RULES AND RESTRICTIONS:

In 2024, we will be adding a BEST SCREENPLAY category to the Skully Awards.

Please read the rules carefully.

  1. Films MUST be under 10 minutes in length (including titles and post-credits). Filmmakers are given a :15-:30 second buffer on time limit to compensate for credits only.
  2. Submission fee in 2024: $20 for ALL FILMMAKERS. No waivers.
  3. Deadline for submission: Friday, August 30, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. CST.
  4. Films must have been filmed within a two-year period of current festival.
  5. Your film must fit within one of the sub-genre of horror, but we here at TERROR ON THE PLAINS know that what we each perceive as “horror” is subjective (thriller, psychological, satire, spoof, shock, supernatural, slasher, gore, etc.)…questions? Just ask.
  6. Please use original music or music you have permission to use. Seriously.
  7. Live action, stop-motion, computer and traditionally animated movies are eligible for submissions.
  8. All films that are nominated for one of the three pre-determined nominee categories (Best Horror Film, Best International Film, Best Local Filmmaker) will screen on night one of the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL; but not all films that screen that night will be up for nominations and awards. i.e. your film could not receive a nomination and still screen at our festival or be invited to screen and not be up for a nominated award.
  9. Should you receive an invite, you will be notified if you are an Award Nominee or a Screen Gem (non-nominee).
  10. The short film competition is night one of TERROR ON THE PLAINS. Not all films submitted will screen. We generally screen roughly 2.5 hours of short films. That number is flexible each year depending on our submissions.
  11. The TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL committee will determine nominees for categories. You do not need to submit your film for a category or award.
  12. 2024 Terror on the Plains Awards:
    • Best Horror Film
    • Best International Horror Film
    • Best Screenplay
    • Best Local Filmmaker — “The David Berry Award”
    • Best Student Filmmaker — “The Dr. Tom Poe Award”
    • Audience Favorite
    • Best Sceamplay — NEW IN 2024

Submit your film to:

If you have any questions about whether your film qualifies, contact Tim English (tim@terrorontheplains.com).

BEST LOCAL FILMMAKER — THE DAVID BERRY AWARD:

This award is presented to a local Kansas City/Kanas/Missouri/filmmaker who displays excellent skill and proficiency in storytelling and craft. This is an international film festival that first and foremost celebrates our incredible local talent. So, bring it, KC.

  1. Eligible filmmakers must live within the borders of Kansas or Missouri.
  2. Three to five nominees will be selected for this award.
  3. Nominees and winner will be determined by the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL committee prior to the festival. The winner will be announced following the short film competition on night on of Terror Fest.
  4. Winner to receive a plaque, a SKULLY Trophy and a personalized certificate (certificate to be delivered at a later date).
  5. Filmmaker does not need to be present to win, but it is a lot more fun.
  6. This category will nominate 3-5 filmmakers.

This award is dedicated to the memory of filmmaker David Berry. David had a film included in the TERROR ON PLAINS film festival every year since our inception. He was a huge supporter of our film festival during our infancy and we want to ensure his legacy is always a part of the Kansas City filmmaking community.

If you have any questions about whether your filmmaker qualifies for this category, contact Tim English (tim@terrorontheplains.com).

BEST HORROR FILM:

This award is presented to a filmmaker/team who delivers the most creative, original and scary film.

  1. Films under 10 mins (including titles and credits). No exceptions.
  2. Films do not need to be in English, but English subtitles are appreciated but not exactly required. Thanks.
  3. Up to six films will be nominated for Best Horror Film to be screened on night one of the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.
  4. Nominees are selected by the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL committee.
  5. Winner is determined by a panel of judges independent of our festival committee who will see the films live for the first time on night one of Terror Fest and determine a winner immediately following the competition.
  6. The winner will be announced following the short film competition on night on of Terror Fest.
  7. Winner to receive a SKULLY Trophy and a personalized certificate (certificate to be delivered at a later date).
  8. Filmmaker does not need to be present to win, but it is a lot more fun.
  9. This award is sponsored by TBD.

