1. Script Evaluation
My Project:
For my creative brief I was asked to produce a script for a short horror film however the genre
was of my own choice. The screenplay I did could and can be used for my short film production.
In my script I showed some of the codes and conventions to meet the genre which is (horror )
such as dark colourings which are mood set, I have also included some snappy and quick
shots. These are some of the codes and conventions a horror script needs and mine has fallen
into some of the categories.
The Proposal
What is my proposal and what is proposal in general?
A film proposal is the way to pitch a film, this also contains a working title, a log line synopsis,
key characters and description of characters. The proposal is also a way of deciding and
helping how you would approach the viewer and you would describe your storyline to them via
visual material biographies of your characters. I found this information here.
n/a. (n/a). what is a film proposal. Available: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/why-
are-proposals-and-treatments-necessary-for-
filmmakers#:~:text=A%20proposal%20is%20the%20most,material%2C%20biographies%
20of%20your%20chief. Last accessed 16/03/2021.
I'm looking into the horror genre and the reason that I am interested is because there are 3
elements of horror. You have the gross out, horror and the terror. It is these 3 elements that
allow the genre to express itself in a diversely shocking and hypnotizing way and the best thing
about horror is that it does not only do this in the literature but it also succeeds in the cinema
too. However the Horror genre has several sub-genres, each with its own distinct
characteristics. Gothic horror novels that focus specifically on death. And you have the
paranormal activity horrors involving mysterious powers (ghosts) ect. Then you have
supernatural horror events that do not exist within the context of scientific explanation.
Reference gathered from n/a. (n/a). Stephen King's 3 Levels of Horror | Regal Reel.
Available: https://www.regmovies.com/static/en/us/blog/stephen-king-3-levels-of-horror.
Last accessed 16/03/2021.
What makes a good log line?
A good log line lays out the dramatic narrative of a screenplay and hooks the reader, enticing
them to read the entire script. The main point of the log line is to gather interest of the person
reading it.
Reference from Written by MasterClass. (Nov 8, 2020 ). Screenwriting Tips: How to Write a
Logline.
2. Synopsis
A synopsis is a brief summary that gives audiences an idea of what a composition is about.
It provides an overview of the storyline or main points and other defining factors of the
work, which may include style, genre, person or characters of note, setting, and so on.
Synopsis are important in most of the media departments such as games, TV shows,
newspapers etc. The purpose of the synopsis is to intrigue the reader to carry on reading
and with the little bit information provided in the synopsis you need to make them move on
to the script. Synopsis is a short trial connection with the reader making them want to
connect with the characters and most importantly make them interested.
Screenplay Structure.
Screenplay structures are put in a way that's called 3 act structure. This divides the story up
into three parts often called Setup, the integration or c onformation and the resolution. A
little bit like the start middle and end but better explained.
Characters.
In my film the main character is Annie but we have 2 key characters Ben and George. Annie
is in the shine of the projectors because the movie opens with her while Ben and George are
shown later in the film. They play an important role in the film and without them the film
can't progress. However Annie is the main protagonist in this reason for it because shes the
main trigger for the events in the film.
Treatment.
A treatment is more detailed and narrowed down to more sharp places in the story. It's a bit
more descriptive. Exe Annie is a student. She's 17 and kinda popular in college. She meets
those 2 losers (Ben and George ) that are talking about the dark web and how to access it.
She becomes interested and attempts to talk to them however they are both anti-social and
play the awkward game. Annie obviously is a bad girl and sticks with till the end.
Sam Balas. (12.10.2015). he importance of character – Writing characters that connect with
the audience is essential for any movie. Available:
https://www.uiargonaut.com/2015/12/10/the-importance-of-character-writing-characters-
that-connect-with-the-audience-is-essential-for-any-
movie/#:~:text=Argonaut%20Staff%20Application-,The%20importance. Last accessed
20/03/2021.
MasterClass. ( Nov 8, 2020 ). What Is a Treatment?. Available:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-film-treatment-in-6-steps#want-to-
become-a-better-filmmaker. Last accessed 20/03/2021.
3. New York Film Academy. (June 12, 2014). How To Master The Structure Of Script Writing.
Available: https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/how-to-master-the-structure-of-script-
writing/#:~:text=There%20are%20several%20ways%20to,up%2C%20conflict%2C%20an
d%20resolution.&text=Another%20format%20is%20to%. Last accessed 20/03/2021.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/screenwriting-tips-how-to-write-a-logline. Last
accessed 16/03/2021.
My Idea
I'm working in the Horror Genre and I have researched the codes and conventions of the genre
to see if my film is suitable in those codes and conventions.
My idea meets some of the codes and conventions in the genre itself for example the young
people, that spend a lot of time on the internet
Reference Gathered:Published with reusable license by Charlotte Louise. (February 11,
2016). 10 typical codes and conventions of horror films. Available:
https://prezi.com/si3xf20tftnt/10-typical-codes-and-conventions-of-horror-films/. Last
accessed 16/03/2021.
According to my research I have found out that for men the most common age to watch
horror films is 24-25. The second most common age to watch horror films is aged between
15-24. This shows that young men watch horror films in particular. However for women, the
most popular aage who watch horror films are females aged 15-24.
My research reference. Published with a reusable license by Emi. (November 3, 2017).
Target Audiences of Horror Films. Available: https://prezi.com/v8hdcg267oom/target-
audiences-of-horror-
films/#:~:text=For%20men%2C%20the%20most%20common,are%20females%20aged%
2015%2D24.. Last accessed 16/03/2021.
This shows that my film is eligible for people within this gap and perhaps a bit higher.
Formatting my script.
The format is required by the motion picture industry for m modern screenplays before they
are greenlit for production. The master scene script is distinct from the shooting script in
that it does not include camera direction.
For my work and my script I have made a script which follows that master scene script
guidelines however when I printed out copies of the script and started recursing the script
4. with the characters of the film, i quickly became aware of the fact that i would have to go
back and tweak some things such as dialog and scene description. I have analyzed my
errors which were mainly dialog mixed with description.However those errors helped me
with my research because i did some research into an existing scripts i have looked into the
Boomer Bubble script. This helped me fix my descriptive and dialog errors because they just
didn't make sense so I had to do a second draft based on the peer feedback from the people
that will be working with the script and reading it. With their help I fixed the errors and
made a second draft that actually did make sense and people started understanding it
more. However the final submission of my script has improved and I'm satisfied enough to
publish it.
