Hosting backyard movie night is becoming a big trend with so much technology available to us. There's plenty to know when you host your own though. Here's what I learned...

People have been doing it for years, but it took thousands of dollars in audio/video equipment and wires everywhere just to pull it off. Now days there's really cool and portable audio/video gadgets available at affordable prices, so anybody with imagination can do just about anything.

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This is just the case with my wife and I. We did a trial run with just ourselves and it was a really cool experience. Our next plan was to have a bunch of people over for a fire and a movie.

Here's what it took to bring a theater to life in the backyard:

  • Large wireless bluetooth speaker - We picked up a really cool speaker at Sam's Club. It bluetooth's from my phone and has great sound. (See it here)
  • Projector of some sort - You could run a DVD player to a projector if you wanted, but we went totally wireless. I have a Moto Z Droid phone, and it has a projector module that attaches to the phone and projects very well to up to 8 feet. (See it here)
  • White screen to project to - Some people use a sheet, or you can do it the best way with a real projector screen. We used a pull-up screen that has a tripod and it was perfect for this. (See it here)

Now, here's what to consider if you have people coming over for your backyard movie night. Plan to do some socializing beforehand, because once the movie starts it's quiet time and that can be a buzzkill.

If you have a large group of people over, the last thing they want is to be quiet and not talk. You might want to consider sectioning a different area of the yard for the movie, and another area for those who just want to hang out and socialize.

Sine dusk is around 9pm right now, people are going to be a little hungry. Pop up a good amount of popcorn and offer it to those watching the movie. I'd suggest having them bring their beverage of choice, and popcorn goes well with just about anything they bring.

Finally, make sure your neighbors know you're hosting a movie. The speaker will be loud and the projector is bright. This isn't a good combination for the neighbor who had planned an early evening to bed.

Have fun with it and it'll be pretty neat to do! We'll do it again, but just with a small group next time.

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