How to run a school movie night fundraiser

A movie night fundraiser is a great way to get your school community together and to raise funds.

Here is how to run a successful movie night event at your primary or secondary school:

  1. Set your fundraising goals
  2. Select the type of event (indoor / outdoor, kids only / family / neighbourhood)
  3. Determine the size of the audience and select the venue
  4. Source the equipment
  5. Shortlist 2-3 movies
  6. Apply for movie licence
  7. Promote your event
  8. Prepare merchandise / tickets to sell and plan other related activities
  9. Run the event
  10. Follow up

Type and time of the event

primary school fundraiser

Indoor movie night at primary school

Now let’s talk about organising a movie night fundraiser in more detail. Winter is a good time for an indoor movie event, which can be held at school’s hall or sports hall. Offer kids to bring their own blankets / pillows or camping chairs to sit on, and invite them for an indoor camping evening.

It could be a good option to split primary school kids into junior and senior groups, offering the junior (grade prep to 3) a G-rated movie. Older kids will enjoy a PG-rated movie. Bear in mind the younger kids will find it difficult to sit still during the whole movie, so it could be a good idea to have a break in the middle of the film and offer them some quick active games.

There is a perception that outdoor events can only be held in summer. However, early autumn could be a better choice. Firstly, it gets darker earlier and one can start showing movies earlier, while in summer time movies do not start until pass kids’ bedtime. Secondly, evenings in early autumn are still nice, and even if they are relatively cold, they are not windy. Kids love sitting in a camping chair wrapped in a sleeping bag, and adults will enjoy the evening outdoors, too.

Audience and venue

Equipment required for movie night fundraiser

Equipment for a movie night

The size of the audience determines the size of the screen you would require for the event. As a rule of thumb, get a 3 m screen for 100-150 people, 5 m screen for 500 people, and

8 m screen for over a thousand guests. While sports halls can accommodate a big projection screen, we would recommend to held the movie night outdoors if you have close to a thousand of people.

Equipment and technicians

Hire the equipment (check the list of our recommended party hire providers). Most of the providers offer a technician to run the show. However, a small event does not require any sophisticated equipment and can be held without spending money on the third party tech. There should be a bright (at least 3000 ANSI lumen) projector and a quality pair of speakers at any school, source the movie screen, bring a DVD player (laptop, games console) from home, and run the event yourself!

Movie licensing

Whether your event is indoors or outdoors, you still need a movie licence. Choose 2-3 movies (as not all the titles may be available on the day of your event), fill in the movie licence application fee (we recommend it is done several weeks before the event), and source the discs. While movie licensing authorities can provide you with the disc, it is easier and more reliable to buy your own. Firstly, you won’t need to return it back. Secondly, new disc is guaranteed be free from scratches and the show will run smoothly.

While many equipment hirers can organize movie licensing, it is not a complicated process in itself, and anyone from parents club would be able to obtain a license for their event.

Event promotion

Toy story movie fundraiser

Advertising done by children

Success of your fundraiser a good deal depends on how well you promote it. Don’t just announce a movie night. Create hype around it. Ask kids to vote for their favourite movie. Invite them to take part in the competition to create the best movie poster. Use this poster as an ad in the local newspaper if you are organizing event for the whole neighbourhood. Advertise in your school’s newsletter. Involve your local real estate agency to promote the movie night. Attract local businesses – they will be eager to sell hot or cold food or provide pre-movie entertainment.

Pre-movie activities could involve games and competitions, live music and dance, raffle tickets, and more. We recommend charging minimum for the movie, to get more revenue from selling of food, beverages and movie-related items.

For events held outdoors, have a plan B in case of bad weather. Success of the event depends on good coordination, planning, and implementation – in other words, in time and effort put into it. For more details on organizing a movie night, check our guide.

After party

To follow up the movie night fundraiser, thank every participant. Certificate of appreciation will take a decent place on the notice board of a local business, and will give your school some extra exposure. Praise volunteers. Get one step further and have a small article published in the local newspaper. Leave feedback on the Facebook pages of businesses involved, including equipment hirers.

Ultra-high gain ALR projection screen with a difference

Is projection for dark rooms only?

Most of us think projection screens can only be used in the dark spaces. Therefore our home needs a dedicated dark room for a home theatre, while businesses using projectors are bound to hold their meetings in the dark. We know projection and ambient light in the room do not go together well.

Ultra-bright, ultra-short throw and ultra-expensive projectors can improve the situation, allowing using projection screens in ambient light conditions, but at what expense!
That’s how it has always been – till the invention of ALR projection screens. ALR stands for ambient light rejection. It means the screen reflects the light coming to it from the projector back to the audience, while all other light is rejected (reflected in other directions).

One of the characteristics of projection screens is gain, which is the ratio of light reflected back from the screen surface. ALR projection screens have high gain (more than 1), and therefore give the viewers brighter image. The bigger the gain, the brighter is the image.

The biggest problem of ALR screens is a hot spot, which is simply the reflection of projector lens. Sometimes you don’t see a hot spot, but if you are looking at the screen and your eyes hurt, the screen is still hot-spotting.

ALR projection screen outperforming the rest

ALR projection screen with ultra-high gain and yet minimal hot spotting has been invented in Korea by MocomTech. Thanks to the specially designed, precise, lens-like curvature, this amazing screen delivers stunning image both in the dark and in the well-lit room.

Mocom Solstice ALR projection screen is 18 times brighter than conventional matte white projection screens, without hot spotting. Mocom Solstice screens are characterized by high contrast and graduation. Moreover, they are ready to project not only ultra-high definition 4K video, but 8K and beyond.

The screen delivers amazingly bright and sharp images with standard or long throw projector. Moreover, Mocom Solstice outperforms other ALR projection screens, also providing outstanding performance in 3D images.

You need to see it to believe it. Ultra-high gain ALR optical projection screen Solstice is a true miracle!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9zlmeGLrzY[/embedyt]

How to enjoy cheap movie nights

We all love movies, but a family night out can be a very expensive one. Did you know the average Australian movie ticket price has risen 31% over the past ten years, from $10.57 in 2007 to $13.80 in 2016? The most expensive tickets grew in price from $13.50 to $25 over the past years – that’s almost double compared to the price we paid back in 2000. The bad news is though – movie tickets costs will be growing further, and much faster than our salaries. A family night at the movies costs close to $100 dollars, which is not viable for many families.

However, there are always ways to enjoy cheap movie nights.

When buying movie tickets:
movie night on the cheap

  1. Choose the matinee sessions or off peak days / times – this option is for you only if you are not at work 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.
  2. Entertainment books have movie coupons and Evouchers’ helping you save per ticket.
  3. Check your memberships – RACV, Telstra, Bupa and the lot offer cheaper tickets to their members (don’t forget to read the small print though – some offers are only valid on weekdays).
  4.  Find an online deal (Groupon, Scoopon and the likes offer movie night deals and vouchers on a regular basis)
  5.  Independent cinemas may have cheaper tickets compared to cinema chains. If you are in Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, for example, check Boronia Metro or Croydon Cinemas.

When planning your movie night:
Is popcorn a must when going to the movies?

  • Feed your family before going to the movie, and finish the meal with some popcorn and ice-cream in hope they won’t insist on having them again at the movie theatre.
  • Give your children a practical lesson in math. Explain them that it is better to go to the movies twice during the school holidays, rather than spending your entire budget on confectionary and snacks at one event.

Consider alternatives to the movie theatre:

drive-in cinema with inflatable projection screen

Old style drive-in cinema

community cinema

Community movie nights

  1. Drive-ins are still alive and kicking, and keep bringing lots of fun to people of all ages. They revive old memories in parents, and create new memories in children. Drive-ins are almost always cheaper compared to hardtop cinema, and are very romantic. The problem though you may not have a drive-in near you.
  2. Many Local Councils run series of outdoor cinema events during summer season. Find out if your local council offers movies under the stars – these events are either free or very affordable. They are also the best choice for families with small kids, as children will have an opportunity to run around before the movie. Moreover, you could leave the movie grounds at any time, if the little one gets scared or tired without much hassle. This is far better than trying to leave the movie theatre in the middle of the movie with a crying child in your arms.
  3. movie night at a Big4 holiday park

    Movies at a holiday park

    backyard home cinema

    Movies in your backyard

  4. Take your family camping at one of the holiday parks offering cinema nights for their patrons. Many holiday parks run movie nights; some are indoors, while others are outdoors. Most parks are using big inflatable cinema screens – children get very excited watching a big screen being set up.
  5. Watch movies at home. TV panels became bigger, but if you want to make your home movie night special, use a projection screen and a projector. Turn off the lights, bring the beanbag, and serve pizza, popcorn and sweets. These cheap movie nights can be full of warmth and love, which is far more precious than watching the latest blockbuster movie.
  6. Make your movie night even more special, moving your own home cinema right into your backyard. All you need to show movies in your backyard is an inflatable cinema screen, a projector, and sound (not too loud – you don’t want to turn your neighbours into your enemies). All this equipment and complete packages are available at Smart Digital.

Why backyard cinema is better than ten cheap movie nights?

The good thing about backyard home cinema is that it is an investment which can be used in so many different ways:

  • Watch movies with family and friends
  • Have kids birthday parties and sleepovers
  • Play console games
  • Indoor use for big family gatherings

Another great thing about portable cinema is its price – with recommended retail price of $1399 it equals to just 14 family visits to the movies. For this money, you could have a movie night every weekend, outdoors in summer time, and indoors in winter. Moreover, quality equipment will last for many years in a row.

Finally, you can get your own portable cinema solution even cheaper! How?

