If you can snag some sneak preview movie tickets, you might be able to watch a movie days sometimes even weeks before the actual release date. There are many different types of sneak previews. Knowing which ones you can and can't get tickets to might help you determine the best way to get them. There are some previews that are off-limits and some that are open to the public, so doing a little research can determine which movie you'd like to see.
Sneak Preview Movie Tickets
Private Screenings are the hardest to get sneak preview movie tickets to. These are movies that are being shown by producers, directors, and/or actors who are directly involved in the movie. The only way you are going to get a ticket to this showing is if you know someone who was involved in the movie and you are good friends with them. Otherwise, if you have a friend who was involved in the movie and you know they were given two tickets, you better have been a good friend so you can be invited!
Public Screenings are used to gauge audience appeal before the movie is released. Some movies are changed right after the screening depending on the feedback or real-time reactions. To find these kinds of tickets, you have to continue to check the newspapers or entertainment periodicals. Also, get to know the people at your local movie theater. You're more likely to be invited to a public screening than if you treat them like just another employee at an establishment you visit. Not to put a damper on your hopes of seeing a screening, but you will most likely have better luck if you live in a large city like Los Angeles, New York, or Chicago. Also, if there is a specific movie you want to see beforehand, try finding out if there is going to be a public screening in any of the locations they filmed.
'Film Festivals are good places to see movies before they are released. Most film festivals charge a standard fee to get in or you can select individual movies if that's your desire. The bigger film festivals like Sundance often give away tickets.
If you are a movie critic (with the proper credentials) you may be able to get into a Critic's Screening where the movie is shown to other movie critics like yourself usually no more than a week before the movie is released.
Online Web Sites
There are a couple of sites you can use to seek out sneak preview tickets. Be warned that you'll probably have to do some digging on the site, but you should be able to find some tickets that suit you.
- Movie Web is a great source for everything movies. Either from the past or the what's upcoming. In the forum section is where you can find those invites or ads that can let you know where a sneak preview is happening and how you can go about getting tickets.
- Star Seeker lists new movies coming out and gives you information that you sometimes may not find on other movie sites.
- IMDB.com has a special section on the site called IMDB Pro. This part of IMDB is actually a subscription. It's $14.99 per month, but there's so much information you can get. It goes beyond what IMDB.com provides about the movie. You can get addresses, specific names, projects in development and much, much more. You can use this information to find out who you need to get to know or contact to get those preview tickets.
Your own Theater
The most obvious place to find sneak preview movie tickets is your own local theater. Larger towns and cities usually have more than the smaller towns. If your theater doesn't do sneak previews, start a campaign to have them start do so. They don't have to give anything away for free, but everyone loves to see a movie before it's released, and who knows, they could sell as much as if it was opening night. .
