How To Set Up Your Apartment For An Epic College Movie Night

By Danni White on September 27, 2016

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Getting friends together for a night at the movies is a great, low-cost idea for those who want to spend time with friends without the added stress and expense of trying to take a large group out for one movie. By the time you get the tickets, food, and other goodies, the cost could add up to an entire semester’s worth of tuition!

You can always set up a theater in your backyard (providing it’s big enough) or rent a spot just for you and your friends so you won’t have to mess up your place. But instead of making it a run-of-the-mill activity, turn it into an everyone’s-going-to-be-there party event.

Here are a few tips to get you going:

Consider the menu.

What’s a movie without food?

Some movie theaters have adopted the idea of serving food that is or has been in certain movies. Take champagne cocktail for example in “Casablanca” or spaghetti carbonara in “Heartburn.” Anything within reason, of course, that can be found at your local grocery store that is going to be a part of the movie you choose is fair game to serve at your snack station.

Consider correlating the food to the movie. Let’s say you’ve chosen a hot chick flick — then champagne and hors d’oeuvres might be in order. Wings and dip might be a better choice for a sports related movie like “We Are Marshall.”

And don’t forget the popcorn. You can even take this up a notch by trying out some new varieties. Basic snacks like chips and dip, candy, ice cream, and soda can go a long way in ensuring all your guests’ stomachs are satisfied.

Consider the seating.

Okay, so when the lights go down, things can certainly get a bit iffy providing you don’t have enough or comfortable seating in your place. If everyone you’ve invited is not in some way related by blood or intimacy, then you’ll need to ensure enough seating as possible is available.

While a couch or love seat is your best bet, don’t be certain everyone is going to crowd onto one couch or be comfortable sitting on the floor or on a bar stool. To that end, populate your room with overstuffed pillows, comfortable throw rugs, or bean bags. You can find a number of good ideas here.

If you like to go to a store to see and feel before you buy, then IKEA or Target may be the places for you. You can also ask each friend to bring their favorite portable chair, cushion, or pillow to make themselves at home. Or, skip the hassle altogether and rent your furniture instead to ensure you have comfortable, ample seating for everyone from the get-go throughout your college years.

Consider the movie.

Providing that you and your friends are not all identical twins, it is a good idea to have a couple options. Unless, of course, everyone has agreed to see one movie, having a few different movie options will give your friends a little more control and they’ll appreciate the experience more. It is always helpful to get request preferences and recommendations from each friend if possible.

With the advent of technology, there are a couple ways to do this. Posting a message on Facebook can get everyone talking. Creating a poll of say five movies you have already stashed on your shelf could be useful. And of course, good old word of mouth doesn’t hurt either.

Consider the ambiance.

Good lighting can make a big difference between a great movie viewing session and a totally awesome one. No matter what movie you’re watching, the action on screen is drawn out more intensely when the lights are off or dimmed. If you’re privileged to have a media room in your apartment or house, then you probably have a remote control for the settings of the room. This is the most basic form of lighting control. Good lighting can cost several hundreds of dollars, but it can make the experience much more engaging.

If you have overhead lights or chandelier sets, you may want to consider cutting the lights off altogether and utilizing soft lights from candles. And standing a flashlight on a table behind all your friends can give the room that spotlight reflection.

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Consider equipment.

Unless you’re watching on Netflix or Amazon VOD, your basic essentials will include a movie player (DVD, Blu-ray player, or computer), a projector, and a decent sound system. Projectors are definitely pricey investments but renting one or purchasing a cheap one from Amazon or Craigslist would work just as well.

If you prefer not to use a DVD or Blu-ray system, you can use a dedicated media player such as Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV. Your sound system requires a little more planning. Logically, the way you approach your sound will be more complex and it’ll be up to you to test your speakers to ensure the sound will project clearly. Nothing is as bad as seeing a movie that looks good but is hard to hear.

Happy watching!

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