AV equipment and projectors for sale

  • The entry level portable cinema is only $899 – with a screen bigger than your TV, yet so compact when packed that you could take it with you on your camping trip!
  • Our summer sale will help you save $200 off HandiTheatre Home inflatable cinema – that’s down from $1399 to $1119.
  • Some items available ex demo, and that’s where you could save big – some equipment is 50% down its retail price.With portable cinema form Smart Digital Australia, you could have many fabulous many nights with family and friends, which in long run will be cheaper than going to the movies!

Check what’s on sale today!

Backyard Home Cinema Review

What do mums think about inflatable home cinema?

We asked three prominent Australian bloggers to review HandiTheatre® backyard home cinema, and to tell us what they think about it.

We were lucky to have our HandiTheatre® reviewed by Retro Mummy Corrie, a mum of a big family, who does it all – home schooling, baking, crafts. She also writes fabulous stories on her blog – we find her posts on home schooling especially interesting.

Oh So Busy Mum Cheree found some time in her busy schedule to take fabulous photos of the outdoor home cinema. (Check her awesome recipes which will make a great treat during the movie night!)

Maraya knows stuff mums like, and she writes very funny and engaging stories. Take her Elf on the Shelf story – if you are good, he will tell Santa to bring HandiTheatre® to your family! We also love her travel blogs with useful tips on travelling with kids.

We asked these mum bloggers the following questions:
Who would need an outdoor theatre? Is backyard cinema easy to setup? Can any mum do it? Would they use HandiTheatre® more than just for an occasional movie night? What would be their practical advice if you decide to buy one?

That’s what we found out:

Why you would need an outdoor home cinema:

  • Going out to watch movies with your big family costs an arm and a leg. With backyard home cinema, you can enjoy the big screen outdoors….without leaving home.
  • With backyard home cinema, you can get much more out of living in a sunny Queensland (and many other sunny places all over Australia)
  • HandiTheatre® is a Great Christmas gift for the whole family, far better than plastic toys
  • It is a perfect way to entertain the kids every night when going camping
  • You can connect games console and play Mario using your old PlayStation or your kids Xbox

Is backyard cinema easy to setup?

“Setup is SO easy! I was dreading it, but I managed to do it entirely by myself, even with kids bugging me – yes it’s THAT easy!” – That’s what Oh So Busy Mum thinks.
“It also helps to have a handy husband on hand (or a techhead son) to tell you to turn the sound bar on when you can’t work out why there is no sound coming out.” – comments Retro Mummy.

There’s nothing better than involving children in setting up the outdoor cinema – This experience teaches them responsibility, and allows them to grow their self-esteem. Yes, there are things they can do better than their mums!

Would they use HandiTheatre® more than just for an occasional movie night?

Connect playstation to play games on a big screenAbsolutely. We have seen plenty of ideas, from parties by the pool to home schooling.

“I also have big plans for some mums’ night in movie nights with all my friends on the deck over the summer. We will start the evening off with a swim in the pool and then head off to the movies! It’s the perfect way to hang out!” – That’s definitely the Stuff Mums Like.

“it’s great for big families, extended families, having the neighbours over, birthday parties, homeschool groups, class movie nights and more. I’m also thinking it might be the way I can get some of my homeschoolers to watch some more documentaries and interesting movies as part of our studies. You can also play computer games on it so I’m thinking Just Dance will be even more fun outside and on the huge screen. Once you have an outdoor cinema the kids find lots of reasons to get outside and watch a movie and it’s a nice way to spend the night.” – shares Retro Mummy.

All in all, both mums and kids loved outdoor cinema experience. You can enjoy it too – prices start from $749 for complete entertainment package. HandiTheatre® is a Christmas present which will bring your family together and will give you the gift of many fabulous family nights to remember for years to come.

Solving the Problem of Ambient Light at Schools

Do you have a classroom too bright for projection screens?

Is there too much natural light in your auditorium?

Does your hall have too many windows or skylights to use a projector?

The solution is the new MOCOM Solstice™ ambient light rejecting screens distributed in Australia by Smart Digital.

Known as a Solstice™ projection screen, this brand new technology cuts out any worry for ambient light (ambient light is any light source other than your projector), that may distort your image or weaken its visual aesthetics. On a standard screen, high levels of ambient light will wash out the image.

The Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) screen differs in many ways to standard projection screens. A standard screen will reflect incoming light in all directions, whereas an ALR screen reflects light directly back at the viewer, creating better clarity and a far superior and brighter image.

The Solstice™ projection screen is the world’s first concave lens-type screen. The Solstice™ screen has multiple layers of diffusion material which further removes the washout effects of ambient light. Sharp image clarity and the superb colour are also enhanced.

What does it mean for your school?

ALR projection screenPresentations Anytime, Anywhere

Mocom Solstice™ projection screen gives you freedom to deliver presentations anytime, anywhere. The choice of the space for presentations won’t be limited by classes with block out blinds, while the choice of time for presentations won’t be limited by the hours when the sun is not shining in your windows. No matter how many skylights or windows there are in the venue – the image will be brighter than a flat panel TV.

Presentations at Big Events

Schools need big projection screens to cater for hundreds of children simultaneously. Big events like assemblies, open nights, presentations, or celebrations, call for big screens. Mocom Solstice™ projection screens are available in sizes up to 250” in diagonal – that’s over 6 metres, and can be used for several hundreds of viewers.

Affordable Solution

Large LED/LCD screens are very expensive and have high maintenance costs. Moreover, they are notorious for high energy consumption. MOCOM ALR projection screens are much more affordable than any LED solutions available, are low maintenance, and do not consume power.

Furthermore, Mocom Solstice™ screens do not require expensive projectors with high brightness, costing several thousands of dollars.

Use the standard business projector (1500-3500 Lumen, standard or long throw) to project to a big screen (up to 250” in diagonal), in any room, auditorium, or hall.

Future-Oriented Solution

It is believed 3D should play a great role in education and learning, bringing deeper engagement, and helping students grasp difficult concepts with ease. The projection screen with 3D capabilities would be a perfect tool for a modern class.

The Mocom Solstice™ screen is brighter than your average 3D screens. Use it both for passive and active 3D viewing. Furthermore, this screen has no polarization and is very gentle to the eyes of children, with minimal eye fatigue and enhanced 3D effect.

Interactive Solution

With the Mocom Solstice™ screen, your presentation is not a one-way message sent to the dark space. You can leave the lights on and see the faces of your students. No more guessing the feedback from your audience. No more sleepy faces in the dark corners. The ALR projection screen allows for constant engagement with your audience and getting instant feedback.

Advantages of the Solstice Projection Screen

Ambient light allows us to see things clearly, from sunlight to flickering candles, car headlights to light bulbs and warm bedside lamps. Ambient light assists us in our everyday lives but becomes a problem when trying to view a clear picture on a big screen. This is where a Solstice™ ALR screen comes into its own:

  • Ability to display on a screen with ambient light;
  • Higher gain than other screens (18 times brighter than standard matte white screen);
  • Wider viewing angle; with the curved screen giving clear images over the entire viewing angle;
  • Depth simulation; the visual ability to perceive the world in three dimensions (3D) and the distance of an object;
  • Improved image resolution and better colour accuracy.

Controlled lighting has always been a problem when setting up a projection system, until the introduction of the Solstice™ projection screen. The brightness and clarity of this screen allows for excellent image quality on the big screen, which is far better than what you’ve ever seen before.

For a full demo, or to find out more on this amazing new technology, feel free to reach out to us today. Contact Smart Digital Australia for more details or call 03 9729 6300.

How to Host a Fun Halloween Party

Simple Halloween party ideas, from funny games to scary movies.

Some say Halloween has originated from Ireland, some say – from Mexico. Some see it coming to Australia as an influence of American pop culture. We here at Smart Digital think it’s a great reason to throw an awesome party!

How to Host a Halloween Party

It’s easy with these tips and ideas:

1. Get costumes.

There are plenty of options in retail stores and online, but sometimes all you need to do is to go through your old wardrobe. Use your striped long sleeved T-shirt to be a robber or a mime. Turn a hooded cloak into a witch outfit, or add glasses for Harry Potter’s look.

2. Prepare some simple Halloween party food.

halloween biscuitsDon’t overthink – boiled egg halves with olives on top will serve as spooky eyeballs on your salad. Use cream cheese to attach almond “nails” to the carrot sticks for the spooky feel. Weird coloured jelly decorated with lollies will make a perfect Halloween treat. And don’t forget pumpkin – the queen of Halloween table!

3. Plan games.

The choice of the games depends on your audience, but spoon eyeball races, apple bobbing, and creating toilet paper mummies will always be a hit.

For older kids and adults, offer a themed scavenger hunt using their smartphones, play the ghost game, the grave keeper, or pumpkin consequences. Scream contest is another good one, and is very easy – let your guests compete to produce the scariest scream, or the most realistic howl.
Make your Halloween movie
If you are still playing Pokémon Go – stop pretending you are not in the game, and celebrate the Pokémon Go’s Halloween 2017 event with your friends, going out on a hunt.

Making scary movies on Halloween is our favourite. You already have the actors dressed up as scary monsters, as well as the camera (your mobile phone). Outline a simple scary plot (mummies invade the town; Addams family on a picnic; visit to the haunted house) and start filming! In half an hour, you will have a perfect scary movie to watch on a big screen (and if you don’t have a big screen, here’s where you can get one).

4. Watch horror movies.

There’s just one thing better than watching scary movie on the night of Halloween – it is watching scary movies outdoors at night. Just imagine – the moon, the bats flying around, the shades and the whispers of the wind. Decorate your backyard with pumpkin lanterns and outdoor lights; add a couple of skeletons and a ghost or two. Don’t forget comfortable seating. Prepare beanbags, inflatable airbeds, or camping chairs.

