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!

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.

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.

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.