Idea generation and research

PRODUCTION
MANAGEMENT
STAGE 1
IDEA GENERATION
& RESEARCH
ROBBIE HICKMAN
YOU SHOULD USE THIS TO STRUCTURE YOUR STAGE 1
RESPONSE. ADD SLIDES WHERE NECESSARY AND
ILLUSTRATIONS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CLICK ON THE
BOX UNDER THE QUESTION/INFO!

MIND MAP Link: https://bubbl.us/7592360

MOOD BOARD
ANALYSIS
The images I have placed into my moodboard on the previous slide
communicate my ideas for the short film I will produce later on,
specifically in regard to genre, tone and atmosphere. The presence of
multiple images in which dark tones and shadows are the
predominating elements clearly highlights my intentions to produce a
film which fits into the genre of horror, as well as feature a setting that
is disturbing. The images on my moodboard also depict various shots
and camera angles e.g. extreme close-up, long shot and establishing
shot, all of which will appear in my short film; the usage of various
types of shot/camera angle can be considered beneficial because
audiences are more likely to be intrigued throughout the course of the
film and find that they have increased aspects to interact with. The
various types of shots and camera angles do well to convey things
such as the emotions of characters, as well as the setting for a film. My
moodboard also features images of characters who are obscured by
shadows; the reason behind the presence of these images is because
my film will feature themes of mystery which should be intriguing for
the audience. The images depicting urban legends such as the Rake,
the Goatman and Slender-Man highlight my other ideas to create a
horror film or a psychological thriller.

WHEN GOD’S BLINK
http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/When_Gods_Blink
‘On the 25th March, at 14:57GMT, the world stopped for 27 minutes and 54 seconds. No-one
noticed at first. Those that eventually did were ordered to keep quiet’.
‘There was no sudden jolt, no collapsing into unconsciousness, no transition into utter darkness
and back again. Nothing.’
‘When God’s Blink’ is a Creepypasta written by user ‘CharminglyShallow’, who has stated that he
took inspiration from existing Creepypastas (most notably Candle Cove) and began writing some
of his own and submitting them to the website in 2014. The horror stories created by
CharminglyShallow tend to be filled with dark humour and contain frequent usage of profanity
(particularly the F-word) and appear to contain psychological themes. Written in 2014, ‘When
God’s Blink’ revolves around a mysterious event; the Earth and its entire population cease to
exist for almost thirty minutes, with only NASA and related space agencies catching wind of it
due to signals towards satellites outside of Earth’s orbit being off for a short amount of time. The
main character of the pasta is Ben, a conspiracy theorist who works within the IT industry. He
discovers the facts concerning the unexplained event and soon begins to come up with his own
theories regarding the event, even going as far as suggesting that God was attempting to punish
mankind or prevent mankind from ‘playing God’.
I was intrigued by this story when I first read it, and my personal opinion is that it ties in to the
mystery genre, horror genre and Sci-Fi genre whilst also exploring the unstable psychological
state of the character Ben, as well as the secondary character Mark (who is Ben’s friend) who
struggles to comprehend the things Ben is coming up with. I think that the story is unique
because it explores the fear that we could simply cease to be without even knowing. Also, only
two characters are present throughout the course of the story, with an apartment as its sole
setting.

ANANSI’S GOATMAN STORY
http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Anansi's_Goatman_Story
Anansi’s Goatman Story is a Creepypasta written in the year 2013. It is
considered by many to be one of the best pastas due to the foreboding
atmosphere it provides, as well as the tension and suspense it creates. It was
ranked #4 on the list of 13 Frighteningly Sharable Creepypastas
(http://mashable.com/2013/10/28/creepypastas/#OIW0i7eW8ZqJ) and is based
primarily on the Native American Legend – the Goatman; a creature which is
half-goat and half human, with the body of a human and the head and
hindquarters of a goat. There are various interpretations of the Goatman, with
some suggesting that it might be of supernatural origin or even an accident at a
research centre which caused a scientist to mutate into the creature.
The story revolves around a 16 year old teenager who visits his cousins and
their friends in Alabama. They all decide to go out camping in the middle of the
woods and encounter a supernatural presence which stalks and terrorizes them
throughout the night; it gets to the point where the teenagers become extremely
paranoid and attempt to rationalize what is happening. My opinion about this
pasta is that it does well to evoke fear within the reader and also provides a
great deal of insight regarding the terror of the characters, especially due to the
frequent usage of profanity throughout. The presence of swearing also does
well to enable the reader to connect to the characters because it is likely that
the reader(s) would react to a situation of the same kind in a similar manner if it
was unfolding in real-life. Also, the pasta does well to provide a strong sense of
ambiguity; the creature does not get an accurate description due to the fact that
it is obscured by the shadows when it appears - according to the characters.
This shows that the story creates more tension and suspense due to the fact
that the true nature of the creature is never revealed, thus leaving the reader to
speculate what it was.