Select the movie to watch. If there are no kids around, choose a real horror movie. Here is a good list of movies you can stream for free.
watch horror movies outdoors

If you are choosing movies to watch with your family and children, here is our top 10 Halloween picks:

  1. The Night Before Christmas
  2. The Addams Family
  3. Edward Scissorhands
  4. Corpse Bride
  5. Hocus Pocus
  6. Casper
  7. Hotel Transylvania
  8. Ghostbusters
  9. The Witches
  10. The Black Cauldron

Finally, you need a movie screen, a projector, and sound to make your outdoor cinema ready for a really cool (and a little bit creepy) movie night! Did you know you could buy a complete portable outdoor cinema online?

To celebrate Halloween, we are offering 10% off HandiTheatre Home and HandiTheatre Light portable cinema packages – but hurry, offer ends the night the ghosts come out to play!

How to benefit from end of financial year sale

End of Financial Year is the good time to invest in an Outdoor Cinema, and here is why:

1. Use tax write-off

Tax write-off is extended for this year. An outdoor cinema package is cheaper than a car, but will drive your business so much further compared to a vehicle. Here is why – it will bring new experience to your clients.

2. Plan for the year

End of the financial circle is the good time to start planning the next year. Which events would attract more customers? Which marketing strategies are you going to apply to make these events work?
For example, if you decide to introduce movie nights at your restaurant, will they be themed? Could you have both indoor and outdoor events? Would live TV and sports bring more visitors to your venue?

A Local Council, for example, may decide to support local businesses, lending them an outdoor cinema package. However, the businesses need to prepare a good promotional campaign to leverage the benefits an outdoor cinema could offer. If the event is not properly promoted, it may disappoint. For more details on how to prepare a quality outdoor cinema event, check our guide.

3. Get ready for summer

Winter season can be quiet for many businesses, which brings more reasons to think through the busy period in advance. Summer is short even if it lasts 6 months a year! Make the next summer memorable. An outdoor cinema could bring that point of difference for your business you were looking for. Just imagine – movie nights by the pool, in a beautiful garden, on a green lawn, or even in the woods!

4. Prepare for Christmas

Now is the good time to prepare for Christmas. From family Christmas presents, to giveaways to your customers, a prize to win at Christmas Ruffle, small inflatable or portable cinema will bring joy. The EOFY discount will also create additional benefits to your business, and money spent this year will quickly return next year!

5. Turn quiet time into party time

If your winter season is quiet, portable cinema could cheer things up a bit! Turn your indoor space into a movie venue, be it a school’s hall, an indoor basketball court, or a play centre.
You could do so much more than movies!

  • Show sports events, like State of Origin, or soccer games
  • Organise karaoke and dance parties with a big screen
  • Host a gaming competition with a giant screen and a games console

To help you grow your business and bring fun and entertainment to your customers, we offer great prices for indoor and outdoor packages.
Portable indoor cinema is reduced to $629 – that’s 30% off for a movie screen, a projector and a soundbar! Moreover, big outdoor cinema packages are now 10% off – but hurry and place your order before 30th of June to benefit from End of Financial Year sale!

How to select an outdoor projection screen?

Have you invested in a quality outdoor projector and are planning an outdoor movie party?
Don’t before you read this post. You need an outdoor projection screen as well!

Many people think all they need for an outdoor cinema is a good projector, a Bluetooth speaker and a media player. The image can be projected to any white wall.
Well, it’s true, but…. Using a bright outdoor projector which costs several hundred dollars to project to the garage door, to the external wall of your house, or to a hanging bedsheet is like serving Pacific oysters with a $3 wine. Don’t!

All you will get is the washed out image, hardly seen through the uneven surface, just like in these pictures:

projecting to the walldon't project to the bedsheethanding bedsheet is a poor projection screen

If you are crafty, do the screen yourself. The same white sheet, when ironed, stretched, and attached to the poles, would do the job. Depending on how good you are, after a several hours of hard work you’ll get something like this:

DIY screen with white bedsheetDIY screen

There is one problem, though – with a bit of wind, these screens can easily fall down and hurt someone.

Using a blockout cloth will give you better results. Still a bit wrinkly, blockout cloth is more dense then linen, and will give you a brighter image. Check this very good tutorial on how to make a good DIY outdoor cinema screen.

The minus with this type of the screen – you can only use it for front projection. It means you cannot place the projector behind the screen, which is a safer option when you’ve got small kids or a swimming pool.

Ready-made outdoor projection screens available on the market come in the following varieties:

– Portable outdoor cinema screens

They can be fixed frame or foldable. They are nice and compact, but still not very wind proof. Some portable screens come with front projection surface only, while others can be used for rear projection as well. They take a bit of time to setup, and some models are quite heavy.

– Inflatable movie screens

Inflatable screens can be constant flow screens – they require the blower constantly running and filling the screen with air; and sealed screens. Sealed screens are inflated before the show and stay inflated for long periods of time. They are silent – there’s no blower noise during the movie!

What to look for when buying an outdoor projection screen:

1. Aspect Ratio

The white screen surface should have 16:9 aspect ratio, which is a modern HDTV format. This screen has got it wrong:

wrong aspect ratio

It means that the image won’t fill the whole screen surface, and everybody will see the white stripes above and below the image. Not professional at all.

2. Screen Surface Quality

You want your screen to be free from seams, wrinkles, and creases. Not like these:

low quality ready-made inflatable screen a screen with a seam

Unfortunately, all these defects will be seen through the projected image.
The screen surface needs to be smooth – that’s why the white wall of your house will give you below average image quality. Shiny surface is no good either as it will reflect too much light – you’ll see the reflection of the projector’s lens.

For outdoors, you would need higher contrast fabrics compared to the average home theatre one, and for big audiences, you need wide viewing angle with not too high gain. Among the vast variety of fabrics used for outdoor cinema screens, spandex (also known as lycra) and specially designed for projection quality PVC fabrics will give you the best viewing results answering these requirements.

3. Fabric density

See-through fabric makes the picture less bright – the same outcome you would get from a projector with lower lumens. Black backing is excellent if you are using the screen with front projection.

rear view of the inflatable movie screen

4. Size

The bigger the screen is, the better it looks. However, many people tend to overestimate their requirements, and think they would need an 8 m screen for a backyard party. Let me tell you, a 3m wide screen will be enough for up to 150 people. If your screen is too big, it will need more storage space, and more setup time, which can steal the fun from your movie night.

5. Ease of maintenance

You want the screen which is easy to take care of. Lycra is the easiest – one simply washes it in the washing machine on the gentle washing cycle. As for PVC screen, clean it with the damp cloth.

To conclude, a good movie projector needs a good outdoor projection screen to match. Inflatable movie screens became more affordable, but we warn you against cheap offerings which will spoil the picture.

How to Setup an Outdoor Projector

There is no point in investing in a big screen if you project a small distorted image onto it.

incorrect distance from the projector to the screen

Setup Your Projector Correctly

For the slick look of your indoor or outdoor cinema, the image should fill in all the white space of the screen, and marginally get over it (5 mm would suffice), but ideally keep out of the rest of the black screen frame.

To achieve it, you need to set up your projector viewing distance and other parametres. This article will guide your setup process.

The height of the projector

The lens of the projector in line with the bottom edge of the screen surface.
Ideally, the lens of the projector should be in line with the bottom edge of the screen surface. Measure the skirt of the screen and find a coffee table or a trestle table of a similar height, and place the projector on it. We find IKEA side tables are great for smaller screens, while standard trestle tables are great for a 6 m wide screen.

Use adjustable legs of the projector to get it to the ideal height. Some cheaper projector models would require fiddling with other objects (coins, DVD covers, books) to get the lens to the right position.

Viewing distance

How far away do you need to place the projector from the movie screen?

The answer depends on the size of the screen and the type of the projector.
The most accurate way to determine the distance between your projector and the screen is to use a projector throw distance calculator.
To use the calculator, you need to know the model of your projector and the size of your screen. Every projector manufacturer offers a throw distance calculator on their website; however, these online tools are not always user friendly and may seem complicated.
You can also determine where to place the projector by trial and error, simply moving it closer and further away from the screen. However, if there is a swimming pool on the way, it can be a bit tricky!

Projector viewing distance

Here is a guide that will help you roughly estimate where to place a typical projector:

standard projector viewing distance

If your screen size is measured in inches in diagonal, refer to the following table for your projector viewing distance:

standard projector viewing distance for foldable screens

Short throw projector allows you to place it one to three metres from the projection screen. This is great news if your space is limited. Moreover, placing the projector closer to the screen can give you brighter image if there’s a bit of ambient light around.

Here is a cheat sheet to help you place the short throw projector in the right spot:

short throw projector viewing distanceAs you can see, the most dramatic gain can be achieved when using a short throw projector with a 6M screen.

The data in the tables above is based on using several models and brands of the projectors and is a guide only, but it should be pretty accurate in most of the cases.

If you decide to use rear projection, the distance between the screen and the projector will be the same. Just don’t forget to flip the image for rear projection. For the majority of projectors, use projection settings to achieve it

Other adjustments:

  • Line up the projector to the centre of your screen. Even though you will still get the image if the projector is off centre, the image will be distorted.
  • Adjust the focus of the lens to make the image sharp if it is blurry.
  • Zoom control will further help in adjusting the image to fit the screen.
  • Use keystone if your image seems bigger at the top or at the bottom to achieve a perfect rectangle.

Now you are ready to hit play, sit back, and enjoy the show!

For complete portable indoor and outdoor cinema packages, check our online shop. We supply portable movie screens, speakers, and outdoor projectors of the leading brands with all bits and bobs you need to run a movie night.

