300 to 350 watch inauguration at Robinson Film Center

Revised 12:26 p.m.: RFC's Pierre Rubben estimated 300 to 350 people came to the film center this morning to watch the inauguration. Lots of clapping. A few standing ovations. In general, it seems people felt like Marcus Mitchell, 24 (pictured), who attended on a day off. "It gives you a different feeling to experience it with a crowd made up of different nationalities, different creeds and different races," he said. "I think it's a joyous occasion."

If you went to RFC, or if you watched the inauguration with a crowd, let me know what you thought. Why was it important for you to be part of a crowd, and what was it like?

Also, I posted this as a comment, but it's worth repeating: Right before the swearing in was beginning, a flood of people filled the theater. There were lots of local media outlets pointing their cameras both at the screen and at the crowd, but what was more interesting was the ways in which people were documenting the event by themselves. Lots of cameras, cellphone cameras, video cameras, etc., trying to capture a moment in time, ostensibly to show friends and future families where they were and why. It kind of shows me how newer technologies have further enabled people to become citizen journalists/historians/record-takers/etc. during big moments.

Lots of local media watch the watching.

It was a pretty diverse crowd, as Mitchell noted. At this moment, a Marine veteran bows his head in prayer.

I count three citizen cameras/cellphones pointed at the screen during this moment. As people watched, you saw quite a few cameras peek over the crowd.