Street Use: Rooftop and Building Sides Theaters

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Rooftop and Building Sides Theaters

This is literally street use of technology. Projecting films for the neighborhood at night is not a new idea, but hi-tech digital projectors make it possible on a much smaller scale. In New York City a group called Rooftop Films will rent equipment or help communities set up movie projections during warm summer nights. But anyone with a cheap digital projector can do their own show in their own neighborhoods. You need a large white wall or screen, a projector, DVD player, sound, lots of chairs and a warm night.

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Posted on August 25, 2006 at 11:58 PM | +del.icio.us +digg +reddit

Comments

Thanks, Maks. I posted your suggestion. And yes, Phillip, I am sure these shows break all kinds of rules including local ordinances. That's half of their allure.

Posted by Kevin Kelly on September 7, 2006 at 1:29 AM

Alex, by any chance would you have some images of the trolley mounted projector from that demonstration? I'd love to feature them here.

Posted by Kevin Kelly on September 7, 2006 at 1:22 AM

I took part in a mass demonstration in the winter of 2001-2 in Vienna where something similar mounted on a supermarket trolley was used to show a film during the march. Two protestors held up the screen mounted on poles like a banner, whilst another pushed the trolley and operated the projector. Current was supplied by a cable to a sound truck.

Posted by Alex on August 30, 2006 at 12:42 PM

I found this site www.lumenlab.com, they sell the parts for DIY beamers and assembled ones using LCD monitors and fresnel lenses, I have no idea if it works and how hard it is, but it seems to be a BIG community and the projects posted in the forum are really cool. also check out this article: http://tinyurl.com/kqntf , backyard projector on wheels.

Posted by Maks on August 26, 2006 at 2:34 PM

In this current climate of rabid dog enforcement by the MPAA surely a show like this infringes on the 'Public Performance" clause?

Posted by Philip Barrett on August 26, 2006 at 3:38 AM

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