Where do you sit in the theater?
 

I was curious about that since I always aim for the dead center but don't get people who prefer the first row. Isn't this bad for your neck to stare up while watching?

I always aim for the total center myself, but for some reason, EVERY girl I've ever gone to the cinema with has always wanted to sit in the very back.

Sometimes, since most cinemas here have regular seating for the first few rows, then stadium seating for the rest, I try to hit the first stadium-seating row. That usually positions me so that the screen almost totally fills my vision, but I don't have to be uncomfortable.

I enjoy the very back myself, but my girl prefers the middle/lower section..so we end up trying to get the middle seats most of the time.

I hate sitting in the front seats..kills my back from leaning down in the seat so I can actually see the screen.

In the very back, top row, in the exact center. I can't stand the though of having people behind me or around me, so I sit in the top row of the stadium seats, because fewer people sit there. The view is much better from the top, too. I can see the entire screen without having to look up.

I only go to the theatre for action movies because they're the only kind that benefit from the huge screen and state-of-the-art sound. Dead centre is the best place, sound-wise, so I try to sit there. If you have to turn your head to follow a conversation, you're too bloody close. :P

Ayos: Perhaps the ladies wanted to make out without everyone in the theatre gawking? ;)

I prefer the center of the very back row... But I'll settle for dead center of the seats as well. I hate sitting in the front, especially on long movies, cause my neck gets really sore.

If I'm feeling antisocial, I'll sit on one of the 'outside' rows, cause they're only two or three seats wide, and I usually only go with a friend or two anyway. That, and sitting beside the aisle is good, cause I hate having to walk past everyone during a movie to go to the washroom.

Typically somewhere near the middle. I usually get to the theaters early enough to get the seats I want. I've never experienced sitting in the front since I don't like being too close to the screen. It also seems uncomfortable sitting that close as well.

I try to sit as close to dead centre as I can. I tend to get the best experience out of the film then, angle and sound. I really don't understand people who willingly sit right at the front, I couldn't do that my neck would start to ache after 20 minutes or so, and I don't think it would be too good for my eyes either sitting that close.

Ideally I try to sit around the middle of the theater since I think it's a better atmosphere than the very back. As long as there's a bit of an incline to the seating I've never had a problem with seeing over peoples' heads, and I tend to go 2-3 weeks after a movie's release anyway.

Sitting in the front row is never a pleasant experience. I went to the movies with a (very short) friend to see Bruce Almighty and Matrix Reloaded, and my neck was killing me after both.

If it's possible to get the seat I want without picking a fight I go for the dead center. You know, that spot in the theater where the viewing angle is just right and the sound is evenly panned on all sides. But if that can't be done I'll settle anywhere as long as I'm not stuck in the first 4 rows.

This is where I ALWAYS sit except when I happen to go on opening night of a huge opening like Harry Potter and I didn't feel like camping out for 12 hours to get in. I always make it a point to go to the movies on days when I know people are at work and kids are in school so as to avoid the bulk of the crowds. More often than not, I'm usually one of 2 or 3 people in the theater and I'm usually there early enough so as to pick a seat in the dead center.

The seats in the theater I go to are on large steps, so it is impossible to get your view blocked. I like to sit close to the back where it is high-up so I don't have to look up at the screen, and then get in the middle.

Dead center if I'm there to actually watch the movie.

If not, the back (obviously).

It depends which theater I go to.

There are two theaters in my area, a crappy one close to me, but still reliable, and a far away one that actually has baseball stadium seating.

In the crappy one, I usually aim dead center, but if someone's already occupying it, I tend to aim for the side seats near a speaker so I could hear every explosion in my action movie accordingly.

In the nice one, I always aim for one of the upper rows towards the center. It gives me a better vantage point to watch the movie.

In the center, no matter how close or far I am from the screen.

I prefer to be the last row in the back, because at least in the theaters here, the back row has the most leg room. Also, nobody behind you to be annoying.

I prefer to be at one side, either at the back or the middle. It's a little idiosyncrasy of mine; I have to be by a wall and if possible with my back up against it, even if it's not a scary movie. It's lucky for me that people always pick the middle of the row or I couldn't sit still in the theatre.

I always aim for the center, and about 10 rows back. That's ultimate for me. I hate sitting at the front because then you have to look up, and your neck is busted for the rest of the day. If the theater is a smaller one, sitting in the total back can be nice too.

I don't care if I'm in the middle, end or whatever of the row, but I always sit as close to the back as humanly possible. It's the easiest on my neck, and it's the best view...and also you don't have stupid pre pubescent kids giggling and putting their stinky feet up on your seats and stuff...

I sit in the back, in one of the sides or something.
You don't get people kicking you in the back of your seat.
No one tries to use you as a footrest.
You can lob hard candies at people who insist on acting like a fucktard ( Cellphone Girl, "SO AT THE END THEY ALL DIE" Guy, Makeout Boy and Makeout Girl, HAHAHADIDYOUSEETHAT LAUGHING MAN, Bitchy Person ).
In case a fiar starts I'm close enough to the exit.
Closer to the restrooms and snack thing.
You get to see the enti~ire picture.


