I Couldn't Get Into 'Avatar Day'. What Was Your Experience?
Filed under: Fandom, Movie Marketing, Fan Rant
Avatar Day is now over and done with no matter what time zone you live in. Tales of lines and half-full showings abound, and I know some of my fellow Cinematical writers will be chiming in with their thoughts about their own experience. But I thought I'd share my own which won't be a reaction to the footage, but about being shut out of Avatar Day.I scored two tickets without much of a problem, as every Colorado theater had plenty of Avatar tickets, suggesting that the buzz from San Diego hadn't carried very far offline. I had a crazy, no-good day and I arrived at the theater at roughly 6:59. It took a minute to get to the ticket office, another to get re-routed to the customer service desk, and another to get to the theater. By my estimation, I was at the theater doors by 7:01 or 7:02 at the latest. The two Fox publicists at the door take my e-mail, hand it back, and then stare at me. "Sorry." "What? I can't get in?" "No. This started at 7:00."
They weren't friendly, but brusque and barely apologetic, with a hint of the "You're late to class and just dropped a letter grade" about them. I didn't tell them I was press, and I don't think it would have made a difference. Besides, shouldn't I experience this as any average moviegoer would? This average moviegoer was being snubbed from attending a free piece of marketing. I wasted my time, my gas, and my printer to be turned away for being a minute late.
Look, I am just as annoyed as anyone when people arrive late to a theater, and I applaud Fox for valuing a quiet viewing experience. But a minute? Surely the lights had just gone down? And we're talking 16 minutes of marketing footage, not the first notes of a farewell opera diva performance.
Even the theater employees were flummoxed as I walked out. "They wouldn't let you in? Seriously? Well, whatever." Clearly, they weren't won over by Avatar, and here's one member of the online press who didn't even get a chance to make up her mind. All I'm seeing is buzz and no product, and certainly no sense of celebration. Nothing about Avatar Day was fun -- it was all overloaded servers, rules, ordered times, and locked doors. For a film that purports to be a magical, transporting experience, I feel like I just went to the DMV.
So, I guess I'll watch the trailer at home, and decide purely from that whether James Cameron's game-changer is worth my movie dollar come December. But from where I stand now, this is one moviegoer who is less than impressed with the whole package and phenomenon. How about you? What was your experience like?
ETA: Yes, I realize I was late, even if a minute seems a rather small fraction to be considered truly tardy. I'm told that at roughly 6:45 there was a lecture saying how doors would be locked, which I obviously didn't hear. However, this wasn't information relayed to the theater employees, which allowed me to waste even more time, and I've had reports from other cities that their screenings didn't start until 7:05 or even 7:10, which certainly suggests a little leeway. My frustration stems from the fact that this was a marketing event -- a place for any company to exercise the utmost courtesy and consideration. I didn't even receive a "Sorry, but thanks for coming!" from the studio representatives. Heck, at ComicCon just being in line for 16 minutes of footage would have earned me a t-shirt regardless if I even saw or liked it! Plus, if stories of half-full to empty screenings are remotely true, then there's even less excuse to turn interested people (your buzz makers) away. Just my two cents, of course.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-21-2009 @ 11:06PM
FezMan88 said...
Something about this movie doesn't sit right... I'm excited, but, meh
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8-21-2009 @ 11:45PM
Wexler said...
I agree, something feels off.
Ever since I heard they were doing this "Avatar day" I didn't really trust it. I mean I get why the studio might want to do it. Maybe they want opinions on how to improve the movie before it's finished, maybe they just want to generate more buzz to create that many more ticket sales opening weekend.
When I first got into movies I was a trailer junkie. I watched every trailer I could find online so I could get psyched about every possibly good movie out there. But more and more I found it was just causing me to waste a lot of money and time on movies clearly not worth it.
I have not bothered to buy into the hype on Avatar and it didn't even cross my mind to bother with Avatar day. Of course I learned my lesson from watching the whole scene of Spiderman 3 that came on tv before the movie came out. It was an amazing fight scene and I was so sure that the movie was going to be just as awesome as the first two. We all know how that turned out :-/
8-21-2009 @ 11:18PM
Daniel said...
They sent an email saying to be their at least 45 minutes before screening. :)
Wow. They showed 4 scenes. The colonel talking to the new recruits, how they will fail. Jake entering his avatar and glad he can walk. Jake in his avatar with some other avatars running away from an animal. Neytiri and Jake talking at a bio-luminescence night scene. They have their own language. Jake attempting to ride a bird(like those dinosaur that could fly) then a montage then BOOM end!
