You’re asking what now..? We have all been there. We can’t read your mind but we are pretty sure you want to make more money. Maybe you want to start a new business, increase ticket sales, maximize Free advertising or Increase traffic. Since we can’t read your mind exactly, and you can’t read ours, we are going to point out a few things to you about us and what you can do. Turn that what now into right now!

Who we are!

Pop-Up Cinema began as a company that just sold screens and have been busy sourcing and supplying all the supporting technology to successfully screen movies anywhere. And we mean pretty much anywhere, from your backyard to the side of a mountain to the posh poolside of an exclusive hotel. In the background, we have also helped to create a groundswell of good faith projects to bring movies to underserved areas that don’t have classic Drive-in or picnic-style outdoor screenings.  The foundation is being built as we speak – read our Focus On Africa post where you can opt to get involved.

Filmgoers, find a drive-in or outdoor cinema!

When you’re friend turns to you on your night off and asks, “What now?” Search our map based interactive search engine to find a venue near you to watch a movie!  You can also find a cinema set up to rent for your next event.

Sign-up for our Newsletter!

You can receive our monthly newsletter called ‘What’s Poppin’ which will strictly focus on and help grow this unique industry. It brings you exclusive news, reviews, new listings and helpful tips for everything #popupcinema

Entrepreneurs, Buy A Screen!

If you are interested in running a pop-up cinema we have insights in the business section of our blog. You can also go directly to our Own Your Own page.

Business Owners, Need Some Help?

So you’re thinking of buying a screen or you already got yourself a screen and you have read through the FAQ’s and you still have questions (I know I can’t believe we didn’t cover your concern either!) you can always contact us for a consultation. We can help you expand and optimize your Pop-Up Cinema business.

Add your Business to our Listing Directory!

If you are a festival runner or Pop-Up cinema screen owner you have got to be listed. With all the increased traffic you’re going to be dealing with, you may have to hire car guards and install a few robotstraffic lights.

• First search for your company in our Listing Directory. It’s just like googling yourself, a bit of fun hey?
• You found your free listing! Great…now what? Claim it! Just click the button. You could leave it like it is with a minimal amount of information, but just like youth, it will be gone one day. So your best bet is to claim your listing and update the information.  Now you can respond to reviews.
• Not listed? Now you got FOMO don’t ya? No worries, just click “Add a Listing‘ and you will be taken to a form to fill in. You can actually preview it before you commit because we know commitment can be scary.

Upgrade your Package!

Make a splash and stand out by increasing your visibility with one of our various packages. Add images and increase the length of your business description, add your socials and web links to really let the people know what you’re about and how to find you.

Important Note from our SEO Expert: Properly naming your image file, the use of Alt Text fields on images to describe them, Closed Captioning on videos and Tags all help your SEO (That’s Search Engine Optimization). Not only is it the right think to do in terms of accessibility but Google may reward you with better ranking!

Our packages range from Basic to specialized Festival Events. The Red Carpet package is the VIP treatment without the painful high heels and outlandish tuxedo rentals.

Business Support Services Get Booked!

If you are an adjacent business owner who supplies support services like a food truck, AV company, entertainer, ticket sales platform, etc. – ask us about advertising opportunities.

Social Media

Now that you’re set up with your listing be sure to like/share/repost your listing when you see it on our social media channels! Hashtags cost nothing and allow you to be as creative and audience-focused as you want. Follow us, use our hashtags (#popupcinema), tag us in your pics, mention us in your posts, and create your own unique identifying hashtags to make it easy for your audience to find out what you are doing and where. Encourage your audience to “share” their experience at your event with the world and tag you. You can also encourage them to go back to your listing on pop-upcinema.com and rate your event and write a review.

Don’t have social media yet? No problem, it’s real easy to set up those accounts. If you need a primer – check out our Social Media 101 blog and we will walk you through some tips and ideas of what to do and how to build a following. You can also browse through our ever-growing Blog to find other helpful information.

Outdoor cinema is fun for everyone. It’s no surprise that the pop-up cinema experience is becoming more and more popular all around the world.

