The Concept Of Interruptions Implemented In Entertainment [i.e. DVDs, Movie Theatres]

Dan Ariely, in his book "Predictably Irrational", introduced the concept of interruptions affecting pleasure and displeasure.

Read the remainder of my blog entry to read about my suggestions on how to increase the pleasure of entertainment, such as DVDs and movie theatres. You are more than welcome to use this idea for your profit, without attributing me, and without giving me any money, royalties, or compensation.

I suggested to Dan Ariely that he investigate whether or not having an intermission during a DVD or performance would improve our enjoyment of the performance.

I recommend that DVDs offer users a chance to turn on an option to have an intermission during the middle of the performance. The DVD designers would place the intermission between 2 chapters of the DVD. The DVD would play 1 of the typical special features with a countdown timer. Users would use this for a bathroom break, getting more popcorn, or just washing up, if the meal/snack was a little messy.

I think that knowing that there is an intermission coming up would allow people to relax and enjoy the movie, instead of wondering if now or later is the ideal time to pause the movie. To manually pause between the chapters would require us to turn on the display to see when a chapter ends, and that would ruin a movie.

This would be especially useful for suspenseful movies, and mysteries, or perhaps even thrillers. In each of these situations, you need to know what is happening, in order to become involved in the movie. Having a break, would allow everybody to chat about the movie, and bring themselves up to speed on exactly what is known and not known, so that they could enjoy the remainder of the movie more easily.

1 criticism of TV, is that the viewers are very passive. If there is an intermission, then people will be able to talk about the program, making it more of a social event, which could stimulate thinking.

Movies can benefit from the intermission in the same way as TV programming. On top of that, movies benefit a bit more. I have heard of movies being criticized for being bad places for a first date, because you cannot talk with your date. With the intermission, the movie theatres can begin to attract more of that market.

I know that intermissions are successful in the manner that I have described, because advertisers are willing to pay top dollar for Super Bowl commercials, which are very expensive. The advertisers are also willing to put in the effort to ensure the commercials are of good quality, and as a result the audience enjoys watching the commercials. There are even opportunities to rate the commercials. I think that there are people who even avoid the game, but tune in for the commercials. I have read that toilets are flushed more during the Super Bowl half time than during any time of the year. If this is true, then this is a real testament to the success of the intermission.

The only question that remains is whether or not people will use the feature with a DVD.