Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Drive-In/Outdoor Combo

This is topic Drive-In/Outdoor Combo in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 03-27-2017, 10:00 PM:

We're plugging away on our second screen, and it looks like the various permits and authorizations will go through on that. A couple years back when we were struggling with it, I was inspired by the many seasonal "sit-down outdoors" in the world. I still wonder if the studios would've considered my "movie garden" (with deck chairs and possibly tiered seating) as a legitimate move-over screen for week 2 (since we run on the break). Now I don't believe a person could get away with moving a Star Wars over 2nd week, there wouldn't be enough capacity. But he might get those big ones that now insist on 3 weeks over on week 3, and he might get the more average stuff over on week 2. What say you? For that matter, I wonder if an indoor single could move something into their own version of this outside during the summer months.

Posted by Donald Brown (Member # 5427) on 11-02-2017, 06:27 PM:

Earlier this year the operator of Farmington, Maine's Narrow Gage Cinema situated an outdoor "movie cafe" on property adjacent to the cinema complex. There's table seating, an appealing concession, and a small outdoor screen. In addition, another more substantial screen was added to the facility offering drive-in movies. While I haven't visited the movie cafe during operating hours, I can only imagine that it and the drive-in were each impacted by this summer's rainy weekends.

Posted by Allan Barnes (Member # 5178) on 01-06-2018, 03:01 AM:

Can we say it... BEER GARDEN

Posted by Dave Bird (Member # 490) on 01-06-2018, 10:46 AM:

That's funny, I had a guy walk up to me late last summer and asked "You guys sell beer?", but he did it in a tone of such conviction and confidence that I'm certain he expected me to immediately ring off our many options by bottle or on-tap. It seemed a silly question to us, but I always remind staff that we are so used to "how a drive-in works" (and why selling booze to drivers might be a bad idea), we need to remember that for many, this is entirely new and something they do very rarely, or haven't in many years.

The flip side of that is all the people that say "Wow, not many of these left, hope you can keep it going." To which I always say, "No danger in us closing so long as people continue to enjoy movies." It's true way more of us were built than could ever be sustained long term, however at this point, we're just another fun place to watch a movie. I've heard of a few places that sell beer and wine, I'm sure it adds a nice bump to sales but I don't think I'd ever touch it.