The document provides guidance for storyboarding a horror movie trailer, including techniques like varying shot distances and angles to create vulnerability or power, using dark lighting to set an ominous tone, and following a typical horror structure of equilibrium disruption and final scare. It also recommends including production logos, using title cards and sound design like crescendos and sharp noises to build tension and shock. Examples of storyboarding techniques are numbered shots, camera movements, emphasizing dark tones, and indicating camera distance and angle for each shot.

1. Storyboarding your
horror trailer

2. a) Vary shot distances
b) Have at least one high (to show vulnerability)
and one low angle shot (to show someone or
something is strong or powerful or frightening)
c) Indicate dark mise-en-scene to create a
frightening atmosphere
d) Follow typical horror movie structure – start off
with equilibrium then have lost of disruption.
During the action/frightening scenes, have a
quicker shots. Have a final scare before the
billing block

3. a) Don’t forget the title and the production
company logo
b) The last shot should be a billing block – just
label this as such
c) If you use title cards, think about the most
effective colour
d) Use sound – a sforzando to emphasise shock
and a crescendo built up over several shots to
get the audience anticipating something bad
about to happen
e) You can also have fast-paced music for action

4. Examples of storyboards

9. • Number your shots
• A zoomed or tracked in shot will go from 1a to
1b
• Camera movement – have some tracking shots
and pans
• Emphasise dark mise-en-scene – you might
begin with a light/bright mise-en-scene to
suggest everything seems all right
• You haven’t used colour, but try to indicate
some red for danger/death etc

10. • ALL shots need a camera distance
• Some shots will need a camera angle. Even if
you can’t draw this, indicate it in the text box.
High angle = vulnerable
• Low angle = powerful/evil

11. Edits
• Cut – basic edit
• Dissolve – one shot dissolves into another – usually indicates
time passing
• Fade to black – time passing/let’s the audience use its
imagination as to what has happened
• Quick fade to black (or white) and quick fade up – allows for
rhythmic, punchy transition – like a trailer or the opening
sequence of CSI
• Jump cut – straight cut to the same object from the same angle –
oten to a closer shot to unnerve the audience
• Graphic match – a a dissolve or cut from ome object to another
that resemebles it in shape or design

12. SOUND
• Build up a non-diegetic crescendo over a
number of shots to increase tension and
anticipation
• Sforzando – short sharp noise added for
shock