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How To Host An Outdoor Movie Night Fundraiser

Latika Mani | 4 OCT 2019

Spring is in the air. Sun-kissed days and balmy nights are right around the corner. Everyone is slowly shaking off their winter habit of hibernating indoors and getting ready to embrace the great outdoors. Before they all fill up their social calendar, pencil them in to join you for an outdoor movie night fundraiser event.

*COVER PHOTO: Philly Voice

You’ve heard of carols in the park but what about cinema in the park?

We’re pretty lucky here in Australia that spring and summer are towards the end of the year and coincide nicely with all the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Did you know that people donate more to charity around Christmas time?

People generally feel more generous and embrace the spirit of the holiday season, making it a great time to do a fundraiser in support of The Fred Hollows Foundation.

Whatever it may be, now’s the time to set the foundation for hosting a successful outdoor movie night fundraiser event during the warmer months.

Not only is it fun to settle down to a movie out in the open air, with your favourite people (and snacks!) nearby, it’s also rewarding to know that you’ll be restoring sight to those who need it the most by:

  • Helping eliminate avoidable blindness
  • Fighting to prevent and end eye diseases
  • Providing training to eye health providers in under-serviced areas
Here’s a list of everything you need to know to host a successful outdoor fundraising event.


7 steps to outdoor cinema success

Want to skip to a particular step? Click on the links below:

  1. GET A MOVIE PERMIT
  2. PICK YOUR PARK
  3. ASK COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL
  4. HIRE AN AFFORDABLE MOVIE SCREENING SERVICE
  5. APPLY FOR FOOD VENDOR PERMIT
  6. ORGANISE SEATING
  7. CONSIDER THE AMENITIES


1. Get a movie permit

Before showing any movie as part of a public screening, the most important thing to remember is that you’ll need to get permission from the distribution rights holder. This way you’ll avoid any fines due to copyright infringements.
 

What is a public screening?

According to the Australian Copyright Council, screening a movie outside your home is considered a public screening.

This also applies to charitable organisations wanting to raise money or anyone else who may be hosting a movie night fundraiser event with the intention of donating the revenue to a charity or not-for-profit organisation.

Getting a written permission from the copyright holder before going ahead with the screening of any movie for your outdoor fundraiser event should be your number one priority.

These are the two major distributors in Australia that you’ll most likely have to contact in order to get your movie permit:

 

  1. Roadshow – they are agents for some of the biggest studios, including DreamWorks, Disney, Warner Brothers, Pixar, Universal, 20th Century Fox
  2. Amalgamated Movies – is the second largest distributor that looks after companies such as Sony, Tristar Pictures, Madman and Columbia Pictures

If the film you’re planning on showing is not covered by either of these two copyright holders, you can find a list of other distributors from the Australian Film Societies Federation website.

Here are a few examples:
  • Antidote Films – arthouse films and social documentaries
  • Ronin Films – mostly Australian documentaries
  • Hi Gloss Entertainment – Italian and French cinema
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Bev Weidner (@bevcooks) on May 12, 2018 at 7:02pm PDT

Are you ready to start fundraising?

Are you ready to start fundraising?

You can contribute to The Fred Hollows Foundation in a variety of ways, not only through incredibly generous donations.
 

Join Fred's Team today by creating your own fundraising page for your outdoor movie night.

 

CREATE YOUR EVENT TODAY

2. Pick your park

As always, your venue will be determined by your guest demographic.

A local park is always a popular option for community events. Just keep in mind that if it’s in a residential area, there might be noise restrictions in place.

A central park or showground is a better option as they’re generally bigger and accessible by public transport with lots of amenities (such as car parks) in place.

If the fundraiser is within your community and lots of kids from the local school will be attending, then the school oval would make a great venue for your movie night. Double check with the school principal on the correct protocol for this.

If you’re planning on hosting the movie night charity event at your workplace, take advantage of any outdoor areas on the premises. Some companies have a dedicated outdoor seating area for employees, others have a lawn or green area that’s reserved for company events and end-of-year parties. Does your workplace have something similar?