The 3D is not trying ot be in your face, it is about depth of field and it works perfectly. Everything is detailed, camera movement doesn't affect it. The world and the na'vi plus animals are great to look at, realistic looking and really detailed. The film looks great and feels great, not a leap but a evolution from previously based technology. I am getting tickets as soon as they are going on sale!
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8-21-2009 @ 11:29PM
Peter Martin said...
After a hard day, I forgot all about it until I was sitting in my seat, waiting for INGLORIOUS BASTERDS to begin ... and a trailer for AVATAR came on.
That was enough of a tease for me. Looked like a lot of whizzing and colors and, er, I don't know. I don't get much of a sense of what the movie will be like, so far. I'm good with waiting until I can watch the whole thing.
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8-21-2009 @ 11:31PM
stevenu said...
IT WAS AMAZING! It for sure surpassed my thoughts. I became discouraged after I saw the trailer, but man!!!! Avatar in IMAX was mind blowing. It is the future. I can't believe it actually lives up to the hype. When my showing was over the whole audience was in silence. Everyone was in awe, leaving the theater with a smile on their face. Thanks Mr. Cameron.
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8-21-2009 @ 11:57PM
joeprog said...
To me it was very underwhelming. I did not see in that screen something that warranted 4 years to make.
It wasn't bad, it was just...not the revolutionary thing they've been hyping it up to be.
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8-22-2009 @ 8:06PM
Sean Means said...
At least you had a theater to not be let into. Denver was the only city in the Mountain time zone to get the "Avatar" sneak, leaving me (in Salt Lake City) out of luck.
In fact, 21 states, including most of the Mountain West, the northern Plains states (from Kansas City to the Canadian border) and large chunks of the South.
Several major cities that have IMAX 3D screens were passed over: Boise, Hartford, Little Rock, Madison, Omaha, Providence, Salt Lake City and Tulsa.
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8-22-2009 @ 12:18AM
filmjoy said...
I wasn't sure what to expect after the teaser trailer didn't wow me, but the Avatar Day footage was awesome! We got to see Sigourney Weaver as a doc and as an avatar. The part where Jake scores his dino-ride was funny and cool. The 3D was great, especially when not on Pandora.
We had a great experience besides the server issue and wait for the confirmation email. The staff member was friendly and quick. AMC gave out free large popcorn w/large drink purchase coupons and coupon to see another movie at the matinee price that night. I did get there 45 minutes like the email said. It was a surprisingly diverse crowd unlike seeing Star Trek in IMAX (all uber-geeks). I guess this was more the cinema-philes mixed in with the sci-fi geeks.
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8-22-2009 @ 12:21AM
marc said...
I thought the 16 minutes of Imax footage I saw here in Miami was amazing. The online trailer does not do the film justice.
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8-22-2009 @ 12:43AM
casper said...
Another "woe is me" column from Elisabeth. Surprise. When's she finally leaving the site for her full time dog walking job?
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8-22-2009 @ 1:54AM
John Muth said...
You know what, I'd rather have a "woe is me" post, than another "holier than thou - screw James Cameron" post that most of the internet blogosphere provides. The reason that I enjoy reading Elisabeth's columns (and hearing her on certain podcasts) is because she presents herself as a real fan, and geek about movies, comics and the "hot guys" she loves. Most of the other boys on the internet try to come off smarter and more superior to just about everything in pop-culture.
I'd rather have real commentary, and anecdotes on what it takes to try and be a lover of these mediums, and to be a professional - and maybe not being given the glamourous opportunities that some report. Elisabeth Rappe, presents what seems to be the real deal, and even if she gets a job walking dogs, I'd happily read those blog postings too.
Kudos to her, for not making a scene about the movie sucking because of her experience, but about how the studio and people running these promotional screenings conduct themselves (for right or wrong).
And maybe the first comment the site shows you've made can be a little more constructive and less "asshole-ish" next time.
8-22-2009 @ 2:06AM
Elisabeth said...
For someone who dislikes me as much as you do, Casper, I'm surprised you're following my Twitter feed so intently.
8-22-2009 @ 12:53AM
Kai said...
