Response to "Disney's 'Little Mermaid Second Screen Live'"

         This year Disney has decided to expand its movie viewing experience to include iPads. The Little Mermaid is set to be screened in select theaters alongside a new app for the iPad. The app includes games to play along with other audience members and sing-a-longs.
          To be honest, I’m torn about this new idea. The film production student in me is entirely against it, but the revolutionary millennial inside me is for it. I am a theatre-going purist and I am the type of person that most definitely WILL yell at you if you're texting at a movie. To me, it is the biggest insult to the movie-goers and on top of it all, the filmmakers. Tons of people have spent countless hours pouring their heart and soul into this piece of art but instead of watching it, you'd rather text your BFF Jill about how totes cute Johnny is. Not on my watch. I believe in an America with darkly light, silent movie theaters filled with attentive audiences and popcorn. But I would be ignorant to not realize that this art form is dying. Millennials are not easily entertained and they need to constantly be multitasking. Their short attention span could change film as we know it. However, do not fret because this happens every few generations in the film world. Every generation watches different kinds of movies and the later generations tend to see the earlier generations as boring. You can see this specifically in black and white movies and silent movies. Is this the new move for film everywhere?
          I personally will not be jumping on the Second Screen Live bandwagon, but I won't condemn it either. It's change or die in the entertainment business, so if this expansion of the theater experience gets more people to enjoy The Little Mermaid, then job well done Disney.