COUNTING 1, 2, 3...

PREFACE
Today Friday and tomorrow, Saturday, I have signed up to count all the patrons going to see the new Superman vs Batman movie at the Aventura Mall Cinema. Suffice to say I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I do patron counts (or Open Checking) at many theatres, at many openings. Never one this BIG! This is a new adventure in market research (aka mystery shopping).

STORY
I had checked the number of auditoriums playing the movie on Thursday night and they had 13 shows listed. That's a lot of shows normally and three to four auditoriums would be normally showing them. When I got up on Friday morning, they had 30 SHOWS!! listed, starting at 9:30 am and going to 12:30 am (Saturday morning). NINE auditoriums showing the movie 30 minutes apart! It was a hectic day to say the least. I barely had time to eat some chicken fingers and curly fries at 9 pm for dinner, which I was STARVING by that time. I always bring protein bars and bottled water with me but that doesn't sustain me through 15 hour days. I did get to watch the movie after my midnight count. It was very good but set too dark. You couldn't see what was going on on the screen at times.

I was glad they dropped one auditorium on Saturday, leaving me to check only 8 and having a few more minutes between shows. It wasn't so hard to get to the shows but they were at opposite ends of the theatre and at peak times it was very difficult to get through the crowds. I took to counting the line waiting to get in as they went in and then counting those who came in after. The hardest part of counting is the patrons that leave their seats and go to concession. Those going in and out can cause a huge difference in total numbers if you don't write down something about them you can remember when they come back in.

CONCLUSION
I am very grateful for my sister ordering me a counter machine and getting it delivered by Friday. Having this device made my counting go so much easier. The right tool for the right job! It was a very long two days but I earned over $180 per day, so it was worth it. I don't mind spending all day and night at a movie theatre. I feel very comfortable there after 15 years of my late husband managing and district managing them. I am a movie freak, plain and simple.