How do you do it? Whether it is overt or covert, I can't imagine getting better than an estimate, what with people coming and going. I tried to count once after the show had started, but later when the lights came up, I realized I'd missed a lot of people whose heads I didn't see over the seats. Any tips?

Eat lots of carrots and keep the lights of the screen out of your eyes? Luckily I only need to count how many are present when the trailers start and usually the lights are up adequately before that to take a stroll and spot them.

Get there early enough to count the number of seats in your row and multiply by the number of rows. Right about the time the previews are wrapping up (but the lights haven't dimmed yet), count the number of empty seats and subtract that number.
That's assuming that the theater is mostly full. If it's mostly empty, of course, it's easy to just count the actual patrons.

Since I am a creature of the night, I have very good night vision. I do not like it when parents bring their small children to a R-rated movie and they are too short for me to see their heads in the seat. Also, it is better if you go to a weekday movie or one that has been out for awhile. Less patrons to count,

With the idiotic films that are coming out nowadays, counting the number of people in the theater is actually more entertaining than watching the damn movie.

This month I saw "The Gift" (independent film) and the "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" (blockbuster film.) I thoroughly enjoyed both even though they were completely different type of movies. "Everest" looks like it might be enjoyable just for the scenery if anything.

I did watch Everest, and it was okay, but I wanted it to be better. I must be getting old bc honestly I found the documentaries about Mt. Everest I'd watched on NatGeo to be much more interesting than the movie.

I like the History and Discovery channels also.

I sit in the last row and count in/out. Once the movie starts, then I count heads to see if the numbers match.

The client knows it gets hard to count when 3 people leave to use the restroom and 2 come back, 6 kids enter and run around the theatre "seat hopping" I pre-count the seat rows (15 seats) before the show starts and add and subtract as the people come in and leave for bathrooms and concessions. Nerve-wracking to be sure...... just explain that so many were coming and going, along with teenagers running out and answering their cell phones every 10 minutes..... We are not super-human! We count as best we can

Or write down the total seat count posted on the posted certificate of occupancy and subtract the number of empty seats. Yes it is tricky with people coming and going and others that sneak in when other films are ending.

Go to the earliest showing on a week day. The theater is less likely to be full. I went to see Birdman and I was the only one in the theater. Easy to count. 1.

@pinchers81 wrote:

Get there early enough to count the number of seats in your row and multiply by the number of rows. Right about the time the previews are wrapping up (but the lights haven't dimmed yet), count the number of empty seats and subtract that number.
That's assuming that the theater is mostly full. If it's mostly empty, of course, it's easy to just count the actual patrons.

Can't always do that. Some theaters have different numbers of seats in different rows, and it's not always obvious, as they can be set up at kind of a diagonal slant from each other.

I have never ever felt that I had an accurate head count in a movie theater. It is much harder than it sounds!

You are making it way too hard. The number of seats in each theater is usually posted right outside the entrance. Normally it is on a plaque outside the door with the theater number.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2015 11:13PM by kalfini.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose? I thought the purpose of the head count was to make sure the actual number of patrons in the theater equaled the number of tickets sold. Asking how many tickets were sold and using that number makes the exercise useless.

Duh! Yes you are absolutely correct! Not well thought out advice was it?
I'll have to save my journalist rouse for something else!
<Nodding head in shame>

Cheating is how we get a bad name......

@kalfini wrote:

You are making it way too hard. The number of seats in each theater is usually posted right outside the entrance. Normally it is on a plaque outside the door with the theater number.

If you are really stumped for the head count call the box office and ask after the movie. if you use a story like being from a local college newspaper and are writing a story on the the new blockbuster or best time to go to the movies they will tell you. You can learn just about anything using the journalist angle.

ON a side note here we now have assigned seating when you buy your ticket. Makes this really tough when you need to move to another spot to count etc. And the ushers do come in the aisle and have checked receipt stubs.

@kalfini wrote:

You are making it way too hard. The number of seats in each theater is usually posted right outside the entrance. Normally it is on a plaque outside the door with the theater number.

If you are really stumped for the head count call the box office and ask after the movie. if you use a story like being from a local college newspaper and are writing a story on the the new blockbuster or best time to go to the movies they will tell you. You can learn just about anything using the journalist angle.

1. The number of seats posted will sometimes be wrong, or some seats will be removed due to damage. If you are in a theater which you already know has x number of seats and they all seem to be there, then go ahead and take a shortcut, but bear in mind that you can't make assumptions based on other things you see and hear.

2. You are NOT supposed to contact the theater employees to get the information requested for any reason. One of the reasons they send checkers in the first place is to make sure that accurate attendee numbers are being reported by theater employees, who sometimes let people see shows for free when they are not supposed to be doing so, or kids might sneak into an R showing when they bought tickets for another one. It's also possible that some people may simply change their minds about which movie they want to see without buying another ticket, which is technically theft, as the films are all put out by different individuals/companies and they get paid according to reported numbers of tickets sold. You may not be given the correct information, and the question may potentially raise eyebrows about you being a mystery shopper. Phone numbers can be traced to names, and names to faces. It's not very difficult if you know how to use the Internet. Your shop may be invalidated if they find out after the fact that you contacted the theater to get information you were supposed to get, and depending on the MSC and your relationship with them, they may decide to no longer use your services.

Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2015 03:07PM by OceanGirl.

Assigned seatings are usually only for the Large screen format, not for the regular, not for the regular digital or 3D. Not even for IMAX.
I usually follow the Instructions especially for very popular movies. But this is for open checking:

"Conducting your patron counts:
Position yourself outside the auditorium(s) showing your assigned feature so you can observe and count all the patrons entering the auditorium.
You will need to position yourself inside for one show to do the trailers."

