During our Covid-19 closure, Park City Film has created a Virtual Cinema so that our film loving community can continue to watch our curated selection of Independent Films from the safety of their homes. We remain committed to creating community through film, even though for now those films will be on a smaller screen. Virtual Cinema ticket sales helps generate much needed revenue through our closure and ensures that we will be able to open our doors again as soon as it is safe to do so. Thank you for watching!
Technical Help for the Virtual Cinema:
Q: How do I access the films?
A: Select the film that you would like to watch, then click on the Purchase & View button on the right hand side of the page. You will then be taken to the web page for the individual film where you can buy a ticket and view the movie. Please note that the rental period varies from title to title.
The film websites and streaming platforms will vary as many distributors have created their own interfaces. Certain streaming platforms may require to you to create an account before you can purchase the film. The good news is that we only work with a handful of independent film distributors, so once you have registered for a site you can use that registration information for the next film they present.
Q: How can I watch a movie on my Smart TV?
A: The best way to access content on your Smart TV is to download the App from your TV App store if you have a supported Apple or Android TV.*
If you have another type of Smart TV, such as Samsung, it may not be possible to log in or play the content from the built-in internet browser. If you’d like to try, here are the steps to watch on a Smart TV’s browser:
- On your TV, open the internet browser and visit the site.
- Enter your email address, submit, and you will be emailed a link.
- On a SEPARATE device (i.e. another computer or mobile device), open your email inbox, open the login email, and click the LOGIN link.
- Go back to your TV browser, and you should be logged in to watch.
* Supported Android TVs include AirTV, Nvidia, Hisense, Philips, Sharp, Skyworth, Sony, and Xiaomi.
Q: How do I cast this to my Apple TV?
A: You can do that using a method called AirPlay! Here is how to do it:
- Open the movie on your iPhone or iPad
- At the bottom right of the video window you should see the AirPlay icon.
- Once you tap the icon, select “Apple TV” from the list of devices
And that should be it! You can also find these instructions and more information on the Apple website. If this method doesn’t work on your TV, you can check out some of the other options on the Samsung website.
Q: How do I cast to my Chromecast/Roku?
A: You can cast a video from your computer or smart device using the following steps:
- Open the movie on your device.
- At the bottom right of the screen you should see the casting icon.
- If you don’t see the icon and you’re casting from a computer in the Chrome browser, you can open the menu in the upper right corner of the window (or the View menu) and select “Cast”.
- Once you select that button, it should give you the option to select a nearby device, so you’d then select your Chromecast. If you don’t see your Chromecast, make sure both devices are on the same wireless network.
You can find more details on the Chromecast website.
Q: How do I stream a film to my TV using an HDMI Cable?
A: You can watch any of the streams on your TV using an HDMI cable. You will need to own or purchase an HDMI cable, or equivalent cable for Mac if using a Mac computer, for this. To set this up:
- Attach the HDMI cable to your TV
- You will find HDMI ports on all newer televisions (typically on the side or back panels). Plug the HDMI cable into one of the ports (e.g. HDMI 1, HDMI 2, etc)
- Attach the HDMI cable to your computer
- Attach the other end of the HDMI cable to your computer/device
- Set your TV settings to the HDMI port
- Change the input source setting on your TV to the HDMI port you are using with the cord
- Once connected, your computer screen will be mirrored to your TV screen. All actions, including video playback, will be mirrored to your TV screen.
If you are seeing any cropping of the picture on your TV screen, try changing the aspect ratio of your TV display to adjust this.
Q: I just purchased the film, but I don’t see how to watch it?
A: Once you’ve purchased your ticket, most titles should be available to view via their online screening room. If you’re not able to watch your film through this page, please check your email to ensure that your purchase was processed. Some platforms may send you a viewing link by email. These emails may be in a clutter, junk, or spam folder if this is the first time you’ve purchased a movie from a particular distributor. If you’re still having trouble accessing your film, please reach out to us and we will do our best to assist.
Q: I’m a member of Park City Film; Is there a member price for Virtual Cinema films?
A: Unfortunately, due to our agreements with distributors, we aren’t able to offer member pricing for these films. But don’t worry – we’ll be extending your member benefits for the length of the closure when we reopen. Your ticket purchases will help ensure that we are able do that – thank you for your support!
Q: Can I use my 10-punch passes for Virtual Cinema tickets?
A: Unfortunately, that’s not an option at the moment. You’ll be able to use them when we reopen – thank you for your support!
Q: Where does the money go?
A: Park City Film receives 50% Virtual Cinema ticket sales. The other half goes back to the distributor so that they can continue to make more films available to cinephiles.
Q: What else can I do to help Park City Film during this closure period?
A: Please share our Virtual Cinema films with your family and friends! All ticket purchases through our portal generate revenue for us no matter where in the world they are watching the movie from. Many people are at home watching movies on all sorts of streaming services. We want to make sure that people are directed to top-quality films, so that their faith in the art form doesn’t diminish in the over-loaded and poor-quality “stream” of films landscape. We would also love to have you join us as a member or make a donation if you are able to to help us through this challenging time.
Q: I need more technical help!
A: Please check out our more detailed FAQ’s specific to each Virtual Cinema distributor (KinoNow, Magnolia Pictures, etc) and hopefully this will answer any additional questions you have, and who to contact for each film. Most of the film web sites now have an FAQ or Tech support section that is specific to their platform. If you still can’t find the answer to your questions, please reach out to shay@parkcityfilm.org and we will try to help trouble-shoot your issue and get you back to watching your film. Thank you for your patience as we all get used to this new way of bringing you movies!