This would be a great after-work team bonding session that everyone can attend without having to go out of their way to get to the venue.

 

Why not give your charity event a weekend getaway vibe?

Do you have a friend who has a holiday home complete with a big backyard up in the mountains or in a scenic coastal town? Maybe they’re willing to donate it to you for a weekend.

This would be an ideal option if you’re planning on hosting a more intimate gathering of just close family and friends.

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Image source: We Heart Parties


3. Ask council for approval

No matter which venue you end up choosing for your charity outdoor movie night, it’s important to let your local council know.

This way you’ll avoid getting in trouble and incurring a fine for breaking any council rules.

Your local council might even be willing to get involved and donate some services such as:

  • Extra recycling and rubbish bins
  • Parking and traffic control assistance, including closing off certain sections of a road (if need be)
  • Lending equipment such as generators, lighting or seating
  • Providing access to toilet facilities or running water
They will also have more information on any other permits you may need, especially if you’re planning on selling food or alcohol in a public place.

Other things to keep in mind when talking to your local council about your charity event:
  • Park maintenance – the grass is freshly mowed, the park is free of any litter, and any pre-scheduled sprinklers are turned off
  • Ask them to share your upcoming charity event on their website and social media platforms by creating your online fundraising page here
  • Get advice on which local businesses may be willing to donate their goods or services to your outdoor event


4. Hire a movie screening service

In order to show your movie in the open air, you’ll be needing these things:

  • Projector
  • Screen
  • Sound system
  • Lighting
  • Electricity generator (to power the whole thing!)
If you know someone who can lend you these things, then you’re very well connected and pretty lucky!

If not, then don’t worry because your local council, church, school or community hall may have equipment they could let you borrow.

If none of these options work out for you – and your budget allows you to – then hiring a professional movie screening service may be the way to go.

Don’t be afraid to let them know that you’re hosting an outdoor movie night to raise money for The Fred Hollows Foundation – they might be willing to give you a discount!

The great thing about hiring a movie projection service is that they might already have a bunch of movies for you to choose from, so you won’t have to worry about getting permits from copyright holders.


Remember to shop around and negotiate prices with a few outdoor movie companies. Here are some that you can contact:
  • Outdoor Movies Australia
  • Big Screen Hire
  • Backyard Cinema Hire
  • Smart Digital Australia
  • Sydney Outdoor Cinema Hire
  • Melbourne Blow Up Cinema
Before you sign on the dotted line, keep these two things front of mind because they will affect the size and capacity of the equipment you will need:
  • Size of the venue for your movie night fundraiser
  • Number of guests attending the charity event

Need some help setting your event budget? Our downloadable template is a great tool for managing your fundraising budget. 

DOWNLOAD OUR FUNDRAISING EVENT BUDGET TEMPLATE

 
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Image: Zhifei Zhou, Unsplash


5. Apply for food vendor permit

Now that you have chosen your venue, sorted out approvals and have a projection service ready to go, it’s time to think about selling snacks at the fundraiser.

Offering tasty treats at your outdoor movie night fundraiser is a foolproof way to make more money for your charitable organisation.

When setting up food and drink stalls in a public area, make sure to get in touch with your local council about the food handling guidelines and permits you may need.

It might also be a good idea to hire mobile food trucks – at a heavily discounted price, of course – because they’re already registered food businesses who have pre-existing permits to serve food and beverages to the public.

Here are a few food truck ideas to get the inspiration wheels turning:

  • Fluffy Crunch – fun fairy floss flavours; popular with kids of all ages
  • The Bearded Bakers – brothers dishing knafeh to their a huge following
  • Choux Patisserie – exceptional eclairs by a proper French pastry chef
  • Billy van Creamery – great gelato. Insider scoop: they have a vegan range
  • Belles Hot Chicken – American style fried chicken with the works
  • Mr Burger – something for the burger lovers, including veggos and vegans
  • Happy as Larry – kids will love this because they sell pizza
  • El Capo – solid South American flavours, vegan options available
  • Mama Linh’s – Vietnamese street food at its best
  • The Snag Society – who doesn’t love a sausage sizzle?
Request a 'Letter of Authority'

Request a 'Letter of Authority'

We can provide you with a 'Letter of Authority' to fundraise for The Fred Hollows Foundation, just get in touch with us!

