Outdoor Movie Screen

Hey Steve.

"Curse of the Were Rabbit". We're having a fundraiser at the elementary school school this weekend, but it's going to be cold. It's for two kids. One has a rare cancer and the other was injured in a school bus accident and was in a coma for a while. One school bus rear ended the other, he was in the back one. My son was in the bus up front, but was ok.

I think my first one will be towards the end of April or beginning of May. The time is right down here about then where the son still goes down reasonably early and its warm enough. During the summer, it's still light out past 9:00 PM, so its real late for the little ones when the movie is over.

Our kids enjoy the other short Wallace and Grommit movies as well. Chicken little just came out and Narnia will be out next month.

Bud

We're starting to think about the films we'll run this year. I like to try to stay away from the things that little kids have seen a gazillion times (Nemo, etc) as then they start to act like they are at home instead of out in public.

I also like to plan one or two nights that are not necessarily just for little kids. On those nights, maybe a couple of cartoons or shorts, and then an intermission to let parents get their kids home and then something a little more adult.

Still thinking about it, we'll see how it goes.

We had a great time last year, looking forward to it again this year!

Tom

The start of our outdoor season begins the first weekend in May with King Kong. So far the response has been very favorable and I could see us having about 100 people there.

King Kong? Start that movie early 'cause it'll be 10-11pm by the time its over.

Victor

we're starting it at 8, that'll put it over at just past 11. that's when most of our summer movies end, since we have to start most of them at 9 later in the summer.

Glad to see more people doing the outdoor thing!

You can check out my setup at

http://members.cavtel.net/thomaslogan

click on "outdoor theater"


Tom

True, but I wouldn't start it too early, because that flick is definitely not for young kids' eyes.

I use a painters drop cloth for my screen. if you look in my signature you'll see a link to my outdoor theater, as well as a page on the creation of the screen.

We've put on the invites that due to the run time and frightening images, no small kids. If they bring them anyway they will have to deal with the aftermath of the nightmares and judgements placed upon them as bad parents!

Well, in case anyone is interested, I have finally posted photos from my big outdoor bash last November! It only took me 5 months to get around to it.

They are in the original thread (scroll to the bottom):

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...utdoor+theater

In Phoenix we never stopped doing the outdoor movies.

Christmas Eve we did Polar Express
In January we did Sky High
February we did National Treasure
March we showed Goblet of Fire
Later this month we are showing Spider-Man and The Longest Yard (two different nights)
We have one scheduled for May (movie is still being debated)
June we are taking the whole show up to the mountains to a ranch for a Friday night flick under the ponderosa pines.

You can check out my screen and equipment at Cheftom

I use a 6x8' gessoed canvas for my screen and like it a lot. It's about a year old now and starting to show some wrinkles and sags (I keep it rolled on a piece of 4-inch PVC drain pipe), but the gesso gives a bright image - it's pigmented with titanium oxide, which has a reflectance of something like .99999. The canvas stays pretty flat and it can be ironed to get out the bad wrinkles.

We had a good season last year and are hoping to start up again at the end of April. Here's the tentative lineup:

Apr 28: Howl's Moving Castle
May 26-27: The Wizard of Oz
June 17: March of the Penguins
July 21-22: Johnny Bagpipes / Help!
Aug 25-26: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

We show these for friends and neighbors on the driveway, with the screen hung in front of the double garage door.

We also do some films that aren't so kid friendly (e.g. "Dr. Strangelove") out back, on the patio. Here are some possibilities for the Patio Theater art film series:

Parineeta (Hindi)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Shall We Dance? (original Japanese version)
The Triplets of Belleville

I wish there were more months in the summer, or that I had more time to do this. Five films just doesn't seem like enough!

There's a web site dedicated to the addictive hobby of digital outdoor theater at http://backyardtheater.com. Check it out, if you're doing this or thinking about it.

I am planning on doing this with family members. i just don't know what speakers to use...

Believe it or not, just about anything will do. Remember the lousy little speakers that hung on the car window at drive-ins back in the '60s?

But you can do better, of course. I have tried several things, including dismantling the stereo system in the den and moving it to the driveway, but the best result for the effort was when I unplugged the speakers from my computer and used them. I have a Logitech Z340 three-way system (subwoofer plus two satellites) and the sound produced is very good. It has enough power to give a good, loud sound outdoors and enough bass power to do justice to a film with big thuds or explosions.

This kind of system is extremely easy to set up (connect woofer to satellites, connect input to DVD player, plug in power) and can be bought for $50 or so (or you can have 5.1 surround for a little more). You can buy them in any computer store or electronics store, or on Amazon.com. You will probably need a 25-foot extension cord to run the 1/8" stereo signal from the player to the screen.

