How to Host a Presentation Night
A presentation night — also called a PowerPoint party, slideshow evening, or deck night — is part talent show, part comedy roast, part dinner party. Here's how to run one that people actually talk about afterwards.
What You Need
- 4–10 players — 5 is the sweet spot. Fewer feels thin; more than 10 and the evening runs past midnight.
- 5 minutes per presenter — the default. Enough time to make a point; short enough that people stay engaged.
- A big screen — laptop plugged into a TV is ideal. One host controls the app.
- Topics sorted in advance — pre-assigned works best for first-timers. Mystery reveal adds drama if the group is confident.
Before the Night
- Share topics with presenters at least a week ahead — they'll thank you when they have slides.
- Tell them the format: 5 minutes, any style, scored on funniness, slides, and delivery.
- Remind them to keep it broadly appropriate for the group — no roasting individuals without consent.
- Set up the app, add player names, and optionally add photos for the wheel.
Tip: the topic is a prompt, not a constraint.
The best presentations riff on the topic rather than answer it literally. Tell your presenters that "Why I deserve a pay rise" might become "a 5-slide investor pitch deck for my own personality".
Running the Night
- Spin the wheel to pick each presenter — randomness removes awkwardness about who goes first.
- If you've enabled the explainer mechanic, a random person gets 20 seconds to explain the presenter's job first. It's always funnier than expected.
- Start the timer. The host controls the laptop; presenters can use their own slides on a separate device via screen share or HDMI.
- After each presentation, score it together. If judges are voting from their phones, lock in the scores when everyone's submitted.
- The app reveals scores round by round, building to a final podium.
Tip: don't skip the post-presentation chat.
The 2–3 minutes after each talk — where the group laughs, challenges claims, and generally heckles — is often the highlight. Don't rush straight to scoring.
Tips for Presenters
- Start with a strong opener. The first 20 seconds sets the tone. A bold claim, a statistic you made up, or a dramatic photo all work.
- Slides help but aren't required. Even 3–4 slides give the audience something to react to.
- Structure beats improv. A beginning, middle, and end — however absurd — feels more satisfying than a ramble.
- Lean into the genre. Corporate pitch decks, TED talk parodies, and nature documentaries about mundane topics consistently score well.
- End deliberately. A planned last line lands better than trailing off. "Thank you, I'll take questions" always gets a laugh.
Scoring
The default categories are Funniest, Best Slides, Most Creative, and Best Delivery. You can customise these in the app settings before you start. Scores are 1–5 stars per category.
If you have phones available, enable phone voting — everyone judges simultaneously from their own device, which speeds things up and removes the awkwardness of a single "official" judge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if someone doesn't have slides? Fine. The wheel doesn't care. Award them a bonus creativity point if they wing it well.
Can people refuse to present? You can, but it's more fun if no-one is allowed to opt out. The wheel is impartial and merciless.
How long does a full night take? 5 players × 5 minutes + scoring + chat + the explainer round ≈ 90 minutes. 8 players ≈ 2.5 hours. Factor in drinks.
Should we use twists? Enable them if the group is confident. Speed round and secret word are the crowd favourites. Save double-points for the final presenter for maximum drama.