Interview #7

Participant : Female | 24 | business.

When is your most recently watched movie? Which movie?

Sausage Party if the question is about the last movie I watched in cinema….

Suicide squad if the question is about the last movie I watched in general.

Do you have any cinema preference and why?

Yes. Bishan GV – convenient to go and it’s near bf’s house lol.

What are the factors that you think are important for a cinema?

My concern for a good cinema is the cleanliness, sound system, location and appropriate temperature. I don’t like going to cinema that has trash all the way from the entrance to the hall. Everything must look clean, nice and shiny. Secondly, I like cinema with high quality sound system, obviously the quality of a movie depends on how good the sound can be projected to the audience. Thirdly, location is super important, cannot go to a very far away cinema and especially if it’s far from mrt. Finally, please temperature must not be so cold. I hate it when I go to watch a movie and it’s freezing there.

What do you usually do after watching a movie?

Go back and sleep…

Do you stay back for after credits?

Yes yes, if I know that there is after credits and all people are waiting for an after credits. If no news, I’ll just leave. If the movie is good, I’ll sit a little bit more and enjoy the credits, trying to find Vietnamese name among the name list of people contributing to the making of that movie.

How do you feel (emotionally and physically) after watching a movie?

Depend on each movie. In general, I feel ok physically. But emotionally it really depends.

How do you feel about the exit hall post movie?

I feel uncomfortable walking in the exit hall. It looks dirty, dark, and it’s like in a horror or tragic movie. After watching a movie, I would try to find an excuse like going to the toilet to walk out by the main entrance.

Have you ever gotten into a situation that you have to catch last Public transport after a movie? How did you feel about it?

Nope, my housemates and I like to watch late night movie and we all end up walking half an hour home. In other situation, I don’t feel any rush to catch the last bus/train at all.

If you can change something about the exit hall, what would you like to change?

Just let us get out by the main entrance.

How do you feel about the following ideas to improve the exit hall?

a.Navigation to be displayed on walls

No need, I can find way out. I just hate the exit hall.

b.After credits / new movie trailers screened on walls

Not necessary, I just want to get out. It may make me more confused maybe.

c.Simple rating system for viewers to express their feeling about the movie

This can be done before the door out… no need to be at the exit hall.

Interview #4/5/6

Interview #4

Participant: Male, 24. Software Engineer.

When is your most recently watched movie? Which movie?
3 weeks ago.

Do you have any cinema preference and why?
Cathay, better popcorn. If I go with friends, I will go a place that is convenient for us all. If we have a lot of time then distance doesn’t matter.
What are the factors that you think are important for a cinema?

Food, I prefer places where I have more choices of popcorn. Also, I prefer big movie screen size. Places with appropriate volume setting. I don’t like places where it is too loud.

What do you usually do after watching a movie?
Movie is usually my last activity for the day. I will usually discuss the movie with friends on the way back.
Do you stay back for after credits?
Only for movies I expect to have after credits. I roughly know big franchises like Marvel, Pixar, etc. are most likely to have after credits.
How do you feel (emotionally and physically) after watching a movie?

It largely depends on the movie. I have headache if the movies are complicated. If fantasy/scifi I feel a bit floating. Action movies may cause higher heart rate. Most likely I need to go to the toilet after a movie cos I usually drink during a movie.

Sometimes I will imagine myself in the movie world.

How do you feel about the exit hall post movie?
I think it is long and hot, uncomfortable. Most exit involve stairs. It takes very long to find the toilet and toilet always have a long Queue. At the end of the exit I usually don’t know where I am, especially if the shopping mall is new to me.

I prefer movie theatre with the exit directing back to the lobby (cos toilet is always available)

Have you ever gotten into a situation that you have to catch last Public transport after a movie? How did you feel about it?
The last time I watched a late night movie, before buying tickets I had already known I would miss the last bus and had to walk home so it was ok. I did not really rush or anything. Did not feel anxious at all.

