Outdoor Cinemas

Outdoor Cinemas (open-air cinema) are often seasonal cinemas (or year-round if you have great weather) where the screen and the spectator seats are located outdoors or within a temporary structure (e.g. quickly dismountable pavilions, building roofs, etc.). This cinema format is an excellent opportunity to enhance the appeal of commercial real estate properties. Additionally, it allows for a variety of cultural and special interest events for even greater revenue opportunities.

How does an outdoor cinema operate?
What are the main advantages of an outdoor cinema?
Where to set up an outdoor cinema?
Necessary equipment for an outdoor cinema?
What is Magna-Tech’s outdoor solution?
What are the benefits of working with Magna-Tech?
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Exterior Model by D. Avdeyeva (Magna-Tech)

How does an outdoor cinema operate?

Depending on the given purposes (commercial or noncommercial), an outdoor cinema may operate in three main duration modes:

• A regular/established schedule for a permanent or extended period of time (similar to a “traditional” indoor cinema).
• For a short period of time (e.g. during a festival).
• As a one-time screening (e.g. during a special event for creating a WOW effect).

What are the main advantages of an outdoor cinema?

An outdoor cinema may be an excellent business opportunity (for commercial real estate proprietors, operators, leaseholders) as well as a means of making a cultural/social impact, due to the following factors:

• Watching a movie (including cinema screenings) is one the most popular forms of entertainment. Organizing a movie screening will enhance the appeal of commercial real estate property.
• Movie screenings perfectly combine with other forms of outdoor activity and entertainment, including cultural and educational events (lectures, excursions, debates, etc.).
• An outdoor cinema can be quickly and easily set up.
• Added retail sales with high marginal profit (e.g. popcorn and other bar/concession items).
• It creates memorable audiovisual impressions, which are especially relevant for event-based screenings.
• The ability to attract unique functions/events, therefore new customers, to your location.
• It does not require significant financial investment. Audiovisual equipment can be rented. Spectator’s seats may be also rented, temporarily moved from other parts of the business, or depending on the venue guests can bring their own seating/comfort items.

Where to set-up an outdoor cinema?

Wherever you want! It can be a property adjacent to a business, cultural or industrial building, as well as open recreational locations such as parks, public gardens, or any type of natural landscape (“in the open”). The chosen location must provide:

•  Adequate lighting conditions: sufficient dimming and the absence of light pollution (e.g. any big light sources nearby).
• Effective placement of the projection screen (additional option – LED screen).
• Effective placement of spectator’s seats and the absence of any objects obstructing or blocking the spectator’s view of the screen.
• Adequate acoustic conditions: audibility, intelligibility, acoustic comfort, and the absence of outside noise sources.

Necessary equipment for an outdoor cinema?

The standard outdoor cinema screening equipment package includes:

• Display equipment: a projector and screen combination or an LED screen.
• Media playback source: an approved cinema server (for DCI formatted cinema content) or media players such as Blu-Ray, PC, Mac, etc.
• Control equipment (user program interface).
• Sound processor (for DCI-content); media block with a built-in sound processor; cinema processor with the sound processing function.
• Acoustic system (amplifiers, speakers, etc.)
• Cash register, accounting equipment and software.

Additional equipment:

• Multimedia assistance system for spectators with disabilities.
• Power units.
• Additional video, audio-technical equipment (such as audio mixing console, pre-amplifiers, etc.)
• Outdoor lighting.
• Security cameras.

What is Magna-Tech’s outdoor solution?

Magna-Tech offers an “Outdoor Cinema” comprehensive solution that includes the installation of a ready-to-use cinema:

• Technical evaluation and compatibility study of a potential venue for an outdoor cinema.
• Layout design by developing the screen, seating and equipment placement as well as calculating the optimum spectator (seat) number.
• Selecting, preparing and testing the audiovisual equipment.
• Installing, adjusting and providing necessary user training and instructions.
• Post-installation technical support.
• Recommendations for organizing event-based/social/cultural film screenings and working with communities/groups.​

What are the benefits of working with Magna-Tech?

We are one of the leading engineering companies in the world of cinema project development and equipment. Our clients are guaranteed:

• The best possible cinema screening quality within the given budget.
• A cinema project that meets modern standards and follows the best industry practices.
• A wide choice of equipment options.
• With many years of experience with both traditional and outdoor cinemas Magna-Tech is perfectly positioned to assist in all aspects of the process of opening and outdoor cinema.

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