Seven ways to entertain, educate, and engage your school community

We all love movies, but have you ever thought you could use a portable cinema system at your school all year round? Here is how you can use it not only for movies and fun, but also to engage your school community:

1. Fundraising events

It comes to no surprise that school parents’ organisations love outdoor cinema.  Watching movies together is a great way to entertain and engage your school community. Movie night is a great event which can be a major fundraising activity. It is easier to organise than a school fete, it is guaranteed to draw crowds and bring so much needed cash to your school.

However, most P&C associations prefer to hire the outdoor cinema for the night. It costs around a thousand dollars to hire the equipment and the technician, but there is one little secret school mums and dads do not know.

outdoor cinema - easy fundraiser for schools

The reality is – they could DIY, without a hiring company, provided your school has a portable cinema. One person can set up an inflatable movie screen big enough for 650 people within 20 minutes! And all AV equipment is so easy to connect and operate that no technical knowledge is required at all.

The only expense of the school committee would be getting the license to show the movie. To get the license, one needs to fill in the one page form obtained from Roadshow PPL or Amalgamated Movies. Secondly, pay the licensing fee, which depends on the size of the audience and your location. That’s all the effort required for a fabulous fundraising event!

2. Information nights and graduation events

No matter how big is your auditorium – there are days when your audience is bigger. Information nights and graduation events may require showing videos, photos, and presentations on a big screen, so that hundreds of people would be able to see it. Portable movie screens give you the flexibility to choose the space where to run the event. They also allow to cater for a bigger audience for lower cost.

The only factor you need to take into account is light. Even the brightest projectors will not be able to deliver decent picture if there’s a lot of ambient light around. So place your screen and projector in the darkest corner of your hall, turn off the lights, and let the show begin.

3. Disco Party

Is it your annual disco for students? No need to invite professional DJ-s. Turn the portable cinema into a disco station – simply project pre-selected musical videos on a big screen, or play the music via the speakers. You can also show the slides of your choice on the screen – be it photos of the students, or presentations and projects made by students.use portable PA system for outdoor events

4. Sports and outdoor events

Holding events or sports activities outdoors or in a big hall? Save your staff’ vocal cords with a portable PA system, which happens to be a part of the portable cinema package! A pair of speakers together with a lightweight and portable multimedia control system allows making announcements and playing music from USB, smartphone, or laptop, wherever you are.

5. Enhance your media and visual arts programs

For starters, teach students how to set up and run an outdoor cinema event. This could be a great project, which could even give students some budgeting and event management skills! Secondly, movie making will be more fun if the freshly made films could be projected to a big screen!

6. Use it all year round

viewsonic projector 3200 Lumen
Projector supplied with a portable cinema is over 3000 ANSI Lumen bright, which is just right for any standard screen (90-100”) in a lit room. The projector does not have to wait idle till your next movie event – use it all year round in the classroom!

7. Say “thank you” with a movie

Say “Thank you” to your community – students, parents, and teachers, with end of the year party and a movie night. Easy to organise, this event can coincide with Christmas celebrations, and is a great way to get everyone together for a beautiful celebration.

Smart Digital Australia is an ASCA recommended supplier for portable cinema systems.

Smart Digital Australia - prefered ASCA supplier
We are proud to support Australian primary and secondary schools, providing them with portable projection screens, PA systems, and portable cinema equipment.

Contact us today to find out about our exclusive offer to schools.

Outdoor Movies are bringing magic to patrons of Holiday Parks

Outdoor movie theatre is rapidly becoming a new must-have feature for holiday parks, together with heated pool and jumping pillows. It brings new experience to the guests, giving them the entertainment they do not have at home. Open air cinema occupies park visitors at night, when other activities are not available.

It takes 15 minutes to set up the movie theatre. Ask your guests to bring their sleeping bags, chairs, and pillows and let the magic begin.

Outdoor movie theatre is not only for the movies. The possibilities are endless:

  • Invite your guests for the magic movie nights under the stars
  • Plug-in a set top box for Live TV. Don’t let the fans miss their favourite game of the season (say, the Australian Open Finals!)
  • Make teenagers happy with their favourite console games on a seriously BIG screen
  • Offer the younger audience active Wii games (Just Dance is a great option!)
  • Call a karaoke competition
  • Organise a themed disco-party (ranging from Halloween to Valentine’s Day)
  • Let your visitors share their videos and pictures
  • Invite guest speakers to talk about nature and use the screen for the slide show
  • Have a dive-in party by the heated pool

With so many ways to entertain, the outdoor movie theatre is bond to become a key feature of your Holiday Park.  All you need is to plan different activities to involve the guests of all ages.

inflatable screen goes upinflatable movie screen ready for the big nightGold Coast Holiday Park ready for the movie nightkids and adults excited about the movie

How to select the screen and get a movie licence

To select the screen of the right size, take into account two factors: the size of the audience and the space available. For a caravan park up to 1000 patrons, you can expect 200-300 movie-goers. For the audience of this size, we recommend a four metre screen.  However, if you plan to place the cinema screen near the pool, you may have to choose a three metre system. On the other hand, small screen can look a bit lost in a vast area. If your backdrop is an endless field, go for a five metre screen.

Showing movies requires licensing. However, owners of caravan parks can screen outdoor movies with a Blanket Licence. A Blanket Licence allows holders to screen films to their audience all year round for one low annual fee.

Open air cinema creates special memories. Watching movies outdoors is so different to going to the cinema:

  • The backdrop is scenic
  • The stars add to the mood
  • The noises and smells of the nature create the third dimension
  • People are more aware of other viewers’ presence, which creates the sense of fellowship

Outdoor movies bring more fun and more entertainment to the visitors of holiday parks. Make sure your business is ready to share the magic of open air cinema with your guests.

Check this video to find out what our customers think about us:

Unusual Valentine’s Day ideas. The most romantic evening ever

It’s here again – 14th of February, Valentine’s Day.  Presents are expected – no excuses are accepted.

What to give to your loved ones this Valentine’s Day?

Chocolates – flowers – jewellery – restaurant – movies.  Dull as dishwater.

You know the stuff….Boring!!!!

We dare you to get off the beaten path and surprise your partner with a truly unique experience.

Here is one of the Unusual Valentine’s Day ideas from Smart Digital – create a very special and unusual night in your own backyard, under the stars. It can be as romantic as hot air ballooning, just much safer!

What you’ll need:

watch romantic movie on your balcony

  1. Very comfortable seating and snuggly blanket. Check for some ideas in this blog post or explore the topic on Pinterest.
  2. Something easy to snack on (and bubbly, don’t forget the bubbly!)
  3. An outdoor home theatre (choose the one that’s quick to setup, you don’t want to spend an hour stretching the screen surface on a steel frame, so go for the latest in outdoor entertainment an inflatable screen).
  4. No backyard? No problem – go for a portable movie screen which will even fit on your balcony!

Now to the best part – choose a good movie and think how you can blend it with the reality.

For a choice of a film, consider something both of you would enjoy. Feeling adventurous? Ensure the kids, if you have any, are fast asleep, and check this list.

The next step is to create the film atmosphere around you.
sushi to complement your movie night

Say, you decide to watch “Lost in translation”.  Get Japanese whisky or blend a special “Lost in translation” cocktail, mixing sakura liqueur, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice.

Serve some good quality sushi (your local take-away will help you here), and even try to convince your partner to sing karaoke in a pink wig.

I hope you got the idea – the film connects with reality via food, drinks, music, pieces of furniture or clothes. Outdoor home theatre has the capacity to create romantic atmosphere so different both to watching TV or going to a standard movie theatre. The sounds and smells of the summer night (I hope you are reading this blog in the Southern Hemisphere), bright stars above your heads, and, most of all, the comfort of a familiar place – isn’t it the best combination possible for a perfect romantic evening?

Truly, the film on a big screen just for two of you can be the best choice for your Valentine. Maybe even the best of all unusual Valentine’s Day ideas you have ever had.

To help you celebrate this Valentine’s Day, we are offering 14% off our HandiTheatre Light outdoor cinema – shop now and surprise your loved one!

HandiTheatre Light Backyard Cinema Valentine special

My movie themed birthday party

How to throw a big movie themed birthday party in a small townhouse and bring loads of fun for adults and kids

Party planning

A bit of planning leads the long way. I was planning to celebrate my big birthday, inviting 7 families to our tiny townhouse. So I decided to utilize all spaces available, including garage, front- and back- yards, as well as all indoor spaces. It was unpredictable April, so I could only hope the weather won’t let us down.

Cannes Festival themed party

We all love dress-up parties, so I announced the theme – Cannes Film Festival. Yes, it could have been a standard Hollywood party, but I love to be different. The guests had to dress up as any famous character. As examples, I mentioned in the invitation Red Riding Hood and Men in Black; Elvis, Marilyn, and James Bond, as well as Sponge Bob Square Pants and SouthPark Cartoons characters.

I announced the program of the movie themed birthday party in advance. It consisted of the following:

  • Fashionable arrival of the stars followed by light drinks and snacks
  • Official program of the festival
  • Official banquet
  • Disco
  • Night Cinema for the kids

I requested guests to bring camping chairs, blankets and sleeping bags for the kids, as night cinema was planned to be held … outdoors!

Preparation

I don’t like spenFirst Prize of Cannes Film Festivalding too much time and money on décor, so I limited expenses to buying red carpet (eBay), aluminum film foil, gold ribbon and golden balloons (local party store). Together with my children, we prepared the prizes. We made Palm de Ore out of a gumtree branch, covered in gold acryl paint. I printed Cannes Lions silhouette, cut it out and glued to the piece of carton wrapped in silver foil. Other prices were more utilitarian – bottle of wine for the best actor, bottle of hot chili for the best director, and so on.decor and prizes

To feed the big company, I ordered a ready-made roast with potatoes, and two big cakes. The rest of the menu was finger foods from the local butcher and standard set of cheeses, dips and snacks from the supermarket. It’s not about food, after all, it’s about having fun!

