We wanted to pass along this kind note from Randall Fox, the grand prize winner of our recent Outdoor Movie Photo Contest. Randall won an Open Air Cinema 16′ Pro screen, and just received it the other day. He is the Vice President and Co-Founder of Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, and frequently produces outdoor cinema events for the community members of Atlanta.

Here’s what he had to say:

“Hey Guys…

I can’t say thank you enough!”

Well, thanks Randall for the note, and we hope you continue to enjoy your new screen. We’re getting ready for some new contests, so stay tuned for your chance to win an Open Air Cinema Screen for your own community!

If you are interested in contacting us about getting a new Open Air Cinema Cinebox System today, send us your information through our easy to use contact form by clicking here.

Randall Fox uses his Open Air Cinema Cinebox system to entertain his community in Atlanta, Georgia.

Is there anything about Breakfast at Tiffany’s that doesn’t inspire nostalgia for the Golden Age of Hollywood? Audrey Hepburn crooning “Moon River,” fashion, and “two drifters off to see the world,” are all aspects of the film that capture the hearts of audiences during a 24 week-long movies under the stars festival in Atlanta. When given a chance to dance with friends to the theme song of the movie, some avid outdoor movie watchers leaped to attention.

“People kept requesting “Moon River” over and over again, dancing after the movie ended,” reported Randall Fox, the man behind the outdoor movie event.

Fox’s first experience with a “screen on the green” was in DC. What he saw, beyond the movie being displayed and the young people drinking beer, was a possibility for something more.

Fashion show before an outdoor movie screening.

As the co-founder of the Atlantic Foundation for Public Space, Fox is no stranger to outdoor events. But the motivation behind the free outdoor film festival was a little different.

“I know it sounds corny,” Fox admits, “But I really wanted to give back to the community.”

The movie nights not only provide a venue for a community night once a week, it also boosts businesses around the the park where they take place. The outdoor movie nights will often connect to the local movie theater, when Harry Potter came out, Fox did a Harry Potter week showing all of the other Harry Potter movies in succession. One of the local restaurants had the busiest night in five years the night AFFPS ran Transformers.

Even with all the success of the event, the outdoor movie event organizers still see the possibility for more.

“When you see all the people gathered together enjoying a movie outside, you just want to see more. I want the Guinesss World Record, most people watching a screen at once, the longest running summer outdoor movie festival, why not?”

The results are in, and so we’re excited to announce the winners for the first annual Open Air Cinema Photo Contest! The competition was stiff, as we received hundreds of entries from all around the country! We really enjoyed hearing about how so many of you have brought the magic of outdoor movies to your community through your Open Air Cinema Cinebox systems.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and if you didn’t win this time, look forward to future contests. And always feel free to send us images from your events along with your story about how you are bringing your communities together through the medium of Outdoor Cinema.

FIRST PLACE WINNER: Randall D. Fox
PRIZE: Open Air Cinema Pro 16’ screen

ABOUT RANDALL’S PHOTOGRAPH:

Atlanta’s Longest running “open air” Movies series. Started in May of 2009.

“We all enjoy the “open air” cinemas during the summer season, but we wanted to take it a little further based on the not just the economy but really giving back to the community. So we created the longest running movies series in Atlanta last year – 26 weeks of Movies! Hosting anywhere from 200 – 600 people per week.

Our Regal Cinema has also joined as we show sequels and they give movie posters, passes and other promotional items, gifts and games away

Each week, we have a line of people asking about our screen, equipment and if we can do it in their neighborhood, back yard, work function – you name it. We are very proud to work with Open Air Cinema and the equipment has be used weekly now, and it has become a main stay our on year MUST DO.”

SECOND PLACE WINNER: Colin Moss Recreation Coordinator Meridian Parks and Recreation.
PRIZE: Open Air Cinema Home 16’ screen

ABOUT COLIN’S PHOTOGRAPH:

Update soon on the background of the photo!

