Have you ever wanted to run an outdoor theatre ala MobMov.org or the Santa Cruz Guerrilla Drive-in? This instructable will tell you what equipment you'll need and how to set it up.
Cyberpunk urban theater, here we come!
Cyberpunk urban theater, here we come!
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Signing UpStep 1: What this guide is for
Guerrilla drive-ins come in two flavors: a true drive-in, or a walk-in. Walk-ins were the first guerrilla movie method, and involve a big grassy area, some blankets, and a movie projected on a screen. The projectionist powers the projector using a generator, and big speakers are used to project the sound. The Santa Cruz Guerrilla Drive-In and Dolores Park Movie Night are walk-ins.
A true guerrilla "drive-in" is just that - a bunch of cars and a movie. The projectionist usually powers the projector with his or her car or a small generator and an FM transmitter transmits the soundtrack to the other cars. The Mobile Movie was the first true guerrilla drive-in.
I'm rather partial to drive-ins over walk-ins because of their nostalgic feel, and the fact that your car can become your own private theater! It sure beats the pants of that cineplex with its screaming preteens (no offense you lovable troublemakers!).
This guide will tell you how to set up your own Guerrilla drive-in using your car. If you'd prefer to set up a walk-in, portions of this guide may be helpful, but much of it will be inapplicable. There are guides online more suited for this purpose however, see: Start Your Own Walk-in
Parts of this tutorial were taken from my original tutorial, which I wrote for my MobMov members.
Hey kids, let's go make a drive-in!
A true guerrilla "drive-in" is just that - a bunch of cars and a movie. The projectionist usually powers the projector with his or her car or a small generator and an FM transmitter transmits the soundtrack to the other cars. The Mobile Movie was the first true guerrilla drive-in.
I'm rather partial to drive-ins over walk-ins because of their nostalgic feel, and the fact that your car can become your own private theater! It sure beats the pants of that cineplex with its screaming preteens (no offense you lovable troublemakers!).
This guide will tell you how to set up your own Guerrilla drive-in using your car. If you'd prefer to set up a walk-in, portions of this guide may be helpful, but much of it will be inapplicable. There are guides online more suited for this purpose however, see: Start Your Own Walk-in
Parts of this tutorial were taken from my original tutorial, which I wrote for my MobMov members.
Hey kids, let's go make a drive-in!
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1. Try using a digital media player, my WDTV Live uses a fraction of the power of a laptop or DVD player, plus since it runs on 12VDC, I could forgo using the inverter to power it if I wanted. USB flash drives are easy storage and no more worries about scratched discs.
2. Don't rely on your car's battery! Tote a 4D or 8D (better) industrial deep-cycle battery. Either of them, if in good shape. should be able to supply plenty of power for an event. This kind of use is what they're designed for.
Charge it back up later with your car running or the deep-cycle setting on most AC battery chargers.
3. Don't be afraid to cheap out. If you're outside then nobody is expecting THX sound quality. I have yet to experiment with the FM transmitter option, but a cheap used 30W mini stereo amplifier and some thrift store speakers and people were happy.
from research i have done it seems like you have much more than a 1200 lumen projector. I am planing on starting my own guerrilla drive in scene here in my city. I just want to make sure to get a projector that will be bright enough.
Thanks for this idea!
Cinemas rent films to show and these are very expensive, last time I worked anywhere near the film industry, cinemas rent an average film at about £1,500 a week and a block busted could cost them upwards of £5,000 a week, which is why your local cinema can never compete with the big players.
So, your taking business away from the smaller cinema and that will have no impact on the industry other than the small cinema owner.
IMHO what your doing in this movement is helping independent cinema out of business... Way to go.
if you're concerned that we're not telling the truth, feel free to call Swank Motion Pictures, who license almost all of our exhibitions. I go out of pocket ~$200 each show for movie licenses because I enjoy filmmaking and support filmmakers.
It may cost you but the fact still remains that your doing this for free.
I am not arguing about it, that the facts as they stand. It will always be hurting some business in the local area where you perform. Only thing I can say that will possible help you further your cause is to take this to remote areas where getting to a cinema is not easy or the nearest cinema is a couple of hours drive.
Maybe then your idea will prove popular and have kick started a new era of cinema, mobile cinema...
Keep up the good work and always look out for the little guy please. ;)
http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_make_a_small_Diy_LED_Projector/
If the media's copyright allows, make a copy of the movie on the hard disk to present. The CDROM drives usually pull a lot of power.
Cool!
Great details, fun pictures, and a sense of humour...
One topic you might have encountered is when people have their car *newer than something like 1997* in the on switch to have the radio, the automatic daytime running lights come on. An instruction in disabling this feature (removing the fuse), or some sticky shields for headlights would be cool. I know all our newer cars even when you put the switch to the 'off' position on the headlight knob, it lights at the very least the drl low-beams.
I'm sure other places as well. I don't have much experience here, but with AM you'd lose stereo and probably gain some range. Sound quality may be higher though. Legally, the FCC puts some pretty strict limits on AM, more so than FM. Taken from (http://oldsite.prometheusradio.org/alt_unam.shtml):
"The legal limit for AM broadcasting is 100 milliwatts, with a maximum antenna length of about 10 feet (this is the infamous Part 15 FCC rule). In our experience with low power AM, the results have been disappointing. Ordinarily, this power is capable of going about 250 feet, but the audio quality becomes very poor after 100 ft."