# Classic Movie Monsters Costume Contest: Office Halloween Party Host Kit ## 1. CONTEST OVERVIEW This is the office Halloween party for our 40-person marketing team, held the Friday before Halloween in our open-plan office, with a classic movie monsters theme. About 25 adults will enter, some as solo monsters and some as group costumes, and the tone is spooky but fun, with no gore. The contest runs 30 minutes: a monster parade, a guest vote dropped into "The Crypt," a count by volunteer helpers, then the award announcements. ## 2. AWARD CATEGORIES 1. **The Grand Monster Award** goes to the best costume of the night, the one the whole crowd keeps talking about. 2. **The Monster Mash Award** goes to the best group costume, the pack, coven, or monster family that works best together. 3. **The Frankenstein's Lab Award** goes to the best homemade costume, stitched together from scraps, cardboard, and pure creativity. 4. **The Mummy's Last-Minute Wrap Award** goes to the best costume made cheaply or at the last minute from things already at home. Anyone can win this one without spending money. 5. **The Count's Curtain Call Award** goes to the guest who stays in character best, with the best monster voice, walk, or dramatic cape swirl. 6. **The Full Moon Transformation Award** goes to the most dramatic change, the coworker nobody recognized at first. 7. **The Invisible Man Award** goes to the cleverest or most subtle costume, the one you only "get" on a second look. 8. **The Bride of Frankenstein Twist Award** goes to the best mash-up of a classic monster with office or marketing life, such as a werewolf in a lanyard or a mummy wrapped in sticky notes. ## 3. COSTUME PARADE AND VOTING **The Monster Parade.** Before the contest starts, each entry gets a number written on a slip of paper. A group costume counts as one entry with one number. The host calls entries up in number order to walk a short "monster runway" through a cleared aisle between desks, or to a stage if available. Each entry gets about 30 seconds to walk, pose, and give one monster move, such as a growl, a shuffle, or a cape swirl. Entrants hold up their number so voters can write it down. **Voting at The Crypt.** Every guest, entrants included, gets one ballot. Voters write one costume number next to each award and may not vote for their own entry. Ballots go into "The Crypt," a box or bowl labeled with that name, if available. **Igor's Counting Crew.** Before the contest, ask two or three guests who are not entering to be the counting crew. The crew splits the ballots by award, with each person tallying two or three awards, and hands the results to the host on a folded note. The most votes wins each award. One entry can win more than one award. ## 4. HOST SCRIPT Use a microphone if available. Each line is meant to be said in one breath. **Opening** - "Good evening, creatures of the office!" - "Welcome to our Classic Movie Monsters Costume Contest!" - "Tonight the monsters come out of their cubicles." - "Give a big monster growl if you're in costume!" **Rules** - "Here's how it works." - "Every costume has a number. Hold it up when you walk." - "When I call your number, walk the monster runway." - "You get about thirty seconds. Give us a pose or a growl." - "Everyone gets one ballot with eight awards on it." - "Write one costume number next to each award." - "No voting for yourself. Monsters have rules too." - "Drop your ballot in The Crypt when you're done." **Parade Introduction** - "The moon is up. The fog is rolling in." - "Let the Monster Parade begin!" - "First up, number one. Come on out!" - Between entries: "Next from the shadows, number {entry number}!" - For groups: "Here comes a whole pack. Number {entry number}!" - After the last entry: "That's every monster. Give them a big howl!" - To start voting: "You have five minutes to fill in your ballots." - "Then feed them to The Crypt!" - At one minute left: "One minute left before The Crypt closes!" - "The Crypt is closed. Igor's Counting Crew, it's all yours." **Before the Winners Are Announced** - "The votes are counted. The results are in." - "Lights low if you can. Drumroll on your desks, please!" - "Let's find out who rules the monster world tonight." **Winner Announcements** (in this order, ending with the biggest award) - "The Mummy's Last-Minute Wrap Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Proof you don't need a big budget to be a great monster." - "The Invisible Man Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Clever, sneaky, and almost hard to see." - "The Full Moon Transformation Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "We honestly didn't know it was you." - "The Count's Curtain Call Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Take a bow, and maybe one more cape swirl." - "The Bride of Frankenstein Twist Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Classic monster, office life. Perfect match." - "The Frankenstein's Lab Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Built by hand and brought to life. It's alive!" - "The Monster Mash Award goes to {group name}!" - "Best pack of monsters in the building." - "And now, the biggest award of the night." - "The Grand Monster Award goes to {winner's name}!" - "Your prize is {prize}. Congratulations!" (use only if there are prizes) **Closing** - "Thank you, monsters, for coming out tonight." - "Keep growling, keep dancing, and happy Halloween!" ## 5. RUN OF SHOW | Part | Minutes | |---|---| | Opening and rules | 3 | | Monster Parade (about 30 seconds per entry) | 12 | | Voting at The Crypt | 5 | | Counting by Igor's Counting Crew, plus tie breaker if needed (host leads a group howl or monster-pose photo while waiting) | 4 | | Winner announcements | 5 | | Closing | 1 | | **Total** | **30** | ## 6. BALLOT TEXT THE CRYPT BALLOT Classic Movie Monsters Costume Contest Write one costume number next to each award. You may not vote for your own costume. Drop this ballot in The Crypt when you are done. The Grand Monster Award (best costume of the night): ______ The Monster Mash Award (best group costume): ______ The Frankenstein's Lab Award (best homemade costume): ______ The Mummy's Last-Minute Wrap Award (best low-cost or last-minute costume): ______ The Count's Curtain Call Award (best at staying in character): ______ The Full Moon Transformation Award (most unrecognizable): ______ The Invisible Man Award (cleverest or most subtle costume): ______ The Bride of Frankenstein Twist Award (best monster and office mash-up): ______ Happy Halloween from the monsters! ## 7. TIE BREAKER **First choice: The Monster Howl-Off.** The tied entries come up front. On the count of three, each one gives their best monster growl, howl, or pose, one at a time. The crowd cheers for each, and the host picks the loudest cheer. This takes under a minute. **Backup: Unlucky Number 13.** If the cheers sound even, the host thinks of a secret number between 1 and 13. Each tied entry guesses, and the closest guess wins. ## 8. COSTUME RULES NOTE Subject: Our Classic Movie Monsters Costume Contest! Hi team, Our Halloween party is on Friday, and the theme is classic movie monsters. Think vampires, mummies, werewolves, Frankenstein's monster and his bride, swamp creatures, and anything else that belongs in an old monster movie. Other costumes are welcome too, and homemade or last-minute costumes can win, so don't worry about spending money. Groups are welcome to enter together as one entry. A few quick notes since we'll be in the office: - Please keep it spooky but fun. No gore or fake blood. - Please leave realistic-looking props such as weapons at home. - Keep it workplace-friendly, and please don't dress as a coworker or make fun of any real group of people. - If you wear a mask, be ready to lift it so people know who you are. - Make sure you can move easily between desks and chairs. Watch long capes, tails, and wraps around cables and doorways. Can't wait to see your monsters! {organizer's name}