CHARACTERS & EFFECTS

EXPLAINEDAlice Ward

Protagonist – Mia Summers■ I feel the protagonist/ investigator should be female due to female (within horror film conventions) are seen to be more naïve

and vulnerable. Using stereotypes to my advantage I can show a much more fearful and frightened collection of characteristics through a woman as they’re portrayed more fragile than the masculine man. Femininity is to be typically more dainty, elegant, fragile and possibly clumsy. By having a female character to be clumsy it adds to the typical, modern, horror of a clumsy female that are blind to the trouble they’re getting themselves in.

■ Examples of a clumsy, dainty and elegant victim female would be the young girl in The Conjuring 2, however I have chosen (instead of a much younger age), the age of a student to give reason behind why she is starting to investigate such a big myth/ story. It gives her story much more purpose and we then as an audience can follow her ‘investigation’ with her and empathize or sympathize with her as she explores the realism behind ‘Half-Hanged Mary’.

■ The young student, in my imagination, is seen to casually wearing smart clothes on a day to day basis and have the stereotypical look of a journalist. She is seen to wear glasses to add a smart look to her, thus going on to showing why she wants to look into her project so much and be so involved. I, personally, see her wearing a white shirt (where the white symbolizes her fresh faced innocent self; with purity and innocence from the white symbolic color code). With either blue or black skinny jeans or fitted trousers. The choice of jeans instead of a suit piece adds to her being a younger student who isn’t as professionalized as a fully grown journalist yet and adds more approachable aspect as she seems more casual and informal. In addition, her shoes would be flat shoes to show how, yet again, casual she is (and more laid back). Therefore she chooses the more comfortable things to wear in her workplace.

■ More into depth, I see this character possibly being a brunette. Going on an unfortunate stereotype if she was blonde people would then think of the slang term ‘blonde bimbo’ in a horror. Whereas this character is a young student in university so would need to look the up-most academic as an aspiring journalist.

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■ From progress, we have know ‘hired’ our protagonist female that is able to fit the criteria with brunette hair, dainty looks and is comfortable with the camera. We discussed our character with the student Vicki (from Smith’s Wood Sports College) and she will go on to act as, now, Mia Summers. Her bright sense of name also adds to the typical binary opposite of brightness and darkness within a horror. This is needed for added unpredictability.

2nd Protagonist: Brooke Evans

■ Within Lunar productions our ‘2nd Protagonist’ was drawn up to to be a young 7 year old; thus showing innocence, typically, within a horror movie. Which is also shown within a range of horror movie’s (popular and non-popular). From famous films such as Poltergeist (the original) to The Conjuring #1. A variation of great movies involves a young, innocent, yet again, naïve female that brings a sense of sympathy from an audience to a film or trailer. We need this added sympathy to bring more excitement and interaction to our audience to enable the best response possible.

■ Brooke Evans will also wear more casual clothes but with an added carelessness to them to show the fact she has been tormented in the past and is showing that within costume (mise-en-scene). The suggested ‘scruffy’ effect will help show her alleged madness her mother deemed her to have, and with that the unfortunate abandonment in the young children’s mental institution. Which will mirror her feelings with the grunge effect also.

■ In contrast, Brooke Evans will have a sweet disposition to her, and will always have that spark of innocence and notion of victimisation. As we also have casting for this part, we will discuss the possibility and capability of being able to show this minute spark of hope (that is majorly and stereotypically shown within a horror move/trailer). This adds layers to a horror story and leaves a storyline open to interpretation.

‘Half-Hanged Mary’

■ We have finally gotten to hire a drama teacher (also from Smith’s Wood Sports College), who will be an actress in Crow’s Field; and take responsibility of portraying such a complex character like Mary. Mary will, ultimately, look old and worn down as a psychotic person would after years of depression and antic-disposition. She will possibly wear the desired 19th Century clothing. Dress that a lady would have worn back in her time, to show that we (as a production company) can follow traditionalism and keep things real, in a real story. And so, will help bring excitement and fear as the audience may gain a realistic perspective as to what life was like for Mary. This dress she should be wearing would preferably be black (as part of dress code/ colour coding). Black will show the notion of darkness in Mary’s heart and mind, and the horrifying intentions of torment she intends to bring in light of her desperate revenge for her life. She was once portrayed against and so seeks that vengeance for herself, and herself alone. In addition, feeling isolated (hence the wide open field of isolation).

■ She will also have the dramatized make-up of a noose bruising around her neck to add that grungy, gory look that is an additional facet of a horror movie. Also giving her that pale face that will be almost ghost like (so she will look spiritual to our audience). We must connote our characters as real as possible even if others think such a thing from another realm cannot be real. We must focus on the verisimilitude to gain effect and a brilliant, bigger reaction from our target audience.