COMING TO ONE OF OUR SCREENINGS? FAQs
Do screenings get cancelled due to bad weather?
Weβll always try to carry on regardless of the weather. However, if we do have to cancel due to bad weather (very heavy, prolonged rain, high winds or lightning) weβll offer replacement tickets for a re-scheduled date wherever possible. Keep one eye on the weather forecast, our website and social media channels before the event. Weβll also e-mail and/or call all customers in the event of postponement or cancellation. In the event of cancellation all customers will be refunded.
What should I wear?
Itβs sensible to bring blankets or extra layers to add as needed as night falls; hot summer days can become balmy summer evenings and then chilly summer nights even during a heatwave! Rain showers have occasionally crept up on us too, probably best to have something waterproof with you, just in case. No umbrellas are allowed once the film begins though, they tend to upset the people sitting behind you. Bring a torch too, or use the light on your phone. These things are pretty handy after dark, and some of our venues get REALLY dark!
How and when will I receive my tickets?
Tickets are e-mailed to you within 24 hours of booking. Ideally you should simply show them to us on your phone on the night, or print them off and bring them along if you prefer, although itβs better for the environment if you donβt. We donβt print and post physical tickets either. Itβs a green thing.
Please check your spam or trash folder for your confirmation and/or tickets if you donβt see them in your in-box. If you do find them in your spam folder, please make sure you add info@alfrescofilm.co.uk to your βsafe sendersβ list as weβll send you further useful information regarding the screening as the date approaches
What if I forget my tickets?
You silly sausage. Please try and remember them as tickets are required for all customers. If you have forgotten, weβll have a list of bookers and we can check this when you arrive, but it might take a little longer to get in. And the people queuing behind you will start muttering, like we Brits do.
Can I buy tickets at the venue?
If a screening is advertised as βsold outβ that will mean that there are absolutely no tickets available online or at the venue. If the screening isnβt advertised as βsold outβ, then we will have limited tickets available at the venue, but weβll only be able to accept cash payments on the night. Our events are really popular and generally do sell out, so if you turn up only to discover that we sold the last two tickets to the annoyingly smug couple who got there just a moment before you, we can only apologise!
Whatβs your refund policy?
Unfortunately once your ticket is booked we canβt offer refunds, however we have no problem with you giving it or selling it to someone else (face value only please, letβs be nice!). Anyone found 'touting' tickets for personal gain will have their booking cancelled.
Is seating provided or should we bring our own?
At most screenings, we offer a limited number of deckchair seats (these will be listed as βPremium Deckchair Seatsβ on our booking pages if any are still available), and these will be positioned near the front, closest to the screen in three or four rows, before gates open.
Other than that we donβt provide seating, we would recommend you bring picnic blankets or low-backed camping chairs. Those sitting on blankets will be asked to sit near the front, with those on chairs to the sides or further back, so that everyone can see.
If you bring one of those camping chairs thatβs more like a throne with a high back (ooh, get you, your Majesty) weβre likely to ask you to sit at the back or the side so that people behind you arenβt struggling to see over your crown...
What am I not allowed to bring in to the event?
No glass of any kind is allowed in the event area. No barbeques, tents or gazebos are allowed. No dogs, other than assistance dogs are permitted. Needless to say, no fireworks, flares, weapons, knives, nasty stuff. Letβs be nice, lifeβs too short.
Sometimes people ask if they can bring their tiny baby along. You can, but it will get dark, chilly and the film is likely to be loud, and if your pride and joy is unsettled and crying, weβll have to ask you to vacate the screening area until he or she is settled.
Are there toilets?
If the venue doesnβt have its own facilities, weβll provide portaloos. Theyβre never glamorous, but they do the job.
What time do screenings begin?
All start times are approximate, and may vary a little depending on weather conditions on the night. In a nutshell, it has to be dark, so our screenings always begin around 30 minutes after sunset, which obviously varies throughout the year. Weβll never start before the advertised time, though.