Well, for a reason as lame as actually going to the dmv, I couldn't go. I knew it would have been worth it, because 10 years of cgi development by (whatever company worked on this movie) keeping in mind Cameron's need for some real groundbreaking stuff, it must really be way more impressive then the online trailer.. But I agree, something is really "meh" about it- why release 16 minutes of it when it's got no real 'buzz' from people who weren't monitoring every day of ComicCon? The time to do that is after the trailer has been out for a while, so even the non-film buff people would bother to go see it.. It might sound stupid but doesn't it seem like the studio and whoever markets this stuff is a little too afraid it will bomb?
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8-22-2009 @ 1:08AM
Brandon said...
I love ya, Elisabeth. But -- you were late. They were just doing their job by keeping the doors shut. And even though it's shitty, sometimes just owning up to that and shaking it off is all you can do.
That aside -- Avatar looks beautiful, its use of CGI is unsurpassed. It is indeed something I've never seen before, a world of discovery.
I've still no idea what the story will unravel as, but I'm quite sure I can make enough of an educated guess and trust Cameron to come through.
The 3D looks splendid in some parts, but in others I felt cheated as the motion blur made focusing on background details impossible. Overall, in Cameron I trust. I'm not adrenalinized with excitement, but I an looking forward to December.
Elisabeth, did I mention I love ya? I do.
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8-22-2009 @ 1:25AM
vegimorph said...
that's a bummer about you missing it. I missed it too but I was doomed never to attend anyway. I absolutely LOVE the trailer and it pumped me up that I had to watch it several more times so I definetely want to see the whole thing. The whole marketing thing does sound a bit dodgy but what can you do? I know I'll most likely enjoy the movie. It depends on people's tastes really. they're all different. I hope you like it too : }
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8-22-2009 @ 2:04AM
The Addict said...
I may get crucified for this, but I thought it was a very mediocre, run of the mill, motion capture event. I expected the avatars to look real, but they still looked like cartoon characters. Don't claim to make revolutionary leaps and bounds when Gollum looked more real 6 years ago, or the Tyrannosaurus Rex from Jurrassic Park (which they used the sound effect for as a temp sound for the creatures) looked more real 16 (god, I'm old) years ago. Avatar looks to be a pretty movie with good effects, but this is definitely not the future of cinema.
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8-22-2009 @ 3:05AM
Ian said...
My 'Avatar Day' experience:
Monday - Came home from work, clicked on link to Avatar site, reserved 2 tickets, recieved confirmation email shortly afterward.
Wednesday - Got reservation reselection email from Fox, selected an alternate showing, recieved confirmation email soon after.
Friday - Fox sends reminder email. My girlfriend and I meet friends for dinner across from theater at 6:30, at 7:55 the girls go shoe shopping, us guys head for the screening. Walk into theater, check in with the clipboard lady, are handed glasses, easily find seats in a sparsely populated auditorium. Presentation begins. Footage looks great.
I'm not a big fan of 3-D, but Cameron has used the format to enrich the filmgoing experience, not just to have things jump off the screen, and I am looking forward to seeing the finished product. The film was not on my friend's radar at all, but now he's excited to see the film as well.
So, what was so bad about 'Avatar Day'?
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8-22-2009 @ 3:19AM
villageidjut said...
Seems to me you have every right to be frustrated.Especially given the poor coordination with the theater staff.
It isn't like you were trying to enter Willy Wonka's chocolate factory without a golden ticket for cryin' out loud.
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8-22-2009 @ 3:31AM
Capsilus said...
"The online trailer does not do the film justice" I have to agree.
I was one of the lucky ones, middle top row and saw the 16min in the Toronto theater. I work in visual effects, I'm a hard critic, but all I have to say is I was blown away, the trailer is nothing like what we saw. They played the trailer at the end and I don't like it, doesn't show the characters, facial animation and emotions well.
This movies will be making a tone of money. Every frame I saw was perfect, but the magic you get from actually watching a scene and not a trailer is amazing.
The 3D imax projection on the other hand didn't blow me away, still seams like the same technology, little bit stroby, but getting there.
The movie however is nothing like I've every seen. I was glued, kinda felt like being 14 again with an overwhelming amount of intrigue, and the message, the contrast between human and navi is amazing.
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8-22-2009 @ 3:52AM
i said...
Amazing footage. I was so underwhelmed with the trailer. Lost some hope of the quality... but the footage restored my interest and I couldn't get enough at the screening. The CG was very very solid and was stylized yet captured subtle Nuisance of movements. It was a treat to see and easy to get in. That is if you where on time ;)
Im looking forward to the 18th.
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