Imagine sitting in your boat relaxing as the sun sets. Along with enjoying the peaceful evening, sounds of lapping water, and a beautifully colored sky, you get to actually watch a drive-in style movie. This is exactly what a marina in the Florida Gulf Coast decided to for their fellow boaters.

This marina was trying to think of ways that they could add to the fun the boaters already enjoy on the water. It needed to be a family friendly event that stood out from the typical summer festivities. That’s when they thought to themselves “how about a drive-in style movie?”

Boat-In Movie
There were many challenges that faced them as they started to put a plan in motion. First of all they needed to figure out how to set up a movie screen that could easily be seen from all the boats in the bay. If it was set up on land, the marina would be packed, and guests wouldn’t get a good view. There was also the issue of sound. How would everyone be able to hear the movie? Of course this is the gulf, and the issue of winds had to be taken into consideration as well.

Rather than give up on this wonderful idea, the marina turned to South Outdoor Cinema for help. SOC specializes in setting up outdoor inflatable movie screens in unusual and difficult venues. They knew just what to do to bring this dream event to life.

Movie Screen On A Barge
With the use of a high-end mobile outdoor movie screen system, South Outdoor Cinema was able to set up the inflatable movie screen on a large barge. The barge was able to float out into the bay right along with all the boats. This gave boaters more room, along with excellent views from many locations.

An FM transmitter was used to broadcast the movie’s soundtrack. This is similar to how the actual land locked drive-ins broadcast their movie’s sound to cars. It was the perfect solution. The sound would be directly broadcast to each boat.

Unique Viewing Experience
Once everything was in place, it was time for the event itself. Guest began to show up on their boats, and they filled the bay with families who were eagerly anticipating this big event. The weather totally cooperated, providing everyone in attendance with a beautiful sunset as an intro to the main feature. As the natural light faded away, the family friendly movie began, and the boaters were treated to a new and unique form of entertainment.

People who attended were highly pleased with the experience. Being able to watch the movie from their own boats not only gave them one more excuse to go out on the bay, but it created memories their friends and family won’t soon forget. Over all, it was a relaxing evening for all who came. Boaters brought along picnic style dinners and plenty of snacks to add to the fun. Parents got to spend some quality time with their little ones, and everyone went home very happy with how it all turned out.

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Southern Outdoor Cinema, LLC
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About Southern Outdoor Cinema
Southern Outdoor Cinema, LLC, is the LARGEST producer of high quality outdoor movie events in the United States for movie studios, film festivals, marketing agencies, Fortune 500 Companies, schools and cities. Southern Outdoor Cinema produces extraordinary outdoor movie experiences with big screens and bright and colorful images so that your audience members feel like they are at a real Hollywood film premiere. Contact Southern Outdoor Cinema to receive a free consultation for your next special event.

An outdoor movie on the water in a bay. This was an idea a marina in the Gulf of Florida had for it’s customers. The marina was looking for an event that their customers could have fun in the water.

Boat-In Movies
We have experience setting up boat-in movies before. A giant inflatable movie screen setup on the shores of a lake. Boats dropped anchor and tuned in their radios to hear the movie. Kids dive off the side of the boat and splash around in the lake while mom and dad relax together on the deck of the boat. The sun setting and the movie image reflecting on the water. Entertaining fun on the water.

A Movie Screen In The Middle Of The Water In A Bay
A helicopter barge was scouted for the perfect location on the water to setup the movie screen. The barge sat high above the water at two stories tall. The tall barge allowed for an elevated and unobstructed viewing experience from the boaters. The challenge of an outdoor movie on the water was transporting the heavy cinema equipment. Fitted with life vests, the Southern Outdoor Cinema crew loaded a pontoon boat full of audio & visual equipment and chartered out to the floating barge in the middle of the bay. A generator was brought along too. Afterall there are no electric outlets in the middle of the water. Carefully the crew climbed to the top of the barge with the cinema setup, the movie screen, projectors and speakers in tow.

Challenges Of Showing A Movie On The Water
Being in a wide open area near the ocean can be breezy, so we installed a commercial grade high pressure screen. This would ensure the screen would be stable on top of the barge, providing for a still movie screen to project upon. The barge swayed in the water and we didn’t want a bouncey image on the screen. The crew planned ahead and provided special equipment to keep the projector still on the barge surface.

Why Drive Up To A Movie In A Car When You Can Motor Over In Your Boat
As the sun began to set upon the water, boaters cruised on over to the open air cinema on the water. Boaters chatted together before the film. The topic of conversation was the floating movie, of course.

All Rights Reserved
Southern Outdoor Cinema, LLC

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About Southern Outdoor Cinema

Southern Outdoor Cinema takes the stress and guess work out of hosting a movie theater-quality event outdoors and under the stars. Southern Outdoor Cinema doesn’t just rent movie screen equipment, but instead we share nearly a decade of movie event production experience with our clients to help them produce outdoor movie nights that are extraordinary. For a free consultation contact Southern Outdoor Cinema at www.SouthernOutdoorCinema.com