Take advantage of the balmy summer nights by moving your movie nights to the great outdoors. Setting up a cinema space in your backyard is much easier – and less expensive – than it might sound, especially if you’re up for a little DIY. Heed our tips for an outdoor cinema setup that will serve you for summers to come.
The Silver Screen
When it comes to putting a movie screen in your backyard, all you really need is a large, light-coloured vertical surface with minimal irregularities. If you have some extra change lying around, and you plan to make outdoor movie nights a regular event, it may be worth investing in a store-bought outdoor film screen. These come in a variety of sizes and forms, from inflatable models to fixed-frame ones; expect to pay between GBP 100 and 1,000, depending on the size, type and brand you choose. If you’re savvy, you might even get one for less; Aldi is apparently rolling out an inflatable screen ahead of the 2026 World Cup that will run you about GBP 60.
Alternatively, making your own DIY outdoor movie screen is an option for doing it on the cheap, not to mention a fun project for the family. There are endless ways to approach this, from simply suspending a white bedsheet on a PVC pipe frame, all the way to carpentering a wooden frame and mounting a vinyl projector screen to it. If you’re looking to combine durability, quality and thrift – and really don’t feel like breaking out the electric saw – this video tutorial shows you how to get it done using a PVC frame and white pearlised spandex (a material often used in theatrical productions), and resulting in an affordable, portable and reusable screen – no nails or sewing needles required.
The Projector
Along with the sound system, your method of projection is one of the most important parts of the equation when it comes to having an enjoyable outdoor cinema experience. This is why, despite the fact that you can fashion a projector out of a shoebox and a smartphone, we don’t really recommend it for this purpose.
The projector you use should be powerful, especially if you’ll be contending with street lamps, porch lights and other ambient lighting, but it doesn’t need to be top-of-the-line; a projector with 2,500 lumens should do it. The resolution isn’t quite as critical for screening movies outdoors, so 720p is fine if that’s what you have, though models with 1080p are often quite affordable. You should be able to find decent options for well under GBP 200, or you might score a second-hand model for less – especially as offices and schools often sell their old ones.
Don’t forget to consult the specs of your projector to ensure compatibility with whichever device (laptop, streaming stick, TV box, DVD player, etc.) you’re using to play the film; realising too late that you needed an adaptor to connect your media device to the projector is the death knell of an otherwise well-planned movie night. If you’re not sure which device to hook up, we suggest using a laptop: you can stream films from the internet, access a library of downloaded movies or connect an external disc drive if needed, and most models will come equipped with an HDMI port (or support HDMI via an adaptor), as well as Bluetooth capability and headphone jacks to facilitate the next component of our movie-night setup…
The Sound System
Let’s be honest: none of your fun-loving guests will complain if the DIY movie screen is a bit wrinkled or the picture isn’t sharp as a knife. But if the sound is too muffled, too garbled or otherwise unintelligible, you bet you’ll be hearing about it.
Again, your options are many in this arena, but what you ultimately want is powerful, high-quality sound with as few wires, plugs and technical headaches as possible. Enter: the wireless Bluetooth speaker. Invest in a solid model with clear, rich sound – such as a JBL PartyBox or Bose SoundLink Max – and enough volume to carry across the garden, connect it wirelessly to your laptop or media device, and voilà: an instant backyard cinema sound system.
Alternatively, you can use just about any portable speakers you already have, or even old boom boxes – you’ll just need to ensure that you have the right cables on hand to connect them to your media playing device. In the interest of avoiding last-minute hitches, it’s best to run tests a day or two before the main event, making sure you have all the components you need to connect the projector, media device and speakers.
The Seating
Now it’s time to get comfy …and creative. The easiest, most cost-effective seating arrangement is to spread out various sheets, blankets and pillows for the kids, and set up any lawn or camping furniture you may have for adults who don’t want to sit on the ground. To add a fun touch that mini audience members will love, consider getting a shallow inflatable pool and filling it with pillows and blankets, or throw around some pool rings and inflatable mattresses to lounge on. Have an actual pool? Making it a floating cinema!
If you’ve got knack for DIY, craft a cute teepee for the little ones, or build some chic folding outdoor cinema chairs. The ultimate addition, however – to both your movie night and your backyard space – is a palette swing. You can DIY your own, following along with this fun video by South African YouTuber Suzelle.
Now, the only thing left to do is ask your favourite people ’round for an outdoor cinema night – don’t forget to invite the neighbours!
