HORROR MOVIE – LENNY’S FEEDBACK

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We had the privilege of discussing our horror film with Premiere and editing expert Lenny Lenfestey.

We was impressed with my cinematography and Ben’s editing, particularly the composition of my shots and the match cuts and camera shakes that Ben had incorporated in post. He suggested we outline our shadows more to hone in on the German Expressionist element, and also gave us a few tips on workspace management and chromatic abberation.

By adding an adjustment layer over our film, we could induce chromatic aberration which would provide a halo of colours around the characters/objects. This could be adjusted with an oval lens and feathering, on top of adding a light vignette around the whole frame, to express an otherworldly feel and add depth to the framing.

A workspace tip he suggested was to use bins whilst editing in Premiere and to organise them into sequences, adjustment layers, footage, audio, and more. Particularly when you may have several edits, it can be overwhelming to have several files named ‘final’ and ‘final final’ or so on: Lenny mentioned we name them WIP (work in progress) 01, 02, 03…and whenever a major change had been made or the copy was ready, call them V01 (versions), 02, 03… This way we can draw back to our historical copies without losing any progress made, just copying and pasting bits we may need or want to change. He also taught us how to use key combinations to see our full timeline and enlarge a screen/area, for example.

He also told us to reflect on the look we may want for our film, especially if we were going for a more black-and-white, grainy, German Expressionist mood. However, he was impressed with the quality of our edit and the diversity of gloom-expressing angles we had used.

Lenny spoke to Jess about sound design and whilst he may not be an expert in Audition, he stated that most of the important effects used in After Effects and Audition could be found in Premiere anyway. He liked the way she had layered the screams for the possession scene and told her to look at other software such as Voice Enhancer and adding studio reverb to clarify the screams and add/reduce echo.

This was overall a very interesting and inspiring experience, and I am very grateful to be able to receive and understand Lenny’s insights. Whilst we may not be able to use all this in our horror films, they are great tips and I look forward to putting them in my own projects.

HORROR STORYBOARD

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The Functions of a Storyboard.

Storyboards are a useful and versatile method of planning out a sequence before, after, and whilst it is being filmed. We took inspiration from the pre-production of Mad Max: Fury Road, as this film didn’t even have a screenplay: instead, they produced thousands of drafts of storyboards as the incredible visuals and unique communication methods could just not be put into words.

We used post-it notes so that we can move these around a piece of A3 paper and change the meaning of each shot in doing so.

GROUP PROJECT #2 – 1st MEETING

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Our first meeting allowed us to plan our roles and decide on the screenplay we wanted to use.

Once we had chosen both, we were able to start looking at our storyboard and other planning documents. We wanted to use post-it notes for our shot plan as this allows us to pick and choose scenes and then we can always alter the board between shoots, too.

Since I am cinematographer I helped brainstorm the initial ideas for our shot list and tried to include a diverse range of camera angles and movement. I also began to look at mise-en-scène so that for our next meeting we could get straight into planning what equipment and props we may need.

HORROR SCREENPLAY – DRAFT #1

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See my first Horror Screenplay and below it, my reflection;

Horror Screenplay #1

Reflection:

I really enjoyed this first attempt at writing a screenplay in the correct format and style – something I have not done before. At first, I found it difficult to not do a full description of the scene, having to omit any camera direction and non-diegetic sound which I thought would be crucial to the direction of the scene. However, I later understood that a screenplay is just a concise basis for the film consisting of sluglines, dialogue/events and most crucially, action lines.

I looked into the pre-preparation for the powerful, future-set action film Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Miller, and discovered that there was in fact no screenplay – just thousands of story boards. This makes sense, because if you look at the way Fury Road is shot, almost every sequence is action; this is the dialogue, action and speech and character relationships all rolled into one.

For a further look into accurate and purposeful action lines, and analysis of Gone Girl (2014) Flynn details how most scenes are brought to life by actors and other film crew, but they must first be given a solid foundation. Flynn’s expert use of action lines and the ability to funnel each scene down by starting with a line about what the scene is about and then finishing with a key word or phrase, brings purpose to screenplay and makes for an excellent sequence.

References:

Just Write (2018). What Writers Should Learn From Mad Max: Fury Road. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u6DwJOs604 [Accessed 09 Jul. 2025].

Lessons from the Screenplay (2016). Gone Girl — Don’t Underestimate the Screenwriter. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF3lFPW4E1o.

