A B O U t
SCREAM it off SCREEN is a short film competition where audience members decide what gets GONGED and which film wins the CA$H prize. It takes place the first Friday of every month at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis. It's free to submit and everyone is given an equal opportunity to compete, however, precedence is given to filmmakers who are able to attend the event in-person, and filmmakers who are new to the competition.
"Hi, I'm interested in this. What can I expect?"
It's like nothing you've been to before. Yes, it's a short film competition, but it's also much more and it’s hard to explain. We can try to paint a picture, but you'll never understand until you experience it for yourself.
None of the films are prescreened or preselected by the organizers and no one knows what will play. You will love some and you will hate some. Audience members have the power to scream a film off screen by yelling "GONG", but they cannot make a peep until the red light gives them permission.
- Films less than 4 minutes get the red light at the half way point.
- Films more that 4 minutes get the red light at the 3 minute mark.
If you're enjoying a film that others are attempting to "GONG", you will yell "LET it PLAY" to combat them. If the majority is yelling "GONG", we'll hit the gong, the film will be cut short and no longer be eligible to win the cash prize.
If it sounds like a toss up between the 'GONG-ers' and the 'LET IT PLAY-ers', the film will be paused, and all in favor of letting it play will be asked to stand. If the majority is standing, the film will be played in its entirety, the red light will be turned off, and the haters have to sit and watch in silence (no matter how much it hurts). You know what happens if most people are sitting. Majority rules.
Be prepared to kiss your inhibitions bye-bye.
You should also be prepared to scream.
How to Win:
All films that don't get gonged with be eligible to win the BIG NASTY prize. The winner is determined by crowd applause at the end of the night.
What's the BIG NASTY Prize:
$101.01 fatties. Winners will go on to compete in The Best of The Best of The Year where the prize is bigger and fatter (more details to come).
"That didn't seem THAT hard to explain. Why did you say that earlier?"
There are theatrical treats and antics unique to each competition sprinkled into the show. The host, Terry, has a team of subservient interns, there is a mascot named SCREAMy who was born in a lab, and some people come just to see King (one of the top 5 pianist in the midwest) on the keys. Music is an essential element and you will be asked to sing. A lot of people say the show is "funny", but it can turn serious and dark instantaneously.