Planning Your Outdoor Movie Event

From the Open Air Cinema archive. Originally published in 2010 as a how-to primer tied to that era's Top-25 list posts. Preserved as a historical record.

Planning an Outdoor Movie Event can seem daunting, especially if you are new to backyard cinema. But with these few tips, you'll be on your way to an easy setup that you'll be able to replicate time after time. First, here are a few questions that will help you get prepared for the outdoor movie event!

• How many people will be attending?
• What movie will you be watching?
• If you are screening the movie in public, do you have the proper licensing to do so?
• Where will you hold your event?

These are a few basic questions, and if you know the answers to them, you'll be able to produce an outdoor movie event that will be a lasting memory for your guests. Knowing how many individuals will be attending your event will affect a few key aspects of your setup. If you have a significant number of guests, you'll want to make sure you have a big enough sound system, and will want to choose a location where your guests can spread out and be comfortable.

Choosing an appropriate film for your audience is an important step in the outdoor movie planning process. Of course, make sure your film is age appropriate, but also choose a flick that is relevant to your community. Screening Twilight at your local rest home won't be as effective or enjoyable as say, Singing in the Rain, or the Maltese Falcon (and visa versa). Take advantage of the season and holidays as well - screen a horror flick around halloween, or a patriotic film around the fourth of July! If you're short on ideas, check out our Top 25 Outdoor Movies of All Time, and our Top 25 Halloween Outdoor Movies lists! You'll be sure to find something that will make your event wildly successful.

If your event is open to the public, you'll need to make sure to obtain licensing do to so. Most film licensing can be obtained through Swank Motion Picture Inc. or Criterion. Swank tends to carry more recent films, while Criterion carries more classics, although you'll be surprised about where you obtain the licensing for certain films. Pricing varies with the film, audience size and type, and sometimes time of year. Plan this well in advance, and you'll have no problems!

Choosing where to hold your outdoor movie event is a very important step in the planning process. The great thing about Open Air Cinema inflatable screens is that they are portable and easy to set up. With your portable projection screen, you can set up your event on a beach, in a park, in your own backyard, on a mountaintop - virtually anywhere! The more imaginative your location, the more magical your event will be. Planning your location around your film selection is a great way to thematize the entire evening - something that will heighten the fun factor considerably!

We realize that these are just a few tips to get you started in planning your outdoor movie event. We'll be writing much more about how to maintain your outdoor movie projector, keep your air screen it tip-top shape, and more fun ideas about how and where to setup your outdoor movie system.