Gathering the Equipment You'll Need:
To run a guerrilla drive-in, you'll need:
- Bright projector
(1200+ lumens)
- FM transmitter
- Inverter or power generator
- DVD player or
laptop
- Car
I'll detail these components below, so you'll know what to
look for:
Projector
The cornerstone of any mobile
movie, the projector is what makes the magic happen. As such, you should plan on
spending the most on this part of the kit.
That said, you can find the
best deals by searching craigslist for used projectors. With how rapidly
projector technology is improving, you can get a $1400 projector from last year
for less than half that price today. However, keep your eye on the bulb price.
If the bulb is anywhere near death, it's going to cost you $300 or more to
replace.
When choosing a projector, select one with the highest lumens
you can afford. 2000+ is optimal, but 1200 or more will suffice if you're on a
budget. Other useful features include lens shift (which allows you to reposition
the video without moving the projector itself) and a zoom lens. Both combine to
make it much easier to just drive up and start projecting films. A zoom lens in
particular is vital if you want the most flexibility in where you show your
films.
I've had lots of luck with Epsons and Panasonics, and some luck
too with InFocus. If you'll just be using the projector for movies or games at a
drive-in, you don't really need a true movie/hdtv projector, as they generally
have less lumens. You'll be projecting onto suboptimal walls anyway, so all
those extra pixels won't get noticed. Oh and LCD projectors often have a
brightness/color advantage over DLP. Expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $5000
or more on a good projector.
FM transmitter
You'll
need some way to get the soundtrack to your audience. You *could* set up a bunch
of speakers on hooks like the days of old, but why do that when you live in the
future!
Now, don't run out and grab yourself one of the $30 iPod
transmitters. It won't work. You need a transmitter that can transmit sound
150ft+. The only one that I am familiar with is the Ramsey line -
I use the
FM25b model, but I hear the FM30 has more features. These units come in
parts, meaning you'd need a soldering iron (and an EE degree!) to put them
together! Luckily, they're readily available pre-assembled on eBay for about
$150.
DVD player or laptop
I personally use my old
and crusty laptop to show movies, because it offers the best flexibility in film
formats. I often open up a show with the mobmov logo and cartoon short, and then
do a 10 minute intermission in the middle.
If you don't have a laptop,
any old DVD player should work as well. Another viable option is to use an old
Xbox or other gaming system - you can often use it to play DVDs (especially if
you get a "chipped" version), and you have the added bonus of being able to play
games during intermission! Super Mario, here we come!
Power
Inverter or power generator
To power all this fancy equipment,
you'll need to bring your volts with you. It's very unlikely that you'll find a
suitable outlet anywhere nearby your urban cinema. Luckily, your car has a
built-in powerplant, which can be conveniently harnessed to power all this
equipment!
All you need for this is a basic power inverter. Always opt
for more power than you need, so in the case, choose an 800w+ (continuous, not
"peak") unit. I'm using a Coleman 800w and it does the trick. Whatever inverter
you buy, be sure it's a "modified sine" or "pure sine" inverter. A good quality
inverter will set you back about $50-$100. Square sine will cause interference
and may damage your equipment.
You'll have to connect the inverter to
your car battery, which in your car is probably under the hood. If it is, you'll
need to run a cable yourself or head over to BestBuy or someplace and have them
run it for you. For my car, this only cost $20. If you do power your equipment
in this manner, you'll need to keep your car running, as car batteries don't
like to be drained all the way down.
A far more efficient and
environmentally friendly (albeit more complicated) method is to use a power
generator with built-inverter. These relatively small beasts are made by Yamaha
and Honda, are pretty quiet, and start at around 1000w. I'd choose the
smallest-wattage unit your set up requires, as more power typically means a
louder generator.
I personally chose to power my equipment with my
idling car, just because of the convenience of doing so -- but this is probably
the smartest option if you plan on doing many shows. Car engines are not
designed to idle for long periods of time, and you'll be putting undue stress on
it if you idle it for too long. Generators, on the other hand, are meant to
idle.
Your Car
If you already own a Toyota Prius,
you've in luck! You've got the perfect car for powering your drive-in! Basically
a battery on wheels, the Prius has the battery in the trunk, so there's no
drilling required to plug in your inverter. I personally use a small SUV, so
pretty much any car is capable.
If you don't have a car, consider
renting one from Zipcar or another hourly "car sharing" shop. Especially if you
rent a Prius or use a generator, you don't need to make any "modifications", so
it's perfect!
That's about it for the equipment. Now, put on those
gloves, cause this is where the real work begins!
