Shorty’s Short Film Competition at Blobfest 2023: Blobs and Monsters

Enter the 2023 Blobfest: Blobs & Monsters Shorty’s Short Film Contest to tell your terrifying tale! Each year, inspired by the same muse that sang to Director Irvin “Shorty” Yeaworth when he conceived of The Blob, filmmakers of all ages compose entries for the Colonial Theatre’s Annual Shorty’s Short Film Contest. (The Blob (1958) was filmed at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville and surrounding locations.) 

Winning films will be screened for the public all day Saturday, July 15 during Blobfest 2023 (July 14-16). Prizes will be awarded to the winners on Friday night during the Stage Show before the Run Out re-enactment, so each Short Film Contest entrant receives 1-2 tickets in the Friends & Family Section (Upper Balcony) with their entry.

Submit your short film by Friday, June 23 via email only to bob@thecolonialtheatre.com MOV and Mp4 files are preferred. Films must be under 3 minutes in length. Your film entry should be Sci-Fi related. Riffs on The Blob, a blob, or related movie themes are welcomed but not required. You must include this year’s required item at least once in your entry: a meteorite. Any films entered into the Shorty’s Short Film Contest that do NOT feature the appearance or presence of a meteorite at least once will be disqualified.

Judging Awards & Categories: 

The Shorty’s Short Film Contest will be judged by Colonial Theatre staff and the Contest sponsor. Awards will be given in these categories:

– Under 18 years of age 

– Over 18 years of age

– Best Animated Short Film

– The Fan Favorite

Go boldly, friends, and let your iPhones and imaginations propel you ever onward to Shorty’s glory!

Additional Rules: 

• The Colonial Theatre is not responsible and cannot be held liable for the personal views and opinions of Blobfest contest entrants. This applies to the Costume Contest, Facade Decorating Contest, Mx. Blobfest Universe Contest, and Shorty’s Short Film Contest and any other contests occurring during a Blobfest Festival weekend.
• Blobfest Contest entrants consent to be photographed unless they notify the theatre in writing in advance that they do not wish to be photographed during the festival year in question. The Colonial Theatre is under no obligation to publicize, utilize or share any images of contest entrants captured during Blobfest.

• Blobfest Contest Entrants who troll, harass, bully or defame the Colonial Theatre, Colonial Staff or fellow (past or present) competitors, either in cyberspace/online or real life/offline, will be disqualified from participation in current and future Blobfest Contests.
• Contest Entries for Blobfest should be Family Friendly. “Family Friendly” content is defined as adhering to the Motion Picture Association’s Classification and Rating Rules for G and PG rated films. A G-rated motion picture contains nothing in theme, language, nudity, sex, violence or other matters that, in the view of Colonial Theatre staff, would offend parents whose younger children view the motion picture. The G rating is not a “certificate of approval,” nor does it signify a “children’s” motion picture. Some snippets of language may go beyond polite conversation but they are common everyday expressions. No stronger words are present in G-rated motion pictures. Depictions of violence are minimal. No nudity, sex scenes or drug use are present in the motion picture. A PG-rated motion picture should be investigated by parents before they let their younger children attend. The PG rating indicates, in the view of Colonial Theatre staff, that parents may consider some material unsuitable for their children, and parents should make that decision. The more mature themes in some PG-rated motion pictures may call for parental guidance. There may be some profanity and some depictions of violence or brief nudity. But these elements are not deemed so intense as to require that parents be strongly cautioned beyond the suggestion of parental guidance. There is no drug use content in a PG-rated motion picture.
• In any given year of Blobfest, additional rules specific to each Contest may apply and will be articulated on the Colonial Theatre’s website and in corresponding Facebook Event details.

ABOUT BLOBFEST:

Blobfest is an annual signature event in its 24th year. The weekend-long festival celebrates The Colonial Theatre’s and the Borough of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania’s cinematic claim-to-fame as a filming location for the 1958 sci-fi/horror classic, The Blob. The event nets tens of thousands of dollars in critical operating revenue for the nonprofit theater, drawing thousands of visitors to surrounding businesses at a time when most downtowns are quiet. In 2023, Blobbies visited from 41 states and 3 countries.

Blob with us, Monsters and Monstresses! Tickets for Blobfest® 2023: Blobs and Monsters (July 14-16) go on sale Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 10:00 AM for Colonial Theatre Members. The public on-sale occurs Friday, June 2, 2023 at 10:00 AM.

For more information: https://thecolonialtheatre.com/blobfest-contests/