A scream-worthy challenge in just 60 seconds. As the first contest of the STN season, HorrorFest is the perfect way to jumpstart the year with creativity, energy, and a little chaos. This micro film challenge invites middle and high school students to craft a short horror or thriller film based on a provided prompt. Whether you're building suspense or delivering jump scares, the goal is to tell a tight, chilling story that leaves an impact, and fast! Teachers will receive optional lesson resources to help students explore the horror genre and sharpen their storytelling skills. It’s a fun, low-pressure way to get students creating early and build momentum for the year ahead.
Contest Overview
Prompt Release: Monday, September 29, 2025 at 8AM PT
Registration & Submission Deadline: Friday, October 24, 2025 at 5PM PT
Winners Announced: Halloween, Friday, October 31, 2025 at 8AM PT
Divisions
High School Novice
High School Intermediate
High School Advanced
Middle School
Entry Guidelines
$25 per team (up to 6 students)
Schools may submit unlimited teams, but a student may only be a registered lead with one team
Final film must be 50–60 seconds, including required title graphic and credits (optional)
Projects should be 100% student work. Teachers may only advise and not assist in production
All films must follow the official STN Contest Rules and Creative Content Policy
No judging feedback is provided for this contest due to quick turnaround
Important
Refunds will not be issued after registration is submitted
Questions? Contact shonda@studenttelevision.com
HORRORFEST CURRICULUM
3-Act Structure for a 60 Second Film
So, as many of you know, pretty much every film follows a 3-act story structure. However, it is easy to assume that a 60 second film does not abide by these rules. That assumption would, of course, be incorrect. In fact, many of the films that were submitted last year were visually appealing and had a good beginning, but lacked a full 3-act structure. While I do not want to attempt to fit an entire 3-Act Structure lesson into this email, No Film School posted a killer breakdown that I recommend using in your classroom.
So here is how I would approach teaching this contest, starting with day one:
Review 3-Act Structure with your students. This link can easily be turned into a powerpoint.
Watch the past finalists from the 60 Second HorrorFest on the STN YouTube channel.
Then, have the students break down each of the 3 acts of each short film.
Ask them to indicate the action/plot progression that marks the transition into each act.
Pay special attention to the timecode: when did these transitions occur?
Talk about how this structure provided motivation, built suspense, and created resolution.
Have the students start brainstorming ideas for their film entries this year, filling out a 3-act structure as a starting point.
