Hitting The Pause Button To Say Something Important

Ok, guys…we need to take a breath.

I wish it could only just be about the movies 24/7/365 but every once in a while it’s important to take a step back at look at the bigger picture as we press pause…just for a minute at least.

With the city of Toronto, the province of Ontario, the country of Canada and the world as a whole in the grips of the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic which has resulted in the cancelation/rescheduling of new release films in the theatres, the suspension of play in major sports leagues, terms like “social distancing” becoming common in our lexicon, news reports on how to wash our hands, and news updates that seem grimmer by the hour and there’s no doubt that life is going to be a little different for the immediate future, especially for those of us who love to cram ourselves into theatres and watch movies on the big screen.

It’s OK to be scared, I AM and we should be…but that doesn’t mean we throw logic and reason out the window either. I won’t bombard you with stats or beliefs or what we should all be doing, but as the Editor/Publisher (otherwise known as The Boss) I felt compelled to share with a couple of things that we are doing, other than washing our hands…ALOT.

Effective immediately we at In The Seats are suspending any theatrical promotion contests (i.e. Advance Screenings).

To be honest most of this was done for us anyway given how many of the major studio releases have been rescheduled or pushed anyway but we wanted to say it. The crisis will pass and regular movie going will resume before long and we’ll be here for you AND if you do want to go to the movies (we’ll be covering what we can) make sure to take as many precautions as humanly possible not only for your sake but for those around you.

If you can stay home…DO IT. It’ll help more than any of us can probably appreciate right now.

There are plenty of home entertainment options as we all well know, from anyone of the streaming services, your own DVD/Blu-Ray collection and plain old TV which certainly has many more channels then the news (even though it doesn’t feel like it these days). And even in a pinch (provided you practice proper social distancing and safety measures) there are still a few good old fashion video stores out there, and I’m willing to bet that they’d appreciate your support during this tough economic time.

Be calm.

The news cycle and access to information via the web (not to mention social media) can get anybody riled up to a pretty unhealthy state. Obviously it’s important to stay as informed as possible in the coming days and weeks but if you need to take a break to watch an episode of Friends or a James Bond movie…there’s not a damn thing wrong with it and probably good for your overall mental health too.

Be nice. And don’t isolate TOO much.

As great a tool as social media is, it can also really suck sometimes as we see people hording toilet paper (why?) water (why?) and food.

Don’t horde supplies… and retailers please don’t gauge people on pricing of needed items…all around it’s a dick move and we’ve got to pull through together in order to get through.

Instead of posting something panicky post something nice. Our friend and colleague Richard Crouse just post a great video on his social media promoting a great idea. The Positivity Project. Its simple go on social media and find something positive to post with the #positivityproject #checkyourcynicismatthedoor. It just might make you feel a little better.

And remember, spending too much time alone can be a bad thing as well. While meeting up with friends for dinner and a movie on a Friday night is out for the foreseeable future. We’ve got plenty of technology to talk in other ways that don’t have to be face to face, if you need other people, if only to have a conversation, don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone in your circles, I’m sure they will be there.

Ultimately business will continue on for us here at In The Seats during this crisis as we’ll still cover and talk about film/TV and anything else we can think of, with some obvious slants towards things we can watch while not leaving our office… LOL.

It’s going to be a little weird in days and weeks ahead but remember these important things because being calm, careful and kind to one another will go ALONG way to see us through all this.