If you or a friend or family member have got a significant occasion coming up soon, how do you plan to celebrate? Whether it’s a big birthday, wedding reception, graduation reward, work summer party or retirement do, it can be hard to come up with new and fun ideas for a gathering. One idea to create an occasion that people will be talking about fondly for ages afterwards is an afternoon or evening of private outdoor cinema.
Private outdoor cinema can tick a lot of boxes for party organisers, especially in the summer months. It brings people together with a common interest and provides the entertainment in one, easy activity. Companies like Vision Cinema will bring everything you need, from the screen, lighting and sound to comfy chairs and added extras like blankets, headphones and snacks. All you have to do is choose the film.
Planning the perfect private outdoor cinema night
While Vision Cinema may have the logistics wrapped up, there are still several aspects of your private cinema event to work out – and the sooner these are sorted, the smoother and more enjoyable it will be on the night. As with any successful projects, the very first thing to do is make sure that you can pay for everything you need.
Draw up a realistic budget and add in some contingency in case you overspend in one or more areas, or end up inviting more people than originally planned. Draft in help from others early on who are happy to support you in planning and running the event – you won’t be able to do everything by yourself. Make sure you are clear about whether or not you are willing and able to pay them for their help. Perhaps you can offer them extra invitations to the event for their family or friends to say thank you instead.
Choosing the right location
The next step, before you even start working out dates and writing invitation lists, you must find a location large enough and suitable for hosting your private cinema event. You could be lucky enough to have a spacious garden, or be able to use the grounds of your workplace for to hold the showing. Double check that you have the required permissions to host the event there before proceeding any further with your plans.
While you do not necessarily need a large area of grass to hold your private cinema event, the area must still be big enough to contain the screen and electrical equipment that goes with it. You must be able to seat your guests safely and have facilities such as parking, toilets, accessible facilities (if required), food and drink etc. easily available.
Make sure you are insured to hold your event there and that it won’t cause a nuisance to surrounding homes, businesses or pubic amenities. Vision Cinema can advise on this aspect of the planning, as well as handle the paperwork around permissions and licences to show the film and provide all necessary equipment.
Spreading the word
Once your private outdoor cinema event is planned, it’s time to get the word out that it is happening and people are invited to join you at it. You could have some invitation cards printed, set up a closed social media group or page to share the details or send out a group email – it’s up to you. Whatever you choose to do, make sure all details are included to help people make a decision about whether or not to come, based on how easy the arrangements will be.
Key details to include are date, time, venue and how to get there, parking arrangements, age limits (if the film has an adult rating) and what type of food and drink will be available. Will people eat and drink for free, or is there a paid bar, for example. If guests need to travel far, is there a nearby hotel they can book into to make the return trip easier the next day? How should people reply to your invitation – email, social media or phone call?
On the day
If you have arranged your private outdoor cinema evening with Vision Cinema, our staff will be on hand to set up and run the technical aspects of your event. This leaves you free to host your guests and ensure people are safe, happy and having a good time. Keep the food and drink topped up and flowing to help people relax and enjoy their evening. Have a first aid kit on standby in case of emergencies. Consider a wet weather contingency plan – depending on how the weather is, people may be content to still stay outside and watch the film in light rain, or you may have to have an inside alternative standing by. Keep an eye on the forecast in the days leading up to your private outdoor cinema event to help you decide what to do.