Hack the Planet: A Recap of Material’s Debut Security Theater

Let’s face it: us cybersecurity folks can be a self-serious bunch at times. We deal with complex threats, high stakes, and a constant pressure to “enable the business!” We take our work seriously because we have to.

But for many of us, the journey here started somewhere a lot more fun. It started with stories that sparked our curiosity. Movies where the heroes were the nerds. Films that cemented the healthy paranoia that serves us so well today.

We’re talking about the classics: WarGames, Sneakers, The Matrix, Lawnmower Man. (And no, we are not talking about Swordfish.)

These movies were formative events for many of us, and form a shared cultural touchstone for our industry. However, once you have a few years of IRL experience with hands on keyboards, they’re also patently ridiculous.

A nostalgic chat about some of these movies led to a question: “What if we held a screening of a classic hacking movie and invited 100 of our friends to join us?”

A bit of planning and logistics later, and that "what if" became Security Theater. We kicked off last week with the 1995 rollerblading masterpiece, Hackers. Our goofy little idea gained a whole lot of traction, the registration filled up faster than we could have imagined, and we all had a blast.

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It was more than just a movie night

Our goal wasn't just to put a movie on a screen. The community deserved better. We wanted to create an experience that was interactive, a little irreverent, and genuinely fun.

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Here’s what that looked like:

• The Material Cut: We showed a condensed version of Hackers—all the iconic scenes, none of the filler. Straight to the good stuff.
• Live Commentary: Attendees joined a dedicated Slack channel, and the best real-time commentary, jokes, and hot takes were projected onto a screen next to the movie. It was our own version of Mystery Science Theater 3000, powered by the collective wit of the security community.
• Buzzword Bingo: Every guest got a bingo card filled with classic hacking tropes ("It's a UNIX system!," "Enhance!," rollerblading, etc.). The first to yell "Bingo!" won some appropriately nerdy prizes.
• Trivia and Prizes: Before the show, the Big Quiz Thing’s Noah Tarnow hosted a round of movie trivia. After the film, we raffled off a stereotypically-shady-looking Security Theater hoodie, Bose headphones, and a custom macropad keyboard for all our attendees’ hacking needs.
• After movie cocktails: After the show, we got everyone together at the theater bar for an open bar sponsored by our good friends at Panther.

The idea was simple: get a hundred of our friends and colleagues in a room, give them an open bar and some popcorn, and let everyone relax. No product pitches, no slide decks. 

Why are we doing this?

Because community matters. So often, industry events are transactional. You go to a booth, get a pitch, and scan your badge in exchange for a t-shirt you'll never wear. It feels hollow.

We’d rather build genuine connections. The best measure of our success isn’t a sales metric; it’s when our own customers become our most effective advocates. And that starts by treating people like peers, not prospects. The energy and enthusiasm in the theater confirmed we’re on the right track.

The show must go on

The response to the first Security Theater was overwhelming, and this is just the beginning. The tour continues.

Our next screening will be WarGames at the Roxy Cinema in New York City on November 12th.

If you’ll be in the area, we’d love for you to join us–and bring a friend! But tickets are limited, and if the first event is any indication, they’ll go quickly.

Get Your Ticket for Security Theater: NYC

A huge thank you to everyone who came out, participated in the chaos, and made the premiere of Security Theater a night to remember. We can't wait to see you at the next one.