10 MYSTERIOUS PHOTOS THAT
CANNOT BE EXPLAINED
(YOUTUBE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU5rtGDaE9Y
‘10 mysterious photos that cannot be explained’ is a YouTube video
uploaded by TheRichest on July 20th, 2014. It explores a series of
photographs obtained from alternating time periods (particularly the
First and Second World Wars) depicting seemingly paranormal
occurences such as ghostly faces, objects, creatures etc. appearing
on-camera. Although many of these photos can be easily rationalized,
the video itself possesses an atmosphere that is grim and disturbing,
with an eerie soundtrack to accompany the images and commentary. I
consider the 7th picture to be a source of inspiration for my short film
because its visual appearance could do well to evoke fear within an
audience and therefore I see it as a great concept for a horror film. The
7th image depicts the ‘Copper/Cooper Family Falling Body Photo’, in
which the members of a family are shown sitting at a table with a
shadowy figure hanging or falling from the ceiling to their right.
My opinion of this image is that it is quite disturbing, especially with
the colours black and white present even though cameras won’t have
been technologically advanced enough to capture full colour (the time
period is suggested by the clothing the family members are wearing).
It is likely that the family reacted to the developed picture in horror and
sought to leave their new home as soon as possible. I feel that I could
expand on this in my own short film.

JOE’S STORY (YOUTUBE)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIdA3Nv490M
Joe’s Story is an inspirational video that was clearly created
with the sole intention of preventing cyberbullying, particularly
amongst young teenagers. It revolves primarily around a young
boy who is alienated by his fellow classmates and later bullied
relentlessly online, with the tormentors even going as far as
creating a web page representing him in a false and malicious
way. The primary target audience for this video is clearly
teenagers (both males and females) who use social networking
sites regularly and should be made aware of the dangers of
cyberbullying. I consider ‘Joe’s Story’ to be a source of
inspiration for my short film because it does not utilize
dialogue from characters at almost any stage within the
flashbacks depicting Joe and his struggles. The audience is
made aware of what is slowly unfolding at Joe’s school due to
close-up shots (which show his emotions), fade-outs (which do
well to add to the emotion of the film), and malicious text
messages and emails the character receives throughout. The
producers clearly deemed dialogue within the film
unnecessary.

YOUR IDEA
My chosen idea for the short film I will produce is a psychological horror that revolves
primarily around a group of young teenagers who enter a derelict location that is apparently
haunted and capture a series of photographs depicting the rooms, stairwells, doorways etc.
Whilst studying the photos later on, one of the characters discovers what appears to be a
shadowy figure hanging or falling from the ceiling to his left within one of the pictures.
Although there would be a logical explanation for an occurrence such as this; for example
an error upon the development of the picture following the moment it was captured, the
character becomes increasingly paranoid and desperate to comprehend exactly what is
happening within the image. It gets to the point where the character becomes delirious and
convinced that something is following him.
The reason why I have chosen this idea for my short film is because I took inspiration from
the ‘Copper Falling Body’ photo, which was intriguing to me at first glance due to its dark
and menacing nature. I assumed that the family would react in horror to the image at the
time and immediately leave their home and I think that this will make a great concept for a
psychological thriller/horror film. Another reason why I have chosen this idea is because it
concerns the general wellbeing of a character as opposed to a supernatural force at work.
There are a wide range of existing horror films that revolve primarily around the mental
health of characters e.g. The Shining, Seven and The Sixth Sense, all of which have been
commercially successful in the past. All three films do not necessarily employ
characteristics of the horror genre e.g. ghosts appearing on-screen; instead they rely on
showing a character’s descent into madness which is something audiences are very likely
to be able to relate to. I also think that a short film which emphasizes the increasingly
unstable psychological state of the protagonist could do well to create tension and
suspense within the audience, thus my short film would evoke adrenaline.

PRIMARY TARGET
AUDIENCE RESEARCH
In order to identify the target audience for my short film, I will produce a questionnaire
on SurveyMonkey that will enable me to obtain information regarding the preferences of
certain individuals when it comes to horror films, as well as their personal opinions
regarding the nature of the short film I intend to produce. The survey will therefore be a
statistical study of the potential members of my audience. I will insert a total of 10
questions into my survey, each one with a choice of answers; some of them will require
the audience to provide a somewhat detailed response rather than simply a ‘Yes or No’
answer. Once I have received responses from members of the audience, I will analyse
these responses and determine whether or not my idea for a short film is suitable for
my target audience, as well as intriguing.
Producing an online survey could be effective for obtaining information because a wide
range of people use the internet every day and it would be very easy for people to find
my survey; it would also be easy for people to complete the survey. Another advantage
is that the survey is free. In order to obtain accurate results, I will be sure to add
questions that are relevant to my short film e.g. do you prefer psychological thriller
films. The research I will be conducting can be considered a good example of
qualitative research because the aim of my questionnaire is to obtain responses that
are highly detailed rather than brief, in which case the research would be considered
quantitative. Qualitative research is quite effective because it allows the members of the
audience to not only provide answers of their own, but also expand on their answers.
This type of research is also advantageous for my own audience research, primarily
because I will be able to obtain answers which are highly detailed.

