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Lights, Camera, Action: Enjoy A Movie Outdoors
Lights, Camera, Action: By Kathleen Moran, House and Home Writer ENJOY A MOVIE OUTDOORS
A home outdoor movie night is the perfect opportunity for quality family time all while enjoying some fresh air. In actuality, it is a lot easier than one might think to create the ideal movie experience with these suggestions below … so sit back, relax and enjoy!
Brian Hollars, a sales representative with ABC Warehouse in Elkhart, described the flexibility of using a projector for an outdoor movie night. For instance, “A 1080 pixel projector with Bluetooth audio capabilities would enable a family to watch their favorite movie outdoors,” whether the movie is projected on a screen or the side of one’s home. It has an HDMI output so that it can be hooked up to a computer or DVD player, he said. Simply set the projector on a table or hang it on a deck. “Homeowners can even place a special order if they are interested in other products that can be mounted.”
Getting comfortable enough to sit and watch the entirety of a movie is the next item to consider. “There are several options when it comes to outdoor furniture, like a rattan swivel chair or outdoor sofa with half-moon cabana to lightweight aluminum pieces,” indicated Deborah Carpenter, ASID, of Sweet Water Interiors in Goshen.
An alternative is to temporarily repurpose poolside furniture like a chaise lounge chair for the duration of a film, especially since it can be moved as needed to a different location in the yard. “The nice thing is that they have the benefit of height adjustments and allow an individual to stretch out his or her feet for ultimate comfort.”
“An outdoor space is not complete until one has the cushions and outdoor rug that anchor everything together and solidify the theme,” confirmed Carpenter. Fortunately, those very same cushions come in handy when getting comfy and cozy during an outdoor family movie night.
One has to be strategic when it comes to outdoor lighting, however. “Bear in mind that the same lighting principles for an indoor screen apply to one featured outdoors,” explained Hannah Taylor, lighting showroom manager at Kendall Lighting Center in South Bend. More specifically, be sure to keep lights away from an outdoor screen as they can create a glare that negatively impacts viewer visibility. In reality, any light sources should be off to the sides and/or at a distance from the screen itself.
Consequently, lanterns come in handy for an outdoor movie night. “Aside from being battery operated and thus easy to recharge, they are portable.” This would be helpful for someone who needs to walk back inside to replenish drinks and snacks.
Sometimes a projector is arranged in such a way that viewers can watch the movie while sitting under a pergola. String lighting adorning a pergola would be enough of an illumination source without being too distracting. The key is to use lights that offer a warmer, amber glow. “After all, the lighting does not need to be overly bright – it is not like someone will be reading during the movie.” n Shutterstock.com
RESOURCES:
ABC Warehouse, Elkhart, 574-875-9300, www.abcwarehouse.com Kendall Lighting Center, multiple locations, www.kendalllightingcenter.com Sweet Water Interiors, Goshen, 574-534-3989, www.sweetwaterinteriors.com
Locally Crafted Furniture
Standard or Custom Designed 1100 N. Chicago Ave., Goshen 574-534-9663 108 S. Main St., Middlebury 574-825-1902
