Historical Research

Our short film is going to center around Samhain.
Around 2 millenniums ago, Samhain was the yearly division of summer and winter.
It was very similar to the more modern tradition of Halloween whereby people wore costumes and masks, to avoid harm from spirits by disguising themselves.

Actor Research

2 main characters played by me and Rudi Magill
Other main played by .........
The sailor / captain of the boat will be played by my Media Studies teacher

Character 1

- Supposed to be the well behaved member of the group
- Quite nerdy, innocent looking
- Will have a much softer accent than the other two
- Will wear much more 'sophisticated' clothes

In the TV show 'Stranger Things', the character 'Barb' is presented as the innocent virgin of the show. Her death is against codes and conventions of horror
Unexpected because she chooses not to drink whilst the other characters 'sin'.
In horror movies, usually the people who


Character 2

- Not the most misbehaved but still relates / gets on with 3
- He is much like him
- Dresses like 3 but in different colours
- Has a rough accent

Character 3

- Rough accent
- Tracksuit

USEFUL:

Codes and conventions in Horror Films from kbamediastudies

The Wicker Man (1973)



I am using director Robin Hardy's "The Wicker Man" as inspiration for my short film.

Our movie is centred around the pagan holiday 'Samhain'.

The iconic large wicker statue from the end of the movie was (reportedly) used by ancient Druids for human sacrifice by burning it in effigy.

Our movie will follow quite closely to the plot structure of the Wicker Man. At the end of the movie, it ends with the protagonist, Sgt. Howie dying at the hands of the pagans who live on Summerisle, the movie's setting

Inspiration for Short Film - The Pagan Wild Men of Europe 

Location

Christmas one year

The movie is over a period of one year

OPENING 

Christmas Music with narration from main character

Drone shot (maybe) over house then down to window to show the family, christmas morning kids opening presents

House looks happy

Narrator says this... is not my family 

this is my family

Shows a much poorer family

Music stays happy 

Feeble tree / christmas dinner

Disappointed child

Enter main character

Angry about christmas and about poverty

Starts to steal things over the next year

Breaking into houses

Christmas is restored by the end of the movie

But the end of the movie has the fire lit and it ends with burning down the house.