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Disney has announced The Little Mermaid: Second Screen Live exclusively for theaters, along with an accompanying iPad app to use while viewing the film, reports /Film. The re-release of the popular 1989 film includes special sections that sync with and encourage the use of iPads among audience members to play games, sing along, and interact with the various characters.

Bring your iPad to the movie theater and experience special event screenings of "The Little Mermaid" on the big screen like never before! It's "Disney Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid," where you become part of the story. Interact with Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder. Compete with the audience as you play games, sing-along, and collect hidden treasure. But watch out for Ursula, who just might try to steal your points. It just got better, down where it's wetter, with "Disney Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid."
Disney and Apple have had a close relationship over the years, with Steve Jobs having taken a seat on Disney's board of directors and become the company's largest individual shareholder when Disney acquired Pixar in 2006. Disney president and CEO Bob Iger joined Apple's board in late 2011 after Jobs' death.

The Little Mermaid: Second Screen Live will be shown in select theaters starting September 20th. Its accompanying app, Second Screen Live: The Little Mermaid is a free download for the iPad and is available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Disney's 'The Little Mermaid: Second Screen Live' Hitting Theaters with Companion iPad App
 

MordechaiCarver

macrumors member
Nov 3, 2011
42
5
Denver, CO
I guess I can see this being OK for kids to keep them occupied, but if this "second screen" is going to be a trend for grown-up movies, then count me out. I mean, do they want us to look at the screen or our iPad? What happens when something's going on in the movie and you miss it because you were looking at something on your iPad? It just takes away the whole submersive element to going to a movie theater and watching a movie. Every time you look away from a movie screen you disassociate yourself from the false reality that the movie is supposed to present.

IMHO this is a sad road to start going down.
 

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
omg id be so pissed. its already driving me bonkers when people check their phone with those bright screens at the movies
 

rshanahan

macrumors regular
Dec 24, 2007
162
0
North East, MD
Really? I'd be surprised if this does well and this concept actually takes off. I feel for the theater staff for dealing with technical support issues (my app doesn't work, I can't connect to the wireless network, etc.).
 

gmcalpin

macrumors 6502
Oct 2, 2008
462
74
Somerville, MA
omg id be so pissed. its already driving me bonkers when people check their phone with those bright screens at the movies
I hate this idea as much as the next movie buff — and by hate, I mean "despise with every fiber of my being," but if you go to a screening specifically billed as a "Second Screen Live" screening and get pissed about it, that's kinda your fault, you know?
 

ck2875

macrumors 65816
Mar 25, 2009
1,029
2,923
Brighton
I realize that I'm not the target audience for this, but this seems like a really good way to make me hate the movie theater experience if it were to spread to other films. And if I were to pay $12 or so for a small child to go see a movie as old as The Little Mermaid, I would be really annoyed if they just kept their nose in a companion app the entire time instead of paying attention to the movie.
 

Baumi

macrumors 6502
Mar 31, 2005
256
376
Wtf?

"Hey, you can distract yourself from the movie you paid to watch by playing iPad games instead!"

What a crappy idea.
 

Glassed Silver

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2007
2,096
2,567
Kassel, Germany
omg id be so pissed. its already driving me bonkers when people check their phone with those bright screens at the movies

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I hate this idea as much as the next movie buff — and by hate, I mean "despise with every fiber of my being," but if you go to a screening specifically billed as a "Second Screen Live" screening and get pissed about it, that's kinda your fault, you know?

Uhm... If you want to see a movie in the theater, you want that.
You've never been asked about this BS.

Glassed Silver:mac
 

jakebot

macrumors member
Mar 2, 2007
82
1
Vancouver, BC, Canada
People need to chill out lol... this is just like Timeplay that's been going on in Cineplex theatres for a while now. This would be great for this genre of movie and for kids to play along. It's hard enough getting them to sit still for an hour and a half, so this would break it up a bit.

