Drive in Cinema: Taking your Activity Outdoors
We’re seeing an increase in drive-in cinema offers around the world, providing a way for audiences to watch films together during the coronavirus crisis. We’ve put together a list of resources to help you find out what’s involved, with things to consider before taking your cinema outdoors.
Safeguarding Guidelines:
The UK Cinema Association has put together guidelines that are intended to provide advice on a range of measures that drive-in operators should take to ensure that they are able to ensure the continued safety of customers and staff.
Live Cinema UK Drive in Offer:
Live Cinema UK want to coordinate a series of drive in cinemas in the coming weeks and months to support the national film exhibition sector while independent cinemas are shut down due to Covid-19. They are currently offering this to independent cinemas and festivals only.
If you are interested, please fill in their form here.
Articles
- Read the ICO’s article: Drive-in cinemas in post-lockdown UK,
- Read Film Hub Midlands article: Is Outdoor the New Indoor?
- Read Screen Daily’s article: How drive-in cinemas are coming to the UK this summer,
- Read Film Hub NI’s article: Drive-In Cinema – the answer to getting our film fix soon?
- Putting on these events can be costly. Moonbeamer’s blog highlights the financial reality of drive-ins,
- Screen Daily: How drive-in cinemas are coming to the UK this summer,
- The Cinema Technology Community have created a comprehensive guide on drive-in screenings. To access the guide, you will need to sign up to a free 6-month membership.
Here are a few examples of outdoor screenings:
Sunset Cinema
ORGANISATION: Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
In 2014, The Torch Theatre (in association with Picton Castle, Stackpole National Trust, Film Hub Wales and Room with a View) presented a season of classic films screened outdoors at sunset in three beautiful Pembrokeshire locations.
Sunset Cinema returned for summer 2015 with more films in more rural locations following the Torch’s successful pilot in 2014. This time the project took classic films to seven beautiful historical sites around Pembrokeshire for a two week tour of fantastic outdoor cinema screenings.
BFI Gothic at Castle Coch and Caerphilly Castle
As part of the BFI Blockbuster Season: Gothic, Chapter, Cadw & USW held a pop-up cinema over two weekends in two truly extraordinary settings in February. Held in the outdoor grounds of Castle Coch and Caerphilly Castle, screenings featured Tangled, Bride of Frankenstein and Edward Scissorhands
Cinema & Co Drive In
Back in 2018, Cinema & Co., with the help of the National Trust, brought the Welsh premiere of Andy Irons: Kissed by God to Rhossili carpark, overlooking one of the top 10 beaches in the world!
Street Food Cinema
Coming soon to Cardiff, Street Food Cinema is a drive-in movie experience created by the Street Food Circus team.
This summer they have worked to create an event can meet social distancing rules, but still feels like a night out from your car.