Creating A Lockdown Cinema Experience

Words by Sarah Belger
Artwork by Sarah Belger

With lockdown restrictions easing and life starting to return to normality, , the return of cinema is for the moment at least on hold, following the postponement of reopening plans by major chains across the UK earlier this month. Luckily for you, the big screen need wait no longer, as we at Quench have   a range of ideas for how to  turn your home into your very own private cinema!

Snacks

Recreating cinema snacks at home is a really easy way to make it feel like the real deal! With popcorn kernels costing as little as ┬ú1 at Tesco, you really will find yourself saving a few pennies compared to buying it at the theatre! ThereÔÇÖs also the added bonus of being able to invent completely new flavours and easily impress any family members or friends joining you for movie nights: from cheesy nacho popcorn to cinnamon sugar. If you really want to impress, you can even buy your own popcorn boxes to serve up your wonderful creations.

Tickets 

Forever finding a fistful of ticket stubs in every which pocket and being fondly reminded of cinema trips from bygone weeks? Well, you donÔÇÖt have to be a graphic design whiz to make your own and recreate the act of presenting them before youÔÇÖre allowed to enter the auditorium. You can even ask your mates to show their student ID if you want to go all out! HereÔÇÖs one I managed to whip together to show just how easy it really is:

Furniture

Possibly the easiest way to help create a cinematic atmosphere: move some furniture out of the room. How often have you walked into Cineworld and seen a coffee table or bookshelf parked in front of the screen? If you are able to move it temporarily and arrange your seating to have an aisle down the middle leading up to the screen, itÔÇÖs bound to create a more cinema-like experience! Close any blinds or curtains to make the room as dark as possible and switch off all the lights to be able to fully immerse yourself in the film. 

Projector

A slightly more expensive option (although still within the price-range for many), would be to purchase a projector for your lockdown (and future) viewings. They can be found for as little as ┬ú70 on Amazon – *other delivery companies are available* – and if youÔÇÖve got a big, plain wall then you donÔÇÖt even need to buy a screen to go with it. If you were planning on buying a TV for your uni-house this year, then a projector could be an alternative well worth looking into. With increasingly more people, particularly students, choosing Netflix and other streaming services over regular TV, itÔÇÖs likely you may end up connecting your laptop to a bigger screen anyway.  Investing in an at-home cinema experience will allow you to watch sport on a big screen before pubs are able to do so and just improve the way you normally watch your favourite TV shows too!