The

Pitch
By Jessica Haughton
 Horror
Over the summer, I developed an infatuation for this genre of
film and I found myself watching horror movies everyday. So
much so, that it was genuinely affecting my sleep! Therefore,
when I was set the task in class to create a film trailer, I knew I
had to incorporate my latest film obsession into my media
studies project. By doing this, I feel I have made one of the
subjects I love, even more enjoyable by combining elements of
both work and play.
Why have I chosen to work with this genre?

Because I love the thrill of being scared, the anticipation,

the enigma, the blood, guts and gore and the jumpy
scenes that cause those blood curdling screams...

I enjoy experiencing all of these things so much, that I

desperately want to inflict it upon my audiences, by
creating the most horrifyingly chilling trailer they will
ever see.
 Supernatural
Horror
After choosing which genre to work with, the next action was to decide on a sub-
genre.

I believe that supernatural horrors are the most fascinating of horrors, as they
terrify me the most.
What I find so intriguing is that in a supernatural horror, a person is utterly
defenceless against the paranormal. It is impossible to run or hide from the
torment of a spirit or a curse and I marvel at the concept of there being no
escape.
I chose this sub-genre because everybody loves a good old fashion ghost story!
And that is exactly what I will strive to produce, by channelling all of my
creativity and knowledge into this course.
 The Codes and
Conventions
I must ensure that I use the codes and conventions of this genre correctly so that
my trailer can successfully be recognisable as a supernatural horror. It is
important to achieve this as the trailer must attract the right target audience.

Below I have listed elements of supernatural horror that I will be using...

• I will create a plot that involves the protagonist being haunted by a spirit in her own home.
• The main character will be female and in her late twenties, so that the audience can establish
similarities between themselves and the character and be able to relate to her.
• I will create a narrative that involves the protagonist assisting the spirit in some way, in order
to achieve resolution.
• I will film my trailer in locations that possess an eerie and ghostly atmosphere, as well as inside
old fashioned houses, I will film in forests and woodland areas too.
• When editing my trailer I will include ‘jumpy’ scenes that will make the audience frightened,
this will emphasise the essence of horror.
• For sound, I shall use orchestral music in the trailer. Asynchronous sound - sinister laughter
and screams coming from the spirits. Diegetic sound – dialogue, noises etc.
• For lighting, I will use back-lighting – to hide a characters identity. Profile lighting – to make a
character appear evil. And ofcourse, ambient lighting and artificial lighting when needed.
 Professional Status: Likely to
Gender: More directed towards
Age: Late teens to be in the ABC1 bracket. They
females, as women are more
early thirties, a are intellectuals who belong to
intrigued by spiritual and
more mature and creative and imaginative
sensitive subjects such as the
sophisticated occupations. For the younger
Supernatural. Whereas men
audience. TA, they are in college or uni,
are better suited to masses of
studying to one day achieve
blood and violence.
Books: ‘The Time this type of career.
Travellers Wife’,
‘The Lovely Bones’
as well as the
Marital Status:
classic romantic
reads of Jane
Austen, ‘Pride &
My Target Audience ‘In a
relationship’
Prejudice’.
I can
Personality: spiritual beings, imagine a
Musical tastes: Mainstream
open minded and non female TA
Alternative Rock/ Indie. E.g.
judgemental. Known for their who watch
‘Biffy Clyro’, ‘The XX’,
caring and generous spirits. horror
‘Mumford and Sons’, ‘Two Door
Thrill seekers who thrive on movies,
Cinema Club’, ‘Hurts’ etc.
fear. snuggled up
Favourite supernatural horrors: ‘The Sixth next to their
Sense’, ‘The Orphanage’ and ‘The others’. TA The TA watch horrors to partner.
admires old black and white horrors: ‘Psycho’ relax and escape the
and ‘Birds’. As well as gothic horrors such as stresses and strains of
‘Gothika’ and ‘Sleepy Hollow’. life.
 The Basic
(Background
relationships life have
Plotline
been
character
affected. In
is a
order
female
to do
in
some
(This
her

(This we
late
Equilibrium:
Equilibrium:
(Background Information) The main character is a female in her late twenties who
Information) The main twenties
soul-searching,
we learn
learn as
as the
who is
she
is unhappy
unhappy with
moves
the narrative
into
with her
a new
narrative progresses)
progresses)
her life.
life. Ever
home,
Ever since
where
since experiencing
she
experiencing abuse
can be alone
abuse as
to
as a
relationships in her life have been affected. In order to do some soul-searching, she moves into a new home, where she can be alone to begin her ‘new
in her begin
a child,
her
child, the
the
‘new life’.
life’.