HORROR EXTENDED STEP OUTLINE

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Before drafting my screenplay, I completed an ‘extended step outline’ to give fleshed out structure to my plan;

Click on the image to view my document.

Extended Step Outline

I am please with the sequence that I have drafted, however I found it difficult to fill out all parts of the document with enough content. I much preferred going straight in to my screenplay and to begin drafting it. Additionally in the prior stages, I brainstormed my ideas by writing them down on an ‘ideas document’ which I have also included.

Horror Film Ideas

I drew on my knowledge of German Expressionism and will attempt to emulate these ideas in my screenplay. Since I can’t put camera and sound direction in my screenplay, I put these cues in my extended step outline – this included chiaroscuro lighting, dark, slimy hallways and a ‘monster’ of some kind.

However, I understand the importance of planning and ensuring my idea was solid enough that I could then write a powerful screenplay with perfect action lines and a build up of tension. Since we only have three minutes, perfecting the screenplay is key so I have tried to fill out all of the step outline to the best of my ability.

DOCUMENTARY – SHOOT 2 PLANNING

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STAGE 1

Before our second shoot, we must complete a few documents to ensure we knew our plan for that day.

See below our shoot planning documents, including a sound spotting list and production meeting agenda. Each image has a link, click on it to view the full file.

Production Meeting Agenda

Sound Spotting (Shoot 2)

As we have since found out, we are unable to film on 4th July due to lack of availability. Therefore, over the past week or so have begun planning for the rescheduled shoot. We agreed as a team it would be best to create some ‘mock’ footage with the summer school tech team and potentially some dancers in the changing rooms, etc. Our teacher emailed one of the technicians to see if he was available for 4th July and if not, how we as a team can get in contact with the technicians and arrange a shoot. We are yet to organise and confirm the dates as we must fully complete our shot lists, storyboards, and discuss how we can get the shots we need without being in the way during the performance.

As sound designer, I set about creating sound spotting sheets for both shoots. I have not yet finished the sheet for our next shoot as I want to confirm what shots we are looking to shoot, including how much of that and how much of that will be performance (as I also need to start thinking about music and subsequent copyright concerns).

First draft – Storyboard

First draft – Shot List

We have included images of dancers on stage, tech equipment, and actual shots from previous Avril Earl shows. We also have a mood board which we included in our pitch and I have screenshotted below – we are looking to draw inspiration from Black Swan (2010) Aronofsky, as the cinematographer needed to simultaneously capture dance and tell Nina’s backstory.

STAGE 2

As our summer filming dates are now confirmed to take place during the week of 4th-9th August, we had some more documents to complete.

See below our general and site-specific risk assessments. Click on the image to view the file.

Generic Risk Assessment

Filming Risk Assessment

We have modified our documents to suit our new production agenda and potential risks. We will be filming the rest of our footage at the Performing Arts Centre during the week of the summer school to shoot a combination of backstage shots and on-stage performances.

REPRESENTATION OF THE VAMPIRE

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See below my micro analysis of the sequence ‘Nosferatu (1:03.49 – 1:06.14)’

Here is the film, starting from my sequence:

Here is our shared slideshow:

Reflection:

It is evident that Count Orlok is a strong representation of Germany’s post WW1 fear in the early 1920s. The Count’s rat-like appearance seems to increase throughout the film and reflects society’s fear of the vicious Spanish Flu, and their need for a lockdown, a kind of ‘self-imprisonment’ to protect themselves and others. The Spanish Flu killed around 50-100 million people, much more than that of the recent World War 1.

Not only was Germany economically devastated, it was socially devastated, and after having suffered at the hands of imperialist politicians, it was now vulnerable to disease and a plague was rife. Count Orlok appears from nowhere and seeks to terrify and haunt the town, an alien from ‘elsewhere’ invading an already fragile population by attacking them and leaving only two outcomes: infection or death. Nosferatu (1922) Murnau features an abusive and corrupt aristocratic class, who are the sources of the horror itself.

References:

Hendry, S. (2011). Horror Monsters. Media Magazine. [online] Available at: https://filmstudies2426.edublogs.org/files/2024/06/Horror-Monsters.pdf.

GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM AND HORROR FILM

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Please see below my conducted research on German Expressionism and its lasting effects on the horror genre.

