The next step for my Cambridge project is my script. First, I must start by defining what a script or screenplay is. This is the best definition I found:
"A screenplay is a written work for a film, television show, or other moving media, that expresses the movement, actions and dialogue of characters".
Having a script helps you decide how the story will play out. It works the same as a storyboard but without the images. It should also be noted that the script must combine dialogue and visual instructions to guide the filmmakers. It's like a kind of "fingerprint."
A PROPER SCREENPLAY FORMAT INCLUDES:
After deciding on my story, I went to Word and typed out a script for the film.
Hi! This is the post I will tell you about my idea.
The name of my film will be GLITCH
GLITCH explores the theory that entities from other dimensions are real and can be evil. It's a paranormal horror film.
The narrative follows a teenager with his friends who had just left his house, and he settles down and begins to play on his Xbox. It's normal at first, but suddenly, he begins to experience some glitches. Small things like delayed movement and a flicker on the screen. At first, he ignores it, thinking it’s just the wifi, but as the disturbances get worse and worse, he begins to realize something much worse is happening.
The film's opening is set as all the occurrences begin to happen. This was the first time anyone had heard of anything like this. The audience sees the entity emerge and attack the character in the bathroom.
So, working on this idea (which may still be vague), we can see that the Narrative Theory is easily applicable: it begins with an equilibrium (a routine playing Xbox), and a disruption occurs when the boy starts to feel something is not ok. It develops at the end of the opening a new equilibrium, which is not so good for the main character, but that leaves the audience intrigued about what will happen in the film's development.
Filming
The movie will be shot inside a house, at night, utilizing low lighting, suspense sounds, and creepy silence, except for the game in the background. Glitch plays with the concept that not everything is how it seems, and there are other realities and dimensions we don't know about. This film'sopening sets the paranormal horror of being confronted by a being from a different dimension. Would you believe him if he told you?
In this post, I want to discuss a media theory I could apply to my Cambridge project. Do you know what THE NARRATIVE THEORY IS?
Well, Narrative Theory states that stories have a basic human approach with essential components of our experience, like time, process, and change. This is applied in movies, books, TV shows, and advertisements and is frequently used by filmmakers, writers, and media specialists.
The author of this theory is Tzvetan Todorov, a Bulgarian literary theorist who created the five stage narrative theory, explaining how stories move from stability to disruption and resolution.
Todorov's thesis states that most stories have a basic structure: an event disturbs an equilibrium, and generates disruption. After that, the characters strive to restore the equilibrium, and a new equilibrium or resolution has resolved.
So, this is the TodoroVs' theory five-stage structure:
Equilibrium → Disruption → Recognition → Resolution → New Equilibrium.
Although Torodov's Theory has 5 stages, for the project, I will highlight three: EQUILIBRIUM, DISEQUILIBRIUM, AND NEW EQUILIBRIUM. Todorov's idea is simple. That's why I plan to use it in my film opening.
While researching, I realized almost every horror movie follows the same structure, even if we don't always notice it.
Let's check this example...I chose to again analyze the opening of Scream (1996)
The movie opens typically. The girl is alone at home and chatting on the phone (equilibrium). Everything seems safe. However, tension rises (disequilibrium), and the conversation becomes creepy.
She attempts to get away (to gain a new equilibrium)
Knowing the horror is over (new equilibrium) doesn't mean the audience doesnt remain nervous beyond the scene.
It's interesting that a disturbing perception of order is necessary for horror to succeed. The audience is at ease initially, but then anxiety creeps in when something seems odd.
This theory made me realize that my two-minute horror film opening needs to follow a similar pattern. I can establish equilibrium and disequilibrium for sure. So, in the next post, I will reveal my proposal and see if Todorov's theory will fit in my film opening. Keep in touch!
As you know, I'm working on my Cambridge portfolio, developing my idea for a two minute horror film opening. I was supposed to meet with my teacher, but I was sick the day of the meeting, so I'm making a research post instead. Today, I'm researching what features to incorporate to make it as good as possible. One important technique is the Color Scheme.
