As the outdoor movie season gets underway, one of Los Angeles County’s defining cultural experiences is suffering from blockbuster production costs.

Thousands of filmgoers gather under the stars to watch iconic hit films at a series of venues each weekend from May through October. But organizers of such events said that despite big attendance numbers, profits are small.

Increased competition has led organizers to provide a wider range of entertainment than cinema alone, adding live music, comedy shows, magic acts, karaoke, and food trucks. However, the growth in scope and scale has pushed costs up.

“We’ve doubled both in revenue and attendees since 2012 because we’ve grown to three different L.A. locations. Still, profit margins are thin,” said Steven Allison, chief financial officer at Pasadena’s Street Food Cinema. “The cost of one screen and projector is over $50,000, we hire professional comics and cover bands for every event and the cost of a single stage can be $2,000.”

His firm’s competition includes Eat See Hear, based in Sherman Oaks but with several venues across the county, which claimed 3,000 attendees per event last year, up from an average of 1,200 in 2012.

“Our highest costs come from venue rentals, ranging anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000,” said founder Sharon Sperber. “We also pay all our staff higher than minimum wage. The greatest challenge is balancing these costs and maintaining the quality of our experience.”

Ticket prices at Eat See Hear increased this year to $14 for general admission and $21 for reserved seating. Street Food Cinema left its 2016 prices at the same level as last year, $13 general and $18 reserved.

Next weekend’s offerings will be 1987’s “Dirty Dancing” from Eat Sea Hear at Santa Monica High School, while Street Food Cinema presents 1996’s “Romeo and Juliet” at downtown L.A.’s Exposition Park.

– Amal Khan