Signed. I usually get there, like, twenty minutes to an hour early though. That way I get to buy what I need and watch the trailers.

At the back, dead centre. Its my favorite spot, mostly because I feel you get the best experience from that spot.

Back of the back, at an aisle seat. I'm antisocial.

You want to sit dead center, because theater sound is calibrated to hit the reference of 105dB in that spot.

I middle row when possible, and am happy anywhere within the last 2/3rds of the cinema :p

Although, ideally, I guess 3-4 rows from the back, and dead centre ;)

Center seats on the middle rows. I think that's where most of the people I go to the movies with want to sit too. I went to this theater in Virginia once that had reverse theater seating. Yes, that's exactly how it sounds. The genius of southern states!

What. Unless something has changed, I'm pretty sure the reference is 88db. Perhaps I am thinking of a different standard.

Unless 105db is the peak volume, and not the average. I suppose that is OK for limited exposure.

In a seat.

Seats are overrated. Aisles are the new black :)

An end seat, because if I don't, I'll invariably have to take a piss.

Yes, reference means a 105dB peak for all main channels. When you add the LFE, all channels combine to create a 120dB peak. And 85dB is where the dialogue tends to fall on a properly calibrated system.

I like to sit about ~10 seats back from dead center. It seems thats where a lot of other people want to sit too. To me, It sounds the best, and I don't have to strain to see the screen.

Normally though I go with friends and they get in the theater first. (I stop to talk to my friend who works there, or get soda, etc) They pretty much sit wherever, and I sit near them.

Got it. I really wish I could find the white paper I once read on all of the different theater and home audio volume standards. It went over all of this stuff in great detail. Not only peak and average volumes, but standards concerning things like how much compression can be applied, and where, etc.

I try to sit in the middle. Unfortunately, that seems to be the place most people want to sit.

The first row is for desperate people or people with incredibly bad eyes. Why anyone wants to sit there is beyond me.

But if I'm on a date I may sit in the back. ^.^

Generally my friends try to get the back row center. It's a pretty awesome seat and guarunteed if you get there early.

However, I've always liked sitting in the front row. Possibly because when I was little my uncle told me there were snakes up there that ate you when you sat up there and possibly because I like being so much closer. *shrugs*

Anywhere except the very sides is acceptable, I think.

I am usually in the center when I go to the movies. But for the past few films that I have been to I have been surrounded by noisy people. The worst was a lady eating popcorn loud right next to me and then when I thought it was over she pulls out some hard candy and I started banging my head on the seat.

I sit based on two requirements.

1) It has to be as far back as possible. The further back the more in line my eye level is to the screen. Not right at the back though cause that usually is too high making me look down on the screen slightly. Also you'll have less people behind you making noise.

2) It has to be in the center. That way I can just lean my head back without having to turn it to the left or right. You'll be surprised how awkward it can be to have your neck turned in one direction for 2 hours + lol.

Front row only in desperation. Very rare as they're only a few movies that I would go to that kind of length.

I get there really early and pour my soda over the seats in front of me to ensure no one sits there and I have an unobscured view of the screen.

I always aim for the middle to back half of the theatre. Centred seating. I also don't get those people who love to sit in the front row! I was forced to sit in the second row once due to lack of seating, and ended up with a sore neck and major headache at the end!

Eugh, I had to do that with Star Wars Episode I when I went to see it a long time ago. Theatre was packed even though the movie'd been out for a couple of weeks...
Forgot to add this in my last post, but when my friend Omar and I come to the theater I find we sit to the side in the middle a lot.

Seconded. I don't even know why they make seats that close to the screen, but I guess some people enjoy sitting that close.

Dead center, and hopefully in a spot where I have more leg room.

Center, mid-back for me.

I'm doing this from now on.

Nominating that for post of the year, LeHah

I go a few weeks after the premiere so it's a little calmer and I managed to get the seats in center, this has the best view and sound. Once I had to sit on the right side of the cinema and that fucking blows.

I usually try to grab the seat at the very back, in the middle. The last time I went to the movies I was stuck in the third row from the front, slightly to the right of the centre. It was pretty terrible, but not as bad as I was expecting.

I think I'll try to grab a seat in the middle of the theatre on my next outing so that I can enjoy the best audio experience.

Backmost row, directly in the middle.

Logic being it's the highest set of seats, you don't have to crane your neck upwards, people have not put their feet up and have no chance of putting their feet up near your head, no one will bother you with standing up and crossing, and the view is perfectly centered.

I can't quite understand the reasoning for most other seats unless people really want to get out of the theatre fast, or can't see well somehow.

Dead center myself, but if I'm late I'll take what I can. Just nothing in the first few rows.

Toward the back of the theatre, as centered as I can..with special preference for a spot with an empty seat in front of my so I can be free to put my feet up without feeling like an asshole.

