The 2020 Drive-In Theater Renaissance
Return of the Drive-in Theater
With the Covid-19 Pandemic, people are looking for alternative forms of entertainment for their families. Going to the drive-in may seem like a relic from yesteryear, but it may be the answer to our current coronavirus situation and it employs social distancing.
The Drive-in Movie Theater
The first drive-in movie theater opened in June of 1933 in Camden, New Jersey. In the 1950s, there were over 4000 Drive-in movie theaters across the USA. Today, this number has dwindled to about 350 nationwide. The multiplex theater, real estate prices and home video sales are thought to have lead to closures.
The drive-in theater is a part of Americana.
The Mobile Drive-in Movie Theater – Delivered to You
Through the use of inflatable screens or mobile LED displays it is now possible to have a drive-in movie theater in an empty field, parking lot or even in your driveway.
Using bright projectors, FM transmitters, and huge movie screens it is possible to rekindle the drive-in cinema experience virtually anywhere.
A Drive-In theater can be set up in;
- Parking Lots
- Sporting Venues
- Community Parks
- Neighborhoods
- Lakes (boat-in)
- Warehouses
- Fields
FunFlicks® has delivered hundreds of Drive-in movies across America bringing the big screen to communities everywhere.
Recent Drive-In Movies hosted by FunFlicks®
Zip Car Drive-in Cinema Season Premier
FunFlicks® was contracted across the nation to provide the drive-in movie experience for new showtime content before it was released to the general public. A live twitter stream was set up to connect other drive-in events across the nation.
In the Bay Area, the Zip Car Drive in was held at an amazing venue: The 49ers old stadium at Candlestick Park.
EVENT IDEA – We can connect to most video streams via HDMI for your own event. You can create your own season premiere or finale.
Macy’s American Icon Celebration
Macy’s celebrated the Drive-in theaters across the nation during their salute to American Icons. FunFlicks® set up both Drive-ins with cars and big screen outdoor movie events with groups of people.
Screening of the “Smurf the Lost Village” included characters from the movie on-site. These cameo appearances added to the experience for the children… and the adults.
Popup Drive-In Theater & Silent Cinema
Odette Estate has re-imagined the drive-in cinema for the wine crowd with their Secret Cinema drive-in. Clues for the movie selection are posted on social media the week leading up to the event. Food truck dinners, fine wine, and the drive-in movie make secret cinema a cool movie-going experience! Check out their video.
EVENT IDEA – Set up your own Secret Cinema Drive-in Movie Event!
The Driveway Drive-in Theater
Over the July 4th holiday, outfitted with a driveway, a laptop, a projector, an FM transmitter and a movie screen, we made our own Driveway Drive-In Theater. The kids loved it and asked to do it again the next night. Why not, we were on holiday!
EVENT IDEA – Want to have your own driveway drive-in with your close family? FunFlicks® can help. FunFlicks® provides all the movie equipment including projector, sound system, huge movie screens and event technician for one price. Give us a call today.
One Car Drive-in for Russian Bachelor
Convertible, small screen, iconic location, and a TV Crew made for a romantic setting for the filming of the Russian Bachelor at Coit Tower in San Francisco. A parting gift from the crew was the movie they screened.
EVENT IDEA – Make your own romantic evening in your yard, driveway or special place.
Yearly Drive-in Community School Movie Night
We run a yearly drive-in movie night at a local school. It is one of the most talked-about events on the community calendar. One family told us that their son asked if they could go to school……for the Drive-in every weekend!
This year a trunk or treat was added where people decorated the trunks of their cars for Halloween.
EVENT IDEA – Create a new tradition of a Drive-in Theater at your School or Church
Napa Valley Film Festival Drive-in Movie
FunFlicks® provided a 4-night drive-in movie experience on a huge AIRSCREEN as part of the Napa Valley Film Festival. Each night had two screenings of a variety of films and documentaries, including interviews with the directors and cast from the film.
The screen used starts more than 10 feet off the ground, this provides all guests the perfect view from their car.
EVENT IDEA – Add an outdoor drive-in movie experience to your festival
One Car Drive-In Theater/The Proposal
This event was very special to me (Paul the Outdoor Movie Guy) as I got to help my nephew with this marriage proposal.
With a view of the City from Mersea restaurant on Treasure Island, we set up a small screen, with an old VW, projector, and laptop. For sound, we used a Detroit Diecast, old-style drive-in movie speakers from the drive-in era, but with a modern twist, it is Bluetooth, so would connect to the laptop without cables.
She said… YES!
Perfect proposal with a classic car and view of San Francisco. Sound through an old drive-in style speaker
EVENT IDEA – Ever dreamed of creating the perfect proposal? Put those dreams on the big screen.
Drive-In Rental made easy with FunFlicks®
FunFlicks can provide “The Drive-In” movie experience from Hawaii to Florida. We can provide all the equipment needed to recreate the nostalgia of yesteryear on your field or lot.
These include:
- Sound systems
- FM transmitters
- Cables
- Generators
- Drive-In cinema screen(s)
- Bright High Definition (HD) Drive-In movie projector
- Trained professional event technicians
Not only is it safe during this time requiring social distancing, but it’s also fun.
Click here for more Drive-in information
Long live the drive-in!
Paul the Outdoor Movie Guy
Event Rentals for Your Drive-In Theater Party
FunFlicks® Inflatable Movie Screen Rentals
FunFlicks® inflatable movie screens are professional quality at an affordable price. There's a size for everyone, whether you're throwing a massive film festival with thousands in attendance or a small birthday with family at your house. To make sure everything runs smoothly, a local FunFlicks® event technician will arrive at your location on time, set up the screen, oversee the technology, and pack it all away at the end of the screening. Booming high-definition sound, crystal-clear laser projection, and a larger-than-life display are all included when you book an event with us.
Backyard 16'
12'x7' Display
100 Guests
20 Cars
Premiere 21'
16'x9' Display
250 Guests
50 Cars
Blockbuster 26'
20'x12' Display
500 Guests
75 Cars
Elite 32'
26'x15' Display
750 Guests
100 Cars
Epic 40'
30'x17' Display
1500 Guests
150 Cars
Xtreme 50'
40'x22' Display
3000 Guests
250 Cars
FunFlicks® LED Screen Rentals
FunFlicks LED screens are perfect for day or night display in almost any environment. Utilizing electroluminescent technology, our LED screens generate light effectively at any time of day. Each panel is rated IP65, meaning they are both rain and dustproof. Day or night, rain or shine, you get to decide when the magic happens. All of our mobile LED trailers have onboard generators for portable power. Therefore, no power supply is needed. Similar to our inflatable screens, our fleet of LED screens comes in a variety of dimensions for a variety of crowd sizes. Local event technicians across the country are available to bring our LED trailers anywhere for you to enjoy video games, live sports, movies, advertisements, or almost everything else!
8'x5' LED Trailer
75 Guests
15 Cars
12'x7' LED Trailer
100 Guests
20 Cars
15'x8' LED Trailer
250 Guests
50 Cars
17'x10' LED Trailer
500 Guests
75 Cars
23'x13' LED Trailer
750 Guests
100 Cars
FunFlicks customers get 10% Off Movie Licensing through Movie Night Ministries!
Movie Night Ministries is a family-oriented organization whose ultimate goal is to provide excellent, newly released movies directly to communities throughout the United States.