Disruption:
Disruption:
The
The protagonist (main character) moves into this old Victorian house which is
protagonist (main character) moves into this old Victorian house which is located
located in
in a
a quiet
quiet and
and isolated
isolated area.
area. As
As soon
soon asas she
she moves
moves in,in, she
she begins
begins to
to
realise
realise that she is not alone. From hearing voices, to having horrific nightmares, the protagonist believes that she is being haunted by the spirit of
that she is not alone. From hearing voices, to having horrific nightmares, the protagonist believes that she is being haunted by the spirit of a
a young
young
woman
woman whowho was
was brutally
brutally murdered
murdered in
in the
the house.
house. She
She decides
decides toto find
find out
out about
about the
the history
history of
of the
the house
house and
and begins
begins by
by exploring
exploring the
the attic,
attic, in
in there
there she
she finds
finds
a
a dusty old record book, that contains photographs of lots of young children. Here, she discovers that the house was once a children’s home for orphans in
dusty old record book, that contains photographs of lots of young children. Here, she discovers that the house was once a children’s home for orphans in
the
the 1970’s.
1970’s. Among
Among all
all of
of the
the photographs,
photographs, one
one photo
photo ofof a
a young
young girl
girl stands
stands out
out the
the most,
most, the
the protagonist
protagonist recognises
recognises the
the girl
girl from
from having
having seen
seen her
her in
in her
her
nightmares.
nightmares.

The
The main
main character
character then
then visits
visits her
her neighbour,
neighbour, a
a slightly
slightly crazed
crazed old
old lady,
lady, to
to confirm
confirm her
her suspicion
suspicion and
and find
find out
out more.
more. The
The old
old lady
lady tells
tells the
the protagonist
protagonist that
that
she
she always knew there was something eerie about the orphanage, that she believed the children were being abused, but that no one believed her.
always knew there was something eerie about the orphanage, that she believed the children were being abused, but that no one believed her.

The
The main
main character
character becomes
becomes frightened
frightened and
and erratic,
erratic, convinced
convinced that
that the
the ghost
ghost of
of this
this girl
girl is
is evil
evil as
as it
it continues
continues to
to torment
torment her,
her, but
but as
as the
the film
film goes
goes on,
on, she
she
realises
realises that the spirit is trying to communicate something to her. Through this correspondence, the protagonists discovers how and why the girl was
that the spirit is trying to communicate something to her. Through this correspondence, the protagonists discovers how and why the girl was
murdered
murdered soso many
many years
years ago.
ago. The
The owner
owner of
of the
the orphanage
orphanage was
was a
a violent
violent man
man who
who abused
abused the
the children
children at
at the
the home,
home, the
the girl
girl who
who had
had been
been killed,
killed, was
was one
one
of
of many, but none of the other children experienced a death so horrific. The girl threatened to go to the police if he continued to cause harm, the man
many, but none of the other children experienced a death so horrific. The girl threatened to go to the police if he continued to cause harm, the man
became
became aggressive
aggressive and
and then
then murdered
murdered her. her.

Realisation:
Realisation:
The
The main character then realises that she must track down this man, in order
main character then realises that she must track down this man, in order to
to resolve
resolve peace
peace for
for this
this poor
poor restless
restless soul.
soul. She
She sets
sets out
out to
to find
find him,
him, by
by using
using
an address that her neighbour had given her, for another orphanage. The anticipation to find him builds up, but to the main characters disappointment,
an address that her neighbour had given her, for another orphanage. The anticipation to find him builds up, but to the main characters disappointment,
she
she is
is informed
informed by
by the
the nurses
nurses at
at the
the home,
home, that
that he
he was
was present
present for
for a
a while,
while, but
but that
that he
he soon
soon made
made a a sudden
sudden disappearance.
disappearance.

Eventually,
Eventually, the
the main
main character
character tracks
tracks down
down the
the mans
mans home.
home.
 In
In this
this space
space of
of time,
time, there
there isis confrontation
confrontation between
between thethe protagonist
protagonist andand this
this man,
man, in
in which
which she
she
reveals that she knows his secret. He soars towards her, wildly enraged, as
reveals that she knows his secret. He soars towards her, wildly enraged, as he violently slamshe violently slams
her
her against
against the
the wall
wall gripping
gripping her
her by
by the
the neck,
neck, where
where he he attempts
attempts toto strangle
strangle her.
her. Just
Just in
in the
the
moment
moment where
where she
she is
is near
near toto losing
losing consciences,
consciences, she she spots
spots aa weighty,
weighty, sharp
sharp object
object to
to her
her right
right
in
in which she grabs and smacks it into the side of his head. Bleeding and cursing, he falls to the
which she grabs and smacks it into the side of his head. Bleeding and cursing, he falls to the
floor
floor as she dashes breathlessly out of the house, back to her car. She desperately searches for
as she dashes breathlessly out of the house, back to her car. She desperately searches for
her keys, growing even more hysterical as she notices him running out of
her keys, growing even more hysterical as she notices him running out of the house towards the house towards
her.
her. Finally,
Finally, she
she manages
manages to to get
get inside
inside her
her car
car and
and speedily
speedily drives
drives up
up the
the road,
road, watching
watching his his
silhouette
silhouette inin the
the side
side mirror
mirror as as it
it disappears
disappears into
into the
the distance.
distance.

