Efecto Cine: Movies, sports and environmental awareness
As we have mentioned in our social media, we want to give more visibility to those companies who take outdoor cinema to another level and trespass the frontiers of entertainment to promote cultural activities. The concept that we want to introduce you today is that of “Efecto Cine”, an Uruguayan platform that has developed innovative projects, which are until today one of a kind in the world´s south hemisphere.
There are already some cinema projects, who only use solar energy to power their equipment and this is the case of Efecto Cine, too. However, they aim as well at engaging the audience at a highly participative and ludic level. They began touring ten years ago around Uruguay and other Latin-American countries, benefiting from the outdoor cinema charm to bring people together in public spaces, both in big city and remote towns.
Efecto Cine diversified its portfolio 4 years ago with a new project named “Efecto Pedal”. Its goal is to promote environmental awareness through cultural and participative experiences. In this case, the viewers are responsible for creating enough energy by pedalling to make to whole cinema system work. This project highlights two important elements: Social coexistence and the use of the bicycle as an agent of change to achieve a more sustainable way of life.
What makes them so innovative? Firstly, they count with high quality equipment: The inflatable screen AIRSCREEN assures having a wrinkle-free projection surface to guarantee the highest quality image, working together with a suitable and powerful sound and projection system. Secondly, the concept of using the bicycle goes further than what meets the eye. It is not only about going to cinema. Indeed the movies already invite self-questioning, but the pedalling is a metaphor that shows with a practical example the effect of teamwork. Also, the bicycle promotes a healthy lifestyle and invites to consider it as a viable mode of transport.
“Verano al Pedal”, which takes place every year, is the first outdoor cinema tour that neutralizes 100% carbon emissions. How? Efecto Cine plants native plants in specific areas together with the local government to minimize the CO2 emissions of the van that transports the cinema equipment.
If you are asking yourself how Efecto Pedal works, let’s jump into the technical stuff: There are ten static bicycles and ten stations where you put your own. Also they have hand pedals for children, seniors and handicapped. A LED voltmeter indicates live the amount of energy accumulated and the minimum of energy required to power the cinema equipment is of 1300 watts. To put this in more conventional terms, this is the same amount of energy that a standard microwave needs to work for an hour. But in this case is the energy surely used for more fun purposes, bringing family and friends together to spend some quality time together.
“Efecto Cine” lives up to its name (“efecto” in English means “Effect”): They have been expanding throughout Latin-American and today they have presence in Brasil, Cuba, Venezuela, Chile, Paraguay and Colombia. Besides their eco-friendly cinema activities, they also provide technical support and infrastructure to different events in Uruguay, like the Jose Ignacio International Film Festival, the Film Festival of Montevideo and Punta del Este, the projection of football matches and concerts starring stars like Paul McCartney and Elton John. They are also behind the largest cinema projection of Latin America with the documental “Maracana” at the Centario Stadium of Montevideo, for which they used a 20 meter AIRSCREEN for around 12.000 viewers. These activities have also been recognized with awards given by international institutions like the Hubert Bals Fund from Rotterdam, the Prince Claus Foundation, among others.
If you want to experience an activity that brings together outdoor cinema, sports, and eco-friendly awareness, then “Efecto Pedal” is for you! For more information click here.
AIRSCREEN helps to turn your projects into reality giving you great mobility, ease of use and always the best quality! Need any more information? Contact us clicking here.
Open-air cinema with solar power
Everybody knows and loves the travelling cinemas as a special form of outdoor cinema. However a cinema only powered by the sun is an unique experience – both for attendees and staff. Dutch filmmaker Maureen Prins started the Solar Cinema in the Netherlands in 2006 to bring unseen films to unusual places and to promote the use of renewable energy.
Whether parks, local squares, locations on the beach or even gravel pits – there are no limitations for such a mobile cinema. Especially with their inflatable movie screens the set-up is very easy and the whole stuff can be carried in a small car.
In 2010 the new brand ECOCINEMA was created to internationalize the project. Nowadays ECOCINEMA is travelling around Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Brasil or Ecuador and there are many more to come in 2015.
For more information about ECOCINEMA and Solar Cinema take a look at: http://www.ecocinema.net and http://www.solarcinema.org
Outdoor movie night powered by human energy
We already know the solar cinema and here comes another eco-friendly idea: bicycle powered pop-up cinema! Through constant but relaxed pedaling people can generate the electricity for a whole outdoor cinema event, including the projector and the inflatable movie screen (AIRSCREEN).
In 2013 the UK-based company Electric Pedals developed a pedal-powered cinema backpack kit which they used to show educational films. Nowadays there are 14 of these mobile cinemas around the world.
Apart from that the pedaling can also power music stages or light installations and is also used for workshops, art installations and even for illuminating Christmas trees.
For more information visit www.electricpedals.com