LOS ANGELES—Ever been told a movie is a heart-pounding thriller that'll have you on the edge of your seat? Thanks to wearable technology, Hollywood has the tools to prove it.
20th Century Fox says that it used a wearable wristband on over 100 people in test screenings for Oscar-contender “The Revenant” before it hit theaters in December. It’s unclear if it’s the first studio to obtain this sort of data from audiences, but experts say it’s unlikely to be the last.
By measuring heart rate, skin moisture, movement, and audible gasps, Fox found the Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle had 14 heart-pounding moments where it measured significant jumps in people’s heart rates. Fifteen scenes evoked fight-or-flight responses, as determined by a range of indicators taken together. The audience was also almost completely motionless for just over half of the 2.6-hour movie—in other words, says the studio, on the edge of their seats.
George Dewey, Fox’s senior vice president of digital, said the data complements traditional written surveys and focus groups. One of its advantages, he said, is that it cuts through some of the statistical “noise” that results when audience members influence each other after the movie.
“This is a pure way to measure individual audience response,” he said.
