Why research pays off!

When I first started this project, I had ideas, but they were kind of all over the place. Doing research actually helped me turn those ideas into something more structured and intentional. It influenced not just my story, but also how I plan to use, and sometimes challenge, typical psychological thriller conventions.

From my genre research, I learned that psychological thrillers usually focus on internal conflict, tension, and the character’s mind rather than action. That’s something I directly applied to my film. Instead of making it fast paced or full of obvious scares, I planned my story to be more slow and tense, with moments that make the audience feel uncomfortable rather than shocked. Things like the ticking clock, silence, and small details are all inspired by that research.

I also looked at real media texts like short films, shows, and movies. From those, I noticed common conventions like:

- use of close-ups to show emotion

- low lighting and shadows to create mystery

- sound design to build tension

-  unreliable or unclear reality

I planed to use all of these in my film. For example, I’m already using close-ups of my main character to show his guilt, and I filmed a lot at night to create that darker tone. I’m also using sound (like the ticking clock and background music) to build suspense instead of relying on jump scares.

At the same time, my research also helped me see where I can challenge conventions.

For example, in many thrillers, there’s usually a clear answer at the end, like what’s real and what’s not. In my film, I don’t fully want to explain everything. I want the audience to question whether what’s happening is supernatural or just psychological. That lack of clarity is something I chose on purpose based on what I saw in other media.

Another way I challenge conventions is through my main character. Usually, thrillers make the audience clearly hate or fear the main character. In my case, I want the audience to feel a mix of emotions. Yes, he did something terrible, but I also want people to understand his guilt and internal struggle. That makes the story more complex instead of just "good vs bad." For instance in one scene he's crying to his partner and opening up about the accident with a lot of remorse.

AND YES I FINALLY FILMEDDDD - stay updated for tomorrow's blog to hear about it!

My research on social media and print components also influenced my project. I learned that film promotion should be consistent and visually connected, which is why I’m keeping the same dark, mysterious tone across my Instagram posts and my postcard. I also learned to balance visuals and information, so my promotional materials don’t feel too crowded or too empty.

So instead of just randomly making decisions, everything in my project is based on something I’ve seen, learned, and then adapted to fit my own idea.

Basically… I didn’t just wing it (for once).