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There’s something uniquely exhilarating about the experience of seeing a live TV show taping or exclusive movie screening; the gripping performances, the communal camaraderie of the crowd, and the delectable smugness that comes from previewing a new piece of entertainment before the general public gets to see it.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that the tickets to these live tapings and early screenings are usually free. And while the competition to score those free tickets can be classified as its own extreme sport, the payoff can leave you feeling like an X-Games medal winner.
As you can imagine, securing these coveted passes isn’t always as simple as clicking a link. Others are vying for the same tickets, so you need yogi-level patience—or Divine Intervention—to acquire a promo code.
“I don’t mind putting in the work for a free ticket,” says Desmond Jonas, a tall, Afro-wearing 38-year-old catering coordinator from Park Slope. “It’s fun. Movies are my passion, so I try to see as many as I can. And I save money, so it’s a double win.”
My first encounter with the free-screening subculture occurred when I was living on a budget in Austin. At a time when I couldn’t always afford to go out, the many available free test screenings kept my social calendar full. News of the screenings came anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, so I would stalk AdvanceScreenings.com several times daily to see whenever new promo codes were posted. I’d then head over to Gofobo, where I would enter the code and be granted a free pass to the premiere. The entire process kept me entertained, offering a way to see new films without spending money I didn’t have. Later, when I moved to San Francisco and was going through a rough patch, those same viewings gave me something to look forward to.
Where to Find Free Tickets
The key to scoring free passes is knowing where to look. Here are the top sites and platforms (some require logins):
1iota: The fan platform distributes free passes to sitcoms, talk shows, red carpet events, and exclusive fan experiences in New York, California, and select cities elsewhere. Members create an account and submit requests for each individual event they wish to attend. Lucky winners receive a confirmation email link to accept their tickets, which are distributed on the site.
AdvanceScreenings: Founded in 2009, the largest free-ticket and promotional-code distributor collects and displays aggregate information about viewings in big cities and small towns from an array of sources. Visitors use these links and promo codes to unlock reserved tickets they can use to attend the premiere.
Amazon Studios: A burgeoning player in film and television, the site regularly hosts free television and movie screenings to generate buzz for new and upcoming projects.
Gofobo: This filmgoer-friendly resource offers tickets to advance screenings of upcoming films, as well as various themed sweepstakes giveaways like promotional movie swag and snack baskets. Users create their own account, which they will use to scan for screenings in or near their Zip code. The account also keeps track of their ticket requests.
Instagram/X/Eventbrite: Social sites are a great place to learn about online and in-person film screenings held by local organizations as well as major studios. You can follow the major film studios, local movie theaters, and radio stations on social media for a jump on the competition. You’ll need to sift through the immense array of free events for something that resonates with your particular tastes, but there are hidden gems to be found if you’re willing to dig. You can search for an upcoming film by name, or you can search “free screenings Montana,” for example, to find viewings near you.
Movie Screenings (Facebook Group): Members from around the US share promotional codes, links, and strategies in this open Facebook group.
Saturday Night Live Reservations: The Mount Everest of them all, SNL, is still going strong in its golden years. The show has a yearly sweepstakes where prospective visitors submit their email during the month of August for free passes to a specific episode. The website also is home to a weekly lottery for standby tickets. Each Thursday at 10:00 am, the SNL crew releases tickets for that weekend’s dress rehearsal and live show. Competition is intense, and seats fill up faster than the time it takes to ride the elevator from the 30 Rock lobby up to Studio 8H.
Warner Bros. Studios: The studio-sponsored site allows visitors to enter a promotional code from all the channels by which the codes are distributed—through the studio, from movie theaters, via local TV and radio stations, or at AdvanceScreenings.com—to unlock free ticket vouchers to a variety of WB television and movie offerings.
Helpful Hints
Be persistent, be early. Most ticketing platforms operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply for admission ASAP. Set alerts and check for new releases several times daily, especially for AdvanceScreenings.com. Once you get your free ticket, be sure to show up at the venue early. Events are often overbooked by the promoters to ensure a full house, so don’t get stuck at the back of the line.
Flexibility helps. Popular shows and films fill up quickly. If you’re open to lesser-known events, you’ll have a better shot at securing a spot.
Some waiting required. Even after getting in, expect to wait for possible production delays. For high-demand events, arriving hours early is key. Prepare by bringing snacks and wearing comfy shoes.
Know the etiquette. Each event has its own set of rules regarding age restrictions, mobile device use, and dress codes. Even if the invitation doesn’t offer implicit guidance, dressing well (business casual) enhances the experience. And, if you’re at a TV taping, it could get you a better seat.
Be kind to the event staff. These people work hard to give you the best experience possible, so follow their instructions and help make their lives easier. Today’s ticket collector could be tomorrow’s shot-caller with the power to grant you VIP seats.
The Ultimate Challenge: Saturday Night Live Standby Tickets
For the true die-hards, securing SNL standby tickets is an endurance test. At 10:00 am on Thursdays, fans flock to the NBC website to vie for seats to the dress rehearsal on Saturday evening, and the live show at 11:30 pm Saturday night. Then, they enter contact information, and successful visitors are assigned a numeric position in line. Hopefuls for the dress rehearsal start lining up on 50th between Fifth & Sixth Avenues at 6:00 pm Friday. (For the live show, we lined up at 49th Street & Sixth Avenue.) By 7:00 pm, they begin counting those the current queue to determine the permanent numeric order of the tickets. At exactly 12:01 am Saturday, numbered standby tickets are handed out—but even then these are just standby tickets, so whether or not you’ll actually get in depends on how many ticketed guests show up.
After trying for months, I was one of the lucky one-hundred-or-so site visitors to be assigned a number (#85) for the live show. That Friday, I got in line six hours early with ambivalence and a collapsible camping chair, unsure whether I would be given a physical ticket. I was also unsure whether I would last in the frigid 30-degree December weather.
At several points during my vigil, I questioned whether I’d make it. But my line-mates helped talk me through the toughest moments. “You’ve put in too much time to quit now, Lawrence. You can do this,” counseled Kelly, my 19-year-old Economics major buddy from Fordham University. Rob and Daphne, a fortysomething couple visiting from Houston, held my place in line while I took bathroom breaks, and Becky and Christina, both NYU students in their early 20s, brought back hand warmers when I held their place for them.
The clock struck 12:01, and a staff member handed me a card (#51—meaning 34 people had not shown up to claim their spot in line) for the live show. And I got in! The show was fantastic: Chris Rock hosted and Gracie Abrams was the musical guest. We were even treated to a surprise appearance by Adam Sandler!
“This was so epic,” Becky exclaimed at the end of the broadcast. “I got a little confused between watching the monitor and the stage, because I’m used to viewing it [SNL] on a TV. But tonight, I didn’t need one!”
Why People Keep Coming Back
Trudy, a 62-year-old retiree with a pink pixie cut and crimson cat-shaped frames visiting from Portland, summed it up perfectly: “I love being an insider. How many people can say they made eye contact with Adam Sandler? He even waved back!”
Trudy’s right—there’s definitely something powerful about these moments. When I went to a taping of The Tamron Hall Show, I wasn’t expecting much more than a fun afternoon. But at the end, Tamron actually took my phone and snapped a selfie with me. It’s those unexpected, one-of-a-kind interactions that make all the effort worth it.
Whether it’s locking eyes with a comedy legend or getting a surprise selfie with a TV host, these experiences remind you why chasing free tickets isn’t just about saving money—it’s about walking away with a story no one else can tell.
