How to Create an Outdoor Cinema

Take advantage of those lingering summer nights.

Enjoy movies on the big screen in the privacy of your garden all summer long! It’s easier than it looks and loads of fun!

Step 1: Create the movie setup

First up, you’ll need to get the basics of your movie setup complete. For this you’ll need a screen and a projector.

Projectors are super easy to come by these days, JB-HI-FI, The Good Guys or even KMART have them at relatively low cost.

There are many outdoor cinema screen options:

• Buy an outdoor cinema screen (and these are becoming more affordable)
• String up an old sheet
• DIY your own.

It’s a great hack to create a portable outdoor movie screen for great quality results at a fraction of the cost of a professional screen.

Place the projector on a stable surface about 2m back from your screen. A low table or some stacks boxes will suffice. Turn the projector on and do some adjustments until you’re happy with the picture on your screen — you may need to move the projector closer or further away from the screen, or adjust the focus or image size

Step 2: Set up seating

Having somewhere comfortable to sit and enjoy the movie is next on the list. Keep things simple with some rugs and scatter cushions.

If you’ve got an outdoor lounge set, you may want to move this into the space. Alternatively outdoor bean bags (or indoor bean bags on rugs or towels so they don’t get damaged) is also a fun idea. You want to set up the seating area approximately 3-5m back from the screen for comfortable viewing.

The right distance will depend on the size of your screen setup and how many guests you’ll have coming over. If you’re watching a movie on a cooler night, it’s also a good idea to have plenty of blankets at hand.

Step 3: Add ambient lighting. 

Outdoor lights don’t just look pretty, they help light your way for when you need to top up your snack bowl or duck to the loo during the film a combination of beautiful lanterns and festoon lighting.

When it comes to ambient lighting, more is more as they add such a magical feel to the space so don’t hold back!

Step 4: Don’t forget the snacks

Before you settle in to enjoy your film, don’t forget the all-important movie snacks. Popcorn and M&M’s are my go-to but we’re planning on hosting a few movie nights with guests where we’ll get a bit more creative with snacks.

Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the movie!