Developing Daniel: The Face of Horror in Glitch

Hi there, Week 4 is here !!!

We returned to school after our extra long weekend, and the Cambridge project continued!

One of the most important elements in a horror movie is the characters' experiences. Remember that my Film Opening has one male main character. I decided on his gender because most boys play video games. 

His name is Daniel, and he is 16 years old. He is a regular kid who loves playing with his console and staying up too late. He's not some fearless action hero; he's just like us.

Why this name?

I picked this name because it felt familiar and had powerful meanings. His most common origin is from The Bible. 

In the Book of Daniel, the boy is thrown into a lion's den but miraculously survives. He is known for his wisdom, visions, and ability to interpret dreams and mysterious writings.

I found this meaning from Ancestry.com:

In Horror Films, there are some character stereotypes. We can find the final girl, the cop, the killer, the entity, the old people, the hysterics, among others.  

I read this article: "20 Most Common Horror Movie Stereotype Characters," and Daniel fits the Skeptic stereotype. Those are some characteristics:

• Rational 
• Stubborn 
• Late realization (or fatal mistake)
• Tragic role

Now, there is one example about it:

Connection to Glitch: 

Like the biblical Daniel, my character is thrown into a terrifying, unknown situation. He is forced to interpret what's real and what's a glitch, but instead of a lion's den, he's trapped in a reality-bending nightmare.

In the beginning, Daniel is just your typical 16-year-old. He spends too much time gaming, stays up late, and is at first not worried by the glitches. He's not the person who believes in ghosts or monsters until he's forced to.

The scariest thing about Daniel's story in Glitch is that he doesn't realize he's in a horror movie until it's too late. At first, the minor glitches in his game are just pestering him. Until the scratching began. Then, the shadow outside his window. His fear builds slowly until suddenly, he's running for his life. He's stuck between believing his instincts and wanting to ignore the growing dread in his stomach.

That's what makes his fear feel real.

How does he look?

Daniel is 16 years old, around 5'8", and has a casual style. He has messy hair,  expressive eyes, and a strong jawline.

His go-to outfit is a simple black hoodie, slightly wrinkled, paired with sweatpants, and he is barefoot. He often wears headphones around his neck, indicating his deep gaming focus.

Daniel slouches when relaxed but tenses up when something feels off. His fear builds subtly, tapping fingers, shallow breathing, and slight trembling until panic overtakes him.

Bringing Daniel to Life

Daniel Mood Board

Since Daniel is the story's center, I want to ensure the audience genuinely feels his fear. So, I will pretend to focus on small details that show his emotions, such as breathing changes, hands shaking, or sweat on his forehead.  

Also, some voice changes ( confident at the beginning and then a disturbing voice when he feels that something is not okay!)

About the casting, I have some selections in mind ( some friends could fit the perfect Daniel in my film), but this will be part of my next research and work in the Mise-En-Scene-Elements production. 

So far, Daniel starts Glitch as a typical teenager. By the end of the Opening, he's questioning everything he thought was real. 

To conclude. Daniel's mind goes from:

This isn't real  --- Okay, that was weird --- I need to get out of here.

Would you have turned off the game the moment it glitched, or would you have kept playing like Daniel?

Sources:

https://www.behindthename.com/name/daniel?

https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/daniel?

https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Daniel.html?

https://screenrant.com/most-common-horror-movie-stereotype-characters/