Help Save Our SC Drive In "The Big Moe"

Isolated T-storms

High: 88 F                              Low: 71 F

Chance of Rain: 30%             Humidity: 96%

 
Back in June the South Carolina State of Mind blog featured the Drive-In Movie culture in South Carolina. It highlighted the Big Mo Drive In as well as the other 2 remaining drive-in theaters in South Carolina Highway 21 Drive-In (Beaufort) and 25 Drive-In (Greenwood). 

To view the previous blog Click Here 

The Big Mo needs our help! Film studios are doing away with 35mm films and will be fully digital. This hampers the 386 remaining drive in theaters in the U.S. As this will provide better quality movies and save money to produce the 35mm films many of the drive ins are incapable of meeting DCI compliance requirements. Theaters are required to make screens smaller for some movies, set number of FL (brightness of the picture) and digital 5.1 surround sound. Current drive-ins use FM transmitters to broadcast sound channels to the audience.

 

Per the WISTV news report The Big Mo is facing a deadline. In less than 3 months majority of the U.S. drive-ins will face closure. The owner Richard Boaz states the drive-in needs about $200,000 to make the switch to digital. The new projectors cost about $80,000 each and the additional funds are needed to renovate the projection booths. WISTV report

Drive-ins that do not make the switch are able to show older films but movie goers want new releases. New releases attract the customers therefore keeping the drive-ins in business.

The Highway 21 Drive In located in Beaufort did a tremendous amount of fundraising in 2013 to come up with the funds to comply with the digital switch. They utilized their facility to not only show movies but host events among numerous fundraising events.

Honda wants to preserve the iconic part of American car culture. They will start a drive-in fund and donating 5 digital projectors. YOUR VOTE DECIDES WHICH DRIVE-INS WILL RECEIVE THE PROJECTORS!!!!

There are 17 days to vote, contribute or pledge to "Project Drive-In." You can vote once at projectdrivein.com and once via text message each day, so remember to come back tomorrow. In the meantime, spread the word about Project Drive-In. CLICK HERE TO VOTE!!!!!!!! 

Nichole