Halloween PSA Challenge


Congratulations to all 2024 winners!

Best Ghost:

Manners at Ghost Manor: Mischief & Misbehavior

by Londonderry HS Film Club

 

Best Use of POV shot:

VR Halloween  by Salem High School CTE

 

3rd PLACE:

Halloween Safety Tips 101  by Salem High School CTE

 

2nd PLACE:

The Candy Rapper  by Merrimack High School

 

1st PLACE:

I Should’ve  by Manchester School of Technology

 

Honorable Mentions:

Death by Kiss  by Concord High School

Old Man Albert  by Salem High School CTE

Sock Puppet Safety  by Concord High School

 

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What is a PSA?

A public service announcement is a message spread in the interest of the public. Their objectives are to bring about awareness and change public attitudes, opinions, or even behavior towards and issue. These can be instructional, or even shocking to elicit emotion and action.


Please read:

NH Media Teachers group has two contests - the PSA challenge in the fall and the NH High School Short Film Festival in the spring.

We want to remind everyone that this is first and foremost a PSA challenge, not a narrative short film challenge. Meaning - the goal of this challenge is to create a video that informs and hopefully changes behavior or thinking of the viewer for the better. Ask yourself throughout the filmmaking process - Is this a PSA? Does it have a problem, solution, and call to action?  If you have an  awesome horror film idea that doesn't fit into the format of a PSA, we encourage you to make it for our main film festival in the spring,

 the New Hampshire High School Short Film Festival!


SUBMISSION LINK AT BOTTOM

2024 Rules and Guidelines

 Submission DEADline: Thurs, October 24, 10pm


The 2024 Halloween PSA Challenge is similar to prior years. The three big requirements this year are students: must make a PSA based on one of the topics listed below (same as last year). PSAs must include a ghost/spirit/ethereal being, and PSAs must include a POV shot. More details are below:

Students must first choose one of these topics to make a PSA for:

Jack-o-lantern carving safety tips

Applying or removing makeup safely

Stranger Danger

Suspicious Candy

Costume Safety

Trick-or-Treat Etiquette

"Ghost" Requirement

 This year students must include some kind of ghost/spirit/ethereal being. It is not a requirement for this entity to be seen on camera. Think Ouija board, haunted house, haunted person (exorcism), haunted item....You get the idea. If you prefer to show the entity on screen, you of course can do that as well. Make it simple as you want (white sheet over a person's head) or extravagant (Think the movie 13 Ghosts). I think an argument could be made that zombies are ghosts so we are allowing the use of a zombie for your ghost character if you'd like to go that route.

POV Shot Requirement

The last major requirement is students must include at least one POV (Point of View) shot in the film. A point of view shot is shot through the eyes of a character. POV shots show what the character is literally seeing but can also really convey a character's mental state and thoughts. Maybe a character is feeling a specific way, maybe a character can see something that no one else can, maybe something directly physical is happening to the character. I encourage you to get creative!



SAFETY AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Do not do anything that puts another person in danger

2. DO NOT BRING ANY WEAPONS (REAL OR FAKE) ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.

3. No nudity

4. Gore is okay but remember this is a PSA and must come across accordingly – see rule 1

5. No copyrighted music

6. Must be 90 seconds or less 

7. Films must have been produced after June 2024

8. Open to NH students only, enrolled in a NH High School or home schooled

9. Students must fill out required forms here 

10. Must have an adult supervisor "sign off" on film (Have them fill out required forms.)

11. Must have verbal consent of any actors on screen

12. Must be HD - Do NOT submit 4K or UHD video

13. Must be under 1 GB (try .mp4)

14. Do not include credits. There is a form for you to fill out that will ask for the appropriate information.


Submissions are judged on technical execution but most importantly, PSAs are judged on how effective the messaging is on viewers in raising awareness about the student's chosen topic.

2024 Winners

Please see our Youtube page for all of 2024' PSAs.

I Should've

Manchester School of Technology

Nathaniel Sherwood, Connor Maguire, Conner Hinckley, Ash Fernandez, Santiago Hernandez, Travis Gibney, Corbin Shuman 

1st Place

The Candy Rapper

Merrimack High School

Carter Williams, Trey Nichols

2nd Place


Halloween Safety Tips 101

Salem High School

Finneas Davy, Mckayla Phillips,

Carlos Cruz

3rd Place

Not sure where to start? Read here:

PSA Making Tips:

Any questions email Aleesha at

nhhssff@gmail.com


And Happy Halloween!