How Do Inflatable Movie Screens Work?

A lthough cinemas have lost a lot to cable television in the past decades and, more recently, to streaming networks, a new spike in people’s desire of watching movies on the big screen was recorded during the years of the pandemic and continues to stay on an ascendant trend. Specialists believe it has to do with people’s need to be together when the restrictions pushed them further from each other. Thus, the best solution some found to organize a cinematic event (smaller or bigger) was to do it outdoors with enough space between the seats so their friends could see and talk to each other without exposing themselves to the virus.

A lot of yards got illuminated last summer by projectors sending the scenes from old and new movies on white walls, white sheets, or high-quality outdoor movie screens that inflate to offer a wrinkle-free surface and please any crowd. The last option soon grew to be a favorite since it allowed projecting films even on windier nights and resembled the screen of a drive-through cinema the most, so it will be the one to be discussed in this article. Stay with us to find out how inflatable screens work, how to select the best for your outdoor space, and how to set it up to get excellent projection quality.

People Watching Movie Outdoors on an Inflatable Movie Screen

How Do You Project a Movie Outside?

Projecting doesn’t mean getting your 100” TV outdoor and watching a movie on a streaming platform, although this may be a possibility. The idea of playing a movie in your yard is that you get to watch it on a large screen. Of course, there is also the fresh air, the night, the stars, and so on, which contribute a lot to the magic of the family or friend gathering you will organize, but if the display is small and the sound is not good, you will only obtain a frustrating experience.

A good outdoor movie projection set should include the followings:

• A projector – if you can cut back costs when it comes to other elements, make sure you buy the best movie projector you can afford. Get one that has a few thousand lumens and can project films in 4K if you are thinking of making the outdoor movie theater the attraction of the summer in your yard. If you are buying it for your kids to play their favorite cartoons on the garage door, then you should be good with a model that puts out 800 lumens and a smaller resolution. Also, make sure that the model you pick can connect to a set of speakers, as the integrated ones may not be able to cover the ambient noise.
• A screen – yes, the garage door can work for an improvised movie night, but you cannot expect that it will meet the highest standards regarding image quality. Wouldn’t it be a shame to watch the Godfather on a textured surface that makes Marlon Brando’s face look as if it were a Picasso painting? Instead, you should consider buying a tripod screen or an inflatable model that comes with perfectly flat screens and will not affect the colors or the clarity of the film.
• Speakers – even if the projector already has a set incorporated, get a separate one and make sure that it can offer excellent audio quality, otherwise, you risk missing some subtleties. Plus, remember that a movie is a combination of literature, image, and music, so you should be able to absorb all of them.

How Do Inflatable Models Work?

When you first take a look at an inflatable screen, you may get struck by its size. Yes, it is large, or it may be huge depending on the size the owner picked. However, as you can tell by its name, it can easily turn into something smaller that can be easily stored in the garage.

An inflatable screen designed to be used outside consists of two elements: the frame and the air pump.

• The frame: it is usually built from PVC and may contain some solid elements as well, which, nonetheless, are foldable. The frame collapses when not inflated, which makes it easy to move the screen and store it for the winter. In general, PVC is waterproof, so it can handle light rain, but this doesn’t mean that it is weather resistant as well. You should try to protect the screen from heavy rains, snow, storms, or sun exposure, as this can lead to its degradation in time.
• The pump: is built-in and is electric in most cases. This means that you just need to plug it in, turn it on, and in a matter of minutes, you will have a perfectly usable screen. Note, however, that cheaper models may not have an incorporated pump, so you will need to buy one separately.

Black or White Projector Screen Outdoor?

We are all accustomed to seeing white screens used for video projections, and the truth is that they do a pretty good job. Yet, lately, a new type of screen has appeared on the market and started gaining more popularity: the black screen. To understand the difference between the two options, we need to talk a bit about how light reflection works. It is known that bright colors and white reflect light, which means that they send it back into the environment, while dark colors or black absorbs it. This is why you wear bright-colored clothes in the summer instead of dark ones, as you want the sunlight to be reflected and not absorbed into your body.

Well, since the white screen reflects all the light, this means that the lighter the environment is, the more diluted the image will appear. This is why cinemas are usually dark rooms, and you are closing the curtains before projecting a movie. Since you will be using the projector at night, you should have no problem with a white screen, and it still remains a very good option.

A black screen, on the other way, absorbs light, which means that the image will not be diluted even when the room is illuminated. The contrast is better, and it is easier to distinguish between the hues. However, this option comes with a flaw. Since it doesn’t reflect light, you need to sit right in front of it to see the image. This can be a problem if you want to use it for a bigger crowd as the people sitting on the sides will only be looking at a black wall.

A compromise solution is to use a grey screen. Like the black one, it absorbs light, so it can be used in daylight. But it also reflects some of the light, so it is easy to see the movie, even if you are not sitting in front of it. The only disadvantage is that it tends to project a grey hue over the white or bright nuances in the image.

Open Air Cinema Party with Inflatable Movie Screen

What Is a Good Size for an Outdoor Movie Screen?

The size you should pick for your screen depends on the number of people who are invited to watch the movie, the screen height by ratio, and the distance at which you plan to place the projector. In general, a 16:9 screen height by ratio works for all movies. Check out the width you should select according to the size of the event you are planning:

• For 50 people or less – most people who want to project movies in their yard go for a 10-foot screen since it is large enough to please a pretty big crowd without taking a lot of space unnecessarily.
• For 51 to 100 people – if you are organizing a movie night for the neighborhood, you should go for a 16-foot model that will allow even the people in the back to watch the movie.
• For 100 to 200 people – if you are organizing a movie projection in the park or another large place where a lot of people are expected, a 20-foot option is ideal.
• For up to 400 people or 30 cars – last but not least, if you are organizing a drive-in cinema, you will need a large screen that measures 24 feet or more.

The Takeaway

Inflatable screens come in many sizes, which means that it is easy to find one for the type of event you are planning. They are easy to use since they come with electric pumps that inflate them without requiring any effort on your part and offer excellent image quality if combined with a good projector. Add a good sound system, a few pillows and blankets on the grass, and a popcorn machine, and you have an outdoor cinema in your backyard. We guarantee that the children will love it while the adults may be just as mesmerized if you select a good movie that can activate some nostalgias or create new ones.