Do you remember how it used to be a big deal when people you knew travelled? How they would come back and put together picture shows with their slide projectors? How it felt to hear the low hum and clicks of the carousel, in a dark room, while they took you with them?

Or are you ever nostalgic for the days when your friends went through the effort of showing you their pictures and telling you about what they had been up to? How it seemed in those moments like they really meant for you specifically to know what was going on in their lives?

Well we are a super nostalgic group of people, so once again, on the last day of summer, we’re hosting an end-of-summer story- and reflection-driven picture show.

We invite you to indulge this tradition, for the seventh annual Summery. See friends show you pictures and tell you about their summers, and what they meant.

Presenters

• Elijah Durso-Sabina

• Ankit Patel

• Olivia Ruiz-Knott

• Justin Schaffer

• José Briones-Siria

• Ivan Ruiz-Knott

• Drew Jackson

For Presenters

Rules

1. Your piece must be crafted in some way. It doesn’t need to be memorized, but it should be planned and thought through.

2. Your piece must be about or related to something from this summer (2024) (we’re flexible about when you count the start of summer).

3. Your piece cannot be any longer than 9 minutes and 30 seconds. If you weren’t already planning on it, we strongly recommend you practice and time yourself.

4. You must have at least one picture.

5. No video allowed (unless you ask nicely, but even then probably not, and even if you’re allowed, it can’t have sound).

6. You must submit all pictures as image files: we are going to load them all up into a single presentation, so no fancy slideshow effects.

7. You must submit all images by Saturday at noon the day before the show (Sep 21) so we can load them into the aforementioned single presentation and then not think about it at all until the evening of. Please submit them using this Dropbox link.

8. You must be present at the event at doors-open time (6:00).

We reserve the right at any point to add or remove rules, without (though probably with) warning.

Notes and instructions

• Once we’ve seen everyone’s slides we’ll determine the presenter order based on a proprietary algorithm. We’ll update the site with the final order and let you know before the event.

• Once you send over your slides, your presentation will be set up in the following way: your name, a blank slide, all of your images (exactly as you ordered them), and another blank slide to close. This lets you begin and end with DRAMA. Once you have ended your presentation and people have clapped for you, please advance to the following presenter’s name.

• If your name is on the screen that’s your cue to go up and start your presentation.

• There will be a microphone and a spotlight (again, DRAMA). Please do your best to stay near them so you can be seen and heard. You must use the microphone.

• You will control your presentation using an iPad which will show your current slide on the left and your next slide on the right. Tapping anywhere on the screen (as well as swiping forward) will move you forward, and swiping backward anywhere on the screen will move you backward.

• Lastly, if you go past the time limit we will harbor moderate to severe resentment and later address our disappointment with you in a kind but direct manner.

Inspiration

You could tell a story…

• about only a single picture

• that seems to have nothing to do with your set of pictures but ultimately clicks

• about something that isn’t present in your pictures

• about all the work you put into getting a picture

• using drawings instead of pictures

• using just pictures and no narration

• about the whole summer or just one moment

• using the present tense instead of the past tense