Summer is finally here and it's time to rally up friends, head outside, and enjoy every last minute of it. What better way to relish a perfect warm weathered evening than to gather some comfy chairs and blankets, snacks, and a flick for an impromptu backyard movie night?
Now, the quality of this DIY depends on how much effort and money you want to put into it. So here's what you will need to get started.
1. The Screen — There are a few ways you can go for a screen:
• Cheapest: A white wall, white cotton fabric or a white top sheet. If you go with fabric you will need to sew black fabric or canvas to the back to use as a blackout cloth. Then you will need to build a sturdy frame out of wood or PVC pipe to keep the screen taut.
• Middle of the road: Instead of using fabric for your screen you can attach photographer's seamless roll paper to your frame or hanging dowel system.
• Not so Cheap: Buy a portable tripod projector screen, or inflatable screen.
2. The Projector — This is the most costly part of the project. If you know someone with a video projector you could borrow that is the way to go. If you are looking to purchase one check out what you need to know here.
3. DVD Player or Computer
4. Sound System — The easiest solution to an outdoor movie sound system is powered computer speakers. They are easy to set up and generally come with a subwoofer for extra bass.
Then all that's left is to pick out a film, get the corn popping, set up the ambience and your summer movie nights are ready to roll.
Image: Pottery Barn

Comments (21)
or unfortunately, if you don't have a backyard of your own, you can invite your friends over to your communal (apartment) backyard and watch it on a laptop instead =P
It is obvious you do not live in the South or the Midwest. You left bug repellent off your list. :)
We do this every year, and every year we try and make it a little more legit. It's one of my favorite things of summer. BONUS: Outdoor Wii bowling.
The mosquitos in Ottawa would make this torture, and in Switzerland, your neighbours would report you for violating noise bylaws. So, not going to happen for us.
Still, looks like a romantic idea...
I love this idea!!! xxx
http://reallyliteral.blogspot.com/
Mosquitoes would make an outdoor theatre a living hell here in New England.
However, I love the idea and wish I lived in a climate that would permit it.
I'm lucky to have some neighbors who do this about once a summer. It's fun, mosquitoes and all!
How about putting one of those zappers near the screen for further entertainment?
Dang, when I can I grow up and have a backyard like this? We'd be a little cramped in my driveway. Love it though!
love <3
We have summer movies on the wall at all our neighborhoods in Seattle. Our climate is perfect - no bugs, balmy evenings, nice lighting! :)
The neighborhood associations usually partner with local businesses to project on an outdoor building wall, and neighbors bring lawnchairs and sit in the parking lot. The businesses pay for the license to show the movie. Although the movie is free, suggested donations and money from concessions usually go to a local charity.
Here's our local lineup this summer - http://westseattlemovies.blogspot.com/
this post was completely pointless. The picture gave the most useful info.
You don't need a white wall or a "sturdy" handmade frame. to do it cheap all you need is a light colored top sheet and some clothes pins. fold the corners over tree branches or gutters and pin with clothes pins.
cause lets be honest, this experience isn't really about picture quality.
"this post was completely pointless."
Oooooh, someone ate sour something today, or perhaps you are always a pooper.
where did those squishy bed things come from? i could use one of those just for stargazing in the back yard!
those squishy beds I actually saw them last year durning dorm season at Big Lots for around 30 dollars.
We have free open air movies playing thoughout the the summer so the tech is taken care of but in my experience about a ½ hour into the movie I start getting really cold. My solution: I bought 2 cheap comforters from Ikea and made a giant sleeping bag by sewing them together first lenghtwise and then flipping over some of it and sewing the sides shut. How far you flip over the end of the comforter depends on how deep you want the pocket to be. I left around 3 feet of flap so I can pull it up around my back when I sit so I don't get cold. In the daytime it serves as a nice soft picnic blanket.
i want to be there so badly right now.
My notes aren't readily at hand but there's a new $250 projector that you can hook up to your TV to project the movie up to 60" wide. My intention was to get one for backyard movies because the quality is high, it's inexpensive, and the bulb lasts >6,000 hours of viewing time. Worth checking into...
Thanks for mentioning Open Air Cinema. We do offer the best quality and costumer satisfaction when it comes to Outdoor Movies. Please visit Open Air Cinema for all your backyard movie needs.
I have a friend who does "backyard drive-ins" in his apartment building's backyard once a month in the summer. We do have to light those bug-repelling candles and put on bug spray, but it's a fun thing to do with friends. He talks to the other tenants in his building and puts fliers on the doors of all the adjacent buildings letting them know what he'll be showing, when he'll be showing it, and how to contact him if they object to the idea. (For the record, it's been a couple years and no neighbor has ever objected.)
This is so cool! I wasn't so sure what I was going to do in my backyard. I don't normally like grass and now I need a patch of grass just for this.