Party

The party started with a big surprise – guests arrived in a white limo! The driver had to do several rounds to bring everybody in, and I could only lough looking at the arriving stars. Out of the limo came: Five minions (a big family!), two Austin Powers, Lara Croft, Audrey Hepburn, and the Mask, to name just a few! Paparazzi was working hard getting the best shots of the stars.

After the photo session and snacks, the real fun started.

I split the guests into twTarantino filmso film crews and gave them the task to make a movie.
The first crew was directed by Tarantino, and the second one by Fellini. I deliberately split couples so that no one was together with their spousFellinie in the same team.

The plot for the movie was simple:
Bad guys kidnap the main character. The good guy saves him / her. Happy end.

Tarantino with the crew was filming on the front yard, while Fellini with his actors used our tiny backyard. Camera operators used smartphones to record the movie.

We suggested to the kids to do their own movie as well, but they were happy playing their own games, so we left them alone for the time being.

Outdoor Cinema

After the shooting, I invited the guests into our outdoor cinema to watch just created films on a big screen. The screen was gorgeous. It was an inflatable movie screen, which I inflated with a small air blower – same used to inflate camping airbeds. It went up in several seconds – all children got absolutely exited, seeing it go up. You can imagine how many “wows” were in the air!

The projector outdoor home theatresupplied with the outdoor cinema system (available via Smart Digital Australia) had an HDMI input, which allowed me to connect laptop with our movies and project them to the big screen. All seven families with a dozen of kids could view the show comfortably! The sound was also very descent – clear and loud, with good base.

No comedy in the world would create that much laughter we had watching ourselves acting!
Fellini used toddler’s car as a vehicle for the villains, kidnapping Red Riding Hood. Tarantino’s bad girls, on the other hand, managed to kidnap Big Bad Wolf, who was later on saved by Minions.

After the show, hot food was served.
Traditional awards ceremony of our local Cannes Festival brought loads of glee as well. The Mask had prepared witty descriptions of the nominations, everybody had a chance to deliver the acceptance speech. No wonder we had another wave of laughter.

End of the party

It was getting cold, anwatching movie in the garaged the outdoor cinema was moved to the garage, where children watched Princess Bride. They loved this improvised camping experience. They were sitting in the camping chairs, wrapped in sleeping bags, in the dark of the garage, with popcorn in their hands, watching an old movie. It was so different to watching TV, and it was so much more romantic than going to the cinema.

A couple of teenagers choose to sit on the other side of the screen, watching the movie as if in the mirror. The screen fabric was made of lycra, and the quality of image was equally good on both sides of the screen – so why not?

watching Princess Bride in the driveway cinema

Meanwhile, adults were having a disco party, dancing to the music of the slightly older times, when they were a bit younger, and were going out till early hours of the following day. The Birthday Party was getting to the end.

Payment plan helps bring entertainment to communities faster

We are often asked if we offer payment plan to our customers.

We are happy to announce that we now offer you equipment operating lease FlexiRent. As they say at Flexirent, “If you can plug it in, you can Flexirent it”. You may already know that outdoor cinema from Smart Digital is a plug and play package – easy to set up and operate. We made things even easier for small community organisations, rental businesses, schools, holiday parks, and others, with simple and fast finance option now available.

It takes 15 minutes to apply for a lease of a portable cinema package, which means you can bring entertainment to your community within days!
This payment plan is free from documentation fees, upfront payments, and maintenance or account keeping fees. What is more, you can stretch payments for up to 5 years!

Benefits of an equipment operating lease

  • Simple access to finance – minimum paperwork!
  • Keep cash flowing – avoid big cash payments and preserve your liquidity.
  • Tax benefits – leasing is a fully deductible operating expense for business tax purposes. Ask your accountant or tax advisor for advice.
  • Ease of budgeting – lease payments are fixed, so you can budget and plan with certainty.
  • Avoid depreciation – leasing and equipment finance is an operating expense with no depreciation to account for or track.
  • Bundle your solution – bundle all your equipment, accessories and installation into one single operating lease.
  • Keep up to date – lease assets and equipment over their productive life then upgrade at the end of term to new and better equipment.
  • Be more productive – the extra productivity that the new equipment brings will help pay for the lease cost.
  • Evolve with your lease – as your business needs to evolve, you can add on equipment at any stage of the lease term and include it all in one monthly payment.
  • Flexibility – at the end of an agreement you can choose to upgrade the equipment, extend the agreement, pay month to month or simply return the equipment with no further obligations.

So what do you need to do?

First of all, select the portable cinema package for your community. Estimate the size of your audience, and give us a call to discuss everything in detail. We will provide you with a formal quote for the equipment you would require.

Secondly, check how much would you be paying monthly with Flexirent, using their online calculator.

Apply for FlexiRent services over the phone – 1300 340 447.

Sign the paperwork received from FlexiRent and we will send you your outdoor cinema – it’s that easy!

Last minute Office Christmas Party Ideas

Invite your team for a movie night – we have selected some absolutely fantastic films for you to have a fabulous and easy office Christmas party!

outdoor cinema for office Christmas party Have you just discovered your favourite restaurant is fully booked for the night you hoped to celebrate your corporate Christmas party?
Move the event to your own office or even to outdoors and invite your team for a very special movie night!

There are two options here:

1. Invite families and watch family Christmas movie

In this case, we suggest you organise movie night outdoors. Does your factory have an adjacent outdoor area? Even a carpark can be turned into an outdoor movie theatre, or, for extra fun, into the drive-in!

You could hire an inflatabcocktails, anyone?le cinema for one night; add a pop-corn machine, a slushy-machine, or a Photobooth for some extra fun.

Ask your colleagues to come for an office Christmas party dressed up as movie characters, and bring picnic chairs. Organise catering from a local company, or simply go to your local deli for some dips, cheeses, and nice selection of meats and gourmand sausages. Moderate quantity of alcohol and soft drinks would complement the food.

If you are inviting families with children, choose among these classical films everyone would enjoy:

  • Home Alone (can you imagine this film is now 36 years old?)
  • The Muppet Christmas Carol (if you love Muppets, Dickens, and true spirit of Christmas)
  • Elf (Simple, funny, and adorable)
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas (oh, the joy of a good scare!)
  • Bush Christmas (remember this Australian movie from the 80s?)
  • The Polar Express (truly magical)
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas (with adorable Jim Carrey)
  • Arthur Christmas (If it’s done by Aardman Animations, it is good!)

2. Leave the families at home and enjoy a good old movie only your (team) mates can appreciateprobably the best Christmas movie ever!

Christmas is the time to watch good old movies, to dig out the film you watched many years ago, and to rediscover the beauty of it. It is also great time to watch movies with your friends, on a big screen. Make this event special, and invite your team for Movies under the stars.

We compiled the list of the films we think you will enjoy watching on a big screen!

  • Three Godfathers (John Ford’s sentimental western made in 1948)
  • The Apartment (Christmas is a great time to watch this classic film again, to appreciate how things changed since 1960)
  • Die Hard (if you love action, this is possibly the best Christmas film ever!)
  • National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (if you like plain humour)

Bad Santa Movie

If you prefer a film made in this century, choose from:

  • Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (comedy-thriller which starts with the robbery of the toy store)
  • Bad Santa (weird, different, and a bit brutal)
  • A Christmas Tale (French comedy-drama – so expect all things French: wine, sex, and philosophy)
  • 8 Woman (another French Christmas celebration)

If you wonder where you could hire the screen, check the list of party hire companies all over Australia. However, if you cannot find a party hirer near you, consider buying an outdoor cinema.

With prices from $1399 for a team of 50 people for complete system, or $3749 for up to 150 people, you can always find a good use to this system when the party is over.

We hope this idea will help you have an absolutely fabulous office Christmas Party!

Backyard Movie Nights Bring Families Together

They say great Aussie backyard is the thing in the past. It’s not true. We just forgot how to use it.

Get together after the long day. Have a family meal outdoors – let your kids help lay the table. Create new rituals and little family events – with no particular reason, just for the joy of being together!

How about a special outdoor movie night? Get your blankets and pillows, cuddle in camping chairs if you don’t own a formal outdoor furniture set, and invite your family to join you. Swap boring TV-time to a romantic evening under the stars. Watch a good old movie in your own backyard theatre. It is a bit more work than just turning your TV on, but still very easy to organise. Most importantly, such evenings are very memorable. Share with your children the movies you enjoyed as a child. Introduce them to the classics movies (check classification beforehand!), or watch with them the record of your favourite band’s concert.

What you need for family backyard movie nights

All you need for your family backyard movie nights is a movie projector, a pair of speakers or a soundbar, and a movie screen.

And you can even DIY – there’s plenty of information available on the internet on how to build your backyard cinema on cheap! Not everyone is a big fan of spending too much time stretching white sheets on your rotary washing line, or trying to choose the right projector on eBay. In this case, there are complete ready-made solutions available as well.

There are some affordable backyard cinema systems sold in Australia, offering portable and inflatable screens and projection systems. They make backyard entertainment easy.

It is important to involve children in preparation of the movie night. While older kids can connect cables or set up your laptop, the younger ones should not stay aside. Turn the preparation for the movie night into a little game in itself. Ask your children to draw and “sell” movie tickets, decorate “movie theatre” and serve popcorn. They can even prepare a little performance on the “stage” prior to the movie!

They say the backyards became smaller, but even a tiny patch of land can bring hours of happiness.

