Thriller films are defined by suspense and mystery elements which I wanted to capture in my final project.This opening sequence establishes the unsettling tone using slow-building suspense, jump-scares, to absorb the audience in Ben’s growing paranoia. Below is a breakdown of the plot and how it sets the stage
Ben is a quiet and reserved high school student who is stuck in another boring gym class. While his classmates energetically throw the dodgeballs across the court, Ben lingers at the back, a ping implicating himself in their activity. His unwillingness to join in makes him an easy target and short after,before he can react, a dodgeball strikes him on the temple. As the impact blurs his vision he collapses to the floor and the vibrant sounds of the gym fades into a distance. When Ben regains consciousness, his classmates are hovering over him, their worried faces appear hazy,but one figure stands out, a ghostly girl with wide, dark eyes and wet, stringy hair clinging to her pale face. Her tattered school uniform suggests she’s from another era. She steps closer, her black eyes fixed on Ben, and speaks in a chillingly soft voice:”You can finally see me, Benny?”Panic washes over Ben as he realizes that no one else can see her.His classmates continue their chatter, completely unaware of the ghostly figure standing just inches away. Scared, he stumbles to his feet and rushes out of the gym pushing past the crowd. Desperate for a moment to collect himself he bursts into the bathroom leaning against the sink and gripping the cold porcelain as he struggles to catch his breath. He tries to convince himself it was all in his head until the flickering lights reveal something far more terrifying. For a brief moment, the mirror reflects not just his own face but a multitude of human like ghosts behind him, all staring unblinkingly. His heart races but just then, his gym buddy Barry walks in.From Barry’s perspective, Ben is simply sitting on the floor shaken and pale.Barry jokes that Ben must have taken a hard hit to the head. Meanwhile, Ben continues to tremble and ramble about the figures he saw.
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