Written in Fear: The Psychology Behind My Title Design

When designing the title for my film opening, I knew the font had to set the tone immediately. Psychological horror isn’t just about jump scares, it’s about unsettling the audience from the start. Everything, from the cinematography to the tiniest details in typography, creates that eerie, disturbing vibe. That’s why I spent a ridiculous amount of time experimenting with different fonts until I landed on Nanum Brush Script.

Why Nanum Brush Script?

I needed something that looked off—something that felt messy, unpolished, almost handwritten, but in a way that screamed unease rather than warmth. Nanum Brush Script does exactly that. The rough, jagged strokes make it feel unstable, like it was scratched onto the screen rather than typed. It has that perfect mix of chaos and intention, which fits the psychological horror theme of my film. The letters almost look like they were written in desperation—like someone scrawled them in a panic.

The Color Choice: Red for Death

The title of my film opening is Till Death Do Us Part, but I decided to highlight Death in red. Why? Because red is the color of danger, blood, and psychological intensity. In horror, red instantly triggers feelings of fear and urgency. By isolating Death in red, I’m making sure the audience's eyes land right on it. It’s a subtle way of saying, “This is what matters. This is what’s coming.” The rest of the title will be in white, which creates a stark contrast—almost like a warning sign.

How It Ties Into the Film

Nanum Brush Script makes it feel personal, like the words were scratched out by someone unraveling. It’s not just about looking creepy—it’s about making the audience feel the unease before the film even begins. Combined with the red in Death, the title becomes more than just words—it sets the tone for everything that follows.

In horror, every detail matters. The right font and colors can make something as simple as a title feel disturbing before a single frame of the film plays. And that’s exactly the kind of psychological effect I want.

CCR #1:The Final Stretch

This is the last big step before wrapping up my film project! The Creative Critical Reflection (CCR) is a huge part of the Cambridge portfolio, where I have to analyze my work, explain my choices, and show how my film connects to real-world issues. It’s not just about making a cool movie; it’s about understanding why every decision matters.

In this post, I’m sharing a scripted interview in which I answer one of the key CCR questions: How does my film use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues? I break down how my psychological horror plays with audience expectations and explores mental health in a unique way. The way I want to answer 2 of the 4 questions is by doing a late night talk show scene. Here is the script I made for the first question. I'm planning on having my partner Addison be the host and I'm the guest of the night. This is the final stretch, so let’s dive in! 

Script:

HOST: Simona, your psychological horror film opening is gripping and eerie. How does your product use or challenge conventions, and how does it represent social groups or issues?

SIMONA: Thanks! My film follows some psychological horror conventions but also challenges them. Usually, horror films rely on big scares, loud music, or intense violence, but mine builds tension more quietly. Instead of showing the murder, I focus on the eerie calm afterward. The horror comes from the unsettling way Christina moves, how precise and detached she is. That slow, methodical approach makes the audience uneasy without needing dramatic action.

Another way I challenge conventions is by making the audience put the pieces together. You don’t see the crime itself, just the aftermath—the shovel, the wedding ring, the body wrapped in plastic. It makes viewers engage with the story more, piecing together what happened instead of just watching it unfold.

HOST: That’s a really unique way of building suspense. Now, your film also explores deeper issues. Can you talk about that?

SIMONA: Definitely. A big theme in my film is mental health and how it can go unnoticed or misunderstood. Christina isn’t just a villain—she’s struggling with something she doesn’t even know she has. Her paranoia, anger, and emotional changes all come from an undiagnosed brain tumor. This highlights how serious medical conditions can affect mental health and how they’re sometimes ignored or misdiagnosed.

It also connects to how women’s emotions are often dismissed. Luke cares about Christina, but even he doesn’t realize how much she’s struggling. The healthcare system fails her by not catching the tumor earlier, and by the time she gets help, she’s already lost herself. This reflects real issues where women’s pain is sometimes not taken seriously, being brushed off as stress or mood swings instead of real medical problems.

