This document pitches two plot ideas for a psychological thriller film. The first involves a group of friends who go camping and are captured by a man or creature, with one friend having a mental problem. The second involves a group trapped in a house where the dominant person becomes psychologically affected and hunts the others. The pitch also discusses research on the genre, possible locations, sound effects, and cinematography techniques to create suspense. The document concludes by outlining what needs to be achieved to create a trailer, including test trailers and learning effective editing.

1. THE PITCH
Here is a pitch of two rough ideas thought up around my chosen genre,
psychological thriller. The two differ in content which will allow us to pick
based on what will feature in the film and not just its narrative. The pitch will
also include: research into the genre, possible sound effects, ideas for
locations, cinematography and editing which will include some specific
areas we want to use in order to gain suspense.

2. Notice how the colour
RESEARCH red features in most of
the posters. This
shows that it is a key
feature in this
particular genre of film
and should be
included in my own
work.
The plots also feature
a character /
characters with
psychological
Uses hand held cameras, Uses Anthony Hopkins, a Uses a well known actor Uses high key lighting to problems.
diegetic sounds and famous actor who was once again and also stop the audience
unknown actors to add associated with playing focuses on psychological sympathising with the
realistic qualities to the father figures at that disorders. Uses lots of characters along with
film. This makes the film particular time, making low key lighting to create well know actors and
seem real, adding to the the film scarier. Uses a its eerie feel along with a above the line
overall scare factor of the combination of eye line twist to shock the cinematography, giving
picture. matches and non-diegetic audience. it that stylised feel.
sounds to add to the
tension and emphasise
psychological disorders.

3. PLOT IDEA 1
• THRILLER
• Group of friends go camping in the woods,
• They are captured by a man / creature who intends to kill them,
• One of the friends has a mental problem which creates a whole new issue for the
group,
• Is the troubled friend to blame for the entire problem?
• Will they escape?

4. PLOT IDEA 2
• THRILLER
• A family / group of friends is trapped in a house which they are connected too, it may
be owned by the family, it may be one of the friends houses,
• The dominant figure within the group begins to become psychologically effected by
the situation,
• Begins to hunt the others down,
• Are they trapped because if him / her in the first place?
• Do you find out who / what trapped them?

5. POSSIBLE LOCATIONS
• Woodland areas
• Abandoned houses
• Houses that look normal
• Run down buildings – offices, old mills
• Old walking tracks

6. SOUND EFFECTS
• Footsteps
• Heart beats
• Heavy breathing
• Diegetic sounds of a forest at night – crickets, wind, rustling plants
• Clanging metal
• Unsheathing of knives / weapons

7. TYPICAL CINEMATOGRAPHY / DIRECTION
• Close ups – eye line matches
• Over the shoulder shots looking over the villainous character just before he attacks a
victim.
• Tight framing on the characters to emphasise distress / confusion
• Long shots with just one figure situated in the middle yet quite far away to show how
vulnerable they are
• High angles over the victims and low angles from the victim’s perspective when looking at
the murderer

8. WHAT I NEED TO ACHIEVE / LEARN IN ORDER TO
CREATE MY TRAILER
What I need to achieve:
• Making small, successful test trailers
• Photoshop trails
• iMovie trails
• Sound tests – through GarageBand
What I need to learn:
• What I need to include in my trailer
• What makes a successful trailer
• How to edit clips effectively
• How to use the cameras to gain the effects I desire