Teen Horror Script

Teen Horror Script

Just Hits

A television switches on in a pretty, thinly carpeted living room with simplistic and bland wall paper behind it. The TV is in a corner and the set is a modern flat-screen. The Television instantly switches from static to an early morning program called RiseTV. In the corner of the screen is a digital clock on a blue background showing 7:30 and a woman is smiling to camera. She is clearly 40 but has obviously had work done to youthen her face. Her hair is blonde, curled in a fashionable style, she is wearing a blue suit with a skirt. As she speaks, the camera moves towards the screen. She has a clear English accent.

Mary Fenders

(Cheery and warm like a news reader)

Good morning! Your watching RiseTV and it's 7:30 in the morning with me, Maryy Fenders. The top story today.

As graphics containing the news appear on screen in similar shades of blue to the clock, the camera passes through the screen at the point that the images are too warped to see. Once through the screen, we appear in the studio, the graphics are obviously gone and the woman is talking to camera.

Mary

The body of a teenager has been found on the coast of Brighton. A group of sunbathers spotted the body of Chandler Hammond float ashore and where able to identify him as one of their friends. Police are making enquiries. But now, Jason has something for us in the Kitchen.

As Mary rises from her seat to walk over to a small studio kitchen that is smooth and modern too, Jason is leaning on a Kitchen counter with a blank look, staring at the workspace in front of him. He has a bald head with a simple jumper, a dull brown. As soon as Mary moves to his side, entering the shot and maintaining a smile regardless of Jason's apparent illness, Jason collapses. Mary recoils.

Mary

(Shocked)

Holy -

She is interrupted by Quip approaching behind her and leading her forwards with an arm around Mary's shoulders. Quip has 'Joker'-like make-up covering her face (white skin with a large red smile like she's used far more lipstick than she should), making judging her age hard but she seems to be over twenty. Her bright green hair is tied back with a darker green scrunchy. She is wearing a tattered lilac jacket with a smart, purple and yellow shirt underneath. Quip smiles manically at Mary. Her voice is unhinged and irregularly paced.

Quip

I'm sorry to drag out from your moronic sham of a news program but I've got things I need you for.

As they walk forwards, they move into the space behind the cameras. On one side, there is a violent scream from a male member of the studio crew, ending in a wet bubbling in his throat. In the limited light, a dogs muzzle can be seen from behind a camera, glinting eyes like that of a dog watch Mary from its silhouetted form.

Quip

You see, I need your help Mrs Fenders. Your the only one how can help us get what we want quickly and without much fuss.

They stop just before another member of the stage crew rushes past in front of them. They watch as something zips through the air and hits him in the back of the head. He cries out for only a moment. Quip and Mary begin walking again. Mary is utterly terrified while Quip seems approving.

Mary

(Terrified)

What do you want with me?

Quip

We're going to use you to get our mark.

Quip continues to move Mary through the studio with the occasional scream and moans of pain from the rest of the crew until they move out of shot. Quip as a vacant smile on her face.

Extreme close up of make-up being applied to Cassy lips, a red lipstick is followed by the camera as it is put down on a vanity table. Another close up of mascara being applied to eyelined lashes before being place on the table again. A long shot of Cassy and her vanity table. The girl is sitting at a large vanity table, in low-key, hard light coming thought the windows. Behind the table is a wall entirely covered in boy-band posters, mostly ones that are in mainstream pop music from the last twenty years. Her hair is of medium length and is mahogany brown. She is short and dressed in a short shirt with tights, converse trainers and a tight top. She rises from her seat with a quick kiss to the mirror, vocalising it loudly and walks out of shot.

Another close up of a zit on untept skin. The camera gets extremely close up of a pair of slim glasses moving upwards to then be put on by Faith. The camera cuts to a close up, over the shoulder view of a girl with short ebony hair. She has bad skin with patches of zits. She takes off the current pair of glasses to replace them with another pair. And then another, before putting the first pair back on. She walks off shot rubbing some cream into her cheek.

