Ideas for the best experience of watching VIFF at home (Article from IndieWire)
The pandemic has forced many film festivals in Canada to scale back their in-house screenings by lowering capacity and reducing the number of virtual screenings. Most in-theatre screenings are at less than 50% capacity and not all passionate festival fans are comfortable with the idea of sitting in a closed theatre during Covid 19.
However the opportunities through streaming technology, combined with viewing flexibility and affordable pricing has made it possible to still enjoy many new films that are the backbone of International Film Festivals in Canada and particularly in B.C. While we may not be able to enjoy the big screen and sound qualities in theatres, we can still try to have the best experience with home viewing.
Not everyone can afford the larger expensive TV’s, projectors, screens and home theatres with Surround Dolby sound systems.
Fortunately the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival have provided a full set of Q & A’s on how you can best stream at home and we are listing some of the more common ways to connect to your TV to enhance your enjoyment. You can view the full article by clicking on this link.
- System Requirements: You can watch on PCs running Windows 7+ and Intel-based Macs running MacOS 10.12+. You can also watch on Android tablets and phones, and iPhones and iPads using the app. You will need a broadband or fibre internet connection. (widely available in B.C)
- Mac computers: MacOS 10.12 or later. Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera. The article recommends using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported. You will also need an adapter for a Mac to HDMI cable to connect your PC via HDMI to a TV for the best viewing connections ( see images above).
- PC Computers: Windows 7, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer or Opera. The article recommends using the latest version of your browser as earlier versions may not be supported. Internet Explorer on Windows 7 is no longer supported. You will need a broadband or fibre internet connection. Most of the newer PC’s or Laptops come with an HDMI port to use with your TV. If not, an inexpensive USB to HDMI adapter may work as a solution.
- Other TV Viewing Options: Besides screen-mirroring your computer to your television or connecting your laptop to your television with an HDMI cable, there are also apps available for iOS and Android devices, as well as Chromecast Roku and Apple TV.
- Other Devices and Methods to use with your TV: If you have an Apple device, you can Airplay from your device’s browser to your Apple TV or other smart TV. Full details regarding how to Airplay video and mirror your device’s screen can be found at HERE, and through the Apple help portal. Chromecast enables users with a mobile device or personal computer to play Internet-streamed audio-visual content on a television through mobile and web apps that support the Google Cast technology. Full details regarding how to Chromecast can be found HERE, and through the Google help portal. You can also plug an HDMI cable from your computer, laptop, or mobile device if you cannot use one of the above wireless methods. For Windows or Android users, HERE is a helpful guide to get you started. For Apple users, please click HERE for more information.
NOTE:
As a reminder, all screenings can be watched from a mobile device or computer, and it is not required that you have a television.
Also it is important to remember when using a computer with a HDMI cable or other cables you may need to change the sound settings of your audio when you connect to a TV.
E.g. If you use a computer speaker or headphone, you may need to change to the TV speaker when using an HDMI cable.
Hopefully this brief summary and the links will provide enough information to improve your streaming capabilities and enjoyment for a Virtual Festival.
