everything you've ever wanted to know

Your outdoor movie theater can easily be booked online through our "systems/booking" page. For an outdoor movie night, you want to select the time slot 15-30 minutes after sunset. There is a sunset calculator on our booking page. A 50% deposit is collected online with all reservations. Your remaining balance will be due at the time of service (Venmo, credit card, check, cash). All deposits are fully refundable or transferable in cases of weather cancellations.

In almost all cases, Pop-Up Cinema will provide the film. We have access to most movie titles old and new. You will be able to submit your movie request with your booking. If you have yet to decide on a movie, you can leave that field blank. Movie selections must be submitted at least one week prior to your event, just in case we need to hunt it down.

Select a relatively dark, flat, clean area for your outdoor movie theater screen. Pop-Up Cinemas run on one standard power cord. We carry 100’ of power cord, so you'll need power (or cord pulled) <100’ from the movie screen location. Each of our systems has a published "footprint" size. Make sure that footprint will fit in your allotted space (including height if necessary). All of our gear, including the projector, will fit within that footprint.

Outdoor movies are obviously entirely weather dependent. “Feels like” temps >90 or <45 at showtime will cancel a show. Sustained winds over 12mph will cancel a show. Percipitation of any kind will cancel a show. Weather cancellations are fully refundable or transferable, but once the Pop-Up Cinema is up, full payment will be due, even if weather sets in and shuts us down early. In short, proceed with threatening weather at your own risk.

Pop-Up Cinema can stream live TV on our systems! Having a reliable wi-fi signal at the location of the system is ideal for live streaming, but is not our only option. Contact us to discuss the details of your specific needs before booking live events. And don't forget, night games only for outdoor viewing! Our projectors require darkness! Make sure you book a “sports or double feature" system. These are 4 hour rentals instead of 2.

Pop-Up Cinemas are operated by laptop computer, so they're fully capable of displaying most media files. We can show custom photo or video files before your movie starts. You can even use a Pop-Up Cinema for full custom media for events like weddings, family reunions, or professional gatherings. If a computer can show it, we should be able to project it onto a Pop-Up Cinema.

Movie licenses are NOT required for residential movie parties. If you're scheduling a backyard movie party, you need not read any farther. However, movies shown in a commercial or public space ARE subject to licensing. For those commercial or public viewings, the licensing responsibility is assumed by the event host. Pop-Up Cinema can advise you on the licensing process, but we are not permitted to acquire any movie licenses on our clients' behalf.