Details of Characters and Casting Decision

 The main character is Remi, a young 19 year old who is intelligent, highly organized, and very tired from a busy routine. Her psychological state is the most important element of the story. Since she is organized, her confusion and panic when the environment stops making sense (the loop starts) are much more dramatic. The casting decision is simple and effective: Tanvi (me) will play the role of Remi. This is a huge advantage since I am also the writer and director, I already understand Remi's internal conflict and the precise emotions needed for each scene, especially the growing dread and the eventual desperate attempt to escape the loop.

Because the story is confined to the apartment and focuses on a single person's experience, there are no other major speaking roles or artists needed. However, the film requires one crucial unseen antagonist. This antagonist isn't a person we see, but the unseen force controlling the loop—the "Game Master." The technical crew Neha and Lynn will be responsible for defining this character through the sound design like Neha adding a calm, synthesized voice or tone when the timer starts and camera angles like Lynn using wide shots or high angles that make Remi look small, suggesting she is constantly being watched. This keeps the focus on Remi's isolation while still establishing the external threat that drives the suspense.

Production Schedule

Mood Board and Branding Plan

 

Minor Task 1: Postcard:

• Color Palette: Dominated by Deep Crimson Red (Warning/Danger) and Charcoal Black (Mystery/Shadows), with Off-White/Grey used for contrast and isolation.

• Typography: A Monospace or Digital Glitch Font that mimics old video game displays or code (like a hacker screen). It must be slightly distorted or show scan lines to visually represent the system/game breaking down.

• Tagline: Short and sharp, focusing on time and sanity (e.g., "ERROR: Day Cannot Be Saved").

Minor Task 2: Social Media & Major Task: Film:

• Consistency: Every piece of content (photos, videos, title cards, captions) uses the exact same Crimson Red and Charcoal Black color filter and the Digital Glitch Font.

• Film Integration: The opening title card uses the brand's exact font and red color. Crucially, the timer display in the film (on the phone or mirror) must be rendered using this same Digital Glitch Font to reinforce the game theme. The film features a specific, simple, repeated sound effect or synth note every time the loop resets, which acts as the film's audio logo.

• Engagement: Social media captions use "Interactive Hooks" by asking questions related to the film's theme (“If you could change one moment, would you?”) to drive comments and mystery.

Storyboard, Script and Location

Storyboarding- Visual Plan of Scenes

Script

Location Photos

The lift is important as it’s where the film needs to begin, showing the character arriving home tired. The lift is a small, enclosed space that instantly creates a feeling of being trapped or contained, even before the loop starts. This is the perfect setting for the very first moment of the story, as it sets the tone that the character is already isolated. The bedroom is then the most important location because it is where the character wakes up and the loop starts again. It represents comfort and safety at the beginning, so when things start to go wrong there like finding the clue on the floor, the feeling of being trapped and exposed is much stronger. 

The kitchen and living room are perfect for showing the character's repeated, frustrating routine. We will use the kitchen to show the protagonist trying to perform normal actions like making dinner, only for the loop to reset. The living room provides a great space for low-key lighting and shadows, enhancing the genre's suspense conventions. The balcony is also important for creating visual isolation. When the character looks out and finds the outside world empty, it immediately tells the audience that the problem is bigger than just her apartment. This shot confirms she is isolated from everyone else, raising the stakes. Finally, the parking lot serves as the thrilling escape point. It represents freedom and the promise of breaking the loop, but it's also a vast, empty, and dangerous space. It's the moment the film transitions from domestic suspense to full-blown mystery, as the character realizes her game has moved to a much larger, darker level before the final reset.

Initial Ideas And Mind Mapping

Team Roles and Production Responsibilities

Tanvi (me): Director, Writer, & Actor

• Creative Vision: Responsible for writing the final script and guiding the overall artistic vision and tone of the short film.

• Performance: Performs the role of the main character throughout the production. 

Neha: Post-Production Specialist

• Editing: Responsible for assembling all the raw footage into the final, cohesive film sequence.

• Sound Design: Adds all critical audio elements, including music, sound effects, and voiceovers, to achieve the desired suspenseful atmosphere.

Lynn: Cinematographer & Producer

• Technical Capture (Cinematography): Responsible for operating the camera and recording all the necessary shots according to the director's vision.

• Project Management (Producer): Manages the logistics of the production, including scheduling, organizing locations, and ensuring the project stays on track.

The very initial idea for the story came from the simple, unsettling feeling of being completely exhausted after a long, stressful day where the line between reality and tiredness starts to blur. This quickly evolved into the concept of a main character being trapped in a "time reset" loop inside her apartment, making her question her own sanity. The key element from the start was that this loop wasn't accidental; it was set up like a game by some unknown force, giving her a ticking timer and small, repeated clues she had to find to escape, ensuring the story focused on mystery and psychological tension over cheap thrills.

