Press screenings are where members of TV, radio, newspapers, websites and blogs come to view the movie and then write a review. While the majority of these screenings happen in Los Angeles and New York, most major cities will also have a press screening for local press in the area. Depending on the screening, there can often be extra seats to these screenings which are made available to the general public.

At the screening, members of the press will typically have reserved seats. This means even if you are the first person in line, you may walk into the theater to see a large number of seats roped off and only have a limited selection to choose from. There is no need to get frustrated or proclaim it’s unfair, as it’s just the way it works with press screenings. Take the opportunity to make conversation with 1-2 of the press after the screening. You’ll often get amazing insights regarding the movie as these are the movie critics from some of the largest publications or online sites.