You don’t need an acre of land to plant herbs and strawberries with your children, to have a BBQ, or to enjoy a water play. As for outdoor cinema, believe it or not, but you could have it in your driveway, in a garage, on a small backyard deck, or even on a big balcony! The most important is to spend quality time with your family, and to create special moments, whether they last minutes or hours. Small moments like that build a happy family. And backyard movie nights will create long lasting memories for you and your children.

This article was originally published in November edition of MamaMag.

Warehouse sale – one gift for the whole family up to 20% off!

Now this is Smart (Warehouse sale): buy one gift for the whole family!

Sort your Christmas presents in one go! Get along to our 1-Day Only Warehouse Sale and keep the entire family happy with a brand new backyard home cinema package!

** A MASSIVE 10-20% OFF ALL ITEMS! **

When: 3pm-8pm – Friday 25th November 2016

Where: Warehouse of Smart Digital Australia, Unit 8, 52 Corporate Blvd, Bayswater, VIC, 3153

Come and see these fantastic inflatable and static movie screens in action, and check out our range of projectors, AV systems, speakers, and more!

What you get:

  • Great way to amuse family and friends during warm summer nights
  • Fabulous entertainer for New Year’s night, kids’ parties and sleepovers
  • Lots of WOWs for both kids and adults
  • Envious neighbours – they have the standard trampoline for their kids, and you have outdoor cinema for everyone (they can peak through the hole in the fence, too!)

Packages comprise:

Movie screen of your choice, a movie projector, and a soundbar or speakers.

FIVE HOURS ONLY – prices are slushed!
HandiTheatre Light, RRP $899 – get it for $765 only!
HandiTheatre Home, RRP $1399 – get it for $1259 only!
HandiTheatre Pro, RRP $3749 – get it for $2999 only!

Amazing opportunity to see backyard cinema systems in action, before you buy!

Affordable backyard cinema package now available

We are excited to announce the launch of a new backyard cinema package – HandiTheatre® Light.

You can use HandiTheatre® Light backyard cinema package even on a balcony or driveway – so compact it is! Yet this outdoor cinema system is big enough for up to 30 people.

This backyard cinema is very easy to set up and only has 3 components – a projector, a soundbar, and a movie screen.

We have applied many years of experience in outdoor cinema business to develop this product. We have selected and combined the equipment to make quality outdoor cinema affordable. As a result, this outdoor cinema package delivers bright image and great powerful sound in the outdoor environment. The screen construction is unique. Melbourne designed, it is simple, yet stylish and durable. Moreover, you can wash the screen in the washing machine, if it gets dirty.

Use backyard cinema package HandiTheatre® Light for outdoor birthday parties, family movie nights, and teenage sleepovers. Spend more time outdoors, watching movies or playing active computer games. Make backyard cinema a Christmas present for the whole family – it will bring families together, and give joy to adults and kids alike. Finally, this model of outdoor home cinema is very affordable, so you could host your own backyard movie nights on a budget!

The backyard cinema package costs only $899.

Buy HandiTheatre® Light via our online shop and be ready for hours of outdoor summer fun!

How to add backyard movies to your successful party hire business

image courtesy Outdoor Movie Guys in Perth

Outdoor movie nights and backyard cinema for rent

Offer outdoor movie events and backyard cinema for rent – you’ll be surprised how rewarding this idea is!

There are hundreds of party hire businesses in Australia, and their services are in demand. Mums love throwing parties for their kids’ birthdays; companies organise Christmas parties for their employees. On top of that, weddings, big family gatherings, or other special occasions for different groups of people need to rent equipment for their events.

There is a standard list of offerings available from party hirers, from chairs and marquees, to jumping castles, balloons and party decorations. However, successful party hire business is the one which finds unique ideas to stand out from the crowd. Photobooths, slushy machines, dance floors are some examples of the unique offerings. One of the exciting yet easy to implement ideas is to offer outdoor movie events and to organise backyard movie parties.

What do you need to have a successful outdoor cinema party hire business?

1. Know your audience and their pain points; offer solutions to their problems

Mums hosting a big birthday party would appreciate if they don’t have to spend time setting up the equipment. Set up everything for them. Ensure cabling is safely tucparty by the poolked away and the projector is placed behind the screen for safety of little viewers.

Pool parties are fun, but you need to protect the equipment from splashes of water. As pool parties are great for warm summer nights, package your outdoor cinema system with refreshments (slushy machine could be a good option!)

Companies organising corporate events need more than just equipment – they need complete entertainment package. Prepare games and prizes and offer catering.

Sport supporters need live TV – check if the party place has good TV signal.  Offer set top box to connect to the projector so that they could watch their favourite game live.

2. Find your marketing channels

Every market has the best promotional channels to reach them. Reach mums and dads of school kids via adverts in school newsletters. Use Facebook ads to target the neighbouring suburbs. In addition, leverage the search engine optimisation power of Gumtree.

Regularly update your website and be seen on Google local and Google maps. Don’t be shy and ask your clients to review your party hire business on social media. Reviews on directories like Yelp, Truelocal, WOMO and HotFrog are also very important – social proof helps others make decision to rent outdoor cinema from you.

3. Get your equipment right

3 packages for portable cinema

Outdoor cinema packed in 3 carry cases

Quality product will last longer and won’t disappoint. Poor quality inflatable screens can have problems with air leakage; stretch screens take ages to erect; low quality screen fabric will give nothing but disappointment. Moreover, cheap projectors will not provide decent quality image – do your homework and find out actual resolution and brightness of the projector in ANSI lumen before buying.

If you are planning to ship your equipment to customer, you would need as few packages as possible. The equipment needs to be simple to set up and operate. In other words, you need fail-safe equipment, supplied with clear instructions. A good instructional video is always a plus.

Size matters. Smaller screens can be taken indoors if the weather turns for the worse. Bigger screens create bigger WOW-reaction. However, the most important is the size of the audience – 2.5 metre screen is enough for a group of up to 50 people, while 4 m wide screen is enough for 350 people. Smart Digital Australia offers special packages for party hire business – contact us for pricing and more details.

4. Make a packaged offer

offer popcorn machine for hire

popcorn and movies

Having big variety of party hire equipment can be very daunting, especially, if you are just starting a new business. Consider to cooperate with other small businesses specialising, for example, on catering, bean bags, or popcorn / slushy machines. This will allow you to offer complete packaged experience for your clients.

If you are an established business, package your equipment to match the needs of different market segments.

5. Develop clear procedures and policies

Have rental fees, terms, conditions and penalties available on your website. Have a documented plan for weather cancellations. Prepare a check list documenting all equipment provided to the customer, including small items like cables. Also, if you are shipping the package to the customer, provide return shipping label for their convenience.

6. Put effort and time into your business

Be reliable, punctual, and pleasant to deal with. Dedicate time to promote your business online, but most importantly, provide good quality services – people will talk about you and recommend to their friends and neighbours.

Backyard movie nights bring lots of fun, and can have many entertainment options and ideas within.

  • Offer themed movie parties with dress-ups. Add Photobooth to take photos of the guests in costumes.
  • Consider adding popcorn machine and beanbags to make the backyard movie night both comfortable and catered for.
  • Suggest backyard sleepovers and console game competitions on a big screen, on fresh air.
  • Rent out a complete outdoor disco package – offer lights, decorations and accessories. Project music videos to a big inflatable screen, and maybe add microphones for karaoke!

If you are considering starting or improving your party hire business, check the video below sharing our experience – we hope it will help your business shine!
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkkC0AqpYi8[/embedyt]

8 Must-Do Summer Fun Activities

Unusual and fun activities for kids and adults to do this summer

Have you started planning your summer fun yet? Are you going to fill your summertime with exciting events, or just to chill out and enjoy good weather? We dare you to try something fun and new, something you’ve never done before. Start planning your summer fun now – we hope you’ll find something to match your lifestyle from our list. Make this summer unforgettable!

1. Learn tosailing lesson sail

Catch the wind and feel the sailboat knuckles under to your hands. Feel the joy of freedom and imagine you are taking part in the regatta or may be even in the Sydney Hobart yacht race! Numerous yacht clubs offer courses both for kids and adults, or you can simply try a single lesson (great gift idea, too!).

2. See the world from above – try hot air ballooning!

What can be more exciting? Wake up before the sunrise, take in morning freshness, and drift quietly above the breathtaking landscapes or cityscapes. Most of the operators allow kids age four and over to take part, also offering reduced rates for children under 15 years old.

3. Get cultured – visit theatre in the gardens performance

Outdoor theatre events are not only more affordable than performances held in the formal theatre venues. They have special charm, with landscapes and plants creating beautiful stage, with real lakes, rivers, and trees being the part of the scene. Many Australian cities boast events of this kind. As an example, Brooklyn Community Theatre organises al-fresco events on the banks of Hawkesbury River; Big Monkey Theatre performs at Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens; and finally, Australian Shakespeare Company leverages the beauty of Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne with classical Wind in the Willows and Midsummer Night Dream performances.

4. Attend one of the free concerts in the park

Choose from classical music, jazz, carols, or entertainment. Enjoy little picnic or simply lie on your back and look up in the skies, rising moon and tree branches. Even better – get up and dance to the sound of music.

5. Unleash your creativityunleash your creativity

Get your hands busy with crafts. Attend a pottery making class or a jewellery making workshop; try welding or screen printing. Find the class to keep you busy here. The main challenge is: do something you’ve never done before – you may find the new hobby for life, or even open your own store on Etsy!

6. Travel to a cool(er) destination

swap summer to winterDon’t like it hot? Swap your house and the season of the year with help of house-swapping website, like Aussie House Swap or House Swap Holidays. Discover winter in Canada or Austria, or travel to moderately cool Spain, Italy, or even New Zealand. If you have not yet used Airbnb, give it a go – you’ll have an absolutely different experience compared to staying at standard hotels or houses for rent.

