The movie theater. A mystical fantasy land that takes the dreams of anyone, from young to old, and puts it on the big screen for everyone to enjoy. This place is the hub of activity usually on the weekends and brings in people far and wide to see the newest action thriller, fabled love story, or even kids cartoon. This wonderful place doesn’t discriminate against any films of this time. With such a diverse showing of movies, one can only expect that they will attract groups of differing taste. These movie theater visitors come in all shapes and sizes, yet they have all come to enjoy the ecstatic atmosphere of the movie theater. With that said, there are certain characteristics that differentiate these humans from one another that help guide directors towards what is going to be the next big cinematic presentation.

The Regulars
These movie goers are the “jack of all trades” when it comes to rating movies. They are basically amatuer movie critics themselves due to the amount of movies they watch. These people have loads of time on their hands and fill it with going to the cinema.  They do not discriminate between movies and can generally see two or even three in one sitting. Stereotypically, older people are the regulars due to the abundance of free time they have, but that doesn’t mean that a college student or middle schooler could be one.  They can be spotted talking to the employees on a first name basis and with a large, refillable bag of popcorn to satisfy their hunger throughout their double feature. Directors come to these people the most as they have been well versed in many genres of movies and are least biased towards the selection of movies. In the slow periods for movie theaters, they are the reason that those establishments stay open.

The Young Parents
This group consists of the younger parents, those whose children are still relatively little. These people are often great for business as they bring their children, who usually bring their friends with them. These parents are slaves to their offspring, purchasing whatever is desired for the little ones. Childrens movies are their entertainment of choice, choosing light-hearted humor and a PG rating over everything. For movie theater employees, a warning comes with these customers: big messes and spills usually occur with them due to the children’s carelessness. Usually friendly, this group are great at socializing. This can also be hazardous as they can be obnoxiously loud during the movie, especially if one of the kids starts to cry. Directors trust this group for the children movie genre as they know what is wanted and expected in these types of movies.

The Couple
Characterized by hand holding, love-sick gazes, and over all PG-13 activity this group is notorious for the movie makeout. They are quick to get into the movie and usually buy what is dictated by the female partner: stereotypically a medium popcorn with lots of butter, a large drink with two straws to share and twizzlers. Depending on the couple, the type of movie is different. Action packed thriller, sappy love story, gut-busting comedy, etc. there really is not a specific movie to this group. What is usually a similar theme in their movies is at least a hinting at a love story of some sort. As they have great affection for one another, they would like to try and view their love vicariously through the film. These groups are excellent test subjects for the production of Nicholas Sparks type movies as they feel like their love story is the next big production and thus directors are drawn towards them. Caution goes to the movie viewers in the theater with them; if you hear a sound like macaroni and cheese being stirred, then ask them to bring their kissing somewhere else so you can thoroughly enjoy the movie without distraction.

The Rowdy Teens
People between the ages of 13-17 fall into this category. On the verge or undergoing puberty, they experience mood swings, an unquenchable thirst for attention, and a sense of freedom that makes them feel untouchable. With these combined attributes, they can be quite a handful in the movie theater. Often unruly, these types can disrupt a movie countless times and not be phased when told to calm down. Many older folks despise this group, as they can be very annoying and egotistical. These groups purchase many snacks and drinks to feed the beast inside of them called adolescence. Though they may buy tons of food, they seem to somehow not find it into their mouths and employees find it on the floor as if a food fight went on during the film. Directors have difficulty with this group as they must find a type of movie that will pacify these young adults for 1-3 hours. Action and adventure movies come out usually for this crowd because the intensity and fast paced nature of the film usually keep the teens at bay for that time period.

The Actual Movie Critics
Last, but certainly not least, are the movie critics. These people watch movies for a living, and that is an amazing profession in itself. They are highly critical of what is played in the film due to a strict guidelines they must adhere to. Most are highly observant, not just in the movie, but in daily life as well. They are people just like everyone else, but their opinions are held higher than others. Directors base their new projects on what is said about certain types of movies; what to put in and what to leave out. In the movie industry, they are like the president. They have great influence, but unfortunately the masses still hold the highest power. So, one bad review of a great movie and they’re out of there! It is delicate work as their livelihood depends on it.

The moviegoers of this world have greater power than they know. With that said, not one group specifically has all the influence. Groups from all walks of life come together to form the consensus on a movie that help dictates how those types of entertainment fair in the future. Directors use all these groups to help them decide whether their new film will be a hit or a complete dud. Unfortunately for  them, only time will tell the success of their cinematic masterpiece.