Home Drive-In: Relive those "Good Old Days" in your own backyard
Home Drive-In: Relive those "Good Old Days" in your own backyard
Remember the Drive-In Movies, when two people would buy tickets and two or three other couples would be hiding in the trunk? Remember taking blankets and lawn chairs, maybe a cooler (always a pint of something) and partying more than actually watching the movie? Why not relive those "Good Old Days" in your own backyard.
Always looking for a unique way to entertain our friends we decided on "Retro Drive-In".
Listed is what we needed:
1. Drive-In Food: Hot Dogs, Popcorn, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Soda and Beer
2. Required Dress: From 50's Greaser, Beatnik, To Flower Power Hippie with Afro and/or
Bellbottoms (bring on the Peace Signs)
3. Movies (DVD or Blu-ray works best) You pick the theme...
4. Player and Projector (many with over 30 ft. diagonal abilities)
5. Sound system (Boombox etc.) make sure to check local noise ordinance (or invite all the neighbors)
6. Huge Screen ( and this posed a problem)
The surface has to be reflective and very white for a high contrast image. A little research helped me choose the fabric "muslin" as it comes in a bright white color with widths up to 10 feet locally. Maximum extra widescreen size without splicing is 10 ft. by 23.5 ft. (for me this was perfect). Purchased seven 8 ft lengths of rigid conduit, four connectors and four 90 degree elbows. Found two adjustable tent poles that will expand over 6 ft. each. Sew curtain like sleeves along all four sides that can accommodate the connectors (either add material or slightly reduce screen size to create). Put two sets of three 8 foot pieces of rigid conduit together with two connectors and insert into the top and bottom sleeves mount elbows to the ends making sure they are parallel. For vertical tension cut remaining rigid conduit to achieve the needed height with use of the tent poles. Insert same into end sleeves (note - sleeves may need to be larger to accommodate the adjustment method of the tent poles used) . Insert ends into adjacent elbows and tighten with tent poles. If the screen is too loose adjust top and bottom rails by adding additional conduit as needed. Hang Screen ( my best spot is off the deck).
If you have an East facing position with a solid building behind it..dusk works well to start the show.