Because all the mall entrances were closed, I could not find any toilet and that was stressful HAHAHHA

If you can change something about the exit hall, what would you like to change?
Make it shorter and maybe darker. Cos I feel it is glaring. Maybe can have aircon to make it cooler. I don’t find the current exit boring because I don’t really pay attention to it. I usually will still think about the movie.
What do you usually do in the exit hall?
Think about the movie. Check for time on my phone but don’t really use it. Discuss with my friends about the movie. Follow the people in front. If there is no one I think it is still intuitive because there is only one way to go.
How do you feel about the following ideas to improve the exit hall?
1. Navigation to be displayed on walls
  I think navigation is already there. It is one way so you rarely go wrong.
2. After credits / new movie trailers screened on walls
  I do not think this is a good idea. I feel like it will disturb my after-movie thoughts. If this idea is installed, I prefer it to let me know more about the characters or movie world.
3. Simple rating system for viewers to express their feeling about the movie
  I care about whether this system is biased. If somehow u can make this fair then I think there is a point.

Interview #5

Participant: Female, 24. Research assistant.

When is your most recently watched movie? Which movie?
Sausage Party. 2 weeks ago.
Do you have any cinema preference and why?
I will choose a cinema that is closer to my home.
What are the factors that you think are important for a cinema?

I don’t care. My friends select the movie cinema. I only care about the distance. If it’s too far I will not go. I will prefer seats that are not too close to the screen.

What do you usually do after watching a movie?
Supper or go home straight. Generally movie is my last activity.
Do you stay back for after credits?
Unless my friends insist to stay back. The only time I stayed back there wasn’t any after credits so I kind of feel disappointed.
How do you feel (emotionally and physically) after watching a movie?

It largely depends on the movie. Most of the time I feel relaxed and chill. I usually go for romance and animation. I feel like my legs don’t belong anywhere. It feels uncomfortable. I have to place my feet somewhere. I feel that some movie theatres are cold.

Sometimes I have an after-movie feeling, depending on the movies. Like if the movie is controversial I will think about the ending…etc.

How do you feel about the exit hall post movie?
I feel indifferent. I think it’s boring. I mostly go to GV which uses fire exit as the cinema exit. But nothing to complain about. I don’t really care about the exit.

From a service point, I feel like the cinema abandons the customers cos they do not care about the exit. I feel like its “ impolite”

Have you ever gotten into a situation that you have to catch last Public transport after a movie? How did you feel about it?
I knew it beforehand so I was prepared to rush for it. After the exit, I need to navigate and then ran for the transport. But I don’t really care if I can catch it, it’s not a crucial thing. Normally I would avoid late night movies.
If you can change something about the exit hall, what would you like to change?
Make it shorter and I don’t want to take the stairs. Can put more movie posters or decoration. But I don’t expect much from a movie exit anyway.
What do you usually do in the exit hall?
Discuss with friends about the movie. Don’t use phone. Follow people in front to exit. But sometimes people in front also don’t know where to go
How do you feel about the following ideas to improve the exit hall?
1. Navigation to be displayed on walls
  Unnecessary cos I think the exit is one way. Some signages are already there.
2. After credits / new movie trailers screened on walls
  Ok. I prefer trailers, don’t really want see more about the movie (I think whatever about the movie should be screened in the movie hall already). Exit hall is hot so I don’t want spend time there.
3. Simple rating system for viewers to express their feeling about the movie
  I think I would like this idea if the rating is used for new movie comers because otherwise there is no purpose to it.
  
  Interview #6
  
  Participant: Female, 23. Software engineer.

When is your most recently watched movie? Which movie?
3 weeks ago.
Do you have any cinema preference and why?
Nice chair cushion. Comfortable seat. Fit my size. Air con is just nice.
What are the factors that you think are important for a good cinema experience?

Staff shouldn’t disturb when credits is screened. Popcorn/drink should be nice. No issue with screen size. I think GV seats are a bit low so I have to raise my head which is tiring for my neck. Cathay front row are very closed to the screen.

What do you usually do after watching a movie?
Go for a walk and think about the movie
Do you stay back for after credits?
Yes, always. I feel like it is a way to appreciate the production team. So I feel disturbed and a bit angry when the staff tries to clear the hall when the credits is still screening.
How do you feel (emotionally and physically) after watching a movie?