Cut to a shot of the first girl sitting for a school photograph, smiling brightly with perfect, pearly white teeth at the camera. The flash goes off and she blinks with the bright light but keeps her perfect smile. She gets up, moving away to a tall boy (Malcolm) dressed in a uniform that is of similar colours to what Cassy is wearing.

Malcolm

Look! I can't get the riff down!

Cassy doesn't stop to talk to Malcolm so he follows her as she continues to walk.

Cassy

Then practice!

Malcolm

I've been doing that for hours! I have barely anything left of my fingers!

Cassy

Don't be such a baby.

Malcolm shows Cassy his fingertips.

Malcolm

Look at my fingers! Its like they've been though a cheese-grater! I am giving myself arthritis through practice.

Cassy pushes his hands away.

Cassy

Stop acting like such a prat! You either get it right or we kiss the hopes of winning good-bye!

The Target Audience of Teen Horror from someone mostly clueless.

According to the research I have done into the sort of person that watches Teen Horror Movies, they are all watching them out of supposed boredom. None of the people interviewed said that Teen Horror was their favourite genre, stating other genres as their favourite. It can be argued that because these people have been known to watch such movies they are simply looking for something to tie them over to the next release of a film they will enjoy even more.

The demographic of the Teen Horror genre audience would be a D,C1,C2 15 - 19 Male Mainstreamer. The socio-economic aspects are because of the rather simple and generally ridiculous plots are thought of as something that isn't particularly high-brow, which higher classes would be expected to watch.  Male bias is due to the silly plots again but its violence and sexual imagery. The mainstreamer are interested because of how simple it is to discuss with other people. A secondary audience could be B 18 - 25 Individualists because of the simple plots. They go along to see these films possibly because they find them humorous compared to the films they would usually watch that have more complex themes and plots.

Analysis of Opening Sequence: 'Jennifer's Body' and 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'

Jennifer's Body has low key, hard, high contrast lighting to emulate the horror cliché that 'evil things happen at night'. The long shot shows isolation, the character can't escape anywhere and she is alone. Sounds effects, such as the creaking, wind-chimes and occasional moaning, create tension and add to how isolated the setting is. The Slow camera movement also lends itself to the creation of tension. The shadows of trees are a contrast in light that adds to the horror atmosphere. Non-diagetic music sets the tone for the scene: that of mystery that its a staple of the genre.

Voyeuristic, high-angled shots create a sense of taboo as we look in at the character. Extreme close-ups of small things the character is doing highlight how nothing worth noting is happening except this (hair-chewing or scratching). It suggests a scene of boredom. The Soft light in this room adds to this slow feeling of calm. Inane chatter from the TV of an advert is add to the air of boredom.

A 'sound zing' lends emphasis to a moment that is supposed to shock the viewer. They are sudden to gain that effect. High contrast, chiaroscuro on the face at the window shows a paranormal link to this character.

A Nightmare On Elm Street has low key, hard light with high contrast coming from fires to not only give the film a horror cliché but also to give connotations of hell. Close up and mid shots close in on Fred putting his glove together are used to deliberately hide Freddie's face to create and air of mystery by directing the attention of the audience to these details. The close up panning shots give a claustrophobic view of the room and the girl's actions to give a feeling of entrapment, where. The close up of blades stabbing through cloth is to create a quick scare.

The non-diagetic music is added over the top to emphasise a sense of tension in the scene as Freddie pursues the girl and hints at the fact that this is a dream. However, the long shots of the pipework, with Freddie and the Girl running away suggest ideas of a maze, with Freddie hiding in the darkness like a predator. The low key lighting on Freddie and his foregrounded position compared to the Girls almost backgrounded position in the shots composition are used create the image of a predator stalking its pray. The High angle, looking down on the scene makes the Girl look much smaller to help this visual metaphor along. It makes this scene Nightmare-like. The close ups on the Girl's face are to show her fear of what is coming after her. The bright, hard-light that contrasts heavily with the rest of the wet corridor she runs down is to show a transition into Freddie's domain. Diagetic noises of Freddie laughing off camera are a horror cliché to show how close the 'monster' of the film is. The jumbled letters the opening credits are written in contrast with the rest of the film, with an child-like and messy arrangement, possibly to show innocence in this film.