Editing Begins: Figuring Out Adobe Premiere Pro

So, I’ve officially started editing my film opening, and let me just say—it’s a lot. Right now, all I’ve really done is put the clips together in order and mess around with some sound elements. It’s super rough, but at least everything is in the timeline now.

I realized pretty fast that I need to step up my editing game, so I’ve started watching Adobe Premiere Pro tutorials. Some of these editors make it look so easy, but when I actually try to do the same thing, it’s like my brain just refuses to cooperate. I’m still figuring out the best way to cut between scenes smoothly and make everything feel intentional instead of just there.

This was a really helpful video I used.

The sound is another thing I’m focusing on because, in a psychological horror, it’s everything. I’ve added some basic sound effects and music, but I know I need to layer them better to really build tension. The goal is to make the audience feel uneasy without them even realizing why.

Next up, I want to experiment with color grading to give the film a darker, more cinematic look. I’ve seen people use Lumetri Color for that, so I’ll probably watch a few more videos and try not to completely ruin the footage in the process. I also want to focus on the font I'm going to choose as I know it also plays a huge role in my film.

This is what I have so far.

I’ll update once I’ve made some real progress, but for now, I’m just trying to get comfortable with the software and not lose my mind in the process.

DIY Dead Body: Creating the Perfect Opening Scene

Hey everyone! I’m back with another update on my film project. Today, I’m talking about the pre-production process for the dead body in my film opening. It's a little more DIY than expected, but that’s part of the fun! So, let me take you through how I made a dead body using some basic stuff like blankets, pillows, and, yep, even boots.

Step 1: The Idea

Okay, so when I first thought about the body for my opening scene, I wanted to make sure it looked convincing without spending much money. The body was going to be lying on the ground, so it didn’t have to be super detailed—just enough to make it look lifeless and real. I started brainstorming how I could make it look realistic using stuff I had lying around.

Step 2: Gathering the Supplies

Here’s where things got a little creative. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on expensive special effects stuff, so I grabbed a few things that were sitting around the house. The main materials were:

• Blankets and Pillows: These would form the main shape of the body. Pillows would help give the body a realistic shape, while blankets would cover it up and give it a natural, draped look.
• Boots: I used a pair of old boots for the feet. They gave the body a bit more structure and made it look like it actually had weight at the bottom.
• Black Trash Bags: These came in clutch for adding some eerie details. I used them to create a kind of “wrapping” for the body, and the dark color helped make it look more mysterious and dramatic.

Step 3: Shaping the Body

The first thing I did was lay out a blanket on the ground. Then, I stuffed it with pillows to make the body have a natural shape, almost like a person was lying there. I focused on getting the torso right—making sure it wasn’t too lumpy or awkward, but also not too smooth because, you know, a dead body isn’t going to be perfectly shaped.

Next, I added the boots at the bottom, sticking them under the blanket to look like feet. The boots added that extra bit of realism since they’re weighted and give the illusion of real legs. To top it off, I draped the second blanket over the whole thing, making sure it looked kind of messy but still like a body.

Step 4: Wrapping It Up

Once the basic shape was good to go, I wrapped the blanket up to make sure it stayed in place and then, I used the black trash bags. These were key for adding the final touch. I crinkled them up and laid them over the blanket, giving the body a weird, dark texture. The bags helped make the scene look grittier, like the body had been there for a while and was decomposing.

Step 5: Final Thoughts

Making the dead body was super fun (and a little creepy) but also a lot of work! It’s crazy how something so simple can turn into such a big part of the film. I was surprised at how well the pillows and blankets worked to make it look realistic. It just goes to show that you don’t always need fancy stuff to make a scene work—you just have to be creative!

That’s it for now! Stay tuned for the post-production posts!!!

Building Suspense: Tension Through Sound

Sound can change everything. A normal scene can feel creepy just by using the right audio. In my film opening, I’m not using dramatic music, I’m letting small, realistic sounds build the tension. The goal is to make the audience feel uneasy without even realizing why.

1. The Car Scene – Quiet but Tense

Christina sits in her car, doing calculations. It’s silent, but not in a peaceful way. Every little sound feels important.

