Nothing says end-of-summer quite like an outdoor movie screening. Simply type ‘outdoor movie night’ into TikTok and your feed will be flooded with aesthetic inspiration for hosting a fun evening with friends. Many cities around the country–where outdoor movie screenings are the most popular– have also seized the moment, offering outdoor screenings of cult classics and niche-specific favorites.
Among outdoor movie goers, 6% go ‘very’ often while 12% go ‘somewhat’ often, with women being more likely to attend an outdoor movie screening than men. These events, often requiring some unconventional seating arrangements, are more appealing to adults 44 and younger–who may not mind the temporary inconvenience of lounging on a picnic blanket or the potential of being nipped by a mosquito before the credits roll.
So it may not come as a surprise to know that those who enjoy an outdoor movie screening display unique behaviors, specifically as they relate to entertainment and technology.
Screentime showdown: While adults who attend outdoor movie screenings ‘very’ often consider themselves addicted to their digital devices, 18% are on a mission to limit their kids’ screen time. Is this a double standard, or an attempt to prevent the next generation from following in their footsteps?
Tech obsessed: Daily readers of tech websites are the most likely to attend outdoor movie screenings. These movie-goers are also the most likely to make purchases on their tablet ‘very’ frequently and enjoy telling others about new brands and technology.
Social media influence: Those who say their friends influence what movies and TV shows they watch ‘a lot’ are nearly five times more likely to attend outdoor movie screenings than those whose friends influence them ‘a little.’ They also report wanting to leave the house more, which sounds like a perfect recipe for a night out.
Movie buffs: The largest percentage (38%) of those who say they follow trends in film ‘very’ closely go to outdoor movie screenings ‘very’ often. So whether or not the film is outside, these viewers cannot be deterred.
Silver screen preferred: Those who spend an hour or less streaming videos each day are the most likely to attend an outdoor movie screening ‘very’ often. This suggests that they may prefer watching their movies on the big screen.
Clearly, those who enjoy an outdoor movie screening are unique viewers–who may have a bit of a tech obsession. But while they spend copious amounts of time on their personal devices, for this group, streaming a video just doesn’t compare to the experience of getting out of the house, possibly with friends, to enjoy a movie under the night sky.
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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.