THIRD PLACE WINNER: Mike Cuzzupoli, owner www.ZuperBounce.com
PRIZE: Open Air Cinema Home 12’ screen

ABOUT MIKE’S PHOTOGRAPH:

“Park-It-In-Parma Festival – a small community with a BIG turnout. This is an event that is tied into a wonderful town festival. Residents are encouraged to Camp-Out in the beautiful town park and enjoy an evening of Bands, Food, Fireworks and of course the best Outdoor Movies provided by ZuperMovies. The Director of Recreation, Steven Fowler, is always looking for the newest movies to satisfy the growing attendance. Fourth Year will be the 4th year in a row (movie undecided). Best part is the overwhelming ovation at the end of the movie.”

We just read here that Fantastic Mr. Fox will be screened as an Outdoor Movie on May 29. We love this film, and wanted to suggest it as a great idea for your next Outdoor Movie screening. Here is the official trailer for the film:

The Oscar nominated animation tells the story of Mr. Fox(George Clooney), a fox who moves into a new home at the base of a tree with his wife Felicicy (Meryl Streep), and their son Ash (Jason Schwartzman), even thought they were warned against the move by their badger lawyer (Bill Murray). The family of foxes quickly realizes they made a mistake when three nearby farmers attempt to eradicate them from their home. After the family digs a deeper hole, the farmers decide to stake out near the entrance of their home, as they deduce that eventually the foxes will need to come out for food and supplies. Soon the family bands together with other ground animals stuck in the hillside. The Fantastic Mr. Fox outfoxes the evil farmers, and leads the group of animals in an adventure the entire family will enjoy!

The most amazing part of the film is in the animation itself. Most of the motion was created through the stop-motion process, a method that employs the laborious creation of miniature sculptures and their physical movement through the film plane. The majority of what is seen in the film is actual physical material, not 3D graphics like most contemporary animations. This is what makes the film truly enjoyable for the entire family (next to the witty and intelligent narrative) – a beautiful and complexly wonderful set that will keep parents at the edge of there seats, while the children enjoy the funny and imaginative story with characters that perform at the top of their game.

The film is bright and high in contrast, and will make for an excellent outdoor movie screening. Is anyone else planning on screening this film in the near future? If so, we’d love to hear how it goes! Send us your story at community@openaircinema.us.

23-seat home theater featuring DPI’s 15,000 lumen LIGHTNING 30-1080p precision projector

Marsh’s client wanted the best, and the entertainment aspect of this home is truly stellar, enlisting Digital Projection’s precision displays, a Focal Grande Utopia Beryllium speaker system, Stewart projection screen, TruAudio BB 465 in-wall surround speakers, Crestron touchscreens for control, and so much more.

Given the 21-foot Stewart screen featured in the theater, few projectors were viable candidates from the outset. Furthermore, the projector needed to be as efficient as possible with respect to energy consumption, as it was to be operated in the client’s personal home. As a final challenge, due to the sheer number of seats in the theater, the projector would have to be both remarkably bright and be capable of a very long throw distance, as it would have to be installed in a dedicated room at the back of the large theater.

Marsh chose Digital Projection’s commercial cinema-grade LIGHTNING 30-1080p, as it represents one of the most efficient projectors available in terms of lumens produced versus energy consumed. When asked whether the client was intimidated by the projector’s overall footprint, Marsh replied, “This client likes high technology, and he really likes the fact that projectors of this magnitude are used in commercial theaters.” Video sources include a Kaleidescape movie server, Blu-ray DVD, HD satellite receiver and eight laptop computer stations for presentation opportunities.In addition to the home’s main theater, the client also wanted an outdoor entertainment area to compliment the luxurious Olympic-size swimming pool. Both brightness and image quality were of equal importance, so Marsh chose Digital Projection’s single-chip dVision 30-1080p projector. The 6,800 lumen, 7500:1 contrast dVision projector sits in a custom nook behind the bar and projects on a rear projection screen that is approximately 9-feet wide. Equally viewable from both the pool and the sitting area, the dVision 1080p displays beautiful Hollywood and broadcast entertainment, day and night.

