AUSTIN, Texas -- Several weeks into the pandemic and many families could use a break from the stay-at-home efforts. For Stephanie Stritzinger, the opportunity to walk outside onto her front porch and have a free movie night ready to go, complete with big screen, was a major relief.

“For us, it was just getting out of the house. You can only have so much inside with Netflix, but just the atmosphere of coming out and doing something different,” Stritzinger said.

Her front lawn was transformed into an outdoor movie theater and her family was able to experience the fresh air and watch a film together.

“For me as a mom, it just reassured me that the kids were happy. You know, it’s just that the spark in their eyes where they’re excited about something and for me that was nice,” she said.

This movie night treat is all courtesy of her sister-in-law, Kathlyn Stritzinger, who has been doing this for families across the neighborhood. The owner of Blue Dolphin Video and Photo has been enduring the pandemic season with several canceled events, so she decided to use her video equipment to help her community during the crisis.

She brings a large screen projector and sets up her equipment in the front yards of homes, for families to have a movie night under the stars.

“If I could make somebody happy for one night, get them out of the house and to make them happy, to show a movie and they don’t have to do any work except just walk outside and watch a movie and make them smile, then that’s what I want to do,” Kathlyn Stritzinger said.

While the movies play, neighbors stop by and watch from nearby.

The gesture for the community helps as people wait for the pandemic to pass.