Seems like a pretty interesting idea. Would love to see how it's implemented to interact with the movie.
 

gmcalpin

macrumors 6502
Oct 2, 2008
462
74
Somerville, MA
Uhm... If you want to see a movie in the theater, you want that.
Perhaps you cannot read, but "uhm…" these are special event screenings specifically for this "Second Screen" nonsense. Anybody who goes into one of these special screenings and complains that there are people using their iPads in these special screenings is an idiot.

You don't want people whipping out their iPads? Don't go to these screenings.
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
I'm assuming everyone above me doesn't have kids?

This is a great idea. My little boy will love this. If they do the same with Toy Story etc it will be a hit.
 

D.T.

macrumors G4
Sep 15, 2011
11,050
12,460
Vilano Beach, FL
People need to chill out lol... this is just like Timeplay that's been going on in Cineplex theatres for a while now. This would be great for this genre of movie and for kids to play along. It's hard enough getting them to sit still for an hour and a half, so this would break it up a bit.

Seems like a pretty interesting idea. Would love to see how it's implemented to interact with the movie.

I'm assuming everyone above me doesn't have kids?

This is a great idea. My little boy will love this. If they do the same with Toy Story etc it will be a hit.

Yeah, it's not going to be something that pops up in random movies, it's a specific showing, of a specific film (that I image will mostly tend toward kids movies), just like most 3D movies, you can choose a 2D showing.

I think creating some interactivity with the movie is a great idea for kids, and obviously, there should still be (and kids should be taught) the correct etiquette for using devices in movies that aren't designed like this. Simple.
 

CFreymarc

Suspended
Sep 4, 2009
3,969
1,149
I hate this idea as much as the next movie buff — and by hate, I mean "despise with every fiber of my being," but if you go to a screening specifically billed as a "Second Screen Live" screening and get pissed about it, that's kinda your fault, you know?

You will see a generation gap on the adoption of this a mile wide. The school age kids and young adults will be all over this. The older crowd conditioned to "sit down and be quite" will hate it. I bet it also does better in Asia than the west.

Reminds me of the introduction of automatic transmissions for passenger cars. The old school hated it while the new school took the technology to put their time for something else.

Also, I see this working out great at homes and cult movie showings. I would LOVE to see this done for The Rocky Horror Picture Show or Army of Darkness. Bruce Campbell would love this. It is also a good audience feedback tool during screenings.
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
I hope this doesn't catch on with more films. I'm already considering abandoning going to the cinema and just buying the blurays instead.
 

Glassed Silver

macrumors 68020
Mar 10, 2007
2,096
2,567
Kassel, Germany
Perhaps you cannot read, but "uhm…" these are special event screenings specifically for this "Second Screen" nonsense. Anybody who goes into one of these special screenings and complains that there are people using their iPads in these special screenings is an idiot.

You don't want people whipping out their iPads? Don't go to these screenings.

Sorry, didn't get this right away.

Next time try without imitating people though.
Some folks are willing to learn actually. Unheard of I know.

Glassed Silver:mac
 

cmwade77

macrumors 65816
Nov 18, 2008
1,071
1,200
This just made sure that I will not go to see this in the theater. Why? It's bad enough if just one person turns their phone on to send a text, imagine how much ambient light is going to be generated by all of these iPads, ruining the experience for everyone else.

Oh, and to see a movie for only $12???? I wish, ok you can get into a matinee for about that at most theaters here, but definitely not in the evening.
 

tk421

macrumors 6502a
Dec 7, 2005
655
5
Los Angeles
From a prominent animation blog:

Here’s A New Version of “The Little Mermaid” For People Who Don’t Want to See The Film
"Audiences are encouarged to ignore the careful plotting of the story, the nuances of the character animation, and the development of the characters’ personalities, and instead play games, answer trivia, solve puzzles, perform sing-a-longs, and compete with other audience members. In fact, they’re asked to pretty much do anything but actually watch The Little Mermaid."
 

gmcalpin

macrumors 6502
Oct 2, 2008
462
74
Somerville, MA
Next time try without imitating people though.
Some folks are willing to learn actually. Unheard of I know.
Not to imitate you again, but next time, you should try it without the condescending "uhm" yourself. Other people managed to.

When you act like a dick to people, you can't pretend you have any ground to stand on when they act like a dick right back at you.
 
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