Branding Analysis

 The way Stranger Things uses its brand elements is designed to immediately create a feeling of nostalgia, mystery, and retro adventure across all media, from the show itself to merchandise and social media. The Brand Name itself is simple and suggests something unusual or out of place, quickly setting the tone for the sci-fi and horror genres.

The most famous element is the Font, which is the old-style ITC Benguiat typeface. This font was heavily used on Stephen King novels and 1980s movie posters, and using it instantly makes the title feel familiar and authentic to that time period. By slightly enlarging the 'S' and 'R' and keeping the letters close together, the show communicates a feeling of both epic storytelling and connectivity. This specific font is used everywhere on T-shirts, posters, and even partner brands to ensure every single thing linked to the show instantly triggers the correct retro emotion.

The Color Scheme is dominated by deep reds, oranges, and black. These colors are used in the opening credits to create a tense, moody atmosphere. Red is typically associated with danger, blood, and intensity, which successfully communicates the underlying horror and urgency of the plot. This limited color scheme is easy to copy onto all products, creating instant recognition and a unified look, whether the audience is looking at a toy, a poster, or a social media graphic. 

The Visual Style is centered entirely on 1980s aesthetics. This means using vintage camera looks, bright neon colors in some seasons, and heavy references to 1980s pop culture like movies and music. This consistent visual focus connects the audience emotionally by reminding older viewers of their childhood, which is a powerful marketing technique called "nostalgia marketing." For younger audiences, it gives the brand a cool, classic look that stands out from modern films.

Finally, the Music like specifically the main theme song that is made using synthesisers, which were the defining sound of the 1980s. This music creates an immediate sense of mystery, tension, and epic adventure, and it is a powerful emotional cue. Even if you only hear the opening synth notes, you immediately know you are watching Stranger Things. This combination of the distinct font, the moody colors, and the iconic music ensures that every single piece of media from the brand works together perfectly, giving the audience a clear, memorable emotional experience that encourages them to engage with and buy into the entire franchise.

What I have learnt from analyzing Stranger Things is the idea of consistency and emotional targeting. To build my own brand for my suspense genre film project, I must first decide on the main feeling I want my audience to have. For example, intense fear, sense of mystery, or unsettling tension. Once I have this emotion, I need to make sure every single part of my brand reflects it.

Reflection on Research 

This research journey covered four main areas, and each one gave me crucial information that directly influenced how I planned this final short film and its marketing. First, my work on Codes and Conventions was essential. By analyzing professional examples like Five Nights at Freddy's and the La La Land poster, I learned that a suspense film must use clear techniques to create tension, such as specific camera angles that make the main character look weak, or the effective use of shadows to suggest danger. This taught me that I couldn't just film randomly; every shot had to be carefully planned to maximize the feeling of vulnerability and fear, which is a key genre expectation for the major task.

Second, my audience research was the most practical part of the project. My survey confirmed that the main viewers for this project are teenagers likely between the ages of 16-19 who love psychological thrillers, not just pure horror films. The key insight was that they value a slow build-up of tension and surprising plot twists above everything else. This was a massive influence on the film’s story. I immediately changed the script to focus less on cheap jump scares and more on a complex mystery that would keep the audience guessing until the very last second, ensuring I met their high expectations for an intelligent thriller.

Third, my work on representation made me think critically about the setting and the characters. By analyzing how media portrays small towns, I realized the location needed to be used not just as a backdrop, but as a source of unease or isolation. Instead of relying on simple stereotypes for the characters, this research pushed me to write more layered roles, challenging me to show people who are more complex than typical thriller victims. This meant putting extra effort into making the characters' actions feel real and believable, which ultimately makes the suspense much more effective for the audience.

Finally, the analysis of Branding, especially the consistent, mood-setting style of Stranger Things taught me how to package this film for the minor tasks. The key lesson here was total consistency. I learned that the film’s name, its logo font, and the colors I use in the posters and social media must all communicate the exact same emotion like an unsettling mystery. This directly influenced my marketing plan, where I chose a specific color scheme like dark grey and red and a simple, classic font. I made sure this 'brand identity' was used on everything, from the film's title card to its social media profile, ensuring that anyone seeing my promotional materials instantly understood the tone and genre of the final product.

Representation Research

 Media representation, such as of movies or television shows, is based on a social understanding that exists beforehand, and this understanding most of the time leads to stereotypes. A stereotype denotes an overly simplified, rigid, and generally unjust idea about the characteristics of a certain group, e.g., teachers are strict or villains are angry. The task that is assigned to us is to assess whether a film supports this simplistic view or negative representation or challenges it by revealing a complicated, realistic character or a positive representation. For instance, a thriller could either present the police as utterly incompetent which is a stereotype or as exceptionally skilled people facing enormous challenges. The character’s attire, mode of communication, and part in the plot all play a role in the final message that is conveyed about that group.