Do you serve food and drink?
We endeavour to bring the best food and drink producers along to all our screenings. Some venues have their own, in house teams, at others we bring bars, street food and cinema snacks along. Weβll advise on social media and by e-mailing all customers from one show to the next
Can I bring my own food and drink?
This varies from venue to venue. At some events picnics are more than welcome, however at others no food or drink may be permitted. Also, alcohol is often not permitted, even if you are allowed to bring a picnic. Check each individual screening for exact detail for the venue in question. Glass is also strictly forbidden in any venue, for the safety of customers (both glasses and bottles).
Will there be parking?
Generally yes, but please check individual event information in this regard. Weβll always try to find venues with parking close to the screening area, but if weβre heading into a deep, dark wood or something similarly unorthodox to bring you a unique movie experience, it can prove a bit tricky
Are venues wheelchair friendly?
Wherever possible we find venues that are accessible for all, however in some more unusual venues this can prove almost impossible. Please check details on each individual event for further information regarding accessibility. Also, feel free to advise us if you have any specific requirements. We like to be helpful wherever possibleβ¦
Are children permitted?
Yes, children are more than welcome as long as they are the correct age for the filmβs certificate. Weβre not letting little Leatherface in to watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, even if his or her costume is really authentic. Photo ID is recommended to be safe, just like at the normal cinema. Under 16βs must be accompanied by an adult. Children aged three and under can go free, but must sit on a parent/guardianβs lap, unless otherwise stated at the time of booking.
This sounds like a no-brainer, but we do ask that children arenβt left to run around and be noisy in the audience or around the event site once a film is screening. But we know youβd never dream of allowing such a thing!
Are dogs allowed?
Assistance dogs are more than welcome to attend screenings as long as theyβre well behaved (and they usually are, theyβre trained for that kind of thing). Unfortunately, no other dogs are allowed as this may spoil the enjoyment of the screening for other members of the audience.
Can I smoke?
For the enjoyment of all audience members, smoking is only permitted to the rear of the venue, and away from the seated audience. Some venues will not allow smoking at all, so please refer to the screening details for full information.
THINKING OF HIRING US? FAQs
Does it have to be dark before screenings begin?
Yes, for the screening to work properly we advise starting at sunset although if you are in a shaded area, such as woods or in the shadow of a stately home (hey, it happens!) then you can sometimes start earlier, around dusk. Once we begin discussing an event date with you, we can advise on start time. You can find UK sunset timesΒ by clicking here.
You bring all the film equipment, but what do I need to do?
We will indeed bring everything you need for people to see and hear the film in great quality. We can also bring some seating, lighting and all kinds of other kit and entertainment if needed. Weβll talk to you about this (not in a salesperson kind of way!).
If itβs a private screening (ie on your own land for invited guests, and youβre not charging entry), thatβs pretty much it, other than plugging into your home or garden power supply if possible. If not, we can bring a small generator at no extra cost.
If youβre staging a βcommercial screeningβ (ie open to the public and ticketed or free to enter) youβll need to arrange theΒ screening licence, entertainment licenceΒ and manage the event. We will however help with all this if needed, itβs not as complicated as it sounds! Screening licences (their posh name is STSL β Single Title Screening Licences) start at around Β£150 per film for free screenings, or 40% of your box office takings for ticketed shows.
Where do I get a screening licence (STSL) from?
We generally useΒ FilmbankΒ who have prices starting at aroundΒ Β£150, or 40% of your box office takings. We can sort this bit for you. No worries.
For our 5m x 4m inflatable screen (image size 3.5m x 2.5m), we recommend a minimum space of 8m x 8m in which we can install our screen, projector and PA system , and in addition allow around 4m between the screen and the front row of your audience, so that your guests donβt have to sit too close. We also need an unrestricted height of 4m (we donβt want to be touching power cables as the screen is elevated).