Today, I want to share some of my research with you!
I watched a great video ( Color Theory in Horror Movies / Film Analysis) about color schemes and their use in horror movies. First of all, I want to highlight the three basic components of color:
Hue: thecolor itself
Saturation: intensity of color
Brightness: lightness or darkness of color
Besides, the filmmakers considered the following:
Intensity: how pure the color is. A color is most intense when straight from the tube, not mixed with another color.
Also, I noticed that the colors could be edited through digital effects (remastered color ) or even added some filters to the camera film. To choose the right colors during filming, filmmakers use color grading software to enhance the post-production atmosphere. Software like DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Final Cut Pro allows editors to adjust hue, saturation, brightness, and contrast.
USE OF COLOR IN HORROR GENRE
Look back at your most recent horror movie or your favorite one. Surely, you can remember colors like black and redin violent or scary scenes.
According to the article "The Color Wheel of Horror—Creating Mood with Color Lighting,"color greatly enhances a film's or picture's tone. In horror movies, color is used extensively to captivate the viewers and provide them with a rainbow of feelings.
Filmmakers tend to use cooler tones in horror movies than in other genres. The most common are blue, green, black, and grey.
In these images, you can see two examples of the color schemes in different subgenres of horror films. ( Paranormal and thriller )
Scream Color Pallette -Thriller
The Conjuring 2, Color Palette-Paranormal
The shades are also important. Most of the scenes occur in dark places or are filmed at night, so the shades are also great for generating a sense of fear and suspense in the film. Deep blacks and grays create this mood, enhancing the feeling of dread. However, other colors like orange, yellow,or white are also used. In the article: "The Meaning of Color in Horror by Shannon Lewis" I saw the different colors and their explanation of the scheme. These are some examples from the article:
In conclusion, using a color scheme enhances suspense and intensifies fear in horror films. Filmmakers mostly use cool tones to create "dark" atmospheres, while blacks and shadows add mystery and tension. Red, orange, or even yellow are often used to highlight danger or violence. Through careful lighting, filters, and digital editing, colors shape the viewer's emotions, making horror films more immersive and unsettling.
As you know, I am working on a horror film opening for my AICE Media Studies class. Part of my research is about who watches horror movies. And why do some people like getting scared?
What is a Target Audience?
According to SMA Marketing, a target audience is the group of people most likely to watch a movie. Age, gender, and interests are part of the analysis that the filmmakers have to do. Horror is a genre with a specific audience.
Target for Horror Films
Horror movies have a very loyal fan base, made up of mostly young adults.
Here are some interesting facts:
Age
A Deloitte studyshowed that for Gen Z, horror is a very close third among genre preferences. ( Comedy, Action, and Horror ). On the other hand, Movio's study also found that the market for horror films is younger than most.
Gender: More men watch Horror than women: 58% male and 42% female. The data reveals that action horror attracts more guys, while paranormal Horror has a more balanced audience.
Diversity: Horror movies bring in a wide range of people. The search found that 31% of paranormal horror fans are Hispanic, and 16% of sci-fi horror fans are African-American.
Loyalty: Horror fans don't watch one or two scary movies. 44% of paranormal horror fans and 56% of sci-fi horror fans go to the film more than 12 times a year.
Why knowing your target audience matters.
The filmmakers need to know their audience to make movies that people will enjoy. One of the reasons horror works so well is because the genre has fans who keep coming back. For this reason, classic franchises like "Halloween" and "Friday 13th" are still popular.
This research makes me think about who my horror opening is for and how I can make sure it connects with the right audience.
Today, I am posting my work schedule. Having a timeline from the start helps with long projects, so one of my goals is to stick to it.
Now, I have only seven weeks to the final. I started with research, picked my genre ( Horror), and analyzed different film opening scenes and the credits opening. Thus, I have begun to develop the big decision: what is my film opening about.