• Pencil Scribbling – Fast and messy, like her thoughts are racing.
• Breathing- Shows that she's calm but it adds an eerie feel.

2. The Hardware Store – Normal Sounds, Unsettling Feeling

She walks through the aisles, grabbing what she needs. These sounds make simple actions feel eerie:

• Walking with heels– Her slow walking and clicking of the heels create a sense of power.

• Cart Squeak – A small, weirdly creepy noise in the silence.

3. The Parking Lot – No Turning Back

She loads the trunk and slams it shut. It’s a simple action, but it feels important.

• Heavy Trunk Slam – Loud and final, like a decision has been made.

• Distant Wind – Just a quiet, empty breeze.

4. The Digging Scene – No Hesitation

This is where the tension peaks. The sounds make it feel real and unsettling.

• Shovel in Dirt – Steady, like she knows exactly what she’s doing.
• Dragging a Heavy Object – Muffled and slow, like dead weight. For this one, I made a foley sound of myself dragging a plastic bag through dirt.

Why This Matters

This movie isn’t about the murder, it’s about her mind. Instead of telling the audience what to feel with music, I want them to pick up on the tension just from the sounds. Every little noise makes it feel more real, unsettling, and personal. This is my plan, but honestly, until I finish editing I don't know if things will change.

Source:

Pixabay. (n.d.). Royalty-free music. Pixabay. https://pixabay.com/music/

That’s a Wrap: Filming Our Psychological Horror

 Day 2 of Filming: The Struggle for the Perfect Shot

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from this film opening process, it’s that finding the right location is half the battle. Day 2 of filming took us to Regional, a public park that—on paper—seemed like the perfect setting. In reality? It took a lot of scouting, debating, and second-guessing before we settled on the right spot.

We needed something eerie but natural, isolated yet accessible. So, after what felt like an eternity of wandering around, we ended up near the Everglades, just behind the park. And honestly? Best decision ever. The landscape was surreal—tall grass swaying, the sky looking just off enough to set the mood, and an atmosphere that screamed psychological horror. The shots we got? Insane.

This is the best shot where you can see where we were filming, it was so beautiful.

But, of course, the real adventure started when we showed up to the park… with a dead body in hand. (Obviously fake, but still.) The reactions were priceless. Parents pulling their kids a little closer, joggers slowing down to double-take, and then there was the guy on a bike who just waved and smiled like it was the most normal thing in the world. Honestly, legend.

Filming in a public space definitely added to the chaos, but weirdly, it made the whole process even more fun. We had to work around people, stay in character while getting stared at, and make sure we didn’t cause a full-on panic (because let’s be real, a group of teens dragging a “corpse” through the park is not something you see every day).

At the end of the day, the struggle for the perfect location paid off. We got some of the best shots of the film so far, and the whole experience just made the project even more unforgettable.

After wrapping up in the Everglades, it really hit us—this was our last day of filming. Every struggle, every perfect shot, every weird public reaction led to this moment. Looking back, the chaos made it even better. This project started as just an idea, and now we have something real—something we’re so excited to put together in editing.

Now, all that’s left is post-production. Can’t wait to see how it all comes together.

Filming Day 1: Lost in Home Depot

We officially started filming for our film opening!

The first scene takes place in Home Depot, so we went on Sunday to get all the shots we needed. I expected a lot of issues, but everything went surprisingly smoothly. I was nervous about filming in public because I get embarrassed easily, but Home Depot was pretty empty, which made things easier. We got all the shots we needed in under an hour, which was way faster than I expected. 

This is a blooper; the saw got stuck, and you can see me laughing. I love bloopers!!

One of the funniest parts was my mom having to wear heels for the scene. Our only ones were too big, so she kept switching between slides and heels between takes.

If you look closely, you can see my mom's slides, so we have to cut that out.

Also, I managed to get lost in Home Depot, it’s huge, and I couldn’t find some of the items we needed! But despite that, we ended up with over 40 seconds of footage from this location alone, which is great.

Overall, I’m really proud of how everything went. Now, onto the next scenes!