How to Host the Perfect Outdoor Movie Night

There's something magical about watching a movie under the stars in your own backyard. Whether you're planning a romantic date night, a family gathering, or a neighborhood block party, hosting an outdoor movie night creates unforgettable memories. From choosing the right equipment to setting the perfect ambiance, here's your complete guide to creating the ultimate outdoor cinema experience.

Equipment

The foundation of any great outdoor movie night starts with quality equipment. Let's start with the basics. You'll need a projector, a screen or white surface, some sort of speaker, and a device with the movie. Generally for an outdoor movie night, you'll want to use a projector that is very bright, something with at least 2000 lumens (unit for brightness) is a good start. Now any screen should work, though if you are hosting outside you may want to consider a larger surface, 9 by 5 ft is a good approximate size for about 400 sq ft of outdoor space.

For speakers, if you don't want to deal with lots of cords, rechargeable bluetooth speakers are the way to go, and ideally they are somewhat waterproof in the case of unexpected precipitation. Finally, you'll need some device that can actually play the movie! This could be a laptop that connects via HDMI or a Roku stick. Well maybe not finally, that projector won't power itself! You're gonna need a power source. You could either use a generator or bring some extension cords that can reach the nearset outlet. Optionally you can also provide seating for your audience, this can span from picnic blankets to lawn chairs. I have seen one setup use kitty pools (let your imagination go wild here).

The Movie

Planning your movie selection involves more than just picking a great film, you need to consider the legal and practical aspects of your screening. You can skip this section if you are hosting a movie night in your backyard to a small audience (i.e. not advertising your movie to the general public). For those of you that are considering hosting a movie night for a much larger audience and this movie is being advertised to the broader public, you will need to aquire a public movie license.

Essentially this license gives you permission to play the movie to the wider public. It is a one time use license that you need to specify the time and place for. For example, let's say you are hosting a Twilight movie night in Wash Park at 5pm. Your license will only be applicable for that day, at 5pm in Wash Park. Speaking of hosting in Wash Park, it is a public park. You will most likely need some sort of permit to host in the park. This depends on where you are planning to host of course but it is always worth checking if a permit is required to use a public space. Along with that consider the time you host your movie night, as you may conflict with noise ordinances.

Decorations (a.k.a. The Fun Part!)

One of the best parts of hosting an outdoor movie night is the ability to play with way more space (the sky is quite literally the limit!) Now there are several opportunities in a base setup to add a little flair. Let's start with a component we haven't mentioned, snacks! You could easily add a few table decorations like fake candles, flowers, and a board to create a unique atmosphere along with some classic snacks like popcorn and hot cocoa. For your chairs you can add flair by way of pillows and blankets. The screen could be dressed up with some ballons, fairylights, and/or garlands. There is also the surronding area, whether that is your backyard or a pool deck, you could add inflatable decorations, temporary arches, additional themed seating, etc. Now with decorations they can blow away or perhaps you'll need to work in heaters depending on the temperature.

Weather Considerations

We've covered the base setup but there are a few other things to consider when hosting an outdoor movie night. First, is wind. If you are not projecting onto a solid surface, you are gonna need a way to ensure your projector screen doesn't get blown away like Dorothy does in the Wizard of Oz. You could use your speakers, (did I mention those should be waterproof?) but sandbags are probably a better way to go. You'll also want to make sure you have some sort of way to protect your projector from the elements. A tent is a good idea especially to cover your audience, but if you are not using a tent, some sort of clear box or tarp could work. Just make sure it doesn't affect the projection. Speaking of precipitation and wind, that usually comes with colder temperatures, so you'll want to make sure you have some sort of way to keep your audience warm. This could be a fire pit, a heater, or even a blanket - bonus points if the blankets match your movie theme!