She
She arrives
arrives home
home andand ensures
ensures that
that every
every lock
lock is
is bolted
bolted as
as soon
soon asas she
she steps
steps through
through the the door.
door. Her
Her
immediate
immediate instinct is to phone the police, however due to the rain storm, she finds herself to be
instinct is to phone the police, however due to the rain storm, she finds herself to be
experiencing
experiencing a a power
power cut.
cut. As
As the
the phone
phone line
line fails
fails to
to work
work and
and the
the lights
lights won’t
won’t turn
turn on,
on, a a car
car pulls
pulls
up
up in
in the
the drive-way.
drive-way. She
She listens
listens to
to his
his footsteps
footsteps stomping
stomping loudly
loudly towards
towards the the porch.
porch. As As he
he
recklessly thumps the front door, the main character hides in a darkened
recklessly thumps the front door, the main character hides in a darkened corner of the roomcorner of the room
whimpering
whimpering likelike a
a vulnerable
vulnerable child,
child, stuck
stuck in
in a
a moment
moment of of indecision.
indecision. AsAs she
she racks
racks herher brain
brain for
for a
a
plan of safety, in front of her appears the spirit of the girl, petrifying her into realisation.
plan of safety, in front of her appears the spirit of the girl, petrifying her into realisation. At this At this
specific
specific point
point in
in the
the film,
film, the
the main
main character
character evolves
evolves from
from the
the desperate,
desperate, scared
scared little
little girl,
girl, into
into the
the
strong,
strong, confident
confident and
and invisible
invisible woman
woman sheshe initially
initially set
set out
out to
to be.
be. She
She understands
understands that that she
she must
must
defeat
defeat this murderer herself, not only to provide resolution for the ghost, but to also put to rest
this murderer herself, not only to provide resolution for the ghost, but to also put to rest
the predicament of her
the predicament of her past.past.
After
After a
a vicious
vicious game
game of
of ‘hide
‘hide and
and seek’
seek’ between
between the
the protagonist
protagonist and
and the
the killer,
killer, finally
finally the
the show-down
show-down willwill
commence. It will mirror the events of how the ghost of the girl had died, but I have yet to
commence. It will mirror the events of how the ghost of the girl had died, but I have yet to decide decide
what
what this
this will
will consist
consist of.
of.
When
When II have
have decided
decided how
how the
the spirit
spirit was
was murdered,
murdered, II will
will then
then reflect
reflect the
the same
same scene
scene between
between the
the killer
killer
and
and the main character, only this time, it will be the man who suffers the brutal death and justice will
the main character, only this time, it will be the man who suffers the brutal death and justice will
be restored.
be restored.

New
New Equilibrium:
Equilibrium: The
The last
last scene
scene ofof the
the film
film will
will show
show the
the main
main character
character loading
loading her
her boxes
boxes ofof belongings
belongings
into
into her car, which indicates that she is moving out of the house. She walks with an air of new found
her car, which indicates that she is moving out of the house. She walks with an air of new found
confidence
confidence as finally, she has found inner peace. Just as she’s about to get into the car, she stops and
as finally, she has found inner peace. Just as she’s about to get into the car, she stops and
notices
notices the house of her neighbour and decides to say goodbye before she leaves. As she knocks on
the house of her neighbour and decides to say goodbye before she leaves. As she knocks on
the door, there is no answer from her, even when she calls her name. The neighbour
the door, there is no answer from her, even when she calls her name. The neighbour of the next of the next
house
house who
who isis out
out in
in her
her garden
garden overhears
overhears her.
her. She
She approaches
approaches herher warily
warily and
and says,
says, “I’m
“I’m sorry
sorry dear,
dear,
but there’s no lady living here under that name anymore... She died many
but there’s no lady living here under that name anymore... She died many years ago.” years ago.”
The
The twist
twist is,
is, that
that the
the donor
donor character
character (The
(The crazy
crazy old
old lady)
lady) was
was in
in fact,
fact, a
a ghost
ghost too.
too.

The End
 However...
This is only a rough idea of my plot, I will ofcourse edit my
narrative throughout the process of production!
I am open for suggestions, so if you could each
individually tell me which parts you liked and which
parts you didn’t.

Please be honest, but kind.

 Inspiration...
As well as using my own imagination, I have used inspiration from existing films in order to create an
idea for my narrative.
Thank you!