6 Interesting Facts About Movie Focus Groups That You Should Know
The first time I heard about movie focus groups, I thought, “No Way! People get to have all these fun without paying for it? I need to get in on this too”. Yes! That is how cool it has always been as a member of a movie screening group, not only the screening part but having major pull in the final cut that is released for box office viewings.
A movie focus group is quite different from the private screening where you shell out thousands of dollars to watch a movie before it gets released to cinemas. The movie focus group is used as a test audience for opinions and reactions on a film that is in post-production and the Director can still change movie plots or characters.
Quite a few blockbuster movies have been test screened to a small group of people and their opinions were used to change it. For a movie focus group, the studio hires a research consulting group to recruit people whom a New York Times article described as “demographics that match those of the film’s target audience.”
The studio rents out a cinema where these selected people are shown the raw cuts of various movies to gauge audience reactions. After the preview, the studio requests feedback on movies by asking the test audience to fill out questionnaires or take part in focus groups where they discuss highlights of the movies and point out how they could be improved.
Isn’t it cool? I bet. Now, let’s dive into other interesting things about being part of a movie focus group.
NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED
To be part of a movie focus group, you do not need any specific experience, just your love for movies.
The interesting thing about the no experience tag is that invitation to preview movies can come from anywhere, you could be walking home from the grocery store and someone could approach and ask, “would you like to watch a free movie right now?” and your affirmative response to the question will make you part of a movie focus group.
If you live in a movie location or college town, you have a 50-50 chance of being part of a movie focus group.
IT IS FUN
This is not an understatement as you would be part of the first audience to watch the raw cut of a new movie that is yet to hit the cinemas, isn’t that fun?
The dealbreaker though is that you get to watch it like you are in a box office or at the cinemas with your popcorn and soda, probably your friends, if you guys get invited together.
GETTING PAID
This is the super fun part, some studios pay people to be part of the movie focus group. There is no agreed fee for being part of a movie focus group but they pay a minimum wage rate to make up for taking your time to give them honest opinions on the movie.
Surprisingly, some studios include such costs in a movie budget when shooting high budget movies.
GET TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
This is a big deal for movie focus groups as they can convince directors to re-cut certain scenes or improve the emotional intelligence of some actors and the result is seen in a collation of movies compiled by a culture website.
A collation of responses from the questions filled by test screeners may be what a director needs to change the plot of the movie to make it a blockbuster, literally, a movie focus group is making a difference for larger viewership, one movie at a time.
GETTING KICKED OUT
This is what you get for enjoying a free movie session, you do not make the rules of engagement and studios are strict about their guidelines. In case you are picked for a movie focus group, you may be requested to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to desist from discussing the movie till it is officially released.
Following the NDA, you could get kicked out of the cinema booth when you are caught using your phone during the preview.
GETTING TRIPPED UP
This is for test screeners that default on the NDA, going on to brag about watching a movie to their friends sharing scene plot and ending, when the movie comes out and the studio has changed the plot direction or ending, it makes you look like a liar. Yeah! You got tripped up for being a blabbermouth.
However, being part of a movie focus group is an interesting experience but what if they were the ones that gave studio executives the wrong advice to re-cut the sequel of the movie you loved but hate so much now because of the changed storyline. What if?
