Similar Films

Carrie Prom Scene

Films similar to our idea

Similar film to ours

Films Similar to Ours.

An example of  a film similar to our is 'Carrie', telling the story of a young girl who is socially tormented by her peers which causes her to lose control of her supernatural abilities. 'Carrie' is like  our film in the sense that our main character is also bullied and teased within school and is viewed as an outsider. Carrie and our main character both seem to act upon a self fulfilling prophecy and lose control of the abilities they both develop. Both 'Carrie' and our film have similar properties such as a character who is a teenager who has a supernatural gift, bullies who are eventually punished and a setting in a high school.

'Sixth sense' also includes a vulnerable character within it's plot, who gets teased and misunderstood by his peers. Our character Zachary also endures this kind of treatment, which in our case results in him developing a hatred towards others. Both Zachary and the protagonist in 'Sixth sense' are bullied because they don't fit in which in their separate ways, they struggle to deal with

In 'We Need to Talk About Kevin', a young teenager, due to his angry outlook on others and dark intentions from being regarded as strange all his life, commits a massacre at his high school. Zachary in our film also begins to push his new found control over others (in the form of the commands he writes down) as time goes on and he is continuously treated as an outcast. 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is similar to our film because they both contain a main character that has dark tendencies and are seen as weirdos. Both protagonists take out there hatred onto other they feel deserve it, as well as having settings in a high school and a home environment.

School in 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'.


The film 'Death Note's' plot is set around a young boy who discovers a book which will kill anyone who he writes down the name of. Our film also focused around a book with supernatural abilities, with anything our character writes down becoming reality. In our film, the main character discovers the ability of being able to write down the fate of people he feels deserve it. 'Death Note's' protagonist also 'punishes' people he feels deserve it by writing there names in a book, therefore the plot of both films circulate around the power of a notebook. 

Overall, the main character's of all these films are set around high school teenagers, with the exception of 'Sixth Sense' which is still set in a school. Each of these character's (like our lead Zachary) are all responsible for the supernatural or unusual events that take place in the high school, with the majority being due to the result of bullying or feeling like an outsider. Every plot revolves around a main character who is misunderstood and an outcast and how it effects there ultimate behaviour and therefore the storyline of the film.

Certificate of Our Film.

Our film would most likely be considered as a certificate 15. This would be because our film contains strong language that can be perceived to be used in a threatening manner as well as imitable behaviour which could result in the viewer's copying dangerous acts, (in our case, causing harm to others or attempting to hurt themselves.) Our film also contains discrimination towards our main character who is bullied verbally and physically  for being perceived as 'weird' and therefore behave threateningly towards him.

Possible Audience of our Film.

The audience of our film would be over the age of 15 in order to pass the certificate, as our film contains imitable and threatening behaviour as well as strong language that younger audience may imitate which may cause them danger or disturb them. However or age range with still be targeted at a fairly young audience (15-30) that would be able to relate to a high school setting and peer pressure which is what our film entails. The audience would also have to have an interest in the suspense films that have dark references or supernatural elements, and would enjoy films similar to ares such as 'Gothika', 'The Omen' and 'Carrie.' Viewers may also enjoy plot twists and elements of dark humour, as well as a plot centred around unusual, wallflower of a main character.

Distributor for our film

Research into possible distributors for our film

Possible distributors

Short film credit sequence

Analysis of a Title Sequence

Analysis of a Short Film's Title Sequence

Supernatural Thriller Convections-Iconography

title sequence analysis

Flim Title Sequence Analysis.

Title sequence starts with nothing showing, and the only thing heard is diegetic and is the voice of a woman addressing 'children' ("now children, are you sitting comfortably? Then we will begin.") Her voice is soft and motherly, and her tone (as well as the traditional, story-telling opener "are you sitting comfortably") is comforting and engaging, reinforcing the idea that the woman is some kind of guardian, like a teacher or mother. Her voice and nothing else being heard or shown implies she's addressing the audience as 'children' and is speaking directly to them, which is confusing and slightly eerie, drawing in the audience straight away.

As soon as the voice says 'then we will begin', the centre of the screen illuminates, while the rest remains in the shadows, creating a chiaroscuro effect. It reinforces the 'creepy element' of the title sequence, and the hazy, light in darkness has conations to poltergeists or the unknown. The light seems to be coming from a page of a book, implying that the woman is reading a story.

As the woman continues, it becomes clear she is telling the biblical story of how the world is created. She conveys her own opinion, 'Only God existed, so that means He created them,' which suggests that she (and possibly the 'children' she is addressing) are religious. Religion, and the mystery of whether Heaven and Hell exists is a common theme in supernatural thrillers, therefore already the convention of the film, and the possibility of life after death being explored, is being established to the audience. The non- diegetic sound of an orchestra plays in background, which adds to the uncertainty and slight unsettling feeling of the title sequence.

The woman's audio finishes with "that means only He could've created them, and He did," as the music reaches a climatic moment and the title of the film is revealed. The font of the title is simplistic and traditional (which may have conations to the personality traits of the woman in film and of the time period it is set in). The font is white and again illuminates slightly against the darkness in a ghost-like manner, which, along side the classical music played in a minor key, makes the audience feel unsettled and on edge. The camera doesn't cut to another shot, but instead follows on across the illustrations of the page, as if the audience too is reading the book.

As the camera continues to pan over the book, the illustrations seem to suggest possible themes or events in the film, as children are shown with a womanly guardian looking after them. Some of the illustrations also show traditional thriller conventions, such as candles, puppets, a door being locked and a mysterious figure. These illustrations draw the audience in without revealing too much of the storyline of the film, but instead establish the convention and set up the viewers for the rest of the film.