Then again, the representation of places by the media has a significant impact on the meaning of the settings. Like a big city is a common representation as a place full of opportunities, excitement, and risks, whereas a Small Town is usually portrayed as either safe and welcoming or, on the contrary, as isolated and harboring secretly evil beings. The audience is to a certain extent led by these representations. A dark forest is a place of the unknown and danger, thus the media's setting is automatically creating suspense in the case of your thriller film. Besides, a messy apartment reflects the idea that the character is either disorganized or struggling.

Media at last displays thoughts, which are mostly the case with such abstract concepts like "good versus evil," "justice," or "success." The depicted way of the media gives an idea of the message. As an example, the meaning of "Justice" in a crime thriller might be visualized by a clear, lit courtroom indicating transparency and truth, whereas the concept of "Corruption" could be shown by gloomy, obscure offices or individuals dressed in lavish, chic attire implying hidden motives and control. To represent is to analyze all these factors and, thus, see the message of the society, culture, and power the creators want to convey.

Audience Research

The survey me and my group made gave us a clear picture of who wants to see our film. It includes mainly young people between the ages of 16 and 19 who are interested in suspense movies. What they told us is important, that they don't want a lot of violence or dark scenes. Instead, they want the film to be slow and focused on their minds, making them think a lot. They also love surprising plot twists and a strong feeling of mystery. Because of this feedback, we know our film needs to be very focused on making the audience feel tense over a long time and must end with a big, surprising twist that they won't see coming. Below is the evidence of these responses-

Codes And Conventions

Genre Specific Conventions in Five Nights At Freddy's 

The camera strategy behind Five Nights at Freddy's is all about following the horror and thriller genres' conventions, which are basically to create suspense and shock. The camera work itself is an excellent example of a horror convention; in particular, the Negative Space and the Rule of Thirds are at the forefront of the shoot. By leaving out such dark and large voids next to the main character, the movie instills the fear of the unknown in the viewers, which is a fundamental part of suspense films. The viewers are always ready for something to come out of those shadows, which is a classic feature of the genre, the presence of threats that are not seen.

The manipulation of camera angles also strictly hints to horror conventions by establishing a clear power imbalance. The frequent use of the Bird's-Eye View (BV) and High Angle Shots on Mike fulfills the convention of showing the protagonist as small, vulnerable, and trapped by a force greater than himself, which is standard in any thriller where the hero is isolated. On the other hand, the Worm POV (or Low Angle Shot) on the animatronics is used in moments of confrontation to follow the convention of making the monster look giant and unstoppable, thus maximizing the audience's feeling of terror and hopelessness.

In the end, the camera movement is aligned with two main horror conventions: creating long suspense and performing the jump scare. Techniques like the slow Tracking Shot or the highly unstable Random Movement (Man's POV) during a chase create a feeling of chaos and desperation which helps to maintain the thriller's fast pace. The dramatic Arc Shot and the warping Dolly Zoom are used for more psychological horror to visually express the character's fall into psychological panic and fear, thus signaling a major turning point or a sudden, frightening realization which is very important in a horror movie.

Design and Layout Conventions in Postcards

The La La Land poster is a clear example of applying design and layout rules that are typical of a mainstream musical film. The realistic Color Palette, which is very high in colors like deep purple and bluish purple, is the first thing the viewer will notice, and it is the most important convention of the visual aspect. Moreover, this Color Palette indicates that the film belongs to the musical genre and is about fantasy and romance. The Central Dominant Image convention, which illustrates the dancing of the two famous stars, is the next convention used here. This vivid and attention-grabbing picture effectively conveys the two main themes of movement and relationships.

Now if we look at layout, the poster can be considered as conforming to the highest marketing standards because it resorts to the use of the Star Power convention. The names of the actors i.e. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are located at the highest point of the poster, thus occupying the topmost position and drawing their fans towards them. Below the central image, the layout has the Critical Validation convention where the pull quotes and five-star ratings are visibly placed to give instant, outside corroboration of the film's quality. The poster also adheres to the Call to Action convention by the end of the release date and the words "in theaters 8th December," which is the last order to the audience's attention, being stated clearly.

Social Media Conventions and Expectations

The Stranger Things social media layout employs the major Social Media Conventions to cater to the specific Audience Expectations. To begin with, the design conventions, especially the significant use of Highlights, communicate the audience's expectation for Interactive Design. Besides, the users demand the content to be arranged and easily searchable which the Highlights do by categorizing different content areas like "ST5" updates or merchandise.

Also, the total content strategy satisfies the audience's expectation of Exclusivity and Connection. The account by posting behind-the-scenes content and personal actor pictures adheres to the convention of opening up access to insiders, thereby making followers feel they belong to a select group. Moreover, the convention of Community Validation is realized through the sharing of fan-made edits and art that happens so often, which corresponds to the audience's expectation of having their creativity acknowledged and celebrated by the official brand. The audience is still very much engaged and they become the show's active promoters through this ongoing cycle.