Download our 2018 Annual Report for loads of key facts about our work that you can share to demonstrate our impact and legitimacy.

 

GET IN TOUCH


6. Organise seating

You can encourage guests to bring their own low, fold-out or camping chairs, or you can use this opportunity to raise more funds for your charity by hiring out:

  • Picnic blankets
  • Cushions
  • Beanbags
  • Sun loungers
You could easily include these in the cost of the ticketing and offer them as a combo deal:
  • Picnic blankets as part of the standard package
  • Beanbags and sun loungers as part of the premium or luxury packages
If you’re wondering where to get your hands on such a large number of seating options, you can ask your community, leisure centre, church or sports club to help your charity event by donating seating for the night.

You can also contact local businesses and ask them for freebies! They’ll love the free publicity and goodwill their kind gesture will garner in the community.


7. Consider the amenities

You’re almost there! But here are a few final things to help you host a super successful outdoor movie night fundraiser:

  • Toilet facilities – if there aren’t enough toilet facilities available at the venue, consider hiring portaloos
  • Rubbish bins – have enough bins placed around the venue so everyone has access to them
  • Site maps – provide a map of the venue with entry points and exits clearly marked
  • Accessibility – be sure to share accessibility information about the site
  • Transport timetables – give public transport timings to your guests
  • Parking instructions – find out whether street parking is an option or if there’s a carpark nearby for guests who’ll be driving (and whether it’s free)
  • Emergency procedures – have an emergency meeting point and evacuation plan ready; your council can help with this
  • Security personnel – depending on the size of your event and location, see if security or police presence is needed
  • Volunteers – ask for help coordinating the event (directing people to their seats, helping them find rest rooms or locate the bins, etc)
  • Check the weather – While hosting your outdoor movie event in the warmer months is a safer bet, be sure to check the weather forecast before the event
 

You can track your fundraising progress by starting your personal fundraising page over here.

 
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Volunteers are always appreciated at fundraising events, as shown here at the inaugural Bowling for Fred Barefoot Bowls Challenge at Merthyr Bowls Club | Photo: Sue Larson, The Fred Hollows Foundation (2004)


One last thing...

Enjoy yourself!

Don't forget to start your personal fundraising page so that you can track your fundraising progress, and feel free to contact us with any questions.

  • Email: [email protected] 
  • Phone: 1800 672 892


Want more fundraising ideas? Check out these:

  • Host a movie night fundraiser in 10 simple steps
  • How to organise a trivia night fundraiser on a shoestring budget
  • 8 activities to help you put the fun in fundraising at school


 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Latika Mani - The Fred Hollows Foundation

Latika is a passionate digital content writer for The Fred Hollows Foundation with over 15 years of professional writing and message amplification experience. With a penchant for making lists, Latika loves sharing ideas and step-by-step guides to help readers get organised and geared for their own fundraising success – especially if it's baking-related!

 

Who are we?

Watch this video to learn more about The Fred Hollows Foundation and check out our YouTube channel for more.

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All content © 2020 The Fred Hollows Foundation. All rights reserved. ABN 46 070 556 642

The Fred Hollows Foundation is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

Eligible tax-deductible donations have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status with the Australian Tax Office.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is a member of The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and is compliant with the ACFID code of conduct.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is accredited by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), responsible for managing the Australian Government's aid program.

The Fred Hollows Foundation receives support through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

All content © 2020 The Fred Hollows Foundation. All rights reserved. ABN 46 070 556 642


The Fred Hollows Foundation acknowledges the Traditional Owners and custodians of the lands on which we work and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.