Spending more time with your family is one of the top goals that appear on many peopleís lists but figuring out how to do it is often what stops them from achieving the goal. You might decide to go bowling, or eat out at a restaurant, or a number of other things, but in the end every plan you make ends up costing money.
If youíre going to make an initial investment and then be able to reuse the item you paid for again and again, it will make it a lot easier to do. Putting in a swimming pool is a great idea as it is available all the time and you can have an impromptu get-together whenever you want, but showing a backyard movie is often the activity that kickstarts a family into willingly spending quality time together.
You might have been to an open-air movie experience before. If you have, youíll know how exhilarating it is to watch something underneath the stars. It feels special, a little intimate, and certainly out of the ordinary.
Itís not at all expensive to set up your own backyard movie theater, so here are the four components you need to consider.
The Projector
You can pick up a digital projector for $50 or less from Amazon or similar places. It might not offer the best quality image, but outdoor movies are more about the experience. If you want to increase your budget, you can spend up to $2000 or more on a projector, but itís best to start at the cheaper end.
The Screen
You can buy a screen too, starting from around $20 ñ but you can also create your own. Have you got a light-colored wall? Use that. Failing all else, tie a clean white sheet to a wall or hang it from a rail or line ñ again, it doesnít have to be perfect, itís all about the experience.
The Sound
Youíre going to need some speakers. You might have some attached to a computer, or you might be able to use a Bluetooth speaker depending on your projectorís output. Your speaker system doesnít have to be huge ñ you only need a few people to hear it.
The Seating
You can use chairs from your home, any outdoor seats you have, or even just lay a blanket on the ground and lie on that to watch your movie. Youíre not in a traditional theater, youíre spending time with the family at home in your own backyard.
Relax, have funÖand donít forget the snacks!
If youíre going to make an initial investment and then be able to reuse the item you paid for again and again, it will make it a lot easier to do. Putting in a swimming pool is a great idea as it is available all the time and you can have an impromptu get-together whenever you want, but showing a backyard movie is often the activity that kickstarts a family into willingly spending quality time together.
You might have been to an open-air movie experience before. If you have, youíll know how exhilarating it is to watch something underneath the stars. It feels special, a little intimate, and certainly out of the ordinary.
Itís not at all expensive to set up your own backyard movie theater, so here are the four components you need to consider.
The Projector
You can pick up a digital projector for $50 or less from Amazon or similar places. It might not offer the best quality image, but outdoor movies are more about the experience. If you want to increase your budget, you can spend up to $2000 or more on a projector, but itís best to start at the cheaper end.
The Screen
You can buy a screen too, starting from around $20 ñ but you can also create your own. Have you got a light-colored wall? Use that. Failing all else, tie a clean white sheet to a wall or hang it from a rail or line ñ again, it doesnít have to be perfect, itís all about the experience.
The Sound
Youíre going to need some speakers. You might have some attached to a computer, or you might be able to use a Bluetooth speaker depending on your projectorís output. Your speaker system doesnít have to be huge ñ you only need a few people to hear it.
The Seating
You can use chairs from your home, any outdoor seats you have, or even just lay a blanket on the ground and lie on that to watch your movie. Youíre not in a traditional theater, youíre spending time with the family at home in your own backyard.
Relax, have funÖand donít forget the snacks!