playing at the theater on your shop day.

Some require you to do a patron count, document the order and names of the previews, report on the picture and sound quality of the movie(s), describe whether the lights were on at 50% during the previews or end credits, observe integrity issues at the box office, describe if and how the concession staff suggestive sold or upsold, etc. Some do not.

For theater shops that involve a patron count, some require you to stay in the auditorium from before the previews start until after the end credits end--so that you can report whether there were crossovers from other auditoriums or disturbances, if and how the staff dealt with those issues, etc.

Some theater shops are focused on certain marketing promotions and less concerned about the above.

I just love y'all! It's so great to be able to come here with a concern and get expert opinions and advice!

Okay, I saw a sign posted outside every auditorium and it said that skipping theatres is illegal (meaning you buy one ticket and sneak into other movies)...

So, how do you do a theatre check "covertly?"

You are allowed to bring a friend. Some checks pay for the extra shows, as lomg as you have proof. I like doing the ones where I am just reporting on the trailers.

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
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> Okay, I saw a sign posted outside every auditorium
> and it said that skipping theatres is illegal
> (meaning you buy one ticket and sneak into other
> movies)...
>
> So, how do you do a theatre check "covertly?"

Buy mulitple tickets, either via Fandango or make several trips to the box office.

I completed one of these for MF early this summer, just to give it a shot. After recruiting several family and friends to help throughout the day, and submitting all the information, I'm STILL waiting for payment (~$300) almost two months later. I spent about $50 between buying/reimbursing tickets and lunch at the theater.

Granted there was a strange hiccup where I was removed from their system for not submitting the info on time, even though I did, and after getting re-activated the report was still already in the system.

I contacted them regarding payment and just received a reply back that I 'purchased tickets too early' so it is still under review (the earliest was just over 20 minutes before the show time). This confuses me, as I don't think that is even close to 'too early.' Depending on how hard up for money you are, and how busy your life is, it may or may not be worth it. I was laid off, so bored and broke, but I wouldn't do it again unless a good bonus was offered (and I was bored to tears).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/2012 04:22AM by mdneilson.

Interesting that 20 minutes is too early for that, but if you do the mystery shop you are required to be there 30 minutes before. I had the box office attendant chew me out for getting there that early because there was no reason to be there and they had other stuff they need to do before the show started. I really wished that was a video shop instead of a shop with a narrative limit of 254 characters. There were othe issues to report also and the attendant was so unpleasant.

Funny thing was there were two different groups in line behind me for the same show.

The last theater check I did, I was supposed to do a patron count. Now, let me tell you in advance, I am a blonde so I am not coming down on blondes. Anyway, this young blonde, probably high school age, was working the door taking up tickets and she asked me how I did a patron count. Often I quickly say what comes in my head, which is what I did this time.

I said, "Well, honey, I just count their arms and legs and divide it by four. Of course, I run into trouble if a one legged person comes in." To which she replied, "Oh, so that's how you do it!"