Planning: Script Ideas

We have researched many different supernatural horror teaser trailers and have got an idea of the conventional narratives and dialogues that they follow. We have decided to create a snippet for the dialogue we want to use in our teaser trailer in the form of a script, and below is our first draft:

SCENE 1

CAR PULLS UP ON DRIVE.

JOSH: Right, we're here!

MELISSA: It looks... nice.

CUTS TO SHOT OF BOTH STANDING OUTSIDE HOUSE.

JOSH: Here's to a new start.

SCENE 2

SON IN BED, MELISSA TUCKING HIM IN.

MELISSA: Goodnight.

SON: Mummy, the scary monsters aren't going to get me this time are they?

MELISSA: (laughs) Of course not, sweetheart.

SON: Are you sure?

MELISSA'S SMILE FADES TO A CONCERNED/WORRIED LOOK.

SCENE 3

FOOTSTEPS HEARD UPSTAIRS. MELISSA WALKS RELUCTANTLY UPSTAIRS.

MELISSA: Josh? (pause) Is that you? (pause) Who's there? (screams).

SCENE 4

MELISSA: We have to move, it's back, it's here, I can't go through this again.

JOSH: Calm down! Calm down! There's nothing to worry about, you're being paranoid.

My partner and I have decided to keep the script quite simple to truly reflect the conventions of other supernatural horrors clearly to our target audience. For example, it is conventional for a supernatural horror to begin with a family moving into a new house and for when bad things start to happen, the father dismissing the mother's allegations of witnessing strange goings-on.