When In Darkness - Official Trailer

Here is the completed trailer for my film, When In Darkness.

Tester Video For Trailer

Here is a tester video for my trailer, in order to test the quality and running of the video after rendering it. I decided to use the programme Sony Vegas as it has allowed me to be a lot more creative in my trailer, in terms of overlays and the video effects that you can simply drag and drop into the project. Overall, I feel as though I selected a very professional and effective software to edit my trailer.

Updates and Changes to Script and Screenplay

I wished to update and make changes to my trailer, including taking the text message scene out, so to leave it a mystery as to why the five teenagers are in detention and cutting out the video of the party, where Percy was to have beer poured over him by Jessica. I therefore had to update my screenplay and script to show these updates in the process of my trailer.

Updated Screenplay

Updated When in Darkness Script

These are the updated script and screenplay to my trailer, When In Darkness. These updates includes changing the video and phone scene at the very beginning of the trailer to a time-lapse, in order to show the mundane, equilibrium of the school's day to day life. I also took out the dialogue with the five teenagers talking to one another, positioned in a circle and several other scenes in order to cut down the time of the trailer, otherwise it would be over three minutes long and I wish for this to remain around the two minute mark.

Production Log #8

This scene was filmed in a house setting, since it was the Christmas holidays but I choose to use a blank background to still convey a school setting. This lighting a little poor and the shadow from the ceiling light doesn't add to the shot and I may have to fix this during editing.

Coren Vincet: "This type of behaviour is unacceptable at Rosewood Academy. Detention."

This is a scene where the killer is in the shadows, evidently holding a weapon. I quite liked this shot because the identity of the killer is completely concealed. This will be the last production log, I feel as though I have enough shots for my trailer to be the length I went it to be and has effective shots, camera angles and action scenes to make it successful.

Production Log #7

This was the last few shots that I could film in school, since the end of term was fast approaching. Here I shot the scene of Finn running away down a hallway, where he has to dodge a table. This dodging of the table was purely spontaneous but I really liked the overall effect of it and decided to keep in it.

I also added this shot of Finn and Percy looking through the glass in a door. This shot I feel could be used in my trailer as a sort of scene of 'unity' between two characters and to show them both working together.

Production Log #6

I decided to film the scene of Finn hiding in the library, I decided to not use the weapon in this scene because a) I would not have been able to show the blood on the floor, since it may have stained b) I wanted the idea of the weapons being exclusive to the killer and in retrospect, students would not have access to guns.

Here is the scene with the killer and Jessica. You can see a weapon in the killer's hand (which is the needle) though this is unclear, due to the darkness of the scene, though I like this effective because the mystery of the weapon is just as effective as the mystery of the killer's identity.

Production Log #5

I filmed several different scenes, including the parts where Veronica is seen washing her face in a bathroom, where Percy and Veronica enter through a door. I will be editing these shots in the Post-Production stage to appear less lighter and much more dark.

Veronica Calder: "I wonder where he is."
Percy Swanfield: "I don't know."

I added a shot of Finn Lester falling over, clearly after running. This is rather conventional of gripping trailers - clumsy characters - and I felt as though this was an interesting aspect to add to Finn's character.

Production Log #4

I filmed the scenes that included Brandon, who is the actor that plays Percy in my trailer. The background is slightly different to the previous background in the other characters shots due to several posters on the wall being moved and the room being arranged.

Percy Swanfield: "I didn't mean to do it."

I then filmed the shots of Percy being approached from behind by the mysterious figure of the killer and also the over the shoulder shots of Percy reading. I may have to dim the lighting when I later edit the trailer so to convey night time and darkness.

Production Log #3

I filmed the office scenes with four out of five of the main characters (the actor of Percy Swanfield being absent for that day) and I will have to film with Percy's character later on 

Veronica Calder: "I didn't mean for it to happen. Obviously I tried to stop it."

Jessica Brookes: "Oh come on, Billie had it coming."