SECONDARY TARGET
AUDIENCE RESEARCH
My short film is somewhat inspired by the British paranormal reality television series ‘Most Haunted’,
which revolves around a group of people who investigate a wide range of apparently haunted locations
across the U.K. The programme was given a ‘12’ certificate, most likely due to the presence of
disturbing themes, dark tones and an eerie atmosphere. It contains elements of the horror genre; low-
key lighting is present in specific scenes and this does well to ensure that dark tones and shadows are
the predominating elements throughout. Scenes from the programme are generally shot at night (with
the night-mode function of the camera being activated), which makes the programme feel sinister and
creates a strong sense of foreboding as danger and death are suggested. My short film will also contain
characteristics of the genre of horror, most notably derelict structures and scenes at night which should
provide the film with an eerie atmosphere.
Another film which can be considered similar to the short film I intend to produce is the 2013 horror film
‘The Conjuring’ which was directed by James Wan. The film grossed over $300 million worldwide
against a budget of only $20 million, earning over $150 million within the first several months of its
release. The overall box office gross for ‘The Conjuring’ shows that a wide range of people are intrigued
by horror films, including those which are loosely based on true events (the Conjuring was based on
the demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga
respectively). The main target audience for horror movies as of recent times appears to be males aged
15-25, who tend to be less likely to react negatively to things like gore, violence or disturbing themes,
images etc. as opposed to older audiences who are likely to be more susceptible to being dissatisfied
with the film due to its violent and/or disturbing content. Those who fit into the ‘Aspirer’ or ‘Explorer’
psychographic categories also tend to watch horror films; they tend to value adventure and seek
discovery, as well as experience. My short film could appeal to this audience because it will be quite
distinctive from horror films today as it will explore a character’s descent into madness rather than
supernatural elements e.g. ghosts or demons. My short film will also feature adolescent male
characters in leading roles, therefore my target audience (which is 15-25 year old males) should be able
to relate to them easily.

PRIMARY TARGET
AUDIENCE SUMMARY
The majority of those who responded to the questionnaire I constructed on SurveyMonkey were
18-19 year old males who enjoy a strong sense of mystery within films. 57.14% of my audience
stated that they did not enjoy watching horror films for a variety of reasons, including getting too
scared throughout the course of them. However, 42.86% of my audience stated that they enjoy
horror films because they ‘find them quite generic’, ‘like the intensity of the plot’ and also think
that they ‘provide a lot of mystery and are intriguing’. Their responses clearly show that people
have different opinions on the genre of horror. 57.14% of my audience stated that they had a
preference for psychological horror as a subgenre, with 14.29% having a preference for body
horror films, 14.29% preferring science-fiction horror and another 14.29% having a preference for
Slasher films. 85.71% of my audience would rather watch a horror film that explores a character’s
descent into madness as opposed to supernatural elements throughout. This shows that the
majority of my audience would be intrigued by a psychological horror film.
57.14% of those who responded to my survey stated that they tend to focus on the narrative
quality of a horror film rather than visual quality, horror factor, soundtrack etc. This implies that
people do not necessarily root for a horror film due to things such as special effects and that my
short film will easily be able to keep the audience hooked if it has a story that is coherent as well
as intriguing throughout. In addition, 57.14% of my audience said that they would prefer a short
film loosely based on a creepypasta due to the fact that a variety of interesting stories exist on
the site and that there are a wide range of opportunities for a short film idea if I choose to base it
off an existing story. A total of 71.43% of my target audience do not seem to like found footage
horror films due to the fact that they are tedious as well as overused, with ‘little to no excuse to
have a camera around’ and ‘unimaginative stories’. 60% of my audience would prefer a short film
which explores an abandoned town or village, whereas 40% stated that they would like to see
derelict structures within my short film. Their responses clearly imply that the idea of a long
abandoned location is far more intriguing compared to a derelict structure within a short film.

SECONDARY TARGET
AUDIENCE SUMMARY
Based on the internet research I conducted, the target audience for
my short film will most likely be male teenagers and adults who
tend to prefer horror films due to the fact that they are unlikely to
react to things like gore, violence or disturbing themes within films,
as opposed to older audiences who may be more susceptible to
being disturbed by the film’s content. People who seek discovery
and desire new experiences (those who fit into the ‘Aspirer’ and
‘Explorer’ psychographic categories) are likely to be intrigued by a
short horror film that has a subgenre which differs significantly
from those found in horror films as of recent times, mainly because
they desire to see something new. Many horror films released in the
past few years, such as ‘The Conjuring’ (2013), gross a significant
amount of money; this shows that a wide range of people are
intrigued by the genre of horror.

IDENTIFY TARGET
AUDIENCE
The planned, main target audience for my short film will be 15-25 year old males who fit
into the ‘Aspirer’ and ‘Explorer’ psychographic categories and find that the genre of
horror (especially psychological horror) appeals to them. Stereotypically speaking,
males tend to react in a less negative manner to horror films as opposed to females or
older individuals (aged 40 or over) who are likely to be more susceptible to being
disturbed by them. Males are likely to be intrigued by things like violence, fast-paced
scenes and dark tones within films, whereas those who fit into the ‘Aspirer’ and
‘Explorer’ psychographics should find that my short film appeals to them due to the fact
that it will be quite distinctive from most horror films today; my film will focus directly
on the unstable mental state of the protagonist, who attempts to comprehend a strange
and disturbing occurrence in a photo of the interior of a derelict location he and his
friends visited, challenging his own sanity in the process. The presence of young adult
males as the main characters throughout the film should enable the audience to relate
to the narrative, as well as the characters themselves, because they are likely to be
within the same age range and the members of the audience should find that they can
relate to the characters and their ordeals easily.