This is my Timeline ( approximate )
February 2025
Week One (1/29-2/2) RESEARCH
Research
Analyze two possible genre choices for the project. ( I read about Horror and Action genres)
Week Two (2/3-2/9) RESEARCH
Research
Chose my genre ( Horror)
Explore different film openings within my genre.
Explore different credit openings within my genre.
Analyze movie plots for inspiration.
Brainstorming about the plot ( I am doing my assignment alone, so I chat with some friends and family members about my ideas)
Week Three (2/10-2/16) Research and Pre-Production
Media Theory to be included
Star to work on the Storyboard and Script
Actor pre-selection
Week Four (2/17-2/23) Pre- Production
Final selection of the actor/actress
Location ( Maybe two or three)
Find some Music ( horror genre and no copyright )
Lighting ( My opening will be filmed at night)
Costume
Week Five (2/24-3/2) Production
Begin shooting scenes
Record any voiceovers if needed
If necessary, capture sound effects (foley)
Fonts and/or credits style selection
March 2025
Week Six (3/3-3/9) Production / Post-production
Re-record if necessary.
Assemble the first rough cut.
Add the title and credits.
Review the edit and adjust pacing, sound, or transitions.
Week Seven (3/10-3/16) Post-production / CCR
Review the entire film.
Conduct research for my Creative Critical Reflection (CCR).
Start to write the CCR
Week Eight (3/17-3/25)
Write, edit, and finalize the reflection.
Final Touches
Double-check all requirements and ensure the project is submission ready.
For my opening film, I want to include a unique credit sequence. To create this, I decided to look very carefully at the opening of some horror classics and take inspiration from their credit sequences.
Research
Credit sequences acknowledge the individuals involved in the film, including the director, production team, actors, and other crew members. They also help viewers recognize these contributors. Various effective approaches exist to creating a well designed credit sequence.
Some movies conceal the credits to not make them obvious, while others put the credits out in the open. In contrast, othersuse their opening credits immediately after the opening scenes are over.
I've noticed a pattern in the order of the credits sequences. The main characters typically appear in the early scenes. While the director's or filmmaker's name sometimes comes first, the sequence usually concludes with the production and direction credits. I also noticed that the presentation of the production companies' logos as part of the credits is designed and constructed based on the genre or theme of the film.
For example, in "IT," a red balloon is included, floating. These sequences are accompanied by music that matches the genre of the film.
IT, Company Logo Opening
Some Credits Sequence ( Horror Movies)
Pet Sematary (1989) did not hide its credits as the opening scene began. The opening credits scene is slow but eerie and helps set the film’s ominous tone. The camera slowly moves through the cemetery, panning through gravestones and wooden crosses. As the camera scans through the graves, the credits are shown on screen, carefully placed so as not to get in the way of the graves.
Remember that this movie is from 1989, so the fonts used were simple, shadow, and bold. The film's title has been designed differently, and the style fades in and out.
You can watch the entire sequence in this video:
Alien (1979)
Another movie that had a similar credit scene was Alien. Like Pet Sematary, their credits were out in the open, easy for audiences to read and notice. Due to distinct settings, Alien didn't have to position them with the precision that Pet Sematary did, as the opening scene starts in a void in space, and the credits are displayed as the title of the movie slowly gains shape.
The text's font was simple due to the age of the film, which is now over 45 years old. The credit scene is also slow and eerie; as we wait for the title to form, the audience has no choice but to stare into the empty void of space as the camera slowly pans to the right to show the nearby planet.
Insidious (2010)
A movie that instead chose to do a terrifying and suspenseful credits scene was Insidious. The 1st installation of the movie series centers around the Limbert family and how their son Dalton mysteriously fell into a long coma and became a vessel of several demons. The creepy music throughout the opening scene makes the audience feel drawn in and at the edge of their seats, expecting a jump scare. This credit scene is more complex than the other 2, with more fast paced editing and quicker transitions. This credit scene aimed to get viewers on their edge as the movie began.