Here are 10 tips from an industry pro to help you plan a successful and memorable outdoor cinema event

1. Define your target audience and type of event

The first step is to consider your audience, before you choose your location, curate your film program and plan the logistics of your outdoor cinema event.

• Who do you want to invite and engage with? Family, couples, adults only?
• Is this a one-off event for a fundraiser or corporate?
• Or are you planning a series of events? Weekly, monthly?
• How many tickets would you like to sell?

For more inspiration for planning a series of events check out our What to Show blog series.

2. Location, Location, Location: Choose a venue, concept and date

Finding your venue. Choosing a location for your very own outdoor cinema event is quite an important decision. We’ve written a post on finding a venue that you can read here. Some things to think about:

• Think outside the box. Beaches, gardens, parks and countryside locations make great spots for an outdoor cinema event – just make sure that the location is easily accessible to all, has good links to public transport and is convenient for car parking too. Your venue needs to accommodate the number of people you plan to host. If you are hosting an event for 50 people, find a smaller venue because you don’t want to put your small screen on a huge field.
• A grassed venue is easier to rig your screen on than a concrete one. Your venue should not have obstructions e.g. poles or trees that would interfere with the audience’s line of sight.
• Ideally, you want the venue to have electricity. You do not need 3-phase power. Street lights or floodlights are a problem if they cannot be switched off during the event. There must be NO light shining on the screen. Decide where you want to position the screen. Aim to rear project, so determine how far your projector needs to be behind the screen to get a full image on the screen. It is nice to position the screen in a corner with a beautiful background or vista behind it.  There are many ways to enhance the experience with pre-show ideas.

Create a concept, but keep in mind the venue you use will most likely shape your concept – for example sunset picnic, backyard, rooftop, poolside, beach or a drive-in.

Decide on your start date or the date of your first event and consider listing your event(s) on our directory.

3. Seating

You can invite your audience to bring their own seating (blankets or cushions) or you could provide seating e.g bean bags, floor cushions or backrest chairs (you could charge a VIP price for the seating). Make sure you communicate your seating plan to all ticket holders.

4. Getting creative with your film program

This will arguably be the most important decision you make when it comes to planning your event. You’re going to need a film that will captivate your target audience because that will be the draw for ticket sales. Have a look at our What to Show Blog Category for inspiration. Alternatively, you can invite your audience to choose the film by running a competition on your social media platforms. This is also a great way to start marketing your event.

5. Safety is key 

The safety of your attendees is paramount when it comes to planning – so be sure to do a thorough check of your chosen venue. Make sure it’s completely secured. Ensure have a first aid kit at hand and that all your cables are covered and the screen poles are protected either with a tennis ball or a padded sock shield. 

6. Signage 

All signage must be visible at night. Ambient lighting and fluorescent paint can do the trick.  Now that we are in unprecedented times with a global pandemic you will also want to have signage in regards to the guidelines put out by your local government.  Check out our “Don’t burst my bubble: Covid safety” blog post for a basic intro into the kind of signage and how to approach this important issue facing the world today. 

7. Food, snacks and drinks

You cannot host a pop-up cinema without popcorn 😉. Buy or rent a popcorn machine – this is another way to make money. Support local food vendors by partnering with them as your preferred suppliers.

8. Embrace disaster

Things just happen. You cannot prepare for everything!  Anything might go wrong, you just need to stay calm under pressure and do your best to fix the problem as quickly as possible. Get your host or MC to keep your audience entertained while you address the problem.

9. Go live and get promoting

listing your event(s) on our directory. Launch your event on all your social media platforms. You want to launch with a bang, so build relationships with Radio stations, online magazines and try to wangle some free advertising. Ask the venue and your vendors to promote the event. Give away tickets to influencers, journalists or run a competition to win some tickets.  If you have a listing on our directory your event can be found by local filmgoers searching our site. Expand your reach by tagging our social media accounts as well. 

10. Have fun

When you are doing what you love, everything falls into place. Have a long-term vision for your business. Work with people who share your passion and drive.

What a great business to be in!