Love watching movies under the stars? This DIY at home outdoor movie theater is so easy to set up all you need is good weather!
There is something so fun about watching a movie outside under the stars! My kids love our outdoor movie theater. It has evolved over the years and this summer my husband has perfected it! I am so excited to share with you what is needed to have a fun night out under the stars with your own outdoor movie theater! Pop the popcorn because it won’t be long and you will be ready to watch your favorite movie!
Movie Screen
The first thing you need is a screen. We have used the garage doors, side of the house, a sheet, white blackout drapery, really anything goes! However, this year we ordered this awesome movie screen that is SO easy to set up and take down! It takes minutes and is compact. You could take this camping too! We are loving this new screen. The movie is so much clearer using this screen vs the other options we have used in past years!
Movie Projector
The other necessary item you need is a projector. The sky is the limit on this item. We did not want anything too expensive but we also did not want something that gave us a blurry view either! We love this movie projector and find the quality to be just fine for us! Again – super compact and easy to take on a camping trip or even to a friend’s house if you wanted to set up there!
Movie Sound
Speakers are another item that you could go all out on. We love this sound bar. The sound quality is great. We had used other speakers in the past and we couldn’t seem to find a happy medium with the volume of the movie. You could not hear it or it was SO loud. The sound bar we have now is great — easy to adjust the volume too!
Movie Player
OK – now you have the screen, the projector, sound…it’s time to buy a DVD or BluRay player! You might already have one that you are not using as much or one that you can easily disconnect when you set up your outdoor movie theater! We went with this BluRay player and have been happy with it’s performance! It has all of the ports we need to hook all of the equipment up!
Cables
So now I begin to enter unfamiliar territory. My husband has provided me with the cables that you need to hook up everything so the movie will actually project on the screen and of course so you can hear the movie too! First you need this HDMI Cable that you use to connect the movie player to the movie projector. Next you will need an A/V cable that you will connect the movie projector to the sound bar!
It’s Movie Time!
After you obtain the items above you might find it helpful to purchase a shelf to put your equipment on! We have one that we put together from WalMart or Target. Nothing fancy is required here! Once the sun goes down your outdoor movie theater is open for business!
Do not forget the snacks! I purchased plastic shower bins which you can find at Target or WalMart. You can usually find them in the back to school section for dorm life or in the aisles with bathroom accessories. These are the best snack trays for movie night! There is room for a drink and snacks. The kids love the surprises I pack for them for movie night. I even fill them up for my husband and I subbing out the sparkling water for an adult beverage!
Movie night is even more fun in the Fall when there is a slight chill in the air so you can cozy up under blankets and breathe in that brisk fresh air! It’s so much fun! Do you have an outdoor movie theater setup? Do you have any tips or tricks that you use to make it super fun? Please share in the comments below because I would love to know!
If you liked this DIY, you might like this too: https://blondecharm.com/diy-smores-bar/
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