Read more…

Screen on the Green in Centennial Park

Atlanta, Georgia is a city that is no stranger to outdoor movies. “Flicks on 5th” and “Screen on the Green” are two of the most famous outdoor cinema screenings in the Atlanta area, but unfortunately they have closed up shop for the summer. But if you still need your outdoor film fix, we’ve got you covered. As the summer comes to a close there are still a couple opportunities to see a movie under the stars.

Movies Under the Stars at Mall of Georgia
Where: 3333 Buford Dr. in Buford; The Village Pavilion
When: Music begins at 6:30 p.m.; movies begin at dusk
Schedule:
August 8: The Wizard of Oz, free concert by Sister Jane
August 15: The Sandlot, free concert by Legend
August 22: Night at the Museum 2, free concert by The Woodys
September 5: Bring it On: Fight to the Finish, free concert by The Ron Johnsons

Movies & The Market at Atlantic Station
Where: midtown Atlanta, Central Park
When: Movies begin at dusk
Schedule:
August 6: Akeelah and the Bee
August 13: Legally Blonde
August 20: Monsters, Inc.
August 27: WALL-E

The following is an article by Paul Falor, Atlanta Gadgets Examiner (Examiner.com). You can read the original article here.

As a technology junkie, I am frequently haunted by the phrase “We have no room in the house for that!” This really puts a damper on my creative abilities, so I am always looking for ways to bring my gadgets to my domain – the one place that I am in total control of – the back yard.

One of my dreams has always been to have my own movie theater but space constraints have prevented the installation of a projector or screen. Then I started thinking – the only thing cooler than watching movies in a theater, is watching them in an outdoor theater. Atlanta has a few drive-ins, but the movie times and selections are very limited. If only there was something to let me bring MY movies onto the big screen outdoors…

Enter Open Air Cinema, a self-inflating outdoor movie screen. Packages are available with screen only, screen and projector, or entire outdoor movie theater packages. Imagine hanging out in your pool while watching the latest blockbuster on the big screen. Screens start at around $500 and full home theater packages hover in the $1,500 range. Your kids will love you, your male neighbors will envy you, and your female neighbors will adore you. Quite frankly, you can’t afford not to have one.

Movies to Music, Outings are Free

Penny-pinching doesn’t have to be dull. No matter your fancy, there’s plenty to do in metro Atlanta —- without spending a dime. This is just a sampling of a free week of entertainment:

Mondays: Check out Acoustic Mondays at The Five Spot in Little Five Points. For a blend of live music and art, stop by this local shop. All kinds of music —- from bluegrass to indie rock —- are featured. It’s also a showcase for artwork, described on its site as “the area’s premier gallery for grassroots artistic expression.”

Specialty and deli sandwiches, as well as vegetarian dishes, highlight a menu that also includes more than 100 beers. 1123 Euclid Ave., N.E. 404-223-1100. www.fivespot-atl.com.

Tuesdays: It’s still early in the week, but it’s never too early for a good laugh. Every other Tuesday (June 16, 30, …), Urban Grind hosts stand-up comedians. The biggest expense might be your ego if you find yourself the butt of a joke; but otherwise, there’s no charge. The same coffeehouse venue holds open-mike poetry readings for free on Thursdays. Both are from 7-10 p.m. 962 Marietta St. 404-724-0605. www.urbangrindatl.com.

Wednesdays: Have a picnic in the park. Pack loads of goodies —- leave the alcohol at home, though —- and listen to live music every Wednesday from 5:30-8 p.m. at Centennial Olympic Park. The concert series is in its 10th season and features everything from jazz to contemporary music. This series runs through September. 265 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, N.W.

Thursdays: Head over to Atlantic Station’s Central Park, which launches its free outdoor movie series starting June 18 with “A League of Their Own.” The movies run through the end of the summer. Retailers and restaurants will also offer discounts from 5-9 p.m. Movies will begin around 8:45 p.m.