7. Destination unknown adventure

This summer activity is not for the faint-hearted, but if you’re ready for a courageous, fun adventure then jump on board…literally!
So this adventure requires: a suitcase filled with your summer essentials, a credit card with funds ready to splurge, five days approved leave away from hum-drum responsibilities such as work, kids, school etc, and most importantly, a sense of adventure.

  • Step1 – First of all, get excited!
  • Step 2 – Go the your nearest domestic airport.
  • Step 3 – Check the ‘Departure Board’ for the next available flight to ANYWHERE!
  • Step 4 – Go to the Sales Desk and book yourself on the NEXT flight!
  • Step 5 – Grab out your phone or device and book accommodation online while you wait to be called to board your flight.
  • Step 6 – Get excited and board your flight, ready for spontaneous summer fun!

This adventure is even more amazing with a friend, partner or kids and more so if you go to a new destination. Go on – we dare you!

8. Create your own backyard cinema

Backyard cinema

Outdoor home theatre

Watch movies under the stars with your friends and family. This would be your most romantic summer experience, and yet the easiest as there is no need to travel anywhere. All you need to do is to set up a movie screen, plug in your projector and turn on the sound. Then choose the movie to suit your tastes, organise comfort seating and serve simple food. Finally, invite the audience and hit play – let the movie magic combined with the wonderful summer night bring joy to your house!

Now if you are wondering where to get equipment for your outdoor cinema – visit our online store and buy a complete system which will fit in your backyard and will make everyone go “Wow!”.

Over to you now. Share with us your ideas – what’s your favourite summer fun thing to do?

SmartBox AV Controller – how cool is that?

AV controller SmartBox® puts control of all audio video equipment in your hands.

To show movies in the park or in your backyard, you need a projector, a playback device, a sound system, and a big screen. You can get away without the fifth component of the outdoor cinema package, but should you? The fifth component is an AV controller SmartBox®, also called an AV gig rack, or an AV console. We also call it multimedia controller.
Let me explain what SmartBox is and why you need it for your indoor and outdoor entertainment.

The main component of a SmartBox® is an analog audio mixer.

It combines the audio signals from the playback devices or microphones and sends them to the speakers. And here comes the first surprise – the quality of sound is so much better if sent via the mixer! For example, you are using your smartphone to play music for a big group of people. You can connect the audio cable direct from the iPod to the speakers – the sound will be very average. Plug the smartphone into the mixer, and listen to the difference! Now you can dance!

Professional 6 channel audio mixer

rackmount audio mixer

Same happens with the movies. You can hear the soundtrack if you connect the projector to the speakers, but the real cinematic effect is only possible if the sound goes via the mixer. You can adjust bass and treble separately for more precise sound control.
Plug in the microphone – and here you’ve got a complete PA system, with active speakers, mixing console, and a mic, as a part of your outdoor cinema package! Second surprise!

Third surprise is our little invention, which turned a simple audio mixer into an audio video control system. Use built in HDMI matrix to connect any device, like games console or laptop, and split the video signal into two screens!

Another vital component of a SmartBox® is a Blu-Ray / DVD player.

Sure you can have your DVD player on the side table connected to the projector. However, the built-in player pre-wired to the mixer is so much neater, with fewer cables around. The top of the range model, SmartBox® Platinum Plus, has a professional Blu-Ray player Denon with onscreen display. Others have reliable domestic brand, like Panasonic, built in the metal casing.

Truly portable and compact solution.

original design of SmartBox®

original design of SmartBox®

All the components are built in the protective carry case. Moving equipment around is easy. Moreover, you can be sure it’s all safe and in one place, including the cables stored in the mesh compartments of the lids. Protect the equipment from water and dust – the carry case is made of moulded plastic ABS, lightweight and durable substitute to old road cases. Use the drawer to store microphones and remotes.

We constantly improve our SmartBox® solutions, and build in different equipment, from UHF receivers for wireless microphones to set top boxes required to watch live TV. Broaden your horizons and use your outdoor cinema not just to watch movies. With SmartBox® models, you can have a karaoke party, watch live TV, play computer games, and have hours of fun!

Professional operators love SmartBox® AV controller for convenience and ease of operation. Just plug everything to the SmartBox® and play, instead of setting up every individual component for every event.

Portable multimedia control

AV Controller SmartBox® Platinum – current model

All SmartBox® models are available via our online shop.

5 secrets of successful outdoor cinema businesses

1. Find your place

Outdoor cinema is about the surroundings as much as about the actual event. Find the best possible landscape or landmark, and bring outdoor cinema there to create unique experience for your guests.

Here are some inspirational examples of outdoor cinema businesses which found the right place to wow their audience:

  • Carved by Mother Nature Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a spectacular place near Denver, Colorado. It is used both for outdoor cinema and concerts, and has a capacity for over 9500 people.
  • Barcelona’s Montjuïc Castle is a gorgeous backdrop for a movie screen. The ancient walls create both feeling of protection and connection of epochs.
  • Hollywood Forever Cemetery outdoor movies use the big grassy field against a gorgeous Hollywood landmark to charm their audience.
  • St George Open Air Cinema in Sydney offers majestic views over Sydney Harbor.
  • Cinekamari movie theatre on the Greek island Santorini became part of the cityscape.
  • Six Senses Yao Noi resort in Thailand offers guests outdoor cinema floating on the water. And the photo of the movie screen against the cliffs is quickly becoming an iconic one.
Cinekamari - one of modern Greece landmarks

Santorini outdoor cinema

Outdoor Cinema in Thailand

Floating Cinema in Thailand

Hollywood outdoor cinema - one of outdoor cinema businesses in the US

Hollywood Forewer Cemetry

best-outdoor-theaters-sala-montjuic_cr_No-Credit

Montjuïc Castle Outdoor Cinema

Look around and find the landmark which will give that special feeling to your outdoor cinema.
Think about streets and rooftops, waterfronts and mountains, old warehouses or even carparks, or simply choose the nearest park with the views.

 2. Share your love on social media

Having a Facebook page is not enough. Do your customers go to your Facebook page to check if tonight’s show is cancelled due to the bad weather? Great beginning, but is not enough either. Know your audience and use your unique voice talking to them. Use your social media channels to create the mood of your supporters, to share with them the memories of a good evening, to intrigue and to engage them.

Check out Facebook pages of these great communicators:

Backyard Cinemas of UK talk to their friends, using their everyday language and emoticons. You could tell they are young and energetic; they are about good music, alternative cinema and good fun. Their “about us” video is also full on!

The Galileo Open Air Cinema in South Africa constantly engages their audience, asking for advice, offering prizes, involving local businesses. They also publish a lot of photos of cinema goes.

We at Smart Digital do not organise events, but we are on Facebook to inspire you to bring outdoor cinema to your community. Here we share tips and tricks on how to organise fantastic movie nights. We help you select films and tell you about outdoor cinemas around the World. And we help you bring more magic, more fun, and more entertainment to your backyard.

3. Offer beautiful combinations

Outdoor cinema is so much more than just watching a movie. It is great experience, and the more senses are engaged, the better.

Combine good food with good movie. Like matching food and wine, matching food and movie is a fine art. Family movies do not go well with wine and a plate of gourmet cheeses. Arthouse will loose it’s aroma paired with burgers.

Get your inspiration from Melbourne’s Gourmet Cinema, who matched local restaurants with the movies. They challenged the chefs to complement the movie with the equivalent cuisine.

match food with movie

serve this bread with “The Baker’s Wife” movie

Revive good old drive-in experience, combining it with retro auto show, live band, and a fashion show.

Offer entertainment before the movie. Dress ups are easy. Add themed photobooths the way Cinespia did, and absolutely awesome fun and great memories are guaranteed!

Don’t forget live music – invite local bands or young talents from local schools.

Think comfort. Outdoor movies in beds? Possible with Mov’in Bed  event organisers. Glamping movie night? Not a problem with Sydney Hills Outdoor Cinema.

The examples above tickle your tastebuds, add luxury and create excitement in the participants. They will come for more!

4. Quality equipment

Great night is only possible if you got your hardware right. Movie screen should first of all withstand strong winds, and also have 16:9 aspect ratio. Secure it to the ground and ensure safety of your guests. Get the right size screen for your event. Movie screen should be big enough both to wow the audience and to fit the outdoor space. It also needs to be compact enough to be portable and easy to handle. The easier it is to organise the show, the more events you’ll be able to run!

Choosing the movie screen think whether you will be using rear or front projection. Small and medium inflatable movie screens often use lycra as a screen surface – but they are not created equal. Cheap screens bought on eBay can turn out to be of poor quality, too transparent to deliver bright picture. Seams and wrinkles do not improve the situation either.Portable multimedia control

Select adequate speaker power. There is no point going for surround sound – there are no walls to reflect it! Yet, there should be enough grant and power in the speakers so that everybody could feel comfortable and emerged in the movie.

Finally, choose bright movie projector and place it on the correct distance from the screen, so that it fills the white screening area completely. And if you want smooth and easy operation, consider investing in a proper audio video control system.

Serious outdoor cinema businesses select quality equipment to provide the best viewing experience to the audience.

5. Find your USP. Be unpredictable.

USP, or unique selling preposition, makes your business stand out from the crowd. Hot tub cinema, invented by Asher Charman in London, is a great example of fantastic USP. It is talked about, copied around the world, totally crazy and successful.

Think about something unusual. It does not have to be commercially successful in 100% of times. Screen made of snow may not have gathered large crowds, but it has been much talked about.

Winter movie nights proved to be popular in cold climates, like that in Norway. Christmas movie season was full on in London, and the cold did not hinder the audience from enjoying a good movie night.

