SIGHTS
A white marquee with black letters listing movies that are currently playing, movie posters displayed out front, kids being dropped off at the curb, a glassed-in box office with cashiers sitting on chairs, lots of doors to enter through, tile floors in the foyer area, an LED display showing all the movies and show times, electronic ticket machines, customers waiting in line to pay, a brightly lit foyer, an arcade area with video games and token machines, caution cones to alert customers to spills, cutouts of actors, displays advertising future releases, ropes separating the ticketing area from the concession stand, a concession counter with neon lighting and pricing boards, popcorn and soda machines, boxes of candy, straw and napkin dispensers, a condiment station, garbage cans, stacks of booster seats, water fountains, restrooms, a party room, an employee checking tickets and directing moviegoers to their theaters, bins of 3-D glasses, dimly lit hallways leading to the theaters, a marquee outside each theater showing the title of the movie playing, carpeted stairs inside the theaters, a big screen with curtains on either side, speakers on the walls, track lighting along the stairs, cell phones glowing in the dark, tiered rows of cushioned seats, cup holders, popcorn and straw wrappers on the floor, a scatter of colorful candy spilled on the steps, crumpled napkins on the floor, rows of attendees focused on the screen
SOUNDS
People arguing over what movie to see, car doors slamming as people get out at the curb, the tinny sound of a cashier’s voice coming through a microphone, shoes clacking or scuffling over tile floors, workers talking, popcorn popping, soda splashing into cups, the scrape of a popcorn scoop in the machine, echoing voices and footsteps, dings and alarms from the video games, kids laughing and running, the sweep of a broom, seats creaking and squeaking in the theaters, people murmuring while waiting for the movie to start, the crackle of candy wrappers being opened, the crunch of popcorn and nachos, phones ringing, deafening previews, laughter, whispers, neighbors who are loud chewers
SMELLS
Popcorn, salt, musty carpets
TASTES
Water, soda, popcorn, butter, nachos, pretzels, hot dogs, candy
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
Wind rushing in through an open door, frigid air-conditioned air, metal stair railings, the rock of a seat, a broken chair with a seat that angles forward or a back that reclines too far, arms brushing against each other on the armrests, fingers greasy from popcorn or messy from melting chocolate, wet condensation clinging to a drinking cup, one’s seat being bumped by restless children, scrubbing away butter from one’s lips and fingers with a napkin, tacky spots on the arm rests from spilled soda, sticky floors, wincing away from sounds that are too loud, the sensation of trying not to cry, feeling too hot or too cold in the theater, a throat that tingles with the onset of a coughing fit
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Tripping in the dark
Choking on a Milk Dud or other candy
Aggravation over not getting to see the movie of one’s choice
Teenagers making out in front of one’s kids
Sitting next to someone who ruins the enjoyable experience (by snoring, hogging the armrest, eating in a messy fashion, talking, laughing at the wrong time, getting up multiple times before and during the movie)
Arriving late to a packed theater and having to sit on the front row
Spilling one’s refreshments
Having something stolen in the dark
Seeing the movie with someone who criticizes it the whole way through
A fight breaking out between viewers
Someone kicking the back of one’s seat
People talking loudly throughout the movie
Hecklers
Viewing an uncomfortable sex scene with a first date or one’s parents
Feeling anxiety because of crowds, the dark, loud noises, or possible exposure to germs
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Cashiers, custodial staff and maintenance workers, customers, managers, other employees
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Parking garage, parking lot, performing arts theater, shopping mall
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Most movie theaters are similar in size and venue, but there are exceptions. While the multiplex has become popular, some theaters remain small in both size and number of movies shown. There’s also the dinner-and-a-movie venue, where people sit at tables rather than in rows of seats and eat dinner while viewing a new release instead of munching on snacks. Drive-in theaters are an endangered species, but you can still find them here and there. And independent theaters cater to the artsy crowd, showing classic, indie, or second-run movies in intimate theaters with historic roots or art-deco décor.
People go to the movies to be entertained, so it’s a safe assumption that the theater is a happy place for most attendees. But not everyone is there with an open mind. Parents taking their kids to see an animated movie may be just marking time until it’s over. Other patrons might be seeing a movie they’re not interested in simply because everyone else wanted to see it. Still others might experience anxiety over the movie’s material, such as explicit language, sex scenes, scary parts, or unsettling violence. A character’s motivation and mindset walking into the movie theater will determine his attitude, so keep that in mind when writing your character into his setting.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
The other girls threw themselves into the saggy seats, laughing like a gaggle of demented geese. Janelle, on the other hand, was trying not to freak out. She could feel her shoes sticking to the floor from ten years’ worth of soda that had never been cleaned up. Bits of popcorn—popcorn fondled by gross buttery hands and drenched in saliva—filled the nooks and crannies in the seats. And what on earth was that smell? Mold? Mildew? She gingerly sat down, trying to touch as little as possible. She hated the movies.
Techniques and Devices Used: Hyperbole, multisensory descriptions, simile
Resulting Effects: Characterization, reinforcing emotion, tension and conflict