Billie White: "Jessica had it coming".

Finn Lester: [ROLLS EYES] "This is ridiculous".

I got a few takes of each of the characters lines and I made sure that each character was filmed in exactly the same position, to give the impression that they are talking to the same person, but clearly at different times.

Production Log #2

These quick shots were generally very spontaneous, many running a scenes that I did not originally plan on filming were filmed, showing Jessica and Billie both running away and Billie even kicking her way through a door. I filmed all of these using an iPhone 6, which at first I was worried (mostly about how the quality would turn out) and the videos turned out to be of a surprising qualities.

Jessica Brooke's character

Jessica running down a set of stairs

I felt this shot will be extremely effective within my trailer, as it's a high angel shot from behind Jessica and shows her running down a set of stairs, it will leave the audience wondering who or what she may be running from.

Billie White's character running away

Billie kicking a door

Billie's character kicking the door was very spontaneous but I realised it was a kick-ass move that only Billie White could make. I decided to re-film this short scene several times before I got a shot that I really liked and will include in my finalised trailer.

Production Log #1

My first day of filming included several time lapses. These were admittedly spontaneous and may or may not be included in the final version of my trailer but I may choose to include. I filmed one of a sunset (to connote day changing into night) and a school as students walk around during lesson change. These will allow for my trailer to have a much faster pace.

Time lapse of sun set

Time lapse of school

I also filmed the beginning of the trailer, where I used a 'selfie stick' to film a phone receiving a text message from a high angle.

Text message received from Michelle

I may need to re-film as the camera is unsteady and the text message isn't exactly what I wanted, instead I wanted to receive "Have you seen this video?" (shocked emoji) *VIDEO LINK* so I will re-film this later on.

Costume: Coren Vincent

Coren Vincent is one of the only characters with two outfits changes (minus the brief clip of the party where the other characters will be shown in their 'party' outfits) though this may not be clear to audiences as the identity of the villain remains unclear to audiences. Coren's outfit includes what most headteachers will wear, suits. I selected a tan suit as I felt as though tan suits are more associated with older generations, therefore acting as a juxtaposition against the young generation of my other characters. Coren's second outfit is simply all black - jeans, hooded jacket and boots. This outfit will convey mysterious elements as black is a colour that is associated with evil and mystery and will therefore link with Coren's role as the villain within my film.

Costume: Percy Swanfield

Percy Swanfield Costume Idea by simplexdreams featuring ray ban eyeglasses

TOMS black shoes
£32 - toms.com

Ray Ban ray ban eyeglass
pretavoir.co.uk

TOPMAN Stone Cable Knit Jumper
topman.com

TOPMAN Washed Black Cropped Chinos
topman.com


Percy's outfit (much like Billie's) I felt fitted his character perfectly. He is timid, bookworm and is very prime and proper. He also wears glasses like Veronica, but his glasses look much more like the old fashioned reading glasses. He wears a jumper with black chinos that will make Percy appear to be rather timid, the perfect student and a 'goody-two shoes', audiences who watch will immediately view Percy as someone who would follow the rules and perhaps and easy target.

Costume: Billie White

Billie White Costume Idea by simplexdreams featuring dr martens boots

Uniqlo long sleeve shirt
uniqlo.com

Local Heroes white t shirt
localheroesstore.com

Topshop acid wash jeans
topshop.com

Dr. Martens dr martens boots
£92 - zappos.com

Snap jewelry
£2.77 - target.com



Billie's outfit I believe suited her personality and character perfectly, it's about comfort rather than fashion, it shows she is laid back and has aspects of her alternative culture entwined with it also. She wears an almost 'lazy' shirt and has daring, dark eye make-up in order to make herself and her eyes stand out. I will not be using the exact same t-shirt as soon on this image but I will be using one of a similar style, oversized and ill fitting, also for Billie's outfit she will be rolling back the sleeves of her flannel shirt, which is the type of style that many alternative individuals in subcultures will also have.

