My Audience

Props List

Cast (so far)

Josh/The Murderer
played by Joshua Wright (myself)


Amy/Victim #1
played by Amy Black


Paige/Victim #2
played by Paige Windley



Callum/Victim #3
played by Callum Ahmed


Mr Hamlin/Victim #4
played by John Hamlin

Shot list (More pictures soon)

My full film has eleven scenes, shot in seven locations. Not all of these locations and not all of these scenes will be in the trailer, but I believe it is a good idea to record every scene and location that I MIGHT be placing in the trailer.

Scene A. INT IN. DARK ROOM – CAMERA POV
Scene B. INT IN. CLASSROOM #1 – AFTERNOON – CAMERA POV
Scene C. INT IN. DARK ROOM – CAMERA POV
Scene D. INT. OFFICE #2 – MORNING – CAMERA PO
Scene E. INT IN. DARK ROOM – CAMERA POV
Scene F. INT. OFFICE #2 – MORNING – CAMERA POV
Scene G. INT IN. BEDROOM – NIGHT – CAMERA POV
Scene H. INT IN. – STREET – AFTERNOON – CAMERA PO
Scene I. INT IN. CLASSROOM #2 – MORNING – CAMERA POV
Scene J. INT IN. REFECTORY – AFTERNOON – CAMERA POV
Scene K. INT IN. CORRIDOR – AFTERNOON – CAMERA POV

Location 1. Dark Room
(Scenes A, C, E, H1,)
This location will be where the murders take place, so I need a well-lit but empty room. Scene H1 does not currently exist in the script, but may need to be added to the film later, for narrative reasons. I have used Wyke's Green Screen Room, as it is a freely available. I can have control of any set or props that are used in this room, and in post-production, I can place a 'sepia' tone on the shot to turn the green into a more realistic orange/brown colour, or any other colour which looks ideal in the edit.

Location 2. Classroom #1/#2
(Scene B, I)
These may be two different Film/Media classrooms, or the same classroom, depending on the availability of rooms, and my personal choice.

Location 3. Office
(Scene D)
This scene will be filmed, due to the availability of the room and the current look of the room, in the current Media/Film office.

Location 4. Street
(Scene H)
This scene only has one character in, and is a generic street. I may use the outside of college as a substitute.

Location 5. Bedroom
(Scene G)
Only one scene will be scene in the Bedroom location, with only one character. As it is my character in the scene, and my character’s bedroom, I have decided to use my bedroom.

Location 6. Refectory
(Scene J)
This scene is the scene with the majority of main cast and extras in a single scene. Due to the availability and access, I will use my origingal idea and film in the college Refectory.

Location 7. Stairs/Corridor
(Scene K)
A continuing shot from Scene J, this will be shot on the staircase/corridor between the Refectory location of in Scene J and the Classroom(s)/Office locations of Scenes 2 and 3.

Codes and Conventions of my Chosen Genres

Psychological Horror

The psychological horror genre is a mix of the genres of horror and psychological thriller. Psychological horrors, like all horrors, concentrate on the antagonist(s) harming the protagonist(s), with a particular focus on the characters’ fears and emotions, and how the antagonist creates and/or manipulates these to create the horror element. A major aspect of psychological horror is that the identity of the antagonist can be kept a secret

As with horror, psychological horror will add canted/Dutch angles, to give a sense of disorientation for the audience, reflecting the characters’ emotions. Mirrors can be used to show the ‘two-faced/dark side’ aspects of characters (particularly if the audience are not fully aware of which character the antagonist is).

Mise-en-scene is very important in psychological horrors. Colour can be used to reflect the characters and their emotions, as well as giving very contrasting views. For example, two colours that are associated with psychological horrors are red and black. In a horror, black can mean death or mystery (if a character is in a dark location, there can be an element of mystery to their identity), and red can mean blood; however, in another genre, e.g. romance, red can mean passion and love. So although colour can be used, it has to be supported by other stylistics.

Fast editing will be used, in order to reflect heightened emotions of the characters.

Found Footage

Found footage is a genre of film in which all, or the majority, of the film is presented in either a ‘home video’ style, or a ‘lost footage’ documentary, left behind by the deceased protagonists (the latter more popular in horror/found footage hybrids, such as the popular films The Blair Witch Project [1999, Directed by Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez, US] and Paranormal Activity [2007; Directed by Oren Pele, US]. In found footage films, the filming is done by the actors themselves, and the camera is viewed as a prop in the film. This means the audience can have a direct link to the characters.

Cinematography is an incredibly important aspect of the found footage genre. There is usually only one camera throughout the entire film, which is used to document events. For example, in “Paranormal Activity”, the camera(s) are used to capture footage of the poltergeists, in “The Blair Witch Project” the single camera is used to document the students attempting to find the truth about the titular Blair Witch phenomena. Found footage films will often use close-ups to show the emotion of the characters.

Due to the minimal use of camera angles, one scene will be entirely shot in one take. Editing techniques (such as shot reverse shot, match on action) are completely ignored, and scene cuts are shown as a literal ‘cut’ of the camera.

No film soundtrack or score are usually used in found footage films, as all aspects of found footage are portrayed as being a part of the diegesis. This means that any emotion that the audience can draw from music (the ‘stabbing’ music in the psychological horror film Psycho) has to come from the cinematography and the performance of the actors. However, some aspects of sound can be predominant in both psychological horrors and found footage, such as the heartbeats of the characters, to reflect the emotion of the scene.

Film Trailers

Film trailers play a vital role on the marketing and promotion of a commercial film, by showing the significant moments, introducing the main characters and settings, with a teaser of the quest and/or disruption, along with fast editing, dramatic music and emotional, enthusiastic commentary (depending on the genre).

It is important in editing film trailers, to tease the contents of a film, and show the best and most enticing parts of a film, but not to show every exciting moment, there is still an attraction to see the entire film, to see the exciting parts hidden from the audience in the trailer.

My Audience

Risk Assessment

Ten Second Animatic

Thirty Second Animatic

Inspirational Film Trailers

Chronicle

Dir. Josh Trank

2012

US

This film trailer has inspired me as it stars, and is targeted at, teenagers. Although its genres are superhero/found footage, and does not incorporate any psychological thriller elements, I believe I can draw inspiration from the particular emotions of the characters for my film.

The Blair Witch Project Trailer

Dirs. Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez

1999

US

This film is one of the most well known psychological thriller/found footage films in existence. Like my college film trailer, it was made on a low budget.

This film also inspired the name of my film, "The Project", and has also added some plot elements, such as the story of film students investigating strange phenomena (in TBWP, it is the eponymous Blair Witch, in my film, it is an unnamed murderer).

Paranormal Activity Trailer

Dir. Oren Peli

2007

US

Like TBWP, Paranormal Activity is an incredibly well known psychological thriller/found footage film. It has spawned multiple sequels, with the original costing only $15,000 (approximately £9,377) barely nothing compared to the multi-million dollar blockbusters of contemporary cinema.  With similar 'paranormal phenomena' themes to Blair Witch, I can take the horror elements and place them into my film.

The Last Horror Movie
Dir. Julian Richards
2004
UK

TLHM is the only British film in this list. A very little-known, low-budget British film, this film has inspired the 'home-made' aspect of this film, with the direct rapport between Max Parry, the main character, and the audience.