Deeply in thoughts. I usually watch movies that give new ideas / creative ideas. I will think about the movie a lot if the movie is good. Not really about the character.

I feel full after movie cos I drink a lot of soft drink. I usually hold something (popcorn) to help with my concentration.

I usually watch movies alone so I don’t have to care about others.

I don’t really feel tired after the movie. I feel relaxed.

How do you feel about the exit hall post movie?
I think it is a great setting for a horror movie (LAUGH). It is quite dark, long and no one really knows where they are heading and how long it is. I usually go to Cathay who paints the exit hall black (white for cathay) The hall is narrow and long, a bit maze- I usually just think where I am going.

There’s no other way so I will just go and suppose that’s the right way. Most of the time I feel a bit lost because some signage is confusing and not at my eye level.

Have you ever gotten into a situation that you have to catch last Public transport after a movie? How did you feel about it?
When I was a student, I rushed for the train because I don’t have much money to catch cab. But now I either choose a really late night and take cab or go for early one. Sometime if I watch at The Cathay (Dhoby Gaught) I will walk home and enjoy the night walk along Orchard road (1hr)
If you can change something about the exit hall, what would you like to change?
Make it less scary. Make it more cheerful/positive. Cos you go for a movie to chill and relax then suddenly you enter this scary corridor.
What do you usually do in the exit hall?
I think about the end of the exit. I actually like the idea of some scary thing that surprises me at the end. Sometime I see the upcoming movie posters. But I think they are really far away in time ( 3-6months later) so I think it is quite pointless.
How do you feel about the following ideas to improve the exit hall?
Navigation to be displayed on walls
I think I need to by eye levelled. I think it should be pictorial / illustrative. Some imagery suggestion of where we are ending up at.
After credits / new movie trailers screened on walls
No need. I watch after credits in the cinema hall and movie trailers at MRT stations.
Simple rating system for viewers to express their feeling about the movie

I think this is ok. When I use a rating system I will prefer some privacy. I think if its crowded. I think it is better if it is done by an app. Maybe some location-based trigger can be installed so it asks me to rate after the movie. I think some rewards need to be there for people to rate, like membership rewards.

Field trip 1 + Interview #1

A. Field Trip

Location: Jurong Point, Golden Village, cinema Hall 2.

Time: 7:10pm – 9:20pm

Movie: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

B. Interview #1

All interview is available @

Participant: Male, 24. Software Engineer.

When is your most recently watched movie? Which movie?
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. 1hr ago.
Do you have any cinema preference and why?
No, I prefer watching movies in my own room at my own comfort. I would just go to a nearby cinema if I have to.
What are the factors that you think are important for a cinema?
Environment-wise, I think it should be quiet enough with little distraction. You go to a cinema to watch a movie, so, of course, good visuals and audio is a must. It should make you feel immersed in the movie. I will try to get seats that are not too close or too far from the screen.

While I usually go to the cinema with friends, I still feel like movie watching is a 1 person experience because you don’t really talk to others when the movie is screening. It is not very interactive in that sense. I think most interactions happen afterward when we discuss the movie we just watched.
What do you usually do after watching a movie?
Normally I do not decide to watch a movie on the spot. Most of the time movie watching is planned before the outing and normally it will be the last thing we do if we go out in the evening. Occasionally we will have a meal afterward if the timing is right.
Do you stay back for after credits?
Only for Marvel movies. Otherwise, I will just leave. But it also depends on the friends I am going with. If they stay I will stay. I think it is not critical to stay back because if you need any information you can always find it online.
How do you feel (emotionally and physically) after watching a movie?
I feel like I have sat for too long. But it is ok in general. I think movie watching is relaxing and if I am physically tired I would not even go to the cinema in the first place. So, even if the movie is 2hr or more, I dont really feel exhausted unless the movie is extremely boring.