AUDIENCE PROFILE
Category Demographic How it will appeal to the
audience
Age Range 15-25 years The main characters of the short film will
be within the same age range, therefore
the audience should find that they can
relate to the characters and their ordeals
more.
Gender Male The protagonists will be males. The short
film will contain violence, intense scenes,
disturbing images, some instances of
strong language and occasional
sequences of fast-paced action.
Psychographic Category Aspirer
Explorer
The short film will differ from existing horror
films as it will explore the subgenre of
psychological horror and not focus entirely
on supernatural elements.
Social Class ABC1
ABD
My short film should mirror somewhat
professional standards in regard to visual
quality, composition, narrative quality and
overall atmosphere in order to appeal to
higher administrative and professional
individuals.
Hobbies/Interests Watching horror films
Spending time with
friends
My short film will focus on the core theme
of friendship and also contain
characteristics of the horror genre which
should appeal to those who enjoy watching
horror films.

AUDIENCE APPROPRIATE
CONTENT
The British Board of Film Classification (or BBFC) is a non-governmental organization
founded in the year 1912. Originally known as the British Board of Film Censors, the
BBFC is primarily responsible for classifying films and providing censorship where
necessary in order to ensure that films do not mislead, harm or offend audiences. The
BBFC is also responsible for the censorship and classification of television
programmes, advertisements, trailers and almost any form of physical media within the
United Kingdom. The main purpose of the organization is to protect children, as well as
more sensitive viewers, from content that is deemed unsuitable (such as profanity,
violence and disturbing themes), as well as potentially harmful.
My short film will not contain scenes of graphic violence, however its overall
atmosphere will be eerie, unsettling and foreboding throughout. Some instances of
profanity will be present, however these will be justified by the context of the scene in
which they are taking place. Jump scares will also be present, however these should be
suitable for a film that is rated 12A as long as they do not depict images which are too
disturbing, in which case the film might receive a ‘15’ or even an ’18’ rating. Scenes of
violence should be appropriate for teenagers and young adults, although viewers who
are more sensitive to violent scenes in films might be dissatisfied with the film or even
refuse to watch it. The violence should not be over-the-top or sadistic because my short
film could pose a risk; people might assume that the behaviour within the film is
acceptable and this can be very misleading. Very strong gore is not appropriate for my
short film because it could potentially fall foul of the Obscene Publications Act, receive
a great deal of censorship which could limit the creativity of my film and hinder its
overall quality, or even get refused a classification due to the fact that it is too gory,
disturbing etc. for an ‘18’ rating. Therefore, I should take into account what I include in
my short film and also be mindful that too much violence and profanity could disturb
the audience or attract unwanted attention from regulatory bodies such as the BBFC
upon the film’s release.

TECHNIQUES
Breaking the 180 degree rule: The 180 degree rule is a guideline within
filmmaking which mainly concerns the continuity of a scene, specifically in
regard to spatial relationships on-screen. An imaginary line (referred to as the
‘180 degree line) is drawn perpendicular to the camera, typically connecting
two different characters in a scene. The 180 degree rule states that the
camera must remain on one side of the imaginary line, and therefore on one
side of the characters in order to enable the viewer(s) to visually connect with
the characters without becoming disoriented, in which case the camera
‘crosses the line’ and focuses on the characters from the other side. Breaking
the 180 degree rule in this manner can be quite jarring for the viewer, as well
as confusing. I think that breaking the 180 degree rule 1-3 times in my short
film could have an effect on the audience and cause them to become
somewhat confused, much like the protagonist of the short film. This
technique can be considered effective because it ensures that the audience
would struggle to comprehend the scene; in turn, my short film revolves
around a character who struggles to comprehend an unnatural occurrence.
This technique should be relatively easy to accomplish as only a camera and
two subjects are required, however there might be a scenario in which I
decide to not utilize the technique in my short film due to the fact that it might
be unnecessary and could have a negative impact on the overall short film;
the continuous and uninterrupted flow of action for my short film could be
hindered severely.
This technique was employed in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’, which was a
1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel (of the same name), in the scene
where Jack Torrance and Delbert Grady converse in a bathroom about the
role of the latter in the murder of his own family. Kubrick breaks the 180
degree rule twice; the sudden movement of the camera is quite jarring for the
viewer, who is likely to become quite confused and may struggle to
comprehend the nature of both characters. The technique is effective in this
scene because it is almost as if Torrance and Delbert are the same person,
thus they both have something to hide.

TECHNIQUES
Flash-Forward: A flash-forward is a series of shots or a sequence of action which immediately takes the
narrative into the future (though only temporarily) and communicates an event that may occur in the
future within the film world, thus the technique could be quite effective to use within my short film
because it acts as a narrative device of sorts; it helps to foreshadow a certain event such as the death of
a character, thus creating tension and suspense within the audience. However, this technique could be
quite jarring for the audience in some cases because it distracts them from the current course of the plot
and also breaks the flow of action within the film.
Split Screen: This is defined as the insertion of an extra frame (or more) into the projected film frame in
order to depict alternating sequences of action at the exact same time, thus implying that they are taking
place simultaneously. In essence, the technique divides the projected frame into two or more different
frames and is quite effective because it enables the audience to focus on two different events, thus
increasing the level of enjoyment they would experience whilst watching the film. This technique could be
used in my short film to represent P.OV. Shots of one or more characters running through a forest,
glancing around within a street etc. thus establishing a connection between the characters within a
scene. The main reason why I might decide to disregard the technique completely is because it could
hinder the visual quality of the film, thus making it appear less professional as more than one frame is
present and this could be seen as an error during the post-production process.
Mise En Scene: Mise En Scene refers to the setting(s) of a film, as well as the aesthetic arrangement of
the characters, editing techniques and objects in order to create meaning. This technique could be
effective within my short film because it could enable me to communicate the nature of the derelict
location I will include, as well as the attitudes of the main characters (specifically in regard to what they
wear within the film, what kind of lighting is used and what time of day it is). I think that Mise En Scene
would be relatively straightforward to accomplish, although a great deal of care and attention should be
applied to both the production stage and the process of post-production as I would be required to focus
on the not only the overall look of the characters and the setting, but also the atmosphere the scene
provides for the viewer.