Another option: No need to gripe about Screen on the Green being at Centennial Olympic Park instead of Piedmont Park. Centennial is easy to get to on MARTA, there’s ample parking in the area and the park is plenty spacious enough for you to spread out and enjoy a free flick outdoors. Two more movies are left: “Home Alone” on June 18; and on June 25, the viewers’ choice —- “Big,” “Ghostbusters” or “The Princess Bride.” 6 p.m. 265 Centennial Olympic Park Drive, N.W.

Fridays: Historic Marietta Square itself has plenty to offer, and not far away is the Avisca Fine Art Gallery. Specializing in work by African-American artists and artists of African and Caribbean descent, the gallery is currently featuring the work of April Harrison. The First Friday Marietta Art Walk will skip July, and resume in August. However, Avisca remains open and free Thursdays-Saturdays, from noon-6 p.m. There are works from 15 artists on display in the 2,500-square-foot gallery. 507 Roswell St., N.E., Marietta. 770-977-2732. www.aviscafineart.com

Another option: After a long week, what better way to shake off the blues than dancing? Touting itself as a solution to the Friday evening traffic crawl, Two to Tango + the City is a fun way to get tango demonstrations and instructions —- the first Friday of every month at 5:30 p.m. The Buenos Aires Tango Academy provides the lessons at the north end of Woodruff Park near the Reading Room. No reservations required. At Auburn Avenue Northeast and Peachtree Street Northeast.

Saturdays: Stroll through Stone Mountain Village on a self-guided tour and stop for sips of wine along the way on the Walk and Wine Tour held from 6-8 p.m. the third Saturday of each month. As a bonus, Stone Mountain Village will host a free Memphis-style Grillin in the Village barbecue contest June 20. Fifteen professional grillmasters will compete for $7,000 in prize money. The all-day event includes classic cars and live music. 770-498-7334. stonemountain village.com

Sundays: Check out the Concerts on the Square through June 21 in Roswell. The free live music is from 3-4:30 p.m., featuring various genres of music. Starting July 11, the party moves over to Riverside Park, 535 Riverside Drive, also in Roswell, with future dates of Aug. 1, Sept. 5 and Oct. 3.

Another option: Ride the trolley for a history tour of Lawrenceville through June 28. You’ll see historic homes, walking trails and parks. If you get the urge to hop off and make a purchase, the homes on the tour are currently for sale. The Annabel trolley carries up to 30 people at a time, with two scheduled tours each week at 12:30 and 3 p.m. 404-375-1496. newlawrenceville.com

By Rana L. Cash
Source: http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/06/15/freeweek0615.html

Atlantic Station to Launch Free Outdoor Movie Series

This summer grab your blankets and baskets and head to Atlantic Station. Starting June 18th Atlantic Station will host free family-friendly film screenings every Thursday evening through the end of the summer. The fun starts at 5pm when restaurants and retailers will offer special discounts, samples and even prize drawings for film goers. Atlantic Station’s outdoor market will also be open with treats and treasures from local vendors.

Movie viewing will begin at approximately 8:45pm and will be shown on Atlantic Station’s Central Park. This coming Thursday enjoy a showing of “A League of Their Own” sponsored by the Atlanta Braves.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-1725-Atlanta-Family-Entertainment-Examiner~y2009m6d11-Atlantic-Station-to-launch-free-outdoor-movies-series

Atlantic Station this summer is launching a free outdoor movie series, airing blockbuster favorites each Thursday night in Central Park. Midtown’s center for entertainment will offer residents and visitors a fun and affordable way to spend time together this summer.

The outdoor movie series launches on June 18 and will continue through the end of the summer, with movies that are fun for the whole family airing each Thursday at dusk (around 8:45 – 9:00 pm). The movies will tie into summer themes – from baseball to fashion to back-to-school. The outdoor series officially kicks off with “A League of Their Own” on June 18, sponsored by the Atlanta Braves who will distribute free giveaways before the film.

As a part of the outdoor movie series, Atlantic Station’s restaurants and retailers will offer special discounts each Thursday from 5:00 – 9:00 pm, providing attendees of the movie series with even more affordable summer fun.

