Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Get the best picture and sound
• Method 2 of 3: Increase your chances of getting the best seat
• Method 3 of 3: Choosing the right days and times
• Tips
• Warnings

Not all seating areas in a cinema are the same. It's true! Some seating areas are better than others. Getting the best seat in a movie theater should be easy if you think a little beforehand about how you'll buy your tickets and pick a seat.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Get the best picture and sound

1. Sit two-thirds back in the center. To find the best sound quality, it is best to sit where the sound engineer is to calibrate the experience. This is the most common way to get a good seat.
   • This means that you have to place yourself two-thirds towards the back of the cinema, right in the middle. In terms of view, most seats in modern cinema theaters are 30-40 cm higher than the seats in front, so that you can have an unobstructed view. This is why it is a good idea to choose a seat based on sound.
   • Experts recommend that you sit slightly away from the center to amplify the sound effect. Try to sit one or two seats away from the exact center of the theater, two-thirds back. You will get a "dynamic, stereo sound" from this position.
   • This phenomenon is well known. The sound will be sharper - and you will get the full effect of it - from this place.
2. Sit at the best viewing angle. Almost all cinemas have a place where the image and sound will be best. This is the place you want to find.
   • By some standards, a viewing angle of 36 degrees from the furthest seat in the theater is the best seat. You want your viewing angle to be maximum. People have even applied complex math formulas to this question!
   • The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers has visual guidelines advising that the viewer's vertical line of sight should be no more than 35 degrees from the horizontal center point to the top of the projected images.
   • The ideal line of sight should be 15 degrees below the horizontal centerline of the projected image on the screen. To feel further immersed in the action, sit in the row where the edges of the screen are just within the edges of your peripheral vision.
3. Find a good seat in a home theater. Home theaters are no different from other movie theaters: there are ways to enhance the viewing experience.
   • The optimal viewing distance is the diagonal size of your screen divided by 0.84. This means that a 112 cm screen must be viewed from a distance of 165 cm. This is the standard of THX home theaters.
   • The recommended viewing distances for a 150 cm screen are 180 to 275 cm.
   • The cinematography style can also affect the recommended distance from a screen, as some movies are made to be played on very large screens.

Method 2 of 3: Increase your chances of getting the best seat

1. Buy your tickets online. Many cinemas nowadays have sites where you can easily buy movie tickets in advance. Check your movie theater website.
   • This will help you avoid the long queues for popular movies, so you can get into the cinema earlier to grab the best seats first.
   • Many cinemas even let you choose your seat when buying your tickets. However, there are also cinemas that operate according to the "first come, first served" rule. You will find out online, but even if you can't choose your seat yourself, buying your ticket online will help you get to the cinema even faster before the best spots are taken.
   • By buying tickets online, you will also not go to a cinema and only find out when you arrive that the movie is sold out.
2. Reserve your seat. Depending on your cinema, you can reserve your seat online. Usually this does not cost any extra money.
   • You can also buy a ticket for a specially reserved seat. These reserved seats are often more comfortable and larger (but often also more expensive). Some larger theaters offer these seating types, while smaller cinemas may not.
   • These special seating areas are usually closer to the back of the room, where the sound is best and you don't have to bend your neck to watch the movie. Sometimes these chairs also have (larger) tables on which you can place your food and drinks.
   • You can often choose which seat you want to reserve via the computer, or else the computer will choose the best seat for you. This way you don't have to worry about ending up with a bad seat in a busy room if you arrive late or at the last minute.
3. Go to the cinema early. This sounds pretty obvious, but if you want to get the best seat, don't go until the movie just starts unless you've reserved your seat.
   • Go at least 15 to 20 minutes before the movie starts, and even earlier if the movie is popular.
   • What you can also do is go during off-peak hours. Some theaters have weekday deals.
   • Screenings of popular new movies on Sunday and Saturday nights will be the busiest.

Method 3 of 3: Choosing the right days and times

1. Go on Mondays and Wednesdays. These weekdays are known as the least busy movie days, so if you want to avoid the crowds, go on these days. By avoiding the crowds you will have more choice of seating options.
   • Holidays can be busier. If you don't want to endure crowds for the best spots, avoid screenings around Christmas, for example.
   • The last evening screening on a Monday or Wednesday will in most cases be the least crowded room.
   • You can also wait until a popular new movie has been released for a while. This way you can avoid the crowds and get the best seat in the room instead of having to compete for it against someone else. You can also try smaller movie theater chains or cheaper theaters.
2. Keep your personal needs in mind. The best seat may not be the best place to see and hear properly if it means that you will be uncomfortable there.
   • An aisle seat will be better if you will have to go to the bathroom several times during the screening (or if you have a child with you who may need to do so).
   • In that sense, if you also plan to walk back and forth for snacks often, you'll annoy a lot of people by tripping over them as you exit the middle of the aisle.
   • If you end up with a center back seat, be prepared to feel best crammed in if the movie is popular, with other people on both sides. If you are very tall and have long legs, you may prefer to sit in the middle seats that spill onto the aisle so that your legs will be less cramped.
3. Go sooner or later. The time you go to the cinema will make a big difference when it comes to audience size.
   • The last showing of an evening will likely be less crowded, unless of course the movie is a blockbuster or first showing.
   • Matinee displays have the added benefit of often being cheaper. Not only will you save a little money, but you won't have to endure crowds and have a better chance of getting the best seat.
   • Be aware that movie theaters can get packed during off-peak hours and when there are special promotions, such as senior days or discount days for teachers or students.

Tips

• Many people will try to sit two-thirds back in the center. This is not a big secret!
• Get to the theater early enough to get the seat.

Warnings

• First come, first served.