Our beloved retired Professor Skip Landen began the tradition of students making short films (up to 5 minutes) about how one might meet their end with a doorknob. Now is your chance to continue the tradition.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, March 29, 2027 5pm EDT
SCREENING & AWARDS EVENT: Friday, April 16, 2027
For a look at past winning Doorknob Films: https://vimeo.com/channels/198388
Golden Doorknob Rules:
- Open to all Park School Students, all majors, all years.
- 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 minimum length.
- May be live action or animation and may be shot on film, digital, cell phone, or made by digital media software programs.
- The deadline for submitting films is March 29, 2027. Instructions for submission are on the entry form.
- Films will be judged by a panel of faculty and industry members.
- A gala screening and awards ceremony will be held on Friday, April 16, 2027.
- Prizes will be awarded to winning films. Judges reserve the right to withhold awarding of prizes in any category if they deem that minimum production standards are not met, or that there are less than three submissions in any category.
- The Park School reserves the right to use 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.
- Submit the online form* and files by Monday, March 29, 2027. *form will be released by December 2026.