What inspired you to come up with your unique ideas?

My group chose to construct a horror/thriller trailer and came up with a variety of concepts from there. We thought it would be cool if people could control things with their minds like in “The Shining” and “Doctor Sleep.”

What did you use as a source of inspiration?

Many great horror films and literature, such as those written by Steven King, have influenced the concept of manipulating things with your thoughts. The numinous, a horror short film created by the class before us, motivated us to make a horror film. My crew decided it would be fun to take a cue from the past and make a trailer that looked similar to theirs.

What directions did your discussion go in your group?

My group debated a variety of genres and ideas, initially favouring humour but eventually settling on a horror/comedy.

What other ideas did you have for the production?

We also considered developing a horror short film based on the same concepts as before: a man with special talents who eventually goes nuts as a result of them.

Why did you decide not to use these ideas?

We agreed as a class that we wouldn’t be able to produce a short film in the time allotted, so we focused on making a trailer/teaser, which we could devote more time to. We also wanted to include a surprise at the end of the trailer to keep the audience guessing about what will happen next. We accomplished this by assigning responsibility for the occurrences to the daughter.

Who did you discuss your idea with and what feedback did they give you?

We didn’t seek other groups for criticism because our class is working as one huge ground, however we did ask Mr Hamilton and Ms Wellington for suggestions on alternative ways we could film certain scenes.

Write one sentence summing up the final idea that you decided to use

A divorced father begins to manifest events in his imagination, but he is unaware that it was never him at all.

Summarise the effectiveness of your brainstorming/idea development phase.

We used mind maps and class discussion to generate new concepts, and then we started storyboarding each scene, as well as transitions, music, and voice over ideas.

What should you have done differently and what impact would this have had?

I believe that if we had prepared better before filming, our trailer would have made more sense and followed a more logical order.

What pre-production planning documents did you create?

We made a list of trailer and title concepts in a brainstorming document. We also developed a storyboard document and an annotated script with shot information after planning it on the whiteboard.

How were these pre-production documents beneficial to your overall process?

We were able to plan ahead thanks to the pre-production. We were able to lay out a detailed plan for the costumes we’d wear, the places we’d shoot in, and the various shots and technology we’d employ. It also allowed everyone in the group to grasp the plot and get into character.

How were these pre-production documents beneficial to your overall process?

Because of the pre-production, we were able to plan forwards. We were able to plan out the outfits we’d wear, the locations we’d shoot in, and the various shots and technology we’d use in great detail. It also allowed everyone in the group to get into character and understand the plot.

Microphones: they were attached to the camera and allowed it to record our voices above the background noise.

Adobe Premier was used to combine the film, add music, and sound effects.

What worked well?

The tripod worked effectively since it kept the photos stationary and so reduced camera shake. Because Adobe Premium is high-tech and allows you to alter raw footage properly, it worked incredibly well. The podcasts and microphones also worked well since they cut down on background noise and allowed us to hear ourselves clearly.

What didn’t go well?

We were switched to Ms Wallington’s class after Mr Hamilton had to leave school due to a medical issue, and we had to adjust some of our planned plans. Despite the fact that this was a setback in our output, it forced us to think on our feet and adapt swiftly.

How could you have improved your use of technology?

To capture alternative photos, we may have experimented with other camera kinds and settings, as well as different camera holders.