The hallway vibrated with the excited voices of people anxious to be the first to see “The Social Network” before anyone else.
And thanks to the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Reitz Union Board, they watched it for free, too.
At the Reitz Union Cinema on Tuesday night, about 500 people were in line, hoping to get a red wristband to watch David Fincher’s film about Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook and the world’s youngest billionaire.
But the cinema only seats 350 people, and according to Ashley Rodon, film co-director for RUB, 150 of the seats were already reserved by the CEI.
Amid the clamor at the front of the line sat Mike Russo and Anne Elizabeth Clark, two freshmen who waited in line since 3:30 p.m. and already had wristbands.
“The first thing we did was update our Facebook status,” Russo said.
The buzz was considerably less for those without bands at the back of the line.
Some were eating salads; others gazed outside at the rolling storm clouds. All of them were waiting for their ticket in.
Around 7 p.m., the bad news came. The last of the bands had been given out.
Andrew Wyzan, creative director for the RUB film committee, said about 115 people had been turned away altogether.
Before the doors opened at 7:30 p.m., attendees were told to leave their cell phones and bags at the Reitz Union Ballroom counter.
Two additional men in black suits and ties were standing at the entrance of the cinema armed with handheld metal detectors.
With the lecture hall seats and the loud chatter from the students, the cinema felt like being in a high school classroom without a teacher.
Rodon said the CEI contacted Sony Pictures to discuss bringing “The Social Network” to UF. Sony agreed to show an advance screening for free to raise publicity for the film, and since the RUB doesn’t have to pay A/V or room costs for the cinema, the CEI contacted them to arrange a movie night.
According to Abby Swartz, film co-director for RUB, Sony Pictures covered the costs of screening and security detail, so there were no expenses for RUB.
As the lights dimmed and the movie played, the audience appeared to connect with the movie. There was laughter, cheering and noises of outrage during the appropriate moments.
When the credits rolled, thunderous applause stirred the tiny cinema.