I usually try to stick to the 4th or 5th row in the second seating section from the front. Not too close, not too far. I sit in the dead center if I can.

Yeah that's where I sit sometimes if there are no seats free or at least not where I want to sit, but it isn't exactly comfortable.

I sit close to the middle, usually more towards the back rows. Failing that, whatever seats are available. Thankfully, there have been very few instances where I've been forced into the front row, oh gawd neck pain, blurred image and slight dizziness.

Don't know if it's like this at other theaters, since I only really go to one, and haven't been in a long time, but I usually sit right behind the railing so that I have something to prop my feet up on, and no one complains because they can see over them. Now isn't that nice?

As to placement, though, I sit slightly right to the center, gives me dimension so that I don't lose myself in the movie and go crazy since I usually watch psychothrillers.

I'm a regular at the theater closest to me, so I've got all of the seats counted. I sit in the back row, center seat most of the time.

Depends on who I'm with. If I'm with myself or family, I sit in the very back row, Aisle seat, for the leg room. If I'm with my girlfriend or other friends we usually sit in the middle of the back risers somewhere.

I used to try and take the classic "middle row, middle seat" approach, but I have been sitting in the back row for awhile now. Since most of the theaters in my area have arena seating, I can see all of the screen comfortably, and don't have to worry about idiots kicking me (or their heads getting in the way.) I honestly haven't noticed a difference in the experience, so I think sitting in the middle wasn't really necessary.

It depends upon the movie. Due to being tall, I am fairly comfortable wherever I sit in the theater, (much to the chagrin of the person behind me) though some movies need to be seen upclose/faraway to get the full effect. I may make some seating shifts if the lighting is too bright. My preference is for high middle section.

i perfer mid center of the screen and mid row. so im just right. i get better sound quality there as well. lol

When accompanied by friends, I usually sit in the first row behind the special seating. With family, we usually end up somewhere in the nosebleed section...

I try to avoid front row seats because I am not fond of trying to look up to the screen, I usually sit around the center or somewhere up the top for the best views.

Same for me though I wouldn't go for the top, it would make things too small for me but it all depends on where you are going. There's nothing better like sitting in the center of the middle row. Excellent view accompanied with a good balance of sound treatment.

I saw a movie today. I try to sit in the middle, but it is usually the area that fills in first, so from then I go further back. Up close is always a last resort.

Middle/Middle. haha.

Right in the middle of things, not to far, not to close but just right. The theater in Kona just doesn't feel right if you sit in the back or the front.

I just sit wherever the movie screen will take up my entire field of vision and also preferably behind short people so I don't have to deal with bobbin heads in the middle of the movie.

After working in a theatre for 8 months and having plenty of time in empty theatres to determine where the best sound is, I have determined that my favorite spot is slightly further back from halfway to the screen and as close to dead center as possible. I'll take other spots in the center rows if necessary, but if I have to sit all the way on the aisle seats, I usually just get a different time.

Middle of a row (or near enough) and then about two-thirds of the way back I tend to find is the best area to sit. In my local cinema they have these 'premier seat' rows, which aren't really much different to the normal seats (except more costly), they only really have wider gaps between each seat. I tend to pick seats in the row behind the last of the premier seats as the extra arm width of the row in front often means you get better leg room.

I suffered through the first Fantastic Four movie in the VERY front of the theatre. Not only was the film bad, but my neck hurt horribly after the film ended.

I try to hit up the center of the theatre as far as distance from the screen goes. I don't mind being off to the side slightly so long as I am at a comfortable distance from the screen so my neck doesn't kill afterward.

I prefer sitting in the middle of the row and about a 3 to 5 rows back. I don't like being to close or too far away from the screen.

The theatre I usually go to has two tiers of seating. I usually try to go to the first row of the second tier. Its pretty much the exact center, and you get plenty of leg room as well. And for some reason, no one ever wants to sit there, which is completely cool with me XD

But occasionally I just go to a regular theatre, where I usually try to get around 2/3rds back, but occasionally when I see a movie on opening night I sometimes have to sit in the front, or to the sides seats. I've been trying to persuade my friends against opening nights, but they're too obsessed or something, even though each time we get horrible seats >.>

When I worked at a movie theater in high school, ushers were assigned to clean up after each show. For sold out shows, our managers used leaf blowers instead of brooms to clean out each seat row, kicking up all kinds of garbage out of the aisles and towards the front of the theater. When they were done, all the garbage would be right in front of the main aisle, and we'd just sweep it up. Sometimes there would be tons of gross stuff kicked over the seats...and, yeah, I don't want to get into too much detail. But anyway, after learning about that cleaning method, I resolved to always sit in the back.

Usually the center on the middle 'er so rows.


I like to be eye level with the screen. I sat up top once. Didn't like it. Felt weird.

I do my best to sit in the very middle of the place. I guess I'd prefer a bit closer to a bit further, though.