By: Lathan Gil
On October 17, 107.7 The Bronc’s 10th annual Scream Screen will be scaring Rider Bronc’s in the BLC parking lot. This is one of the BIGGEST fall events on campus, and as an employee at 107.7 The Bronc, I can say, no matter what job you have, this event is one of the only things you are thinking about. Especially the week of the event. I asked General Manager John Mozes what goes through his mind the week before Scream Screen. And he described it with one simple word, “Panic. Anytime you put on a live event, you get nervous. Is the screen going to show up on time? Are the Trunk or Treat and Food Trucks gonna be there? So naturally you worry. However, our team is always well prepared. There’s just one thing we can’t control, the weather.”
The Pros at Adaptability
107.7 The Bronc is well-trained in the art of adaptability. I asked John if there was ever a time, on the day of Scream Screen, if something ever went terribly wrong and we had to change something on the fly; something we couldn’t control and it happened to be at the first-ever Scream Screen. “The original Scream Screen was supposed to be on the Campus Mall, and the Screen on the berm, and the cars were going to park on the grass. However, it POURED the night before. The grass did not hold the rain, so for safety, we pivoted on a dime and moved to the BLC staff parking lot. Then it happened AGAIN in 2023 and we had to move Scream Screen once again, because of Homecoming Weekend. Now Scream Screen is in it’s resting place, no pun intended, the Visitors lot.”
The First Scream Screen – and How It Came to Be
The crazy thing about Scream Screen I learned while interviewing John was that he came up with the idea himself! “The thought just came to me and the students loved it!”
Now, Rider University has always shown outdoor movies. However, John wanted this to be different from the rest. “I wanted it to be on the biggest screen imaginable, I wanted everything to be bigger. It started out very rustic – and now like most events we do, it grew into something great and that everyone looks forward to.”
The Staff and The Workload
On the day of Scream Screen, the 107.7 The Bronc staff is busy all day. Set-up starts at 10 am, then from about 2 to 4pm we have a bit of downtime to film promotional content like TikTok videos and Instagram reels, then at 4 pm (to quote John Mozes) “all hell breaks loose.” That’s when every vendor shows up, the screen arrives, everything is set in motion. And then at 6 pm, it’s go time!
The Films …
Every year the move The Bronc shows at Scream Screen is voted on by the Rider student population! The top five movies this year are: Five Nights at Freddy’s, The Substance, Final Destination: Bloodlines, IT, and Sinners. Me personally, I want Five Nights at Freddy’s to win. I love that film. But something unbeknownst to me was that the movie is played from a DVD! And there is a technical reason behind not streaming the film. “You don’t really want to rely on WiFi. Just in case the Internet goes down, it is best to play the movie from a DVD. The first film to be shown, Scared Shrekless, has already been purchased, and the movie that won this year’s campus wide vote is locked away in our 107.7 The Bronc movie vault; hidden where no one can get to it.”
The audio from the film will be broadcasted from 88.9 (so make sure you tune your cars to it so you can hear the audio crisp and clear). Some may wonder, “Why not broadcast it from 107.7? And the answer to that question is simply: we have other broadcast obligations the same day as Scream Screen. “We have Lawrence High School Football, and we are already committed to that. One thing I try to teach our students is that you can still have events and run regular programming, all at the same time, so we do that. Also, imagine tuning into 107.7 The Bronc to hear the biggest hits and best variety and hearing Final Destination: Bloodline, Five Nights at Freddie’s, IT, Sinners or The Substance instead. You’d be so confused.”
When Is The Job Done?
At the end of the day, the staff’s job isn’t done until the movie starts. By that point the trunk-or-treat is over and the candy is gone, the food is gone, and everyone’s in their cars. During the movie, we clean up and get ready to go home, while a few staff members stay behind to move cars out.
On average, somewhere between 1500 to 1700 students, faculty, staff, family and friends show up to Scream Screen. DeLorzeno’s The Burg serves about 800 – 1,000 slices of pizza, Yoo Cuz hands out about 500 cheesesteaks and fries, and TCC Hibachi goes through HUNDREDS of bowls. Do you want to be a part of one of the biggest events on campus? Then come to Scream Screen X on Friday, October 17, 2025, in the BLC Parking Lot. It’s free and SPOOKTACULAR!
Don’t Scream at the Screen When I Say This, But There is a Blood Drive On Campus!
The Scream Screen Blooddrive is Wednesday October 29 and Thursday October 30 from 10am to 5pm in the BLC Cavalla Room. Giving a pint saves a life! Iso Rampulla ‘26 has donated every year since coming to Rider and I asked her to debunk some of the myths associated with donating blood.
Debunking The Myths
First, donating doesn’t actually “hurt.” In Iso’s words “In a weird way, they prick your finger to check your iron levels. And THAT hurts more than actually getting your blood drawn. If you don’t look at the needle you will be fine.”
What to Know Before You Donate
Second, if you have low iron, there are ways to bump it up before you give blood in order to donate. “Hearty meats, poultry, fish, and cereals have high iron. It’s all about hydrating and taking care of yourself before donating. Donating right after lunch and eating a hearty meal is the best. Just make sure to eat beforehand.”
Now, as someone who personally does not know what their blood type is, I asked Iso, if you can find out your blood type when you donate, and the answer is, “YES!”
Before you donate, you must fill out a questionnaire. The team at Miller-Keystone will ask you if you are on medication, if you have received a tattoo recently, if you have travelled out of the country in the last six months, and if you’ve been sick recently.
Donating doesn’t actually take that long! And after you donate they give you snacks and water, so you can replenish energy before going back home. Iso stressed the importance of eating and drinking after you donate blood, after an experience she had in high school . “I donated to skip my math class, and I was new to donating at the time, so I didn’t eat anything. After I donated I had to go to my acting class, and I remember sitting in the theatre and practically just falling asleep. They let me out of school that day because of it. I drove right to McDonald’s, ate something and instantly felt better. So eating before and after you donate blood is VERY important.”
Iso’s Inspiration
Iso got her inspiration to donate from her family! “Our family has a great relationship with donating blood. We have been donating for a long time. For a long time I was not good though. I would have to get blood drawn a lot due to health issues and I was so scared of these needles. But when I was able to donate, I changed my perspective, and now I love it.”
“But What’s In It For Me ???”
If you attempt to donate this semester at 107.7 The Bronc’s Scream Screen Blood Drive you’ll receive a free jump pass for Sky Zone in Hamilton! And everyone who attempts to donate blood could win a $250 Visa gift card! Make sure to schedule your appointment for either October 29 or 30 in the BLC Cavalla Room!