Gothic Unit – PITCH FOR A NEW GOTHIC FILM

Outcome: A pitch (detailed proposal) for a new Gothic film, complete with annotated film poster.Objective: To demonstrate and apply your understanding of Gothic conventions.

Task 1: The pitchYour job is to come up with a great idea for a new Gothic film, one that will persuade even the biggest and toughest Hollywood producers to finance the project!

Brainstorm your ideas first before writing your proposal!Time period? Setting? Characters? Plot? Twist? Resolution / ending?

Now use the sub-headings below to write up your pitch. Describe / Explain the following:

1. The action: Identify the event your idea is based around – the ‘kick off’ moment at the start;

what actually happens (discovery of a body, a conversation, an arrival at a new place, someone

waiting for someone else, a criminal act taking place, a telephone call, a short journey…)

2. The plot in a few sentences – that’s the bit that will persuade producers straight away… or

not…

3. The theme(s): what should it make the audience think or feel, what “issues” will it raise

(revenge, obsession, fear, escape, haunting, madness…)

4. The narrative: how is it structured: real time? Different time zones? Flashback/forward etc…

Crisis? Mid-way through action? Result of an action? What about sound and soundtrack?

5. The character(s): Who are they? Identify their roles; what are their characteristics, including

gender, type, etc… Do they represent a type of person in particular? Can you think of similar

characters in films / TV drama? (add pictures / screengrabs if you do a PPT/blog post)

6. The setting and location: where is it set? Add screengrabs or pictures of possible locations –

remember they must be Gothic!

Extension: 7. The mise-en-scene: identify colours, type of lighting, dress codes, overall visual

look. A screengrab from a similar film could help.

Note: Worksheet and examples of pitch on this new blog: http://year9gothicunit.blogspot.com/

Task 2: The annotated film posterTo convey the atmosphere and “style” of your film, design a film poster and annotate to justify choices made. Here is an example, though not Gothic!

Stretching your grade:Remember that movie posters are advertisements. The goal of a poster essentially is to "sell" the movie—to make you want to see it. How does it do that? The poster may have the movie title in a big and bold font. Images of the movie's attractive actors are usually featured. In addition, the actors' names are probably included somewhere on the poster to remind you that the movie has big-name stars. Designs, colors, and fonts are used to appropriately reflect the mood and tone of the film. And the poster probably includes a catchy sentence or slogan that piques your interest and makes the plot seem intriguing.

The visual elements on a movie poster can convey powerful messages. The best posters may make you anxiously anticipate an upcoming release. The worst ones may not have a persuasive effect at

all. By analyzing movie posters, you can gain a better understanding of the elements that effectively grab the attention of movie-goers and sell the movie's story—even before viewers see it for themselves.