Each Thursday evening, Atlantic Station retailers will hold drawings with free prizes, samples and giveaways for movie goers. Atlantic Station’s Art & Antique Market, the community’s open-air market showcasing one-of-a-kind antiques, edibles and handcrafted items from local vendors, will be open to the public every Thursday prior to the start of each film.

For a full listing of the Atlantic Station outdoor movie series schedule, please go to www.atlanticstation.com/events.php

Source: Atlanta INtown In the Loop. Read full article at: http://atlantaintown.blogspot.com/2009/06/outdoor-movies-at-atlantic-station.html.

Atlanta’s only surviving drive-in theater continues to draw fans of outdoor cinema. Guests get a double feature of first-run fare like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Fast & Furious.” Food, drinks, lawn chairs and grills can be brought on the grounds. But no grilling during the movies, and you can’t dump the coals at the Starlight. You can leave the food to the snack bar staff, who shills treats like nachos, hot dogs, popcorn and ice cream. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 6:30 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. Outdoor movies begin at 8:30 p.m. On Monday-Thursday nights, it’s a double feature. On Friday-Sunday nights, it’s a double feature, then the first film repeats. After Memorial Day, it’s a triple feature every night until Thanksgiving.

$7 per person; $1 per person ages 3-9. Starlight Six Drive-In Theatre, 2000 Moreland Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 404-627-5786, www.starlightdrivein.com.

Excerpt from “Good times, great outdoors” by By Jon Waterhouse -Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Read full article here: http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/05/01/outdoor0501.html.

This outdoor cinema event was hosted by Avalanche Entertainment and Atlanta Outdoor Movies.

We took our 3-year-old to his first movie in the theater last weekend, and it was huge fun for him. We had put this off for quite a while for a few reasons — the lack of age-appropriate movies, our concerns that he would be too fidgety or maybe overwhelmed by the sound, and the fact that we had plenty of other options for activities and entertainment. Now that we’ve lived through his first movie theater experience, I’m feeling pretty good about taking him to some of the outdoor summer movies that seem to be popping up everywhere. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a good movie under the stars, and I always loved the outdoor cinema experience as a child. Fortunately, there are some really fantastic outdoor films offered in the Atlanta area:

Flicks on 5th, on Fifth Street between Spring and West Peachtree, has outdoor movies most Wednesday nights at dusk. The June 18 flick is “Horton Hears a Who”. The others (including “The Bourne Ultimatum” and “Superbad”) might be better as a date night.

The Family Movie Nights series at East Cobb Park kicks off TONIGHT and has seven outdoor films planned between now and October. Because this series is geared specifically toward families, there will be inflatables, popcorn, music and more starting at 6 pm. Movies start at dusk.

Another family-friendly outdoor cinema series is Dekalb County Parks’ Movies in the Park on some Saturday nights. The first showing for this summer will be Saturday, June 21 at Hairston Park.

You can see “Bee Movie” this Saturday night at Flicks on the Bricks at the Duluth Town Green. This once-a-month outdoor movie series runs through October. Other flicks include “The Water Horse” and “Surf’s Up”.

Screen on the Green at Centennial Olympic Park has has two remaining movies in its Thursday night series. We’re hoping to catch “E.T.” there next week. Activities start at 6 pm; outdoor films start at sunset.

Be sure to check the websites for any of these outdoor cinema events that you plan to attend for details on what you can and cannot bring along. Ideally, our kids will fall asleep not too long after the movie starts, especially if they’ve worn themselves out enjoying some of the pre-show fun. But be prepared for what happens if they stay awake — movies starting at dusk might last as late as 10:30 or 11 pm. In my mind, watching E.T. outside with our kids would be an almost magical experience, so you’ll see me at as many of these outdoor movies as I can manage to get to!

Source: “Five For Friday: Outdoor Movies” by Amy Davis. Read full article at: http://atlanta.savvysource.com/blogpost769_1_five-for-friday-outdoor-movies.