This Crash Course video was very handy in explaining the psychological depths and influences of German cinema, particularly from the ‘Weimar Period’.

Around the time of WW1, in Germany, many film production companies were bundled into one nationalist agenda under ‘UFA’. However, some independent studios were able to survive, but because of their very restricted budget and lack of synchronous sound, many took to framing, lighting, and other forms of expressionism to stand out against Hollywood cinema.

Later on, mise-en-scène was introduced, and a small film named The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) Wiene – which used heavy make-up to portray eerie characters, unreliable narration, and exaggerate, unrealistic sets – essentially changed the face of cinema forever. Other influential movies include Metropolis (1927) Lang and Nosferatu (1922) Murnau. However, these films continued to have lasting and profound effect in terms of the use of gore and monsters in Hollywood movies.

A slideshow by the British Film Institute on German Expressionist Silent Film goes into depth about the philosophy and aesthetics of these movies. It describes how German Expressionist Films feel ‘dreamlike’ with a ‘paranoid atmosphere’, that film should ‘capture the inner lives of the characters…turning emotions into images which make the inner world comprehensible’.

The German Expressionist and Film Noir genres feature exaggerated chiaroscuro lighting, a contrast between light and dark which gives shadows lives of their own, turns characters’ faces into masks and makes buildings and landscapes seem distorted.

Click on the image for the article.

This article follows the evolution and revivals of horror monsters from Pre-WW2 years to the modern era. Movies – especially horror films – tend to incorporate social struggles into their themes and messages, and general presentation.

Daniel Cohen makes an observation and states how ‘cultures create and ascribe meaning
to monsters, endowing them with characteristics derived from their most deep seated fears and taboos’. This just means that society creates monsters by forming them from their greatest fears and threats at the time. By taking Nosferatu (1922) Murnau as an example, we can see how Count Orlok encapsulates the visceral Spanish Flu with a rat-like appearance and his ‘invasion’ of the town and its people.

Frankenstein (1931) Whale was released amongst a time of severe social financial hardship, named The Great Depression. Also critical of racial tensions surrounding America at the time, Frankenstein the monster is ‘not as
monstrous as the abuse of scientific knowledge that creates him’.

References:

Benzine, C. (2017). German Expressionism: Crash Course Film History #7. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6XDyth0qxc.

BFI (2013). Homepage | BFI. [online] Bfi.org.uk. Available at: https://www.bfi.org.uk/.

Hendry, S. (2011). Horror Monsters. Media Magazine. [online] Available at: https://filmstudies2426.edublogs.org/files/2024/06/Horror-Monsters.pdf.

DOCUMENTARY – SHOOT 1 REFLECTION

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Reflection questions

What went well?

Overall, I believe we gathered more footage than I thought we would, which is a plus. As we are uploading and organising footage now, I am quite pleased with the quality of both the audio and the video. Our agenda was stuck to nicely and gave us a good plan for the day. However, we came up with many more ideas as a team whilst we were out filming.

What went wrong?

Thankfully, the day mostly went smoothly. But, our interview with the principle ran on a quite a bit, which caused issues with uploading the footage, as we recorded it on Harrison’s phone and had trouble uploading the large file to Google Drive. However, we solved this problem by downloading the footage to an SD card then directly to our computers. Yet, we still had a lot of video to sift through.

Mid shot angle of Miss Avril

What specific tasks did you do as part of your role?

As sound designer, I was able to record a bit of foley/background noise by recording tap shoes and wind rustling. I also had to make sure that the audio we received was of good quality, too.

What specific tasks did you do to collaborate within the team and support others within the group?

As I mentioned above, we each came up with ideas on the day that weren’t necessarily just for our creative role. We also have a good plan for the next shoot to build on what we have gathered, and will be able to support each other more then.

Studio sign shot we came up with

How did your pre-production work on the day?

We didn’t have much of a storyboard beforehand, which could have left a margin for error, but thankfully we knew what we wanted to create and so had plenty of shot ideas. Also, our interview questions were very well planned out and we had no trouble developing them during the interview.

Were there any problems that you did not foresee?

Harrison brought in his own lavalier mics and for a moment we thought they weren’t going to work…but after changing a couple of settings we had no issues.

When there was a problem, how did you resolve it?

We were lucky (and well-planned enough) to not have had any major issues, but when we did we discussed what was wrong as a group and looked to see if we could fix the equipment/what we could do instead.