How to Attend Movie Premieres

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Learn to attend advanced screenings with our helpful guide

Co-authored by Christine Reed

Last Updated: October 12, 2024 References

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Using the Media

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Finding Tickets Online

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Being a "Mystery Viewer"

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Expert Q&A

Attending movie premieres might seem like a luxury for the privileged few. The truth is, movie studies give out tickets for advanced screenings all the time to generate buzz for new films—you just need to know where to find them. Get in on the action and make the magic of the silver screen yours.

Things You Should Know=

Sign up for a website dedicated to helping you find and attend movie premiers like https://gofobo.com/.^{[1]
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Look for hashtags relating to movie premieres, giveaways, contests, or the names of new films on social media to see if there are any premier contests to enter.
Set up email alerts for specific hashtags or keywords through free media management software, so you won’t miss an opportunity to get tickets.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Movie Premiere Tickets through the Media

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Check media outlets for contests and special events. Newspapers, radio stations, and TV channels are often given complimentary tickets by movie studios, with the understanding that the tickets will be given away to the general public.
- Local radio stations frequently hold contests with movie premiere tickets as the prizes. Use speed dialing or “last number dialed” to quickly redial and make more attempts to win, whether you're trying to answer a trivia question or just be the 100th caller.^{[2]
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- TV channels, newspapers, and radio stations might also give out a “redemption code” as a movie premiere contest prize. You’ll be given instructions on how to redeem the code for a ticket, which is often done online. ^{[3]
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Look out for exclusive movie premieres from membership organizations. If you belong to certain specialized organizations or charities, your membership might include perks such as tickets to advance movie screenings. Keep an eye on the organizations’ newsletters for news items about exclusive movie premieres.^{[4]
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- AARP is known for offering access to movie premieres. Check your local AARP newsletter, which is available online, for all the latest discounts and deals.^{[5]
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- Special interest groups such as religious organizations, charities, or nonprofits sometimes receive premiere tickets for films in their area of focus. If you belong to such a group, keep an eye on their website or newsletter for members-only movie premiere offers.^{[6]
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Whether you write movie reviews for your town paper or host a popular blog or YouTube channel that critiques films, you may receive movie premiere passes as a courtesy to encourage you to publicize a film.^{[7]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Finding Movie Premiere Tickets Online

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Sign up for a movie premiere website. These are sites dedicated to helping you find and attend movie premieres. You can usually create an account for free; a few of them offer apps you can use on the go. Some of the top sites are Gofobo.com, SeeItFirst.net, and AdvanceScreenings.com.^{[8]
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- RSVP/redemption codes are given out over social media (usually, via Twitter or Facebook); they can also be found in newspapers and magazines. Sometimes, they’re awarded as prizes for radio contests.^{[9]
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- Gofobo.com lets you redeem prize codes for tickets to a particular film premiere. You can search for premieres by the name of the film, or by your city or ZIP code.^{[10]
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Use websites and apps to find contests. Sites like AdvanceScreenings.com show you a list of local contests you can enter to win the tickets. Simply select a film you’d like to see, then choose the theater nearest you from the list of locations. For each location, you’ll see one or more opportunities to get premiere tickets, linked directly to available contests or special offers.^{[11]
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- Check out ZayZay.com’s Giveaways page for chances to win movie premiere tickets, called “advance screenings” on the site.
- You can increase your chances to win by entering multiple times, providing details like your contact info and your preferred theater location as part of the entry process. #Follow movie studios on social media. Movie studios and PR companies alike announce premiere ticket contests and giveaways through social media channels.^{[12]
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- Look for hashtags relating to movie premieres, giveaways, contests, or the names of new films you’d like to see.
- Let your computer do some of the work for you: You can set up email alerts for certain hashtags or keywords through free media management software, so you won’t miss an opportunity to get tickets.
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Join movie premiere mailing lists. Studios and PR companies use mailing lists to deliver movie premiere news right to your inbox.^{[13]
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- Make sure that the email addresses of these sites are “whitelisted,” so that these emails will not be sent to your Spam folder by mistake.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Attending Movie Premieres as a “Mystery Viewer”

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Sign up with a mystery shopping company. These are market research businesses that pay people to do everyday activities such as eating out at restaurants, buying clothing at department stores, trying a new website—and going to the movies. They do this in exchange for in-depth information from the consumer's point of view.^{[14]
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- One of the leaders in the industry is Certified Field Associates (part of Market Force). Another company to try is Checker Patrol.
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Apply to do “in-theater checks.” This is a series of tasks that are used to discover information like how many people go to see a new film at a certain time, or which trailers are shown before the feature film runs. You can get paid about $10 - $20 per hour for this work, in addition to scoring a free movie premiere ticket for yourself (and, often, a guest).^{[15]
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- There are at least a half-dozen different kinds of in-theater checks, including “sneak checks” (watching a movie premiere and documenting the number of people who attend, as well as demographics such as their age ranges) and “on-site evaluations” (reporting on the condition of the theater, how you were treated by the staff, the visibility of promotional materials for the film, and other facets of the customer experience).^{[16]
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Take lots of detailed notes. In order to report your findings to the mystery shopping company, you’ll need to complete a checklist of tasks and data-gathering while at the theater.
- Your extensive notes will form the basis of the report you'll submit to the company.
- Depending on your assignment, you might need to document anything from audience demographics to the quality of the butter flavor on the popcorn.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I get tickets for exclusive movie premiers?

Christine Reed
Acting Coach and Talent Agent
Christine Reed is an Acting Coach and Talent Agent based in Centennial, Colorado. Christine is the owner of PEAK Acting Studios and has been teaching acting since 2010. PEAK Acting Studios offers acting for film and television classes for both kids and adults. Christine has previously taught casting director workshops, worked as a SAG licensed talent agent in LA and was head of the talent division for Peak Talent Agency. In addition, she has experience in casting, production and independent film, commercial, and music video directing. Christine also authored the book "Mom I Want to be on TV" A Parent’s Guide to the Entertainment Industry.

Christine Reed

Acting Coach and Talent Agent

Expert Answer

Sometimes there will be VIP programs offered by movie theaters or entertainment platforms that offer early access tickets for special events. You can also try networking with industry professionals or joining film-related groups and organizations. Occasionally, they might offer members access to exclusive events or raffles for premiere tickets. For very high-profile events, premiere tickets are sometimes released to the public through charity auctions or some special events—you can check these out if you’re willing to bid. Lastly, consider following some film festivals because when they host premieres with attending actors, they usually have ticket packages that are open for the public to be sold.

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Tips

Arrive at least half an hour early. Movie premieres are often overbooked, and a seat is not guaranteed.^{[17]
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Bring your photo ID to the premiere, along with your movie tickets and any other documentation from the contest or company that provided your tickets.

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You may be able to bring a guest along to the premiere.

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