Projection Booth
Slide the sun up and down. Watch what happens to the movie on the screen.
Sky: Bright afternoon. Picture contrast: very weak. The projector is still shining the same picture, but sunlight lands on the screen too and washes it out.
What’s going on?
The projector shines the same picture the whole time. What changes is the light around it. A screen reflects every light that hits it: sunlight, streetlights and the projector. When the sun is up, the dark parts of the picture fill in with sunlight and everything looks faded. After sunset, the projector's light is the brightest thing on the screen, so the picture pops. That's why outdoor movies start after dark.
Meet the equipment
Projector
The projector shines the movie onto the screen. It's a very bright light, so the crew aims it at the screen and nobody ever looks into the lens.
Screen
The big screen catches the light and bounces it back to everyone watching. A light-colored screen shows the colors clearly.
Sound system
Speakers carry the voices, music and sound effects out to the whole crowd, even the families sitting way in the back.
Crew
At a Pro Stylez movie night, the crew sets up the screen, projector and sound, runs the show, and packs it all away afterward. Kids never have to touch the powered equipment.
Safety: Grown-ups and the crew handle the equipment. Never look into a projector or shine a light in someone's eyes.
Try it at home: light and shadow
A short flashlight activity to do with a grown-up. You’ll see how room light changes a shadow picture.