I usually go to the very top seat. It's more difficult when you are required to do the demography attendance. But of course, you are paid more. If covert, I always go to the top and observe everyone who walks around (their attire and demeanour) to destinguish who entered back and forth. I count and recount to avoid double count. One has to be focused here. The number of seats are very seldom known. Overt, you have your count to compare with the Box Office but you have to keep your own info. They don't get to see it. Explanation is required if there is difference in tally. It is easy money when the movie is not well attended and the theatre is not huge. A headache, when it is gargantuan and there are multiple screens. Covert is double headache but the money is better. But as anything, you get used to it.

I did one covert where the concession was right across the auditorium and I counted from the seat while I ate my popcorn. Then I went inside (I bought a ticket.) and counted again. The fee makes it worth it especially if you have organized your day with shops in the vicinity, in between shows. I have done this many times, mostly on Friday, my relaxing day. But only if I like the movie. This shops require the whole report to be mailed out as well.

Edited to add that there is an overt theatre check where the Box Office is required to give you their tally but you are not to give your own info. If there is a discrepancy, you have to provide an explanation. The theatre management will get your info when they receive the report.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2015 03:14PM by risinghorizon.

Assigned seating here is not for a large screen. Nor is it a large theater. very cumbersome when you are used to juggling seating as needed....

@risinghorizon wrote:

Assigned seatings are usually only for the Large screen format, not for the regular, not for the regular digital or 3D. Not even for IMAX.
I usually follow the Instructions especially for very popular movies. But this is for open checking:

"Conducting your patron counts:
Position yourself outside the auditorium(s) showing your assigned feature so you can observe and count all the patrons entering the auditorium.
You will need to position yourself inside for one show to do the trailers."

I usually go to the very top seat. It's more difficult when you are required to do the demography attendance. But of course, you are paid more. If covert, I always go to the top and observe everyone who walks around (their attire and demeanour) to destinguish who entered back and forth. I count and recount to avoid double count. One has to be focused here. The number of seats are very seldom known. Overt, you have your count to compare with the Box Office but you have to keep your own info. They don't get to see it. Explanation is required if there is difference in tally. It is easy money when the movie is not well attended and the theatre is not huge. A headache, when it is gargantuan and there are multiple screens. Covert is double headache but the money is better. But as anything, you get used to it.

I did one covert where the concession was right across the auditorium and I counted from the seat while I ate my popcorn. Then I went inside (I bought a ticket.) and counted again. The fee makes it worth it especially if you have organized your day with shops in the vicinity, in between shows. I have done this many times, mostly on Friday, my relaxing day. But only if I like the movie. This shops require the whole report to be mailed out as well.

Edited to add that there is an overt theatre check where the Box Office is required to give you their tally but you are not to give your own info. If there is a discrepancy, you have to provide an explanation. The theatre management will get your info when they receive the report.

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

Cheating is how we get a bad name......

Canada - please don't call me a cheater. I made that comment without knowing the parameters of the shop and recanted my comment on the very next post when I was informed of my error.

@kalfini wrote:

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

Cheating is how we get a bad name......

Canada - please don't call me a cheater. I made that comment without knowing the parameters of the shop and recanted my comment on the very next post when I was informed of my error.

Maybe you should edit your original post. If people are reading the posts in order, they might hit respond before making it all the way down the page to your correction.

I bring a small notebook that fits in my purse and make hatchmarks. The theaters I have worked with all have only one door, so I take a seat up near the top closest to the door. One mark for each person in, one for each person out. Subtract the outs from the ins and you have a count.

I have two of those clickers that you used to use to add up item prices (4 columns with a button at the top of each column). The one in my right hand is for those coming in the doors, the one on my left for going out, take the difference for the number. Works for me. I get there early enough to sit in the back and count the comings and goings. Click Click, click on that "penny" button..... Never have to look at the counter, just remember right is in, left is out. When I first started - my very first ever Mystery Shop (about 20 years ago) was a theater shop in a small town with a 1 screen theater. That is when I first decided I needed the clicker method. And it works great - you just know you have to stop before the movie lets out and you click everyone out and end up with "0" - hehe

@goodkitty wrote:

I have two of those clickers that you used to use to add up item prices (4 columns with a button at the top of each column). The one in my right hand is for those coming in the doors, the one on my left for going out, take the difference for the number.

A counting device is definitely the way to go for a busy headcount assignment. You can even get an app for your phone for counting. It has a big plus and minus button that you can just click away while watching people enter and exit. Tried counting manually for my first theater assignment and was quite overwhelmed by the throngs of people going in and out of a very popular, first run movie.

@fyrekittyn wrote:

I bring a small notebook that fits in my purse and make hatchmarks. The theaters I have worked with all have only one door, so I take a seat up near the top closest to the door. One mark for each person in, one for each person out. Subtract the outs from the ins and you have a count.

A count, yes, but not necessarily an accurate one depending on whether or not it's the same people going in and out. If you're seeing a film with dozens of other people, then lots of counts are going to be a bit off, and the editors darn well know it.We can't possibly be expected to keep an eye on every single person. However, if you're in a showing with a fairly small number of people, then the only professional thing is to do is keep that much more of an eye on whether or not you've already seen each individual.

I commonly end up seeing films I know I probably won't like that much, because that makes it easier to do my job without distractions.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2015 05:39PM by OceanGirl.

Just count patrons when they leave.

They do have to leave eventually.

Sometimes my counts do get fudged counting before trailers. Heck, there were women strolling in with drinks nearly 30 minutes after the start during my Magic Mike XXL checks!

Some patrons leave before the end of the movie, for one reason or the other and I had to give it as a possible explanation when despite counting both at the entrance and when they left, there was a discrepancy when the tally was made between mine and the box office. There is no guarantee. One just does the best one can.