fandomhigh | Surviving (and Thriving) on Fandom Island, Week 7 (Wed. Period 3)

"Welcome back," Ghanima said once the last person had arrived. "Jedi Veila is unable to be with us today, so I'm afraid you're all stuck with me."

"Given that you've all just come back from fall break, and most likely have the Homecoming Dance on your minds, we're going to take it easy this week," she continued. "You're going to learn how to go to the movies!"

The Danger Shop shifted around them, and the students would find themselves in the lobby of a movie theater. "One of the things that we were asked about were courting rituals," Ghanima said, as computer-generated ~~NPCs~~ patrons bustled about them. "Going to the movies is often considered an acceptable first date on this planet."

She ~~handwavily~~ went over how to read the movie listings, and how to buy your ticket and concessions. "Usually an admission is for one feature film," she said. "Sometimes two feature films are sold as one admission, called a double-feature, with a break in between. Separate admission for a short subject is rare; it is either an extra before a feature film or part of a series of short subjects sold as one admission, such as film festivals."

"Historically, many movie theaters presented a number of shorter items in addition to the feature film. This might include a newsreel, live-action comedy short films, documentary short films, musical short films, and/or cartoon shorts. Some theaters ran on continuous showings, where the same items would repeat throughout the day, with patrons arriving and departing at any time rather than having distinct entrance and exit cycles. Newsreels gradually became obsolete by the 1960s with the rise of television news, and most material now shown prior to a feature film is of a commercial or promotional nature."

"A typical modern theater presents commercial advertising shorts, then movie trailers, and then the feature film. Advertised start times are usually for the entire program or session, not the feature itself; thus people who want to avoid commercials and/or trailers would opt to enter later. This is easiest and causes the least inconvenience when it is not crowded, and/or one is not very choosy about where one wants to sit, but you may annoy movie-goers who want to see the trailer for the newest Space Battles without you blundering around."

"During the closing credits many people leave, but some stay until the end. Usually the lights are switched on after the credits, sometimes already during them. Some films show additional scenes while the credits are rolling."

"Currently, in multiplexes, theater chains often feature a continuous slideshow between showings featuring a loop of movie trivia, promotional material for the theater chains, or advertising policies for local and national businesses. Also prior to showing the film, reminders, in varying forms would be shown concerning theater etiquette -- such as no smoking, no talking, no littering, removing crying babies, etc. -- and in recent years, added reminders to silence mobile phones as well as concerning movie piracy."

"Now, everyone go buy a ticket, purchase concessions if you're so inclined, then head into theater number three." Ghanima checked her own ticket. "We're seeing an anniversary showing of 'A Dozen Reasons I Loathe You."