For your outdoor movie screen, what lumen projector is right?

We get asked this question all the time. We also get asked if a brighter projector can help get their outdoor movie event started earlier.

Here are our answers:

1. The math for calculating brightness is easy. We are going to use 16:9 ratio projectors and inflatable screens for this exercise. Take the lumens and divide it by the square feet of the screen surface. So for example, we sell a 5,000 lumen hidef projector with our 24'x13.5' Aeropro HD-PRO Package. 24x13.5'=324 sf. 5000/324=15.4. The resultant calculation is a measurement called foot lamberts. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Pictures has set 14-16  foot lamberts as the standard. So 15.4 is plenty of light!
2. Does more brightness mean we can start our outdoor movie earlier? The answer is - yes and no! More brightness means you may see a picture. However, in projection, the color black is created by darkness any ambient light destroys black levels and washes out colors.

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Bob Deutsch
Outdoor Movies