Creating Films
From a young age, film and the power of storytelling has always captivated me. I am currently doing A level film studies and my goal is to study film at University.
Since starting my A level course I have gained a deeper understanding of what goes into creating a narrative and the ability to explore different narratives through cinematography.
I first started making lego shorts at 7 years old with my cousin using a simple app called Lego Movie Maker.
This then moved to making short comedy sketches with friends using CapCut.
The Basement short film
As part of my A Level I wrote, filmed and directed a short film called ‘The Basement’. With this film I wanted to create an eerie atmospheric watch, push myself and create something different to my peers. I created a film without dialogue in order to let the visuals, sound effects and editing tell the story.
The Basement’ includes a linear narrative with little context given on what is happening. This will support the thriller plot and provide a greater intensity fear throughout the film.
The plot follows a boy, woken up after hearing a loud smash from downstairs in the middle of the night. We follow him as he traverses through the house discovering trying to find what the noise was.
The film contains one ‘main’ character ‘the boy’ and the source of the fear ‘man’.
In the original concept I was going to have multiple characters, more story driven and dialogue. However, I wanted to explore something different and dialogue would add to much confusion to the story and change the pace of the film.
The suspense and tension comes from the lighting, camera angles and sound. Silence and heavy breathing tells the viewer ‘boy’ is scared.
Inspiration of the film came from short films such as, ‘Wasp’ which uses elements of cinematography with a handheld camera which fit into the realism of the story. The plot of ‘wasp’ is grounded. The camera being handheld provides a shakier ‘less professional’ feel, making the film appear like they are in the story themselves. This is the same for ‘The Basement’.
The protagonist in ‘The Basement’ can hear rustling and movement in the basement and the handheld camera works to convey how scared the boy is. The cinematography in ‘Two Cars One Night’ is used to make the audience feel cramped and claustrophobic like the children in the cars, the camera is steady and almost locked into a certain position. But the camera angles enable the scenes to become more engaging.
Short film influences for The Basement:
Wasp (2003)
Two Cars One Night (2004)
Script: The Basement
The Basement: Final Draft
Opening Credits:
Film shot in black and white.
Throughout the shoot change the loudness of the music from quiet, build up to make up for the lack of dialogue and to build tension throughout the film.
Use a variety of camera angles to make each scene tense.
Camera positioned on the top of a flight of stairs leading down to a basement.
The bottom of the staircase is pitch black and the camera is slowly leading down towards the bottom.
As it gets to the bottom of the stairs it fades to black revealing the film’s title “The Basement”. There is then a loud smash sound, and phase straight into the next scene.
First Scene:
Position the camera to overlook the boy sleeping in his bed.
The boys’ eyes open as the smash wakes him up.
Keep lighting dull, in black and white, seeing only a rough outline of his face.
Cut to another shot beside his bed picking up his phone.
The light from the phone is going to brighten the entire frame adding some artificial light to the scene.
Camera then glides over his shoulder, showing the time is late at night.
Cut to the door of the bedroom.
Boy gets out of bed and walks passed the camera.
Shoot with the camera low down at the end of the hallway as the boy walks closer to it.
Scene ends with a close-up of his hand turning the doorknob and walking through.
Second Scene:
Use a wider shot for the next scene, place the camera the other end of the room, to have a clear view of the boy walking into the room.
Boy walks towards the bed where his mum is asleep. Move the camera to show the back of the boy walking towards his mum.
Boy tries to wake mum up and she shoo’s him away. Bot walks passed the camera and leaves the room.
On shot on the camera following him through the hallway.
Boy takes torch from the cupboard and turns it on.
Torch flickers a couple of times. Camera will then stay in place as we watch the boy walk back down towards the stairs.
Third Scene:
Camera placed at the bottom of the stairs at an angle.
The boy slowly walks down the stairs trying to be as quiet as possible.
Music to become more intense. Music less in the background and more present.
Close up of the boy’s legs walking down the stairs.
When boy reaches the bottom, the camera is going to change into a POV shot with the torch. The torch acting as the only source of light.
Camera moves and swings around, as if it is the boy turning around.
Movement stops and light shines on a smashed cup on the ground.
Music cuts to create the tension.
Close up of the smashed cup on the ground. Cut to boy kneeling and looking at the pieces.
Boy looks around to see know nothing there. Boy looks confused.
Boy ‘sighs’.
Boy picks up the pieces of the cup, looking confused.
Boy looks again and sees nothing there.
Boy picks up the broken pieces to put them away.
Whilst the camera is shooting the boy, the door behind him slowly opens and a shadowed figure walks passed. Music to intensify.
Boy looks behind him to see the door is now open.
Fourth Scene:
To have the same shot from the opening credits of the film play again.
The camera gradually getting closer to the bottom of the basement.
Shoot of the boy walking down the stairs, camera directly in front of him.
The torch continuously flickers to leave moments of the scene in complete darkness.
Music stops to create the tension and suspense.
Boy walks slowly into the basement. Heavy breathing to highlight how scared the boy is.
Cut back to a POV looking around the room. There is shuffling and clanking sounds to tell the viewer there is something in the basement.
Boy is scared. Boys breathing gets louder. Music begins.
Camera movement to look like the boy is moving to see where the sounds are coming from.
The camera slowly pans up and we see the eyes of a man looking straight at him, this is accompanied by a loud jump scare sound.
The torch light flickers on and off and when it comes back on the man is gone.
The camera looks around the room. The man is seen looking at the boy and moving into the darkness.
Camera goes out of the POV. Boy searches around to find some sort of weapon.
Boy is shaking and scared.
Boy finds out a mallet and scared, slowly backing towards the stairs.
Camera cuts behind the wall where the man disappeared.
Music becomes louder and more intense.
Boy is scared.
Boy runs towards the stairs.
Camera position mid-way up the staircase of the basement.
Boy looks back at the camera. Boy starts to run up the stairs.
Music is intense.
Boy to almost reach the top of the stairs.
Man grabs boys back pulling him down.
Boy screams.
Music cuts. Screen fades to black.
Roll credits.
Sound and Vision 9 