The document summarizes how the filmmaker's horror movie challenges several conventions of the genre. It shows the monster early and during daylight, rather than hiding it in shadows. It uses natural sounds and unsettling music that shifts tones without warning. It features a diverse cast of victims and kills off the main character, unlike typical films where the hero survives. The goal is to create a more unpredictable and terrifying story by subverting expectations set by common horror movie tropes.

1. Question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
Cinematography:
I used tracking shots and zooms throughout the whole of title sequence to build suspense. All
of the tracking shots lead up to a shot of the villain. This generally goes against the
conventions of Monster horror films. One example of a film that uses the convention is the original
Nightmare on Elm Street in which the monster “Freddy” is shown only in shadows or portrait at
times. I go against this to give my monster an air of confidence, to show that he what’s these
teenagers for whatever his motive may be and he isn’t afraid of being seen.
By showing him straight away I want to fill the audience with questions and mystery, such as what is
he? Why can’t the teenagers see him? And I want to give the impression he is an old creature sued
to doing what he does.
When I first filmed my horror movie I tried to challenge another convention and shoot it when it was
still daylight. But due to my film not being very long everything would have had to happen in the
light meaning that there was no build up to the darkness. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make.
By shooting during the day and in a wide open area it gives the audience the message this creature
can get you anywhere any time and no matter how safe you feel he can and will collect you.
Also I do keep some of the dark mystery and suspense by cross cutting to the protagonist at varying
intervals as he writes out his note to the audience. I hope that this makes the audience question
which scenario is real life and which is imaginary. By the end of the opening sequence it is revealed
the action is in the past and the character fears these events will happen to him.
By following the teenagers and never watching the monster move it gives the impression that the
monster has complete control of the situation and that he is always one step ahead of his intended
victims. Using a mix of shots that focus on him and those where he is almost in hiding at the edge of
a shot it leads the audience to believe that he is everywhere at once increasing the suspense before
he strikes. By doing this we were able to build tension along
with the use of music and sound.
Lighting:
In my film I used natural daylight, against the conventions of most other horror movies. Having it
Set during the day helps to emit a sense of safety rather than fear amongst the audience and
characters. I do this because I want to give the impression that this villain can strike at any moment
or time and you will never be safe. A film that inspired me to do this is Resident Evil Extinction, set in
the desert during the day.
In contrast most horror movies gives the protagonist something physical to fight against, Jason its
just a man, Nightmare on elm street your safe if your awake, but in my movie there is nothing to
fight, no safe place. It’s like fighting a force with no form to resist. A much more terrifying prospect
in my opinion.

2. Sound:
The sound in my film is very unconventional. I decided to have suspense building music that got
more and more warped the further into danger the characters got. My music is very rhythmic,
almost like a lullaby, something that will sweep you along with the story.
Then without any warning it is designed to jar the audience out of the enjoyment with a slowed
down lower key of the same song. This happens at precisely the moment the creature takes an
active interest in the teenagers, a warning for the audience. At this moment a faint heartbeat can
also be heard, increasing tension in the audience who can already guess what is going to happen.
This continues switching between the 2 themes until the monster finally makes his move and
attacks.
Rather than outright kill them I want to give the impression that this monster is emptying out the
teenagers and taking what makes them them. This is done with a speed up chipmunk version with
the added louder heartbeat. This message is sent out by having each of the teenagers display a wide
range of emotions against their will till they finally just drop dead or commit suicide. It’s also
reinforced by the voice over explaining the monster wants to steal hope and fear from people.
Finally when the teens are empty and killing themselves all the music is played together and ends on
a normal note “the willow I die” playing while one teen lays dead at a willow tree with the monster
watching over it. At this point I want my creature to seem lonely, possibly giving motive. But if an
audience doesn’t pick up on that it’s fine, as I think characters with no motive are much scarier and
more iconic (ie Hannibal never reveals why he eats people till the prequel which ruined the series)
The lyrics are also very important, singing about death, loneliness and waiting for something to catch
you. How the character will play a game gladly with the entity and will go to death with a smile on
your face. Rather cryptic and traumatising if I do say so myself. Which I do.
I also recorded 5 minutes of natural noise from the area to play quietly under mu music and a few
minutes of running water to emphasise the willow creek idea for the place.
The lack of speech emphasizes this loneliness and feeling of being trapped in an open space.
Overall I think my sound will work in certain kinds of horror movies but not many. It’s very theme
specific.
Characters:
I decided upon 3 boys and 2 girls to show my main character, 2 normal friends and a lesbian couple.
as 2 boys and 2 girls are killed off quickly (in the opening credits) I wanted to sue them to send
across a clear message that all social groups are a potential target from this creature, who doesn't
discriminate through his diet. I also needed a 4th tall male to play the role of the monster. The less
you can see from him the better as he is meant to be a tall mystery with no personality other than
loneliness. My only worry about showing the lesbian couple is that the movie may come across as a
political message calling for gay rights or people thinking its sexist rather than just showing the wide
diet of my creature. Well you can’t please everyone: / and if people take it that way it’s not my
intention and they deserve not to like my movie if they are going to be so petty.
When choosing my main actor I went against stereotypes and conventions. I wanted to kill off my
main actor at the end of the movie (the full 3 hr version not the opening credits).
i wanted him to be a general teenager in every sense of the word, nothing special about him to show

3. the chaos and randomness of my monsters choice. the movie is meant to be about this teen being
stalked and him realising he would soon be done so searches for the reason as to why he is going to
die, and when he finds out he realities there is no way to prevent it, as there is no reason.
Also, to better show his weakness and helplessness, I have him telling the audience that this
creature scares him to death at the very beginning of the movie. Most monster horror films
generally have the strong silent type as the hero coming and finding his courage at the last moment
to save the day, but I wanted to make it clear to the audience from the start this would not happen
in my movie. My audience research backs me up; most people prefer plot development over
everything else.
Narrative:
The story line of the film follows the normal conventions of a Monster movie horror. The
Monster coming out of nowhere to butcher a bunch of random teenagers and then follows a
helpless individual as they try to (in my case unsuccessfully) stop it. I establish that the characters
being killed are not relevant to the main plot and are simply examples by having my main character
write out the message and the audience hears what he writes, and watch helplessly as everything he
says happens to the teens.
Conclusion:
To summarise, my film challenges most of the conventions of Monster movie horror.
By doing this, I am able to reach out to a wider range of audiences that I would not have captured if I
stuck to the regular conventions.
And in my oh so not humble opinion I am doing the audience a favour by expanding there movie
palate.