Hailing from sunny Adelaide and first run on Halloween of 2015, Horror Movie Campout is another unique event, travelling all over Australia. If your nervous system is strong enough, and you are craving some adrenaline, that’s an event not to be missed!

Movies in the woods

Which movie will you show in the woods?

Know your audience and be able to surprise it.

Melbourne’s Underground Cinema took the concept of surprise to the highest level, keeping secret both the film title and the location of the movie session!

Selection of movies will help you find your segment in the outdoor cinema business, and find your audience. Family movies are mainstream and highly popular. You won’t get it wrong showing popular cartoons and PG rated family films.

Are you competing with other outdoor cinema businesses in a big city? Find your style to be heard. Show classical movies, creating atmosphere of bygone epoch. Appeal to audiophiles – organise live concerts and show films dedicated to music legends and cultural icons. Be provocative. Go for cult or underground movies, or organise thematic nights dedicated to famous movie directors. Try different ideas and don’t be afraid to fail – you’ll find successful outdoor cinema model only via trial and error!

Your challenge now is to find something not yet invented! However, just combining different ideas and implementing them at high standards is enough to become one of the successful outdoor cinema businesses.

Pokémon Go Birthday Party ideas

With kids and adults alike obsessed with augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go, throwing an outdoor birthday party on the Pokémon theme is the obvious idea. Here we are sharing some advice on how to make an awesome outdoor party dedicated to the cool outdoor game.

1. Location, location, location

Melbourne's Eastern suburbs favourite park with poke stops

Mary Wallace park in Melbourne is one of the hot spots for Pokemon Go game

Find a Pokémon-friendly park, with several landmarks and poke-stops. A park by the lake, or any other waterbody, with lovely walking tracks around and a playground for younger kids would be your best bet. If it’s winter, consider hiring the community hall – Pokémon hunters may need a break from their endeavours.

2. Allocate first half an hour or so for playing the game itself

Divide the guests into two or three teams and calculate the “total catch” per team – how many Pokémons are caught altogether and how many miles are walked by both teams? Get a bunch of black and white T-shirts on eBay to hand them out to the Team Mystic and Team Instinct.

team Mystic

Suggest the guests not (yet) infected by the game accompany the players and let them enjoy walking in the park and protecting the obsessed ones from game-inflicted injuries.

One of the organisers can go on a special photo hunt with the task to take the pictures of the players – the more funny moments of the game can be caught on camera – the better!

3. Photo session

We bet your guests came dressed in Pokémon onesies or Pokémon hats! If not, offer them to make paper hats. Pikachu ears are super easy to make, and kids will enjoy this craft activity. Check online for Pokémon beanies – they could be a good substitute to a traditional lolly bag. Rent a Photobooth for your Pokémon Go Birthday Party – add some extra fun for the guests.

4. Plan variety of Pokémon-related activities

Suggest children construct their own Pokémons from recyclables, or from art and craft materials. You can source cheap craft materials from your local discount craft supplies store, like Melbourne’s Resource Rescue.  Check for some great craft ideas in this blog post. Use paper plates to create Pokémon balls.  Suggest boys and girls to create their own game character or organise a quick tutorial on how to draw Bulbasaur, Squirlte and the rest of the gang – YouTube videos will help you with this one.Pikachu_96px

Play Pokémon charades or “who am I”. For charades, split the group into two teams, with one representative of a team portraying their favourite character in a pantomime, and the other team trying to figure out, which Pokémon is it.  “Who am I” is similar – think of a Pokémon character. Let everyone ask you questions, only answering “yes” or “no”. Who will be the fastest to guess it right?

Pokemon craft

DIY Tangela looks fantastic!

5. Play active outdoor games

Play “Tangela” (more known as a “Human knot”).   Turn scavenger hunt into a Pokémon hunt, hiding small character toys or cards around. Organise a spoon race with Poké Balls instead of eggs.

Play ball tiggy using a soft pokeball, with trainer as “it” and the rest of the guests as Pokémons.

Throw the ball through a hole: Use a piece of plywood with a whole in it, or stretch tarpaulin between the trees, draw Pikachu as a target and let the kids throw balls to “catch” it. Give a prize to the child with the highest score.

For older kids, offer Pokémon Go Gym activities. Arm-wrestling is one option. Getting each other out of a circle, hopping on one leg, is another. Even sumo-like game could be good! Rope jousting (tug of war standing on a brick or a stump) is also lots of fun! At the end of these competitions, reward the winner with a Pokémon trainer hat.

6. Recharge

Now it’s the best time to have some food and charge smartphones (the second one can be easy if you have rented a hall or if you arranged it with a nearby café).find your Clefairy

Pokémon styled pizza will look fantastic! Arrange cheese and strawberries on a plate – you’ll get pokeball snack plate. Online party supply stores will provide you with tableware and decorations. There are tons of ideas for the themed cake on the web, but nothing looks more cute than Pokémon cupcakes!

7. Video Games

After the cake is eaten, offer the guests to play good old Pokémon video games, such as Poké Park or Pokken Tournament. So that everybody could enjoy it, play the game on a big screen. All you need is an outdoor cinema (we recommend HandiTheatre from Smart Digital Australia) and your Nintendo console. Connect Wii with HDMI cable to the projector and enjoy your favourite characters projected on a big inflatable screen.

With up to 4 people able to play simultaneously, offer a quick tournament. That’s where rented hall will be very handy – use the screen indoors, if the weather is not that fantastic, or if the party is held during the day. For summer night alternative, just use an extension cord and take the projection screen system outdoors.

Backyard pokemon movie night

Watch Pokemon movie at your outdoor birthday party

8. End up the day with a Pokémon movie watched on a big inflatable screen

What can be better than watching a film together, sitting on a green lawn or in camping chairs? It will be interesting to watch the classical Pokemon – The First Movie  or choose from this list. The inflatable screen is so big you can have up to 50 people in front of it, and the atmosphere will be relaxed after the big day out chasing Pokémon! And those not yet tired can catch a couple of nocturnal Pokémon, like Gastly or Clefairy, while watching the movie!

Hope our ideas will help you create fantastic outdoor Pokémon Go Birthday Party. Share your experience with us!

Winter movie season – have fun, no matter the weather!

Many people think outdoor cinema is for warm summer nights only, and winter movie season is solely for hardtop cinemas. However, numerous examples from countries with harsh climate show us we are wrong here.

Canadian photographer Graham Whatmough would lough at us, Australians. He has built an outdoor cinema out of snow, working outdoors at temperatures below -30.

Londoners had been enjoying outdoor movies in different locations during last Christmas season. From free movies at London Bridge Christmas Market, to backyard cinema in Victoria Park, the choice of venues was extraordinary. Hot food, mulled wine and hot chocolate in combination with portable heaters kept the viewers warm while good selection of Christmassy films created very special festive mood.

Inspired, we thought to share with you some ideas to have winter movie fun here in Australia.

Extreme idea – winter camping movie night

winter movie night

winter camping, anyone?

There are great things about outdoor movie night in winter. For starters, you don’t have to wait till late to start the show – it gets dark early, and kids can enjoy a movie before their official bedtime. Secondly, you can start the night with a dinner at the campfire. Indulge in wintery foods and drinks to keep you warm. Check northern European kitchen for hearty meal ideas, and in addition, include in the menu mulled wine for adults and hot chocolate for kids! Get everyone in a winter-rated sleeping bag and organise seating. Smaller kids may enjoy watching the movie out of a tent. Provide a thick ground mat to sit on, and get children mittens and beanies.

If you are camping in your backyard, it is always possible to retreat indoors if the weather changes to the worse. We have been inspired by the stories of parents with children camping in the snow, and think with thorough preparations, it can be a great winter movie night!

Indulging alternative – hot tub cinema

spa and movies

hot tub cinema, anyone?

All you need is an outdoor hot tub, or Jacuzzi, or hot springs, plus an inflatable screen. It is ideal to have a bit of a cover to protect the movie projector from possible showers and water splashes. Organise a hot tub movie night in your backyard, using your own outdoor spa or hiring a portable hot tub.

Prepare comfy deck chairs and warm bath robes for your guests. A couple of portable infrared heaters will keep warm those guests who decide to move from the hot tub to the deck. It is perfectly fine to leave the inflatable screen outdoors until next morning. However, you will need to remove moisture from it before packing it away next day.

Dive-in cinema is a great indoor option for winter months

winter dive-in

Ready for a dive-in movie party?

Place a movie screen next to the indoor swimming pool, organise subtle illumination, put inflatables in the pool, and select a themed movie. Choose from films like Free Willy, Finding Nemo, the Water Horse or The Little Mermaid. For dive-in movies, place the projector behind the screen to avoid splashing water onto equipment. The screen should be capable of rear projection. Sealed screen is the best choice for dive-in movies for safety reasons, as electric blower will not be operating during the show.

Use indoor sports arenas for some active fun

Play computer games on a big movie screen, selecting from the range of active console games. Zumba Fitness, Dance Central and other active games will make you get up, shake it and sweat it out as if it was summer time! Organise karaoke and disco party for children, or have a fun workout with loud music.

Play a pretend game

Use big indoor space, like art gallery, community hall or school’s hall, and recreate atmosphere of outdoor cinema indoors. Bringing beanbags and popcorn in is easy. Create the outdoor atmosphere with artificial grass rugs and outdoor furniture. Use the sealed movie screen so that the blower noise is not reflecting from the walls of the venue. If the space is not heated or simply cold, advise the viewers to bring their blankets and rugs. Find out whether catering is permitted, and organise a snack bar.

We hope you got some fresh ideas for this winter movie season. So let’s party – no matter the weather!