Introduction | Planning Guide | Party Pack | Sponsors | Official Rules
Congratulations to the winners of the POV Short Cuts Premiere Party Pack Giveaway: Louise Baker (Alamogordo, NM) & Terri Kovach (Albuquerque, NM)
 Planning Guide (PDF)Download » |
Ready to host your own POV Short Cuts Premiere Party? It's easy -- red carpet not required! Here's a guide to getting started.
Planning
Set a date and place -- Invite as many people as you like to your home, school, community center or any location to watch POV Short Cuts on your television or laptop. POV Short Cuts will have its national broadcast premiere on Thursday, August 9 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). Host your party the night of the premiere or during the first two weeks that the film is streaming online. http://video.pbs.org.
Invite your guests -- Use the Punchbowl invite template for an easy way to invite friends and family. Sign into Punchbowl for free and choose the Movie/TV theme to create your Premiere Party invitation-- www.punchbowl.com
Test your A/V equipment and check your local listings -- Make sure your TV or computer connection works before the big bash. And check to make sure that POV Short Cuts is airing at the right time on your PBS station by entering your zip code on POV's TV Schedule Page.
Watch POV Short Cuts!
Talk about the film -- Encourage your guests to share their insights and reactions. You can also give your guests a bit of context about the film (head over to the Film Description to read more about the film, and see what the filmmaker has to say).
One way to get a discussion going is to pose a general question such as:
- If you could ask anyone in the film a single question, who would you ask and what would you ask him or her?
- What did you learn from this film? What insights did it provide?
- Describe a moment or scene in the film that you found particularly disturbing or moving. What was it about that scene that was especially compelling for you?
Or try a film-specific discussion question:
The Barber of Birmingham
- Armstrong sent his children to a previously all white school, despite objections from his wife and family members who warned that his kids would be killed. They thought his decision was foolish. Where would you draw the line between "foolish" and "courageous"?
- Pastor Carter Gaston says, "The power lies in the vote€¦Votin' was worth dyin' for." Would you agree that voting is worth dying for? If so, why do you think voting rates in the United States are so low? If not, why do you think Pastor Gaston and other activists were willing to risk their lives to guarantee their right to vote?
- Armstrong's barber shop is an important center of social activity in his community, as well as a source of historical memory. Where do people gather to share stories in your community? Who are the keepers of history? What is the significance of historical memory to a community (or a country)?
Sin País
- How do you define the American Dream? After viewing Sin Pais, is your definition the same or different? Do the Mejias fit your definition? Why or why not?
- Helen says, "If I get a B- in my class, they are like, €˜Why are you getting a B-, get an A.'" Why do you think Sam and Elida place such great emphasis on education? What is the effect on children of such pressure to succeed? How do Gilbert and Helen cope with that pressure?
- Who, if anyone, benefits from deporting the Mejias? In addition to immediate family members, who else might be impacted by the deportation? In your view, do the benefits outweigh the damage? Why or why not?
StoryCorps Shorts
- Ask each person at the party whose stories they would like to hear, or someone who they might like to ask about their story, like a grandparent, sibling or friend. Then visit www.storycorps.org/record-your-story/ for a "Do-It-Yourself Instruction Guide" and learn how to record interviews and start your own story archive at home. Or find a StoryCorps booth near you and reserve an appointment!
Take pictures-- Take pictures of your party and upload them to POV's Premiere Party Flickr group
Tweet, Blog, Facebook-- We want to know who joined in, what you thought of the film and what you talked about. Blog about your party and send us a link, Tweet @POVengage to tell POV what you discussed, or Fan POV on Facebook and leave us a comment.
Take Action-- Find out more about the issues and learn how you can take action.
Tell us about your Premiere Party for a chance to receive a POV Prize Pack-- Visit the POV Short Cuts Premiere Party Entry Page two weeks after the Thursday night premiere (the contest ends at 5 p.m. ET two weeks after the national broadcast premiere) to tell POV about your experience and to enter the giveaway.Make sure to leave us your email address, and you may be selected to receive a POV Party Pack!;
There will be two Party Pack winners for each POV broadcast for a total of 26 winners. All entries will be eligible for the Grand Prize, which will include all of the gifts plus a Sony a77 DSLR camera and lens (Retail value: $1,999).
The Grand Prize winner will be announced on January 29, 2013.