Emotionally, depending on the movie, I usually have some feelings linger at the end. Sometimes I would also think about the parts I dont understand or parts I find impressive. I think this also signals the quality of the movie. If you don’t feel anything after watching, it is probably sucky and there’s nothing to remember.
How do you feel about the exit hall post movie?
I’m actually quite indifferent about the exit. I don’t really like or hate walking through it. But at the end, I felt a bit lost and I needed to do some walking to relocate and know where I was. I rarely get into that situation in Jurong Point because I am familiar with this mall.
Have you ever gotten into a situation that you have to catch last Public transport after a movie? How did you feel about it?
The last time I watched a late night movie, before buying tickets I had already known I would miss the last bus and had to walk home so it was ok. I did not really rush or anything. Did not feel anxious at all.
If you can change something about the exit hall, what would you like to change?
It would be great if the exit is shorter and ideally I would like it to lead back to the cinema lobby because it is easier to navigate. The current exit is also quite boring for me, it does not feel like a part of a shopping mall.

I think it would be nice to make it such that you can discuss movies with your friends better. In that way, it would be ok even if it is a long and boring walk.
What do you usually do in the exit hall?
I always talk to my friends about the movie. I rarely use my phone. As for walking I actually just follow the people in front. I don’t really pay attention to signages.
How do you feel about the following ideas to improve the exit hall?
a. Navigation to be displayed on walls
I think this has to be very concise and somehow repeated after each turns of the corridor or something like that. I feel that if not careful there would be too much information and noone will read it.

I think this idea depends on viewers’ familiarity with the place. If they are already familiar with that particular shopping mall, they can self-navigate and it does not really add value to them. I guess it works for people who are new or do not often go to the place. It also depends on how your signages are designed. For example, if you just tell me this exit leads to Carpark B, I would not be able to tell where that is anyway.

b. After credits / new movie trailers screened on walls
I do not think this is a good idea. If you screen a video, it might obstruct the flow of people exiting the cinema hall because some will watch and some won’t. This also kind of removes the choice whether they want to watch it because it will be screened to their eyes anyway. I think I would prefer a slightly more relaxing environment right after a movie, not too much of moving visuals. I think some music or background sounds are ok.

c. Simple rating system for viewers to express their feeling about the movie

I think this is better because interaction time is short and it does not require much effort. I think the challenge is giving people a motivation to participate in this rating thing, make it accessible to those who want to do it and not obtrusive to those who do not. I think it can be fun too.

Overall, I think the exit hall needs to be more interesting but not bombarded with visuals or information.

Week 1 | Research Questions + Planning

A. Research Questions

1. Primers – movie watching in general

Their most recent movie experience? (When/which movie?/which cinema/around what time)

Any cinema preferences and why? (asking in terms of service/experience/ is there a cinema they always go to?)

What do they usually do after watching a movie?

How do they feel emotionally and physically after watching the movies?

2. Exit hallway

What are their expectations of an exit? (IMPORTANT)

What do they like / do not like about the exit (IMPORTANT)

What do you do in the exit hall? (e.g waiting for friends, toilet, discussing the movies?)

How long do they spend in the exit hallway?

3. Observations to take note

Social activities happening in the exit hall (e.g waiting for friends, toilet, discussing the movies?)

Traffic Flow / How are cinema exit halls connected?

Spatial Elements of the exit hall

B. Planning

WEEK 1:

Field trip: mapping the exit hall of at least 3 cinemas, noting traffic flow, spatial conditions, what people do, how long do they stay there
Interviews: aim to get 10 – 12 respondents in total by next week. Document their answers in table form, highlighting common keywords.
Literature research: find out possible technologies to employ and any other related projects.

WEEK 2:

Reflect on Week 1 findings and IDEATE different idea, select strongest 1 or 2 ideas to work on.
Design new questions based on specific ideas
Quick mock-up/ sketches of the ideas to ask people during phase 2 interviews (down to 5-6 participants)
Collect responses from new questions

WEEK 3:

Fine tune design solution based on responses from week 2
Create a specific narrative to test, more elaborate mockup in terms of visual/audio
Test in ADM Fire exit corridor