Media Script

Horror Opening scene

All black. Hears constant chopping sound. With every chop comes a new name of Director/Editor,

Actors etc. Switches to running footsteps in black and white with diegetic sounds (footsteps and

breathing). Cuts to black again with chopping sounds. Shots from different angles and locations of

running footsteps. (Beginning of alley, middle, around the corner of alley, across cinder path).

Establishing shot of Ellie running on cinder path with grass in front of camera, negative space. A

single chopping sound cuts to Grace on the ground, with hair sprawled around her head as if she has

just fallen down on her back, camera slowly spinning around on her face, but lands still. Side shot of

her eyes looking off camera. Heavy breathing. Sounds of scraping knives together. Constant shots

change of Richard with axe wound on his head slowly turning head towards behind camera, and

Grace’s side view. Ellie with her hands in her face slowly lowering them, this cuts to be opposites or

normal. In between this cuts, Graces face looking directly at the camera can be slotted in, maybe

with blood running down her face. The shot of Ellie running down the ginnel with ‘end’ in sight,

maybe shots with the end slowing zooming in. Whilst this is happening the sound of the echoes

knives. This sequence should be fast paced and uneasy. Slow motion of running footsteps and of Ellie

looking behind her while she runs can also be used as part of this scene. The shots begins to slow

down, with the mirrored effect of Ellie collapsing to her knees. The final shot should be of Ellie

disappearing into nothingness. Final chopping sound and cut to black. Title.

Shots to be filmed:

- Ellie running at the gates in the path and down the path, with ‘ending’ in view.

- Ellie running around the corner and onto cinder path.

- Establishing shot of Ellie running down cinder path.

- Bird’s eye view of Grace’s face on ground

- Close-up of Graces eye looking past the camera from the side.

- Richard from the side with his bloodied axe wound.

- Ellie lowering her hand and looking scared at something.

- Grace full on with blood dropping from her nose.

- Ellie dropping to her knees and disappearing into nothing.

I have based this opening scene from two horrors scenes. The first is from ‘The Babadook’ and the

second is the trip scene in ‘A Field in England’. The Babadook opening scene is very unclear and

unnerving for audiences, which I have used in my short film. A ‘Field in England’ is also visually

confusing, due to the editing and whilst watching an interview with Ben Wheatley, the director of ‘A

Field in England’, claimed that he wanted to make a film where ‘nothing is explained’, which I think

would fit perfectly into my film because it is only an opening scene where the plot of the movie is

still yet to be explained.