Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Consumer Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema

`Second screen' technology is the use of mobile technologies and other computing devices in order to provide an additional screen that supports or augments the consumption of visually based media. The `Second Screen comes to the Silver Screen' project sought to explore the feasibility of using second screen context within a real-time cinema context, in order to augment and enhance the audience experience. The project included a review of technological feasibility, a consumer survey and two case studies. The results of the consumer survey and case studies are presented in this paper, the conclusions of which indicate a significant level of audience concern regarding the potential distraction that would be caused by second screen technology within the cinema. Conversely, the study does indicate some appetite for the use of mobile technologies to improve the cinema experience more generally, indicating a possible basis for further investigation regarding how this can be achieved appropriately.