Fletcher 16mm Backyard Theater
As an avid film buff and collector of 16mm prints, and feeling an indoor, fold out screen just isn't good enough to screen movies, the Fletcher Backayrd Theater is an ongoing project to build an outdoor theater to showcase whatever 16mm prints we can lay our hands on.

The screen is a 20 foot by 16 foot piece of custom made, white tarpaulin, reinforced and strung between two trees. Some have said it is  perhaps not the ideal material for a movie-screen, but it is surprising at how bright and crisp an image it shows off. The screen can be rolled up and stored, and the tarpaulin material is easy to clean and completely weather-resistant. It has Sleeves in the top and bottom in which we have inserted 2" diameter steel piping to straigten the screen. The tarp was custom made by Cramaro Tarpaulin Systems in Stoney Creek

Recent 'enginering' experiments have inclluded installing boat-winches to raise the screen, installing a wooden "brace" to take our folds and creases in the tarp and most recently using 'reduction pullys'.

The projector is an Eiki R-0, a so-called sherman tank of 16mm projectors. It's equipped with a 50mm lens and 250 watt halogen bulb. Faux-Stereophonic audio is provided through an old-school amplifier and two garage sale brand speakers. We hook up a CD player to play 'drivein' intermation ads and announcements beforw the show and during reel-changes. This summer we hope to aquire a popcorn-maker.
We show movies every-other Saturday Night all thru-out the Summer (and into the Fall), Cartoon, Shorts (we love NFB films) and a Feature Film. For up-to-date info and announcements of 'movie-nights' check out and/or join the Yahoo Group:

http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/16mmbackyardtheatre
Images and Audio
Construction
Under Construction
Steve installs the Wood Bace
The Screen Installing Rings up in Tree
Steve Young, Project Engineer; Movie Screen 2.0
Wooden Brace
Building the Screen may have been a Divine Act (?!?)
The rings were installed 25 feet up in the Trees
The Screen 15' x 20'
Seen from Rear
Movie Nights
Boat Winch used to raise screen
Rear view of screen
Projector ready for a show
MacKenzie and Daddy in front of Screen
Projector
Bottom Tie-Down
Projector and Screen
Projector running
Side View (with a bit o' wind behind it)
MacKenzie trained in Projectionist Duties
Projector set-up
Mac watches his first outdoor movie (Devil and Daniel Mouse)... standing a bit close
Screen before the wood brace; note the sag and creases
A Saturday Night Crowd (year 1)
Recent Disasters
Mid-winter; one side collapses in wind-storm
1st time it fell down, right tore lose from tree
Hear our Intermission Announcemennts and Music (click here)
Torn loose ring
Mid-winter; one side collapses in wind-storm
The screws simply broke
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