Our First Decision

Hey everyone! My partner, Alessandra, and I are trying to decide between two genres for our two-minute film opening. I think it’s going to be either horror and drama. I’ve researched each to see which might be the better pick:

Horror:
Horror films are about providing the audience with fear, suspense and anticipation. In order to accomplish this, these movies will use elements like the supernatural, monsters, or even try and build fear through psychological twists. They also use techniques such as scary settings and low lighting to meet these goals. The audience comes in expecting the unexpected and expecting that they will be at the edge of their seats throughout their viewing experience.

A classic example of horror is Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). This is a story of a woman who ends up at the Bates motel after some unfortunate events. She then comes into contact with the owner of the hotel, Norman Bates. After this, the movie is a series of shocking events, and the suspense is unrelenting. The film is still considered a masterpiece due to its groundbreaking storytelling. The way it replaces the main character for another is unexpected and surprising.

 

Another, more recent, example of a popular horror film is A Quiet Place (2018), directed by John Krasinski. This film takes place in a time when the earth has been through some transformational shifts and where creatures with hypersensitive hearing have wiped out much of humanity. The film follows a family that has learned to live in complete silence in an attempt to avoid these creatures – they even have a baby, to make matters worse. What is interesting about this movie is that the opening is very tense, and the audience immediately learns about this family’s existence and about the constant threat of the creatures. The opening has little to no dialogue and the whole emphasis is on the lack of sound, making it gripping and original.

Drama:
Drama, on the other hand, focuses on character development, including their emotional narratives. The setting is more realistic, and drama films tend to deep dive into personal or relationship conflicts. They try to connect with the audience in a more honest way and they aim to get their audience emotionally invested in their characters.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994), directed by Frank Darabont, is a prime example of drama. It is the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker that claims he is innocent of killing his wife and her boyfriend. He is sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary where he develops a close bond with another inmate, Red. The film looks at the themes of hope and friendship in the most unlikely of all places. Prison becomes something more meaningful and purposeful due to this relationship.

Directed by Gus Van Sant, Good Will Hunting (1997), tells the story of Will, a janitor at MIT who is a self-taught mathematical genius who has a hard time coming to grips with his talent and potential. He runs into legal issues and agrees to go to school (study math) and therapy to avoid prosecution. Through professors, his therapist and others, the audience connects with Will as he grows, enters relationships and looks to his future. These themes are prevalent in life, so it is compelling.

Which one should we pick?

Considering our two-minute constraint, drama might be more effective given that there are fewer special effects and setting considerations. I feel that in our brief two-minute film we can introduce a character or two and hint at a conflict or relationship arc, all of which are hallmarks of drama. Again, horror often relies on a gradual buildup of tension, which can be difficult to accomplish in such a short time span.
So, while horror is tempting (especially since The Quiet Place's opening inspires me me), drama seems to be the smarter choice for creating a compelling storyline in our film opening.

Stay tuned as we dive deeper into this decision and start coming up with our story.