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The next movie theatre ‘innovation’: On-screen texting!

If you’re one of the many moviegoers whose pet peeves include people texting or talking during a screening, then the following news may very well send you into a rage.

In an effort to attract texting and app-obsessed youth, several movie theatre companies in China are currently experimenting with a technology called “bullet screens," according to the Hollywood Reporter. The system allows moviegoers to comment on the film via text message and have that message projected onto the screen as the movie plays.

Think of it like a newsfeed of sorts that allows viewers to silently engage in a community discussion about the movie they’re watching. Each message costs about 10 cents (USD) to send.

Bullet screens reportedly have many cinema owners, moviegoers, and filmmakers in China very excited. The hope is that one day the tech will actually allow the audience to dictate the story and outcome of a movie, essentially turning it into a semi-interactive experience not unlike a video game.

"We are exploring how the response from the audience can affect the movie itself," said filmmaker Shen Leping, whose movie "Legend of Qin" was screened in Beijing and Shanghai with the "bullet screen" technology. "For example, we can conduct live polls and even alter the development of the plot based on responses we receive from audiences."

However, the public reaction to bullet screens has reportedly been mixed, with some complaining that the on-screen messages are a distraction and can make watching a film difficult.

"I think it's kind of distracting to see all the comments flying across the screen," one viewer said. "It really diverts your attention from the plot."

"There's always the danger of the feature of live commenting overshadowing the movie itself," said another. "I think live commenting is more suitable for comedies and animations."

Distraction is right. In addition to the on-screen conversation taking place, viewers will also have to contend with the people around them buried in their phones, tapping and clicking away. One phone screen is distraction enough during a film; can you imagine what a whole theatre full of phone screens looks like? You'd essentially have a theatre full of George Constanzas trying to make their own dumb jokes:

And where would it stop? It’s not unreasonable to imagine a future where bullet screens also feature advertisements playing during the movie.

While this technology is certainly a novel concept, there are currently no plans by any North American movie theatre chains to adopt the technology (thank goodness). However, cinemas are always looking to offer their patrons the next big innovation. In the United States, the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) have been debating the implementation of “text-friendly” screenings -- screenings in which texters and those who can’t keep their hands off their phones for less than two-seconds would we be welcomed. Canadian theatre chain Cineplex has also embraced the idea of premium seating, where, much like an airline, people can opt to pay more for better seats.

Though all these innovations are ostensibly designed to make the moviegoing experience more enjoyable for people (not to mention make the movie exhibition business more profitable), many of these bells and whistles may have the opposite effect.

In a world where mobile phones and tablets are as ubiquitous as pants, movie theatres are the last bastion of peace. If cinema owners begin encouraging the use of smart phones during screenings, that refuge will disappear for many.