Sensory-Friendly Movie Showing for Families with Autistic Members

[prberk]

We have a great old movie palace here in Richmond called the Byrd Theatre. It has the full movie-palace experience (balcony, organ played before the film, chandelier, ornate design, huge screen, and even the old somewhat uncomfortable seats!). It is already beloved in Richmond. It shows mostly second-run movies, but at $1.99, and it usually has a huge crowd on weekend nights. And it occasionally does art films and other special things.

I say all of that to say that this weekend I am seeing an ad for something that they are doing that I find truly interesting and thoughtful: They are having a special showing of their current regular matinee film (Big Hero 6) in what they are calling a "sensory-friendly showing for families." It is an early matinee (2:00) before their "regular" matinee of 4:00.

I was curious as to what the "sensory-friendly" meant. When I clicked for a description, I found this picture, which of course showed exactly what they meant: They are trying to make an environment that might accommodate families with autistic members to go to the movies with less alarming things then would normally be at the theatre. They are leaving the lights on, turning the sound down a little, and letting people bring their own food if they have special dietary needs.

I remember the big discussions on our boards here about the accommodations that some people were expecting Walt Disney World to make for autisitic children, and while I have to say that I was of the mind that some were asking for too much (in the whole skipping all lines thing), I am seeing something different here. The theatre is working with the local Autism Society to have this special showing, and it comes across to me as a really nice idea. Kudos to them. It does not take away from others' movie experience but yet gives the autistic families a chance to go to the movies with minimal distraction for both them and the other moviegoers.

You can't always accommodate everyone, and I am sure that the Disney line-skipping debate will continue on (in another forum, not here), but I thought this act by the movie theatre was a really nice touch. Never seen it done before. A good community service. Thought I would share it.

Their website is www.byrdtheatre.com if you want to see for yourself. Anyway, I thought it was a cool idea (especially bring-your-own food -- since when have you seen a theatre do THAT)?

 

[Nemo14]

What a neat idea!

 

[PUSH]

That's a really great idea. Just goes to show how much we take for granted and how much harder it is to live an everyday life for those families who have a member with autism.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Pathfinders for Autism up here in Baltimore does similar events. We did a National Aquarium trip with my brother a few months ago. Basically, they limited the number of people who could get in so that for those who did come in, there weren't that many people around them, lights were turned down (I'm actually surprised that they are leaving the lights on; my thought would be to turn them off. But anyway), certain exhibits that might be overwhelming (electric eels, Rain forest) were closed, music was turned off, and several rooms were "sensory break" rooms where kids could go if they needed a break. The great thing was that it was free. A lot of these parents can't afford the $30 per person ticket fee at the aquarium (though usually MD residents can find discounts). Some of them are low income, others have to pay for therapy for their kids, so it means that they are able to afford to do the aquarium at all.

We're fairly lucky with my brother that we don't have to worry about sensory overload as much as other families. We get the DAS at WDW and DL to decrease his stress level, but I can take him to a movie without having to worry about sensory overload. The only thing I usually do is either try to take him to a showing where I know that we won't have to wait in line to get tickets and won't get sold out, or I buy the tickets online ahead of time. And his only dietary issue is lactose intolerance, so he can have popcorn.

We are fairly fortunate. Some of these families have to much to deal with and so much to think about.

 

[NYwdwfan]

I've seen this at a local AMC theater - they have theaters across the country that participate:

https://www.amctheatres.com/programs/sensory-friendly-films

It's a fantastic idea.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

AMC Theaters have been doing sensory friendly movies for quite awhile now.

 

[MinnieM123]

What a wonderful idea; I've never heard of anything like this before. I'm happy for the people who can take autistic members of their family to a nice movie. And, what a great price!!! Sounds like a win-win!! Thanks for sharing that information.

 

[Sans Souci]

I moved to London in December and I live in between two theaters that both provide these types of screenings. What I think is cool is that one of them, an Odeon, screens movies for adults with autism. Sometimes, I think the adults with autism get short shrift when it comes to accommodations.

 

[prberk]

I definitely think it is a cool idea.

I decided to patronize the Byrd this weekend (at a regular matinee on Sunday). I like to support local businesses whom I think are doing good things.

I took some of my church youth group kids to see Big Hero 6 at the regular matinee, and it was full. Great theatre. In watching the movie again, I was thinking about the autistic kids watching it in the Saturday screening, and I did wonder if, even with the lights up and sound down, if some of it (expecially in the action scenes flying through San Fransokyo and having the microbots coming at them) might still be a little heavy on the senses. But since it was all on screen maybe that made it OK. If @StarWarsGirl95 or others here would know that answer (whether the movie itself could be too overwhelming in an action scene, per se), I would be curious.

Anyway, just because it is cool, here are some pics I took at the Byrd of the theatre after the movie was over. I love these old movie palaces.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I took some of my church youth group kids to see Big Hero 6 at the regular matinee, and it was full. Great theatre. In watching the movie again, I was thinking about the autistic kids watching it in the Saturday screening, and I did wonder if, even with the lights up and sound down, if some of it (expecially in the action scenes flying through San Fransokyo and having the microbots coming at them) might still be a little heavy on the senses. But since it was all on screen maybe that made it OK. If @StarWarsGirl95 or others here would know that answer (whether the movie itself could be too overwhelming in an action scene, per se), I would be curious

It would quite honestly depend on the kid. I'd assume the volume would be turned down so that would help, but beyond that, it would depend on the kid. It's not particularly scary, and I think it's a good movie for them to choose since it is visually stimulating (that can be good for a lot of kids), but it would just depend.

That's the tricky thing with autism. If you've met one child with autism, you've met one child with autism. They're all different, so it's hard to say. Something that might not bother one child at all might be a major problem for another.

 

[MinnieM123]

I definitely think it is a cool idea.

I decided to patronize the Byrd this weekend (at a regular matinee on Sunday). I like to support local businesses whom I think are doing good things.

I took some of my church youth group kids to see Big Hero 6 at the regular matinee, and it was full. Great theatre. In watching the movie again, I was thinking about the autistic kids watching it in the Saturday screening, and I did wonder if, even with the lights up and sound down, if some of it (expecially in the action scenes flying through San Fransokyo and having the microbots coming at them) might still be a little heavy on the senses. But since it was all on screen maybe that made it OK. If @StarWarsGirl95 or others here would know that answer (whether the movie itself could be too overwhelming in an action scene, per se), I would be curious.

Anyway, just because it is cool, here are some pics I took at the Byrd of the theatre after the movie was over. I love these old movie palaces.
View attachment 83232 View attachment 83233 View attachment 83234

What a lovely old theater. I remember some of those (similar, ornate-styled) theaters from years ago; I think they all used that exact same fancy curtain set, too!!