In our 2-minute thriller film opening the prop and set design play a key role in the storyline, showing themes of grief, denial, and a family who is living a complete lie. To further the story, my partner and I have to use visuals to show to the audience what is happening under the mask of a stranger. Although everything may appear normal at first glance, when looking closer viewers can see that all is not what it seems.
Set Design
The main setting is the family home where everything will be taking place. Specific shots will be filmed in spaces like the dining room, bathroom, and upstairs hallway. These seemingly normal locations are meant to trick the audience into thinking that nothing is wrong, and the family is ordinary. This also makes the plot twist of the strange guest shocking.
In the beginning, the home will feel welcoming and typical to a nice family, with music playing and soft lighting. As the plot slowly unfolds, the house will feel more cold and dark. This will reflect the growing fear and awareness of the family as the story progresses, in turn, building tension and fear.
Key Props
Family Photograph
One of the key props for the storyline is the family photo hung in the bathroom. It shows the original son, who has died, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue. Putting the photo the bathroom shows how the stranger is attempting to become someone he isn't, never allowing the family to see that he isn't truly their son.
Later in the opening, a shot shows the guest trying to recreate the boy from the photo by drawing a birthmark on his face. Through this visual, it can be seen that the guest is not acting as a real person, but as a replacement for their dead son.
Dinner Table
The dinner table is where the main scenes are filmed, showing a "normal" family and routine. We use cross-cutting between dinners with the original son and dinners with the guest, to create a sense of confusion and fear. The props on the table stay mostly the same, showing how the family is trying to keep everything perfect and as it always has been.
Costumes are key to the plot. The strange guest is dressed exactly as the original son from the photos, making him look like like an exact copy of him. This makes the opening feel unsettling as the audience learns that he isn't truly the son, but just a complete stranger with unknown intentions.
The main setting is the family home where everything will be taking place. Specific shots will be filmed in spaces like the dining room, bathroom, and upstairs hallway. These seemingly normal locations are meant to trick the audience into thinking that nothing is wrong, and the family is ordinary. This also makes the plot twist of the strange guest shocking.
In the beginning, the home will feel welcoming and typical to a nice family, with music playing and soft lighting. As the plot slowly unfolds, the house will feel more cold and dark. This will reflect the growing fear and awareness of the family as the story progresses, in turn, building tension and fear.
Key Props
Family Photograph
One of the key props for the storyline is the family photo hung in the bathroom. It shows the original son, who has died, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue. Putting the photo the bathroom shows how the stranger is attempting to become someone he isn't, never allowing the family to see that he isn't truly their son.
Later in the opening, a shot shows the guest trying to recreate the boy from the photo by drawing a birthmark on his face. Through this visual, it can be seen that the guest is not acting as a real person, but as a replacement for their dead son.
Dinner Table
The dinner table is where the main scenes are filmed, showing a "normal" family and routine. We use cross-cutting between dinners with the original son and dinners with the guest, to create a sense of confusion and fear. The props on the table stay mostly the same, showing how the family is trying to keep everything perfect and as it always has been.
Costumes
Costumes are key to the plot. The strange guest is dressed exactly as the original son from the photos, making him look like like an exact copy of him. This makes the opening feel unsettling as the audience learns that he isn't truly the son, but just a complete stranger with unknown intentions.
Conclusion
Overall, we kept the prop and set design simple but meaningful. Using everyday objects like family photos and the dinner table helped us suggest themes of grief and denial without directly explaining them. These choices make the opening feel realistic while slowly building a sense of discomfort for the audience.
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