by Rodney Tait
If you’re an experienced movie party host, you already know the drill. If you’re a new home theatre owner, though, we’ll let you in on an important tip: Hosting a perfect movie party often isn’t about the films themselves.
Chances are that your guests will love whatever movies you pick. A great movie party is really about the things that surround the experience – the refreshments, the atmosphere and simply enjoying a great time with loved ones. If you focus on providing a great experience, the rest will take care of itself – and your guests will have an unforgettable evening. Here’s how to do it.
Increase Immersion with a New Projector and Screen
Is a TV still your primary display for movie watching? If so, you should consider the fact that nothing upgrades the movie viewing experience quite as much as a display with a really large viewing area – and if you haven’t invested in a big-screen TV yet, a projector is the ideal alternative because nothing gives you more display space for the money.
Thanks to factors like LED lighting and component miniaturisation, high-end projectors cost less and last longer than ever. Moreover, a projector is the ideal display for movie viewing because it allows you to view light reflected off of a surface – the same way you view images in everyday life – instead of staring directly at a light source. Compared to TVs, projectors look more natural and cause less eye fatigue.
If you’re going to get a projector for your home theatre, you’ll also need to consider what type of viewing surface you’ll be using. It’s ideal to use a screen because a screen frames the image with a black border and helps to control the glare that can result from imperfect lighting conditions. If you don’t have the room or the budget for a screen, though, don’t be afraid to project films on a bare white wall instead. As long as the wall is smooth and the room is sufficiently darkened, it’ll still look great.
If you’ve already invested in a huge TV and are happy with your viewing experience as it is, consider installing some rear-facing bias lighting around the TV instead. Bias lighting puts a halo of dim light around the screen, which can reduce eye fatigue and improve the perceived contrast of the display.
Wow Your Guests with the Perfect Movie Refreshments
When you host a movie party at your house, are the refreshments typically limited to bowls of candy and bags of microwave popcorn? We’d never say no to microwave popcorn – but giving your home theatre refreshments a significant upgrade doesn’t have to cost as much as you might think.
Candy, for instance, has always been a mainstay of the movie viewing experience. Everybody has their favourite movie candies, so give your guests a little variety by buying a package of assorted boxed candies and creating a little display so guests can help themselves. Alternatively, if your movie party will involve a selection of films from a specific era, try selecting some period-authentic snacks that people might have eaten if they had seen those films at that time.
You shouldn’t forget about the smokers in your movie viewing group. When you’ve hosted movie parties in the past, did some of the people in your group spend half of the evening outside instead of enjoying the movies with everyone else? Grab some disposable vapes that people can use instead when the urge strikes. Unfortunately, disposable vapes with nicotine aren’t available in Australia – but you can buy them from an overseas seller like V2 Cigs UK.
Sweets are always fun, but you shouldn’t forget about the popcorn because that is hands-down the one movie snack that everyone expects to enjoy during a movie party. If you’ve never considered investing in a theatre-style popcorn maker, you really should because they’re surprisingly affordable. The smell alone is a great enhancement to the movie viewing experience.
Your guests are certain to want beverages as well. Although you could certainly just have some soda or beer in the refrigerator, buying a soda siphon is an easy way to go the extra mile and make some truly special beverages for your guests. They’re surprisingly affordable and quite easy to use. All that you need to do is fill the siphon with the water or fruit juice of your choice, install a carbon dioxide cartridge and give it a twist for some instant bubbles.
Are you planning to screen more than one or two films? If you are, the people in your group would probably appreciate something a little more substantial than popcorn or candy. In that case, consider having a catered sandwich spread brought in and letting people serve themselves. It’s much easier than doing your own cooking.
Encourage Interaction with a Between-Film Activity
People don’t just go to movie parties for the films themselves. They also enjoy the opportunity to interact with friends or family – and as much as people love movies, they don’t necessarily want to spend the entire day in a dark room staring at a screen. Break things up by planning a between-movie activity that your guests will enjoy. Here are a couple of ideas that you and your guests might like.
- Many of the popular movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s had tie-in games that were released for contemporary game consoles – and they’re often hilariously horrible. Download the tie-in game for one of the films that you’ll be watching during the party and use an emulator on your computer to let your guests play it. It’s certain to keep people entertained for a while.
- If the films that you’ll be screening during the movie party are related to one another – a popular trilogy, for instance – host a trivia contest that relates to those films. Buy a collectible item such as a prop, script, autograph or framed poster and give it away as a prize to the guest with the highest score.
