How to Amp Up Family Movie Night
Build a concessions stand., "Charge" for your food., Amp up your snack offerings., Have an intermission., Host a movie premiere in your own house/yard., Host holiday and theme nights., Ensure a quiet (but fun) movie-watching atmosphere., Adopt...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Build a concessions stand.
Rope off the kitchen and only allow people to talk to you through the counter/bar.
Offer nachos, popcorn, and boxed candy
- or do pizza-by-the-slice. -
Step 2: "Charge" for your food.
Give the kids monopoly money in exchange for their chores or their help setting up the room.
Then have them "buy" movie treats with the money they just earned.
Or if they earn a weekly allowance, use this as an opportunity to have them pay you back. , If you want to truly take the experience up a notch, find some theater-style vendors.
Talk your local dollar theaters, vending machine vendors, etc.
They typically have connections to get you the same products sold in theaters, not the grocery store equivalent
- whether that's the right-flavored popcorn topping, or the boxed candy that you can't get elsewhere. , Pause the movie for bathroom breaks and another trip to concessions.
This is especially great for long movies like Lord of the Rings.
Flicker the lights when intermission is ending. , Hankering to buy a new release? Offset the cost by selling $1 tickets and cheap concessions to your friends/neighbors.
Go the full mile and offer discounts/free tickets for people that dress in costume like at a real midnight movie release.
If this gains momentum, you could even use the earned money to buy popcorn machines or upgrade your movie equipment. , Schedule these in advance for certain days on the calendar.
Then go nuts on costumes, decorations, and treats.
Why not celebrate July 4th with a viewing of Will Smith's Independence Day where you serve up slushies (alien slime) and dots (some other alien slime)? Or you can put on a viewing of Elf during the 12 days of Christmas, matched up with hot chocolate and Snowballs, or spaghetti and syrup.
For a western movie, put out a nacho/taco bar and offer bottled sarsaparilla, root beer, or apple beer. , Stream a YouTube no cell phone advertisement before the movie, post signs for a designated lobby area, place a cellphone basket in a secure area, etc.
Do whatever it takes to make your movie uninterrupted, just like a real theater experience.
If you have a bigger viewing area, consider setting up designated aisles and a cheep glow-in-the-dark marker exit sign. , If you've gone a bit higher-end with you home system, try these ideas:
If your kids have gaming chairs, wire them up with your home theater for a more connected feel.
Most home theater systems have tools to optimize or customize the setups.
Run regular system tools or move home theater speakers around the room for a closer, surround-sound feel.
Place the sub-woofer behind or under your couch/seats to increase the rumble.
For movies in your backyard, put together a cart for your projector.
Create a simple setup on one base that you can wheel out to the middle of the yard.
Then unroll the speakers into the yard, and voila
- a 5 second surround sound experience! Build a raised platform and put your back row of chairs on it, for stadium-style seating.
Alternatively, cut legs shorter on older chairs, for the front row. , With this option, you're not really watching the movie, because you'll be involved with props and watching for cues in the storyline.
Add some sensory engagement to the experience so your audience can truly "feel" the movie.
Throw things into your audience or powder them from above.
If it's a snowy movie, you could sprinkle potato flakes or confetti at them.
For a horror movie, use plastic spiders.
For a rainstorm (if you're outside), use a squirt gun! -
Step 3: Amp up your snack offerings.
-
Step 4: Have an intermission.
-
Step 5: Host a movie premiere in your own house/yard.
-
Step 6: Host holiday and theme nights.
-
Step 7: Ensure a quiet (but fun) movie-watching atmosphere.
-
Step 8: Adopt higher end options
-
Step 9: like home XD-style seating.
-
Step 10: Bring 3D to life - without 3D technology.
Detailed Guide
Rope off the kitchen and only allow people to talk to you through the counter/bar.
Offer nachos, popcorn, and boxed candy
- or do pizza-by-the-slice.
Give the kids monopoly money in exchange for their chores or their help setting up the room.
Then have them "buy" movie treats with the money they just earned.
Or if they earn a weekly allowance, use this as an opportunity to have them pay you back. , If you want to truly take the experience up a notch, find some theater-style vendors.
Talk your local dollar theaters, vending machine vendors, etc.
They typically have connections to get you the same products sold in theaters, not the grocery store equivalent
- whether that's the right-flavored popcorn topping, or the boxed candy that you can't get elsewhere. , Pause the movie for bathroom breaks and another trip to concessions.
This is especially great for long movies like Lord of the Rings.
Flicker the lights when intermission is ending. , Hankering to buy a new release? Offset the cost by selling $1 tickets and cheap concessions to your friends/neighbors.
Go the full mile and offer discounts/free tickets for people that dress in costume like at a real midnight movie release.
If this gains momentum, you could even use the earned money to buy popcorn machines or upgrade your movie equipment. , Schedule these in advance for certain days on the calendar.
Then go nuts on costumes, decorations, and treats.
Why not celebrate July 4th with a viewing of Will Smith's Independence Day where you serve up slushies (alien slime) and dots (some other alien slime)? Or you can put on a viewing of Elf during the 12 days of Christmas, matched up with hot chocolate and Snowballs, or spaghetti and syrup.
For a western movie, put out a nacho/taco bar and offer bottled sarsaparilla, root beer, or apple beer. , Stream a YouTube no cell phone advertisement before the movie, post signs for a designated lobby area, place a cellphone basket in a secure area, etc.
Do whatever it takes to make your movie uninterrupted, just like a real theater experience.
If you have a bigger viewing area, consider setting up designated aisles and a cheep glow-in-the-dark marker exit sign. , If you've gone a bit higher-end with you home system, try these ideas:
If your kids have gaming chairs, wire them up with your home theater for a more connected feel.
Most home theater systems have tools to optimize or customize the setups.
Run regular system tools or move home theater speakers around the room for a closer, surround-sound feel.
Place the sub-woofer behind or under your couch/seats to increase the rumble.
For movies in your backyard, put together a cart for your projector.
Create a simple setup on one base that you can wheel out to the middle of the yard.
Then unroll the speakers into the yard, and voila
- a 5 second surround sound experience! Build a raised platform and put your back row of chairs on it, for stadium-style seating.
Alternatively, cut legs shorter on older chairs, for the front row. , With this option, you're not really watching the movie, because you'll be involved with props and watching for cues in the storyline.
Add some sensory engagement to the experience so your audience can truly "feel" the movie.
Throw things into your audience or powder them from above.
If it's a snowy movie, you could sprinkle potato flakes or confetti at them.
For a horror movie, use plastic spiders.
For a rainstorm (if you're outside), use a squirt gun!
About the Author
Susan Hill
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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