That's the simplest and cheapest. Other people have carts or racks with 200-watt receivers and graphic equalizers driving professional quality PA speakers. Personally, I'd start with the three-way computer speakers and work your way up.

And there's always gonna be the ocassional whacko with an antique JBL sub and pair of Buttkickers mounted under the deck... : )

How ya doin' Busy!

Randy

Agreed...almost anything will work.

For sound, I found a $149 600W 5.1 TIB on the discount floor samples table at CC. Even the little tiny speakers sound great outdoors. I have some old ratshack speakers that I tried but they are only rated at 40w, so I use the little ones rated for 100w.

Again, people don't go to outdoor movies for the PQ (or SQ)...they go to have a good time.

Tom

Same here, which leads to my observation about PQ and SQ. People are generally just wowed by the size of the screen. Everything else is just icing on the cake!

Tom

Steve,

Mine stands up and rests against the wall in the garage when it's not being used. That eats up a lot of useful wall space that could be used for other things, but it's worth it.

Here's an outdoor screen option. Might be a bit expensive ($250), but looks pretty cool.

http://www.skymall.com/webapp/skysto...odSrch&action=


Direct links don't seem to work, but look for item 301209

I thought I would post some info about my "backyard theater".

I have a Crestron home automation system for control.

Here you can see the screen up... in a motorized enclosure above the bay window:



This picture shows the screen down. The screen is a 100% opaque white sunshade... made to withstand the weather.



The projector is a Sanyo high definition model. I needed a projector that was very bright (3000 lumens), had a good throw distance, and good keystoning (since the angle is about 35 degrees). I have been very impressed with the picture quality as well as the viewing angle. People on the upper deck and in the hot tub can see a very clear picture. The projector sits on top of a rolling metal shelf that was intended for kitchen use. I keep it in the basement control room when it's not in use.



This is how the projector is connected to the control system. The following video sources are available:
DVDs from an Escient DVD server - 800 disc capacity
High definition DirecTV and OTA locals from 1 of 2 HD DirecTivos
PC access using wireless keyboard/mouse (1776X1000 or 1152X648 resolution)
Modified XBOX - can play games using wireless controllers and also use it as a network connected media server with XBMC
Security camera display... If the doorbell rings, I get an audio alert through the outdoor speakers. I can switch to the front door camera to see who is at the door, and talk to them through an intercom.



There are 3 audio zones that can be used, independently or together, depending on where people are located. Each zone has a local volume control knob.
Zone 1 is the main zone which has 2 12" Rockustics planter speakers. The arrow is pointing to one of them. These can be moved anywhere on the lower deck.
Zone 2 is on the upper deck. It has 2 8" planter speakers.
Zone 3 is the hot tub zone. There is 1 Niles dual speaker mounted under the deck directly facing the hot tub.
In addition to the audio that goes with the above video sources, FM radio is available as well as CDs in the Escient server and mp3s on the network.
In this picture you can also see a natural gas firepit, locted to the right of the projector... for those chilly nights.



This shows the HD Tivo source from the firepit area:



Here is a DVD image from behind the pool:



I got everything up and running last October, so I didn't have too many chances to use it last year... other than a few Monday Night Football get togethers.
I'm looking forward to many outdoor viewing events this year.

Roger,

You are correct in the the Iron Giant is a great movie to show - it's one of my kids favorites (and I like it too). Also recommended is Spirited Away, however watch it before showing! While my children and I find it fascinating, it is very quirky and at times makes you think "what the ....?" But, once people start watching it they won't turn away.

Ben

How do you intend to attach the poles to the fence? It appears to me that once attached, you will be able to tighten up across the top of the screen, but will you be able to get the bottom of the screen tight enough? Will you be able to unroll the screen, pull it taught and then attach it to the fence? How many people will it take to do this? I'm thinking the screen WILL get wrinkles when it's rolled up.

As I see it, to install you unroll (unscroll?) the screen and pull the two poles far enough to attach to the fence. Do you have to lift the poles up and into some tubes or something? Or will they be set into the ground. I'm thinking it would be easier if they are low to or in the ground. Do you require one person to hold each end and mount the poles or can you set one and then go to the other side and attach it? See what I'm getting at with how many people are REQUIRED to set it up. I CAN do mine alone. It's easier with help, but it can be done alone.

My frame comes completely apart and I fold up the Black Out cloth screen. As I'm putting the frame to gether and threading the sections through the screen pockets, the last one or two connections are pretty tight and it takes a little effort to pull it together, but it pretty much removes all of the wrinkles. And tightens up all the way around.

Just some questions to think about, since you asked.

Good luck,
Tom

Very nice setup Funky. I'd be there in a heartbeat for some MNF