(BPT) – If you’ve ever attended a movie screening at a park or gone to a drive-in theater, you know how much fun it can be to watch a movie outdoors. It’s the perfect mix of indoor entertainment in an outdoor setting.
You don’t need to rent an outdoor venue to screen a movie or TV show. Any outdoor area will do, including your own backyard. If you want to host a backyard movie night for your family and friends, check out these five tips.
1. Select the movie
Before doing anything else, select a movie to screen at your backyard movie night. If you have friends coming over, give a few options ahead of time and see which movie seems most popular. Or, if it’s just a movie night with your family, agree early on what movie you plan to watch so you can get right to the movie that evening.
When picking a movie, keep in mind how long it is and when the sun will set. It’s difficult to watch a movie outdoors when there’s light. Sunset tends to be later in the summer, so if you’re watching movies with kids, pick shorter films so they’re not up past bedtime. If you’re watching a movie with friends, let everyone know when you expect to start the movie and how long it will run.
2. Set the mood
Turn your backyard into an inviting outdoor theater with some simple decorations. Hang fairy lights or light some candles to provide soft lighting and create a dreamy space. Set up pillows and blankets for guests to lounge on or ask everyone to bring a camping chair to sit on during the movie. If you have an inflatable bed lying around, clear any rocks or sticks from your lawn and lay down a tarp and set up the bed for you and your kids to relax on during the movie.
3. Invest in the right AV equipment
You’ll need the right equipment to ensure you have the best movie experience. You can easily project a movie onto a blank wall or on a hung white sheet, but to get the best picture quality, you’ll need a screen you can easily set up outdoors.
Of course, you can’t play your movie without a projector! The Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K Projector offers beautiful, bright images you can watch even with the lights on. This portable projector comes with built-in speakers and a carry handle so you can get your backyard viewing set in just a few minutes. The projector also features Android TV10 and Wi-Fi, allowing you to stream over 400,000 movies and TV episodes on over 7,000 apps. However, if your Wi-Fi does not reach your backyard, plan ahead and download your movie onto the 4K Dongle, USB stick or connect a DVD player through HDMI.
Make sure you also have plenty of extension cords and power strips to plug in your equipment. If you’re away from an outlet, you’ll need a power source like the Anker 757 PowerHouse portable power station. This mighty device is the perfect power source for your projector, popcorn maker and fan.
4. Prepare for bugs
You’ll likely have some uninvited insect guests at your movie night. Have some bug spray on hand for you and your guests to apply as soon as they arrive. To deter mosquitoes from your outdoor theater, light citronella candles near the seating area and snack bar. As a bonus, the candles can also help set the mood and provide soft lighting during the screening.
5. Set a date for the next movie night
Now that you’ve had a successful backyard movie night plan your next one. Choose a movie, show or theme, or discuss with your family and friends what you’d like to watch next time and choose a date.
Using these five tips, you can turn your backyard into a movie theater and enjoy your entertainment outdoors this summer.