For her makeup, I have the idea of Billie wearing dark and daring colours - winged eyeliner and plum coloured lipstick, a modern grunge look. In order to create Billie's makeup look, I watched at several tutorials on YouTube so to get an idea of what it will look like. For her hair, I found inspiration from tumblr of messy hairstyles and I found that messy plaits would be suitable for her personality and additionally be convenient for the actions that take place throughout the film.

Costume: Finn Lester

Finn Lester Costume Idea by simplexdreams featuring a flight jacket

Flight jacket
£66 - topman.com

Hollister Co. jeans
£33 - hollisterco.com

Converse vintage shoes
£63 - converse.com

TOPMAN Grey Marl Roller Fit T-Shirt
topman.com


Finn Lester's outfit exudes an aura of coolness, this outfit communicates clearly to my audience that he is a fashionable guy and will link with his popularity on the social ladder. He wears blue denim jeans and a cool black biker jacket, using this outfit on Finn may suggest to audiences that he is the main character (as white males tend to be the protagonist in films, especially within the thriller genre) but it will soon become clear to audiences that Finn is not the protagonist, nor does he lead the plot, but assists Veronica in restoring equilibrium.

Costume: Jessica Brookes

Jessica Brookes Costume Idea by simplexdreams featuring a matte lipstick

Topshop blue dress
£26 - topshop.com

Topshop short sleeve shirt
£13 - topshop.com

Nylon stocking
£11 - topshop.com

Ankle booties
£105 - romwe.com

MAC Cosmetics matte lipstick
£11 - belk.com



Jessica's outfit was a lot more 'fashionable' and daring, showcasing Jessica's interest in mainstream culture. Though this outfit may prove to be inconvenient when running and fast pace action scenes through the trailer. Jessica's final outfit may be a little bit different from this idea as firstly I will not be purchasing the same products as it will be a little pricing, but I will be selecting products of a similar style which would be a skirt / dress in a skater style, boots, patterned tights, a white top and a pink MAC lipstick (which I do own) in order to create Jessica's fashionable look.

For Jessica's hair and makeup, I took inspiration from the character Daenerys Targaryen from the popular series Game Of Thrones. She has long and very pretty blonde hair and neutral and understated makeup (though I will be using pink lipstick for her character). The makeup tutorial above I will be using a guideline for her look, it's subtle yet stunning and gives indications for a particularly 'girly' character which of course she will visually look like, but Jessica's character herself will counter this stereotype.

Costume: Veronica Calder

Veronica Calder Costume Idea by simplexdreams featuring a pocket purse

NSF zip hooded sweatshirt
£92 - intermixonline.com

Forever 21 tank
£6.58 - forever21.com

Zara black zipper jeans
£39 - zara.com

Converse flat pumps
harrods.com

Lori s Shoes pocket purse
£35 - lorisshoes.com

Plastic eyeglass
£22 - firmoo.com

Black slouchy beanie
£8.88 - amazon.com

Mead 3-Subject Spiral Notebook, 120 Sheets, College Rule
£3.39 - yoyo.com


I created a sort of mood board for Veronica's outfit. Veronica's outfit remains to be quite casual, with a 'superhero' vest top, black jeans and white converses. I also included her glasses as they are key to her character, glasses usually associated with nerd culture. Her casual look is also complete with a black beanie, which I believe would suit Veronica's character of the female protagonist and additionally her character. She carries a cross body bag, so in order to make it much easier to run with and go through action scenes with. Though these will not be the actual products I will use for Veronica's outfit, it gives an idea of what her outfit will look like pieced together.

For Veronica's character I wanted to keep her makeup simple and to a bare minimum, only really using eye makeup in order to capture audiences attention on the close-up image on the film's poster. Her hairstyle will also be a ponytail, simple but also convenient for her character who is mostly about comfort as opposed to what looks good.