If you have any questions about this category, contact Tim English (tim@terrorontheplains.com).

BEST INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM:

This award is given to the Best Horror Film by a production team and filmmaker outside the United States of America.

  1. Films under 10 mins (including titles and credits). No exceptions.
  2. Filmmaker must live outside the United States.
  3. Film must be produced outside the the United States.
  4. All countries and regions are welcome to submit. We love you all.
  5. Nominees are selected by the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL committee.
  6. Winner is determined by a panel of judges independent of our festival committee who will see the films live for the first time on night one of Terror Fest and determine a winner immediately following the competition.
  7. Winner to receive a SKULLY Trophy and a personalized certificate (certificate to be delivered at a later date).
  8. This category will nominate 3-5 films — if there aren’t at least 3 qualifying international films, this category may be nixed.

If you have any questions about whether or not your film qualifies in this category, contact Tim English (tim@terrorontheplains.com).

BEST STUDENT HORROR FILM — THE TOM POE AWARD

This award is presented to a student filmmaker who is excelling at his or her craft. Eligible candidates must be in elementary school, middle school or high school.

  1. Films under 10 mins (including titles and credits). No exceptions.
  2. Filmmaker must be enrolled in high school, middle school or elementary school as a full time student.
  3. Nominees are selected by the TERROR ON THE PLAINS HORROR FILM FESTIVAL committee.
  4. Winner is determined by a panel of judges independent of our festival committee who will see the films live for the first time on night one of Terror Fest and determine a winner immediately following the competition.
  5. Winner to receive a SKULLY Trophy and a personalized certificate (certificate to be delivered at a later date).
  6. This category will nominate up to five filmmakers.

This award is dedicated to the memory of UMKC film professor Dr. Tom Poe. Dr. Poe was influential in the genesis of the TERROR ON PLAINS film. He was a huge supporter of our film festival during our infancy and we want to ensure his legacy is always a part of the Kansas City filmmaking community.

If you have any questions about whether or not your film qualifies in this category, contact Tim English (tim@terrorontheplains.com).

BEST SCREAMPLAY — NEW IN 2024

This award is presented to a film, whose writing takes clever and chilling to the next level.

  1. Do not submit a screenplay unless your film is selected in this caterogy.
  2. The only screenplays that will be considered are for the films submitted.
  3. The nominees will be selected based on how clever or impactful we feel the writing of your movie is.
  4. All filmmakers who submit films to Terror on the Plains are eligible for this award.
  5. Nominees are selected by the TERROR ON THE PLAINS HORROR FILM FESTIVAL committee.
  6. Winner is determined by a panel of judges independent of our festival committee who will see the films live for the first time on night one of Terror Fest and determine a winner immediately following the competition.
  7. Winner to receive a SKULLY Trophy and a personalized certificate (certificate to be delivered at a later date).
  8. This category will nominate up to five filmmakers.

IF SELECTED FOR TERROR ON THE PLAINS:

If your film is selected to screen on night one of the TERROR ON THE PLAINS INTERNATIONAL HORROR FILM FESTIVAL, we will contact you by email. At that time, you will need to submit a digital copy of your film (via email, Vimeo, dropbox, etc.) as well as the still images and synopsis you would like us to use in our festival marketing campaign.  You have one week to do this.

Below are the format parameters for submitting your film. On the file, we need your feature to have 3 seconds of black at the head of the program and 3 seconds of black on the tail. Also, the file should not have any color bar, count down, or slate in the beginning.

Please remove ALL mentions of any previous awards your film has been nominated for and/won. No wooing the judges. Let your film speak for itself! 

Please make sure your final audio mix is an average of -6db. And lastly, the files should be labeled correctly with the complete film title, details will be delivered following your selection.

Please send your film and completed application to: tim@terrorontheplains.com.

Please do not require any sort of password. We will be sharing assets and promoting films on all social media. If you do not want your information shared, you must let us know asap.