TECHNIQUES (PART 2)
Stock Shot/Footage: A stock shot is a shot obtained from a library of existing (usually royalty-free) film footage
that depicts well-known individuals, events, locations etc. It could be useful within my short film, especially if the
main character decides to undertake internet research about the derelict location he and his friends visited. I
would be required to make sure that the copyright material is indeed royalty free in order to avoid having to pay
royalties or license fees, as well as my short film being refused a classification or becoming banned due to the
fact that I have used copyrighted material. Stock footage could potentially improve the quality of my production,
however it could also have a negative impact on my short film, primarily due to the fact that the footage does not
belong to me and was obtained from somewhere on the internet. A sense of unprofessionalism would be implied
in regard to those who produced the short film.
P.O.V. (point of view) Shot: A point-of-view shot (or P.O.V. shot) is a shot that depicts the character from a first-
person perspective i.e. the viewer sees what the character is seeing. This shot could do well to ensure the
audience relates to the character as well as the ordeal he is in, especially if the character is in distress and is
depicted sprinting through a desolate location via a first-person perspective, glancing behind him occasionally.
However, this type of shot could potentially reduce the visual quality of my short film because it is not commonly
found in most films nowadays and therefore wouldn’t please the audience as much. However, there are some
exceptions such as when the main character trips and falls and a P.O.V. shot is employed with the purpose of
depicting the ground rushing up to him as he falls.
Breaking the Fourth Wall: The fourth wall refers to the imaginary wall that is present in virtually every film as of
recent times. Its primary purpose is to separate the characters from the audience in order to ensure that the
latter enjoys the film throughout without any instance of the actor/actress addressing them suddenly, thus
breaking the continuous flow of action the film provides. Breaking the fourth wall seemingly almost always
evokes amusement within the audience, mainly because an instance such as this is unexpected and sudden.
This technique could be used within my short film in order to evoke humour within the audience; a good
example could be when the protagonist encounters a difficult situation and glances at the camera, shaking his
head at the audience. Although this would only be used for comedic effect, a strong sense of clumsiness could
be implied because it would almost seem as though a specific shot was not shortened during the post-
production process. Breaking the fourth wall could also interrupt the continuity of my short film. A good example
of a film in which the fourth wall was violated is the 2016 superhero comedy film ‘Deadpool’, in which the title
character addresses the audience numerous times throughout the course of the movie, even going as far as
referencing an earlier event in which he also breaks the fourth wall (whilst breaking the fourth wall in the
process of referencing it) and commenting on this ‘fourth wall break inside a fourth wall break’.

THE INBETWEENERS
MOVIE (2011)
‘The Inbetweeners Movie’ is a British coming-of-age comedy film which
takes place after the events of the third and final season of the E4
sitcom of the same name. Written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris
and directed by Ben Palmer, the film revolves around four teenagers
who go on holiday in Malia, Crete and meet four teenage girls whom
they spend the holiday with. Although my short film has a narrative
which is entirely different in comparison, the nature of the main
characters in my short film is quite similar to the protagonists of the
Inbetweeners; both sets of characters are within the same age range,
they are depicted as troublesome and also access hand-held devices
(particularly mobile phones) on a regular basis with the primary
purpose of texting friends, much like most teenagers nowadays.
The final scene of ‘The Inbetweeners Movie’ depicts the main characters
returning home and greeting their families (with their girlfriends present
at the same airport). The entirety of the ending scene is shown via a
montage of footage taken from the character’s mobile phones; the
characters were recording themselves throughout the course of their
holiday in Crete. In my short film, I intend to implement this technique;
whilst exploring the building that is seemingly haunted within the film
world, the characters will begin to record themselves using their
IPhones with the intention of showing other people their age what they
are doing at the building. The characters will also capture images of the
derelict location using their phones. Therefore, my short film may
feature recorded footage from mobile phones as well as scenes
captured using a DSLR camera. The use of footage recorded using
mobile phones can be considered beneficial for my short film because it
provides it with a strong sense of variety, thus providing the audience
with more to interact with throughout the course of the film.

CHERNOBYL DIARIES
(2012)
‘Chernobyl Diaries’ is a 2012 American disaster horror
film which takes place mainly in Pripyat, a ghost town in
northern Ukraine which was evacuated in April 1986 in
the midst of the Chernobyl disaster. Directed by Brad
Parker and produced and written by Oren Peli, the film
revolves around a group of tourists who, accompanied by
a tour guide, venture into Pripyat and encounter
mysterious creatures that appear to be humans mutated
by radiation. My short film will be fairly similar to
‘Chernobyl Diaries’ because it will feature a ghost town of
sorts, as well as a small group of individuals who explore
an abandoned building and take pictures of its interior. In
my opinion, the presence of an abandoned location within
a short film could do well to create tension and suspense,
as well as a strong sense of ambiguity; the audience
would most likely attempt to speculate exactly why the
location has been abandoned. The presence of shots
depicting aspects of a vacant town or village could also
communicate the primary setting of my short film to the
viewer(s) within only a few seconds. I intend to capture
footage of my hometown in my own time within a single
day, therefore it shouldn’t be too time consuming to
obtain the footage I need to establish one of the main
settings for my short film.

THE SHINING (1980)
‘The Shining’ is a British-American psychological horror film released in 1980.
Based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Stephen King, the film was
directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick. It stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley
Duvall, Scatman Crothers and Danny Lloyd in leading roles, and is considered
to be one of the greatest horror films of all time. The film clearly explores the
genre of horror in a manner that is quite distinctive from most horror films
today (which contain supernatural elements) by depicting a protagonist slowly
becoming insane due to the influence of the Overlook Hotel, which is the main
setting of the film. ‘The Shining’ therefore explores the unstable mental state
of the character, and my opinion of the film is that it is strongly implied that
the hotel isn’t a haunted location after all and that the characters are simply
hallucinating.
‘The Shining’ does not necessarily utilize dialogue to communicate to the
viewer(s) that Jack Torrance (the protagonist of the film) is losing his mind.
The audience is made aware of Jack’s mental state worsening through the
presence of shots depicting the character engaging in repetitive and
seemingly pointless activities (such as wondering around the hotel aimlessly),
being prone to anger, and staring into space for long periods of time. The
implication of Jack’s increasingly unstable mental state does well to create a
great deal of tension and suspense throughout the film and is also very
convincing to the viewer(s), even though little to no dialogue is used to
indicate that Jack has gone insane. I intend to provide shots of the
protagonist of my short film engaging in similar activities in order to
communicate the fact that the character is becoming increasingly paranoid
and is losing his mind. The fact that there will be little dialogue within my

DOCTOR WHO –
S04E10 – ‘MIDNIGHT’
‘Midnight’ is the tenth episode of the revived fourth series of the long-running British Sci-Fi television series Doctor
Who. First broadcast on BBC One in June 2008, it is referred to as a ‘Doctor-lite’ episode, meaning that there is a
significant amount of emphasis on the Doctor himself whilst his companion (Donna Noble at the time) has a minimal
role, only appearing at the beginning and end of the episode. The episode is set at a resort planet which is bathed in
lethal radiation from a nearby star, and revolves primarily around a group of individuals who take a shuttle across the
surface of the planet, with the Doctor accompanying them. During the journey, an unknown entity living on the
surface of the planet terrorizes the passengers, possessing one of them. My opinion of this episode is that it is filled
with tension and suspense; the audience never gets to see the creature and little to no information is provided of its
nature aside from ‘a shadow running towards the shuttle’. The episode focuses solely on the distress of the
passengers, who are terrorized into a frenzied state of paranoia and lose their minds as they attempt to comprehend
the situation. It eventually gets to the point where the passengers turn on each other and even have murderous
thoughts.
My short film will be similar to this Doctor Who episode because it will provide emphasis on the unstable mental state
of the main character whilst only hinting at the presence of a supernatural entity (little focus will be provided on the
entity within my short film). This episode clearly explores the subgenre of psychological horror, thus making it quite
unique in comparison to most Doctor Who episodes which often feature aliens e.g. Daleks and Cybermen. Although
my short film will revolve around an adolescent who becomes increasingly paranoid, there will be a strong sense of
ambiguity in regard to whether or not the shadow in the picture (within the film world) is actually a supernatural being,
an error within the photo or an image created through use of Photoshop as a prank by the character’s friends. My
short film may also depict the main character becoming a murderer.

LIGHTS OUT (2013)
‘Lights Out’ is a Swedish short horror film written and directed by
David Sandberg and starring Lotta Losten as a woman who discovers
that the house she is living in is apparently haunted by a supernatural
presence, which only appears to make itself visible when the lights
are turned off. The film has a duration of three minutes and was also
shot by Sandberg, who stated that he utilized a Blackmagic cinema
camera. This short film is quite dark and menacing, and it does well
to intrigue the viewer, evoke fear and create tension even though it
has an extremely short running time and features no dialogue
whatsoever, aside from the whimpering of the lead character. It was
later adapted into a full-length supernatural horror film with the same
name in the year 2016.
My short film will not feature a supernatural presence, although there
will be a sense of ambiguity regarding whether or not the location the
main characters visited is actually haunted. Little dialogue will be
present within my short film, and I intend to shoot and edit it in a
manner that intrigues the audience and evokes fear as much as
possible. There is a chance that I might struggle when it comes to
depicting the terror of the main character, primarily because the
person who plays the protagonist is unlikely to be an experienced
actor. Therefore, I should make use of sound effects, as well as eerie
music to evoke fear within the audience.

END CREDITS – CHASE AND
STATUS FEAT. PLAN B
‘End Credits’ is a single created by Drum and Bass duo Chase & Status, with vocals
provided by British hip-hop recording artist Plan B. The song peaked at No. 9 on the
U.K. Singles Chart in the year 2009, when it was released. The music video for ‘End
Credits’ features scenes from the 2009 British vigilante film ‘Harry Brown’, which was
released in the same year also. ‘End Credits’ acts as the theme song for Harry Brown,
and the music video for the track depicts Plan B (who starred in the film), reprising his
role as the character Noel Winters, who is shot dead during the film. In the music
video, the character appears to come back to life, lip-syncing to the song. Its lyrics
concern the ambiguity regarding what will happen after death, as specific lines such
as ‘when my heart feels no more pain’ as well as ‘I’ll be on my way to heaven’s door’
are present. The body of the character is shown levitating, floating towards the night
sky in order to imply the character’s ‘spirit going to the next place’.
The narrative of my short film will be somewhat similar to the music video for ‘End
Credits’, along with the film the music video represents (Harry Brown). My short film
will feature a protagonist who is quite similar to Plan B’s character as he belongs to
the same age range, dresses in a similar manner and also finds himself in a precarious
situation in which he is completely on his own, with no one to help him. Another
similarity to the short film I will create is the presence of a non-linear storyline, which
refers to a narrative which jumps around in its timeline, with the events of the story
not depicted in chronological order. My short film could open with a shot of the
protagonist in his state of paranoia, with flashbacks indicating exactly why he is in
this state. The music video for ‘End Credits’ begins with the primary character falling
to the ground after being fatally shot, and sequences of action throughout the music
video depict his criminal past, the people he has killed and how he ended up dead.
Although the story is quite difficult to comprehend, it allows the audience to interact
with the film and come up with their own interpretations regarding what they are
seeing on-screen. My short film could therefore be more entertaining for my audience
because of the fact that the film jumps straight into the action and depicts events
which are out of order.

AVAILABLE RESOURCES
AND MATERIALS (AUDIT)
Technical Personn
el
Locations Props Costum
e
Transport
600D camera and
battery x2 (up to 3
hours each
shooting day)
Richard B. Classroom in York
College
Phone Blue
Jumper
Bus into
York/from York
£1.80 per
journey.
SD Card x2 (up to 3
hours)
Richard A. Woods near York
Racecourse
Computer Black
Jumper/Coa
t
College Coach
£40 per month.
Tripod (3 hours) Matt P. Derelict Structure
(york)
Pen Hoodie
Shoulder Mount (3
hours)
York Train Station Paper Gloves
Tripod Head (up to 3
hours)
York City Centre Hat
Slider (up to 3
hours)
Chapel Hill,
Pocklington
LED Mounted lights
(up to 3 hours)
Pocklington Town
Centre
Foley Sound

CONSTRAINTS ON
PRODUCTION
Time: It is important to bear in mind that a limited amount of time will be provided to produce my short film, therefore I should be mindful
when it comes to filming in a wide range of different locations and also manage my time well i.e. film certain sequences of action on
college days and capture additional scenes of my own at my home town on weekends. Despite the short amount of time I will be given, it
is important not to rush through the production process because the overall quality of my short film will be reduced as a result. The
amount of time I have may limit the production stage because it means that I will be required to choose only a select few locations for
my short film.
Personnel: During the production of my short film, I should also consider the general wellbeing of the cast and crew of my short film and
not film for long hours as this could cause crew members to become stressed. In order to avoid fatigue, it is important to take regular
breaks and also avoid shooting long takes. It is important to bear in mind that an event might occur which could prevent one or more
crew members from turning up to film e.g. an appointment or an incident. Also, those who star in my short film are unlikely to be
professional actors and therefore I should not create a film that would require them to perform dangerous stunts/activities, speak for
long periods of time etc. due to the fact that they are unlikely to be accustomed to things like these.
Cost: During the shooting days for my short film, I might be required to pay for buses into York/from York regularly as I desire to film
within the city centre as well as locations surrounding the college and areas of my hometown (Pocklington). I should bear in mind that I
will need to pay a significant amount of money in order to travel into York because 3-4 students (including myself) will need to be there
to film. Although the equipment I will be using is provided for free, it is important to consider the fact that I am responsible for it and if
any equipment gets lost, stolen, broken etc. there is a good chance that I will be required to pay for it.
Technical: The equipment I will need to produce my short film should consist of a 600D camera and battery, a tripod and an SD card,
although other equipment such as a Foley Sound Recorder, Shoulder Mount or Slider might be needed. I should bear in mind that I will
only be allowed to sign out a limited amount of equipment and that I will only be able to film in short periods of time i.e. 2-3 hours per
day due to the fact that the battery might run out. If I intend to film for longer periods, I should take two batteries in case one runs out
during filming. Another thing which might limit the post-production stage of my short film is the availability of editing techniques on
software such as Premiere Pro and Sony Vegas; certain editing techniques (most notably types of computer generated imagery) may be
extremely difficult and/or impossible to employ and this could somewhat restrict the overall aesthetic of my short film.
Location: It can be considered a good idea to only film in locations which are easy to access, most notably fields, woods, car parks,
bridges, streets etc. surrounding York College, as well as certain areas of the city centre. I should avoid filming in streets filled with
people because I could be confronted by someone and get accused of filming them; therefore I will be restricted in regard to where I can
film without drawing any unnecessary attention to myself. It is also ideal to avoid filming in buildings which appear unstable, as well as
car parks or garages where moving vehicles are a potential hazard. I should also avoid filming near water, construction sites (where loud
machinery is present) and on the side of the road. It can also be considered an ideal choice to film in areas other than York College itself
because if I film scenes at college, my short film may lack in terms of originality i.e. it would not seem creative or sophisticated.
Organisational: Those who will be starring in my short film may encounter an event e.g. traffic, an appointment, Maths/English lesson
that might prevent them from arriving to help me film. I should bear in mind that crew members might be unable to acquire specific
forms of clothing i.e. hoodie or gloves that will be present in my short film. Crew members will not be required to pay for a bus into York,
therefore I should bear in mind that if I intend to film in the city centre, I might be required to pay the bus fare for myself and my crew
members. Due to the fact that I will also be filming in my hometown (which is located miles away from York), I will not be forcing those
who star in my short film to travel all the way to Pocklington, therefore I will be filming scenes from my hometown on my own or get
someone else to help me film.

PRODUCTION
MANAGEMENT
CONSIDERATIONS
My short film will be set primarily in areas of the countryside, as well as in several locations within the York City centre
and on Sim Balk Lane. The narrative will revolve around a group of adolescents who decide to explore an abandoned
building (a parking garage, bus depot, small train station etc.) which, according to rumours, is haunted. In order to
capture the sequences of action for my short film, some of which will require the actor(s) to sprint through certain
environments e.g. down streets or through wooded areas, I will need a DSLR camera and SD Card, a tripod, an LED light
and a Shoulder Rig. Each of these will enable me to complete the production stage and also allow for increased flexibility
during filming. In order to prevent a shooting day from being cut short due to a battery running out, it would be ideal to
take two or more batteries to ensure that I can continue filming when one runs out. I will also be employing the LED light
to enhance the appearance of certain scenes, particularly the ones set within areas that have low-key lighting e.g. dark
rooms or locations during night-time.
I will be employing specific techniques such as breaking the 180 degree rule, mise-en-scene and point of view (P.OV.)
shots, all of which should enhance the overall quality of my short film upon its completion. Mise-en-scene may be difficult
to accomplish because it concerns the aesthetic arrangement of virtually everything within a scene, including the nature
of the setting, the clothing the characters are all wearing, the tone and the lighting (which can be modified during the
post-production process). A great deal of precision will need to be provided in order to ensure that I achieve the intended
tone and atmosphere within my short film. I will need to be mindful of the length of my short film, which cannot be longer
than five minutes as stated by the brief. It can be considered a good idea to capture significant amounts of footage in
order to provide myself with more to work with during the assembly process within Adobe Premiere. Shooting lots of
footage could also enable me to select the most visually pleasing video clips as opposed to being stuck with a single take
that is of a poor visual quality.
Following each shooting day, I will place the footage I captured onto a computer using the SD card; this will allow me to
access the scenes I obtained and decide which ones are the best, after which I will delete any spare footage that isn’t
needed. Following the stage of production, I will place all the footage into Adobe Premiere and begin the editing process.
The process of post-production might be quite time-consuming, considering the fact that I will be required to sift through
a great deal of footage and assemble the sequences of action that make up my short film within the timeline of Premiere.
It might be difficult to establish a continuous and uninterrupted sequence of action overall unless I create a list indicating
the order of the scenes from start to finish and have been able to collect all the necessary footage during filming. Another
thing to consider is the incorporation of effects such as the Lens Flare, as well as the alteration of lighting,
brightness/contrast and colour correction for each individual scene, especially in relation to the exact setting of the clips
i.e. some clips might feature a dark interior location, an outside location bathed in sunlight etc. I intend to make my film
look very convincing to the audience and I am confident that adding effects within the post-production stage could
potentially do well to make my film appear highly vivid, thus ensuring that the audience is intrigued by the quality of the
film and that they can relate to the settings more.

MODIFICATIONS AND
REVISED FINAL IDEA
My final idea for the short film I will produce is a psychological horror that explores the
mental instability of the protagonist in response to an unexplained and disturbing
occurrence within a picture he took of the interior of an apparently haunted location,
and how the character acts over an extended period of time i.e. the course of weeks or
months. My short film will not focus directly on supernatural themes such as hauntings
or mysterious creatures; instead it will revolve around the terror of the main character
who becomes increasingly paranoid, his mental state worsening gradually over time. A
strong sense of ambiguity will be created by the film and the audience will be left to
speculate whether or not the location actually was haunted, as little to no focus is
actually provided on the true nature of the location.
Based on the research I have performed, I have not been required to alter my initial
ideas. My opinion is that my short film should be relatively straightforward to produce,
just as long as I can obtain the resources necessary to shoot scenes of action and
provide editing techniques to my final film. My film will not require any special effects or
scenes at crowded locations; I have considered the fact that I will be unable to film in
places where lots of people are present due to the fact that I could get stopped by
someone and draw unnecessary attention to my production whilst in public. The
locations I have mentioned throughout this document are easily attainable because they
are situated around my hometown, as well as in areas surrounding York College. Other
locations present within the York city centre (such as a parking garage) might be
slightly more difficult to film at, however I intend to deal with any issues should they
arise during production in any way I can.

Idea generation and research

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