The last shot is a match on action, as an illustration of house fades into a scene of actual house surrounded by fog. This suggests mystery and relevance the drawings shown in the title sequence to the story of the protagonists of the actual film, setting up the audience for the events ahead.



Title Sequence of a Short Film.

https://vimeo.com/86536538

The first shot of the short film 'Blood Drive' shows a snowy location of what appears to be a railroad track in the countryside. There is an element of suspense due to the unknown conations to this location, which sets up the storyline for the main part of the film and keeps the audience hooked. A held on note in a minor key as well as diegetic sounds of wind and crackling wood make the audience feel isolated and creates an eerie atmosphere.

The footage changes with a white flash transition, which almost make the scene seem like a flashback of a memory of something that's happened. the scene changes to a birds-eye shot of a railroad track, as if revealing 'clues' to the audience of its relevance. The block, red font against a white background (along side the film's title 'Blood drive'), hint at blood and murder, already revealing the genre of the film and what conventions the audience are to expect. 

A river is shown from at first a mid-shot. The shot seems to be monochromatic except from a red streak running down it, which hooks the audience into questioning wether it could be blood and the sign of a murder. The 'blood' is brought to further attention as the shot changes to a close up, and the diegetic sound of trickling water (or blood) reinforces the idea that the audience's interpretations of the murder being committed are most likely to be correct, but still set up the story of how and why and if this prediction is even correct. 

There is repetitive use of the same shot twice and the title sequence ends on the long shot of a river, establishing that this location most likely has a key role to play in the storyline, and allows the audience to question and solve to puzzle of the mystery by enticing them to continue to watch the short film.

Analysis of a title sequence

Research into title sequences of short films

Title Sequences used in Supernatural Thrillers.

Title sequences are crucial for all films but particularly supernatural thrillers, since they suggests to the audience what will occur in the film they are about the view and also imply an idea of the convention of the film. However, supernatural thrillers will not give too much away in their title sequence, as they will not want to ruin the element of plot twist or suspense that will take place later in the film.

Iconography
The element of mystery is important even within the title sequence of this genre. Low lit or chiaroscuro lighting will often be used to imply a lot is 'hidden' in the darkness which needs to be uncovered. Images such as churches, old eerie-looking houses or old photographs will be used, which create a spooky, perplexing atmosphere for the audience, making them curious as to how these images relate to the plot of the film. 

In the title sequence to 'Sixth Sense', black and white lighting is used on pictures of buildings. The audience is yet to know the significance of these images but the dark use of lighting and the slight movement of the pictures already makes the audience feel on edge and suspenseful.

In the supernatural films 'The Omen' and 'The Others,' there are references to religion in both title sequences. It is common for supernatural thrillers to focus their plot around religion and God because it is one of the great mysteries of life that can scare of baffle people. In both sequences religion seems to be portrayed frightfully with the assistance of chiaroscuro, which can be unsettling and thrilling to an audience. 

Sound
Supernatural thrillers often use non-diegetic, synthesized or orchestral music. It sets the correct tone for the film and the sinister, looming sound foreshadows elements which add to the mystery and preturbed emotion already feels. For instance in 'Sixth Sense' the slow, smooth transition of spooky images synced with the echoed, uncomfortable music sets up the audience  the sense of fear that will come later within the film. 

Overall, supernatural title sequences will often contain elements of the genre such as religion, old houses, dark lighting and eerie music in order to establish the convention and put across the element of mystery that the audience will get their enjoyment from. 

Supernatural Thriller Conventions- Titles

Supernatural thriller convections- editing

Iconography used in Supernatural Thrillers.

Symbolism or iconography can play a very important part of a supernatural thriller's plot, as it can foreshadow a twist in the film's storyline, or have underlying significance or meaning to what is trying to be portrayed to the audience. 

Iconography of supernatural thrillers can include props, characters and symbols that have become associated with typical conventions of that genre.

Typical props of Supernatural thrillers often include weapons that the protagonist of the film may be either threatened by or use will in order to defend themselves, adding adrenaline and tension to the plot. 'Weapons' in the case of supernatural thrillers can either take the typical form of guns and knives, or can take more unconventional forms, such as spells, witchcraft or paranormal machinery.  For example, weapons such as rifles are used in 'Gothika', whereas alien machinery and curses are featured in films like  'The Grudge' and 'War of the Worlds'. 

'Gothika'

'War of the Worlds'

In terms of symbolism, supernatural thrillers often are shot with low, dark lighting, lit only with candles. This suggests that characters are often left 'in the dark' as they try to uncover a mystery effecting their lives, as well as insinuating mystery and an element of fear to the audience.

References to religion are often apparent in supernatural thrillers, with the inclusion of crosses or churches in the film or even a heavily religious character that could either aid or be against the antagonist of a film, depending of the portrayal of religion in the film. For instance, films such as 'The Conjuring' portray religion positively, as it is used to drive away the presence of an evil spirit on a family, however in films such as 'Carrie' portray it in a negative and fearful light, with the protagonist being the heavily religious and the mother of Carrie, the main role in the film's plot. References to religion in these types of ways usually appear in supernatural thrillers because religion and the existence of God is often considered a great mystery within society that can affect people in different ways, therefore fits the convention of supernatural thriller.

'The Conjuring'

'Carrie'

Supernatural thriller convections- Camerawork and Cinematography

Titles in Supernatural Thriller films

Supernatural Thriller Conventions- Iconography

Sound and music used in Supernatural Thriller films