Operator's Companion
The Operator's
Companion
Everything you need to check before a screening—sunset and actual start time, wind and weather conditions, projector placement measurements, monthly sunset times at a glance, and checklists to ensure everything is in order.
Sunset & true movie start
Type a ZIP and date to see the sunset time and the actual start — about 25 minutes after sunset — plus a full month of dates at a glance.
Seven-day and hour-by-hour
A 7-day outlook for planning, and an event-day breakdown from 2 PM through 1 AM with wind, gusts, and precipitation flagged when they start to matter.
Projector throw & operator checklists
A quick rule of thumb for projector placement, a link to the calculator that handles every model, and two operator checklists for pre-event prep and showtime.
Calculate Movie Start Time
Enter the venue's ZIP code and the event date. Find the earliest the sky is dark enough for a high-contrast picture.
Weather forecast
The next seven days for the location you entered above. Wind, rain, and how dark it actually gets.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Conditions can shift fast at dusk — re-check the morning of the show.
Event-day detail
Hour by hour for the date above, 2 PM through 1 AM. From the same Open-Meteo feed as the 7-day forecast.
| Time | Conditions | Temp | Precip % | Precip in | Wind | Gusts |
|---|
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Hourly numbers shift through the day — re-check 2–3 hours before doors.
Monthly sunset calendar
A month at a glance, with sunset and movie-start times for every day.
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Enter a ZIP or postal code above to see sunset times.
Projector throw distance
Where to place the projector depends on the projector model — every lens has its own throw range. Projector Central has the calculator that handles every model; this page sets the rule of thumb so you arrive knowing what to aim for.
Open Air Cinema projection surfaces have a 16:9 ratio, and we name our screens by their horizontal width — a Pro 20, for example, measures 20′ × 11′. To find throw distance, enter that horizontal width into the Projector Central calculator linked below.
Precision matters. Moving a projector at showtime is hard — sometimes impossible — so double-check every measurement before you set up.
When you cross-reference your projector’s throw range on Projector Central, aim for the middle of its range. That leaves zoom headroom on both ends.
Checklists
Two short lists: pre-event prep at home, then everything from day-of through showtime at the venue. Check off as you go — the page keeps your place.
Keep the Companion one tap away
The Companion lives on this page — no app to install, no account to create. Bookmark it so it's there when you need it at the venue.
On iPhone (Safari)
- With this page open, tap the Share icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose “Add to Home Screen” to keep it next to your other apps, or “Add Bookmark” to save it in Safari.
- Tap Add. Open it any time from your Home Screen or Bookmarks.
On Mac or PC
- Press ⌘+D (Mac) or Ctrl+D (Windows) to open the bookmark dialog.
- Choose the Favorites bar so the Companion stays one click away.
- Click Add. You'll find it across the top of every new tab.