This seems like crazy talk, but as Hunter S. Thompson would say, when the going gets weird, the weird go pro.
Imagine paying for a film at the theater on a purely volunteer basis after you see the film. Pretty gutsy, but for rabid audiences on strong films it could really work (as it does for this film).
Based on our theatrical experience, I would guess that these LA audiences were heavily packed with friends/family, so I'm not sure it's a truly scientific test of such an idea.
But pay-later certainly generates positive audience support for the film, even before they sit down to watch the movie. In other words, audiences might actually be pre-disposed to like a film more if it empowers them at the onset this way. Just a hunch.
Regardless, it's a classic example of a clever way to generate (free) PR for the film. This is a huge segment on local news. The filmmakers should be credited for their marketing creativity, even if this exact idea probably can't be used again by others (there's only one first time...). Congrats to them, either way.
Check it out: