Ithaca College professor emeritus of cinema and photography Gustav "Skip" Landen started the Golden Doorknob competition in 1970 and continued it until his retirement in 1991. Back in those days the films were silent, black and white, and all film students had the same assignment: make a very short film that presents the most imaginative way to kill someone with a doorknob.

The contest was revived in 2009. Now is your chance to continue the tradition.

2012 Contest

Prizes Include:

1st Place: $2,000
2nd Place: $1,500
3rd Place $1,000
The Parkie 100 Knob Award: $500.00*
Honorable Mention: Award certificates

* This prize is open to any Park student or team of students who have not yet enrolled in a Park production class higher than the 100 level. Please indicate your current or most recent production class completed on the entry form if you wish your entry to be considered for this prize. Your entry will automatically be entered in the overall competition as well, but will be judged only against other 100 level Park students for the $500 prize.
 

Golden Doorknob Rules:

1. Open to all Park School Students.

2. Films must be on the subject of how one might encounter death involving a doorknob. An expansive interpretation is encouraged--the fatal moment might be delivered by knob or door directly or indirectly and could also be an open door that tells of death in the future. Let your imagination run wild! The films are narrative (tell a story) and must have a beginning, middle and end but must not exceed 5 minutes in length plus credits. Credits may not exceed 20 seconds, so total length may not exceed 5:20. There is no minimal length.

3. May be live action or animation and may be shot on film, digital media or made by a software effects program such as Flash.

4. The deadline for submitting films is April 9, 2012 at 10 a.m. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 27, 2012. Submit a playable DVD with a completed entry form to Steve Gordon, Park 373, by the above deadline. The project MUST also be delivered as a Quicktime file online. Instructions for submitting screening copies will be posted on this website beginning April 1.

5. Films will be judged by a panel of alumni and industry members.

6. Cash Prizes will be awarded to winning films: First Place: $2,000; 2nd Place: $1,500 and Third Place: $1,000. The Parkie 100 Award: $500.

7. The Park School reserves the right to use submitted films for promotional purposes, in perpetuity. Copyright of each film will belong the filmmakers. Each filmmaker must keep on file clearance forms for actors or copyrighted material appearing in the film.
 

Judges for the 2012 competition are:

Bill Carraro ’81, executive producer, Tower Heist and The Adjustment Bureau

Dan Heffner ’78, executive producer, the SAW franchise

David Spiegelman ’80, president, domestic television & digital distribution at Relativity Media, LLC

Liz Tigelaar ’98, co-executive producer and writer for Once Upon a Time and creator of Life UneXpected