A movie theatre employee has come under fire for reportedly threatening Swifties for using their phones with the flash on to record during Taylor Swift’s concert film.
The film version of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was released on October 13 and a debate has since erupted about movie theatre etiquette.
Jennifer Smith, 39, from Alabama took her 10-year-old daughter to see the movie at an AMC and got threatened by an employee for filming her daughter during the movie with the phone’s flash turned on.
Smith said: ‘I guess someone complained, so an AMC employee came down and told our group, “If you turn your flash on one more time, you’re gonna be charged a $50 fine”.
‘One of the moms chased him out and told him, “This is not the experience that Taylor Swift wanted”. We’re just having fun with our little girls,’ she said.
A movie theatre employee threatened Swifties for using their phone to record with flash during Taylor Swift ‘s concert film. The film version of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour was released on October 13 and a debate has since erupted about movie theatre etiquette
Swifties have sparked widespread controversy with their behavior during the movie – which is described as ‘one-in-a-lifetime concert experience’.
Audience members have been standing up and dancing to Taylor’s hits, doing conga lines around the movie theatre, belting the lyrics and even doing cartwheels and backflips in front of the screen.
One side of the debate argues that the movie is supposed to emulate the concert experience – especially for people who weren’t lucky enough to score tickets to Swift’s live shows. For those people – the movie was their opportunity to have fun and sing and dance along with the pop singer.
Other people disagree, saying a movie theatre is no place to be standing up or even whispering – let alone performing acrobatics in front of the audience.
People took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their views on the argument.
One user said: ‘Eras was NEVER going to be a traditional movie going experience, you are silly if you thought people were gonna just quietly sit and not react or sing or dance. That being said, actually SCREAMING is really annoying like shut the hell up. Also don’t block the screen.’
Another person said: ‘Everyone filming during the Eras Tour Movie literally has zero respect and it’s f***ing annoying ESPECIALLY when you do it with flash on and film urself???’
One more opined: ‘I loved the eras tour movie, a lady in our theater passed out glow sticks for everyone to use! Except the people in front of me were recording THEMSELVES with the FLASH ON. Like not recording the movie, they were recording their faces watching the movie. It was quite annoying.’
A fourth added: ‘They should have put two types of the eras tour movies – one showing for all the annoying a** people to scream sing and then another showing for people who will not sing and just watch.’
A movie theater employee shared a creepy 10-second clip of security footage capturing Taylor Swift fans dancing hand-in-hand in a circle at the base of the screen during a showing of the pop superstar’s Eras tour documentary.
In the greyscale security footage, which did not have audio, a gaggle of viewers can be seen gathering in the aisles of the theater and staring straight ahead as if hypnotized by the film.
Taylor Swift encouraged her fans to keep having fun at her movie. She said on X: ‘I’ve been watching videos of you guys in the theaters dancing and prancing and recreating choreography . . . wow, just thank you!!!’
Jennifer Smith, 39, from Alabama took her 10-year-old daughter to see the movie at an AMC and got threatened by an employee for filming her daughter during the movie with the phone’s flashed turned on
Taylor Swift encouraged her fans to keep having fun at her movie. She said on X: ‘I’ve been watching videos of you guys in the theaters dancing and prancing and recreating choreography . . . wow, just thank you!!!’
Swifties have sparked widespread controversy with their behavior during the movie – which is described as ‘one-in-a-lifetime concert experience’. Audience members have been standing up and dancing to Taylor’s hits, doing conga lines around the movie theatre, belting the lyrics and even doing cartwheels and backflips in front of the screen
AMC’s website has a list of rules that outlines behaviors they won’t allow at the Taylor Swift movie.
The website said: ‘Following are helpful tips to know before you go to this epic, once-in-a-lifetime concert film experience
‘Taylor Swift Eras attire and friendship bracelets are strongly encouraged! Masks (except for standard face masks used explicitly for health and safety reasons) are not permitted.
‘We encourage dancing and singing throughout this concert film event, but please do not dance on our seats or block other guests from viewing, safely walking or exiting the auditorium.
‘Feel free to take selfies and group photos, but you may not record the concert film on our big screen.
‘Have the best time, but please be respectful of other guests enjoying the concert film or other movies at AMC.
‘The runtime is 2 hours and 48 minutes, plus approximately 10-15 extra minutes for pre-show and trailers before the concert film starts. Outside food and drinks are not allowed. Tickets are non-refundable.
‘This concert film experience is excluded from A-List reservations. No passes, exchange tickets, or discount tickets may be used.’