Test Screening
Showing a film to preview audiences before final release to gather feedback and gauge commercial potential.
Definition
Test screenings show films to recruited audiences who provide feedback through comment cards and focus groups. Studios analyze responses to assess commercial appeal, identify confusing elements, gauge ending satisfaction, and determine whether reshoots or re-edits might improve reception.
Screenings happen at various production stages—early cuts help guide editing decisions, while late screenings validate final versions before release. Audience scores and comments influence everything from marketing strategy to whether studios demand changes before approving final cuts.
Why It Matters
Test screenings provide reality checks before expensive marketing launches. A film that screens poorly might get recut, reshot, or have its release date moved to avoid stronger competition. Conversely, surprisingly strong screenings can prompt studios to increase marketing budgets and expand release plans.
However, test screening results require interpretation. Recruited audiences may not represent target demographics. A film that screens poorly with general audiences might succeed with niche audiences. Studios must balance audience feedback with creative vision and target market realities.
Examples in Practice
A comedy's test screening reveals that audiences hate the original ending, prompting reshoots that test much better and improve box office by an estimated 30%.
An action film's strong test screening scores convince the studio to move it from dump month to summer blockbuster slot, where it becomes a major hit.
A prestige film tests poorly with recruited audiences but the filmmaker maintains their vision, and the film becomes a critical darling with its target art-house audience—proving test screening limitations.