For our bigger 8m x 6.5m screen (image size 6m x 3.5m), we need space of 12m x 12m, and in addition allow around 6m between the screen and the front row of your audience. Weβll also need an unrestricted 8m for height too. Heβs quite a big chap...
Yes, we need a 50% deposit at the time of booking and then the final 50% 30 days before the screening date. Weβll send you a booking agreement to sign once weβve agreed a date and price, and the booking wonβt be confirmed until we have your signed agreement.
Itβs worth confirming the date you want as soon as you can, as we get booked up (particularly during the busy summer months) and weβd really rather not disappoint you!
Do you have insurance?
Yes we have full public liability insurance and a 100% safety record. We come from an events background and although most people yawn at health and safety stuff we lap it up and make sure all is in order, to give you (and us) a worry-free experience - every time.
Can you recommend films?
Oh yes, all day long! Certain films feel like they were made to be screened outdoors and under the stars (Dirty Dancing, Jurassic Park, Stand By Me, Grease, Back to the Future, Mamma Mia, Star Wars, Life Of Pi, The Sound of Music, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ferris Buellerβs Day Off β we could go on!), and weβre happy to chat you through the most popular.
Other films are crying out to be screened in a location/venue appropriate to the subject/genre (Jaws on a beach, by a lake or swimming pool, Harry Potter in a Cathedral where it was filmed (yes, we did), The Blair Witch Project in the depths of a forest (shivers every time!), Guardians of the Galaxy at an Observatory, Night at the Museum in a (well, you get the picture). With a little imagination you can take your screening to the next level, and weβll be happy to stimulate your ideasβ¦
Our screens are part of the Cinebox Pro range from the US, and are among the best in the industry, offering easy installation (they inflate), a clean and bright white screen, and are strong enough to handle moderate wind speeds (up to 20mph wind rating).
We will need to weigh them down onsite, so our quotes are based on pegging them into grass or soft ground. If you donβt want this on your lawn or venue, we can use weights instead, which we can provide at an additional cost.
What should we tell our audience/party guests?
Thereβs a whole set of FAQs that might be useful to you in our βCOMING TO ONE OF OUR FILM SCREENINGS?β FAQ section, you can view this by clicking here. Weβre happy for you to use this info as the basis for your FAQs too.
The most important bit of info to share with your party guests or audience is that it can get pretty chilly as night falls, so extra layers of clothing (ideally waterproof) and blankets are never a bad idea. Torches can be handy too.
Do we need to provide power?
If you have a power supply, either in your garden, home or venue, thatβs great. We donβt need much, ideally 2 x 13a sockets, ideally from separate sources (one for the screenβs inflator/blower, the other for everything else), that are no more than 50m from the screen. If itβs not possible, no problem, we can bring a small generator at no extra cost.
Can we project anything of our own onto the screen?
Of course. We can project whatever youβd like; a short film or video, photographs, company logos, messages, just let us know the format itβs in and weβll work out how to put it up on the big screen.
What if it rains?
We can carry on regardless if it rains. The audience, unfortunately, will get wet. Youβd be surprised how unaffected outdoor cinema goers seem to be when faced with a bit of rain, though. Weβve learned to be a hardy bunch in the UK, we suggest! Of course, if you have a wet weather plan and a venue close by that we can move to in the event of a really poor weather forecast, weβll work with you on this to keep the show on the road.
What if itβs windy?
Our screens are fine in winds of up to 20mph, and if itβs that windy, people wonβt want to be watching a film outdoors anyway! If wind speeds exceed this, for safety reasons the screen will have to be deflated and the screening halted until the wind drops sufficiently. We cannot offer refunds in the event that the screening canβt carry on, weβre afraid.
Do you offer refunds?
If you have to cancel or re-schedule we will try and give a full or partial refund providing you give us enough notice and we can re-book the date. Weβll remain honest and transparent about this, and will always try and get the best outcome for all concerned.
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Unforgettable open air & indoor cinema experiences in fantastic locations, plus pop-up film night hire for public & private screenings & parties π¬
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