Definition of sneak preview

The term "sneak preview" was first coined in the 1940s in the film industry. Prior to this, movie studios would arrange special screenings of upcoming films for critics, important industry figures, and television executives. The purpose of these screenings was to generate buzz and positive word-of-mouth about the movie before its official release. However, these screenings were typically scheduled in the days leading up to the premiere, allowing ample time for the reviews to be published and analyzed by the public. The idea of a "sneak preview," on the other hand, was to surprise audiences with a brief glimpse of the movie weeks or even months before its scheduled premiere. This tactic was first employed by Columbia Pictures in 1946, with their film "The Best Years of Our Lives." The studio screened 15 minutes of the movie to a handpicked group of theatre owners and critics, creating a buzz and generating excitement ahead of the film's release. The term "sneak preview" then stuck, and studios quickly adopted it as a marketing strategy to build anticipation and generate box office revenue. Over time, sneak previews have become a common practice in the film industry, with studios often screening several minutes of the film to select audiences weeks or months before the official premiere. This helps build buzz and hype around the movie, potentially drawing in larger audiences when it is finally released.