1
MM1 Directors Statement

Assessment Guidelines
Write a Director’s Statement outlining how you would direct a film based on one of your
own original stories. This can be either the same idea you used for your visual sequence or
another original idea you may have. While we assess the story, you are also assessed on your
ability to communicate your vision of a film, encompassing its key elements, from a
director’s point of view. Use what you learned in the lectures about genre, casting,
cinematography (that is camera & lighting style), production design (including costume
design, hair & make-up and locations), editing, sound design (including music), special FX
and Visual FX and more to illuminate a story on the cinema screen. The idea is for the reader
to be able to ‘see’ you vision – be descriptive.

The overall word limit is 1600 words with the usual +/- 10% applying.
The Title and Logline are NOT included in the overall word count.

NOTE: The difference between a log line and a tag line:
A “logline” is a movie’s concept boiled down to one or two sentences: On his deathbed, a
father tells the story of his life the way he remembers it: full of wild, impossible
exaggerations. His grown son tries to separate the truth from the fantasy before it’s too late.
A logline can be thought of as the shortest possible pitch of a movie — what a writer could
use to sell an idea to a buyer in just a sentence or two.
A “tagline” is a short, clever one-off found on a movie’s poster: An adventure as big as life
itself. Taglines are used by marketing departments to sell movies to audiences.
Simplified Rubric
• Story: creativity, thematic sophistication and narrative cohesion: 30%
• Director’s vision: use at least FIVE of genre, casting, cinematography style (that is
camera and lighting style) production design, sound design including music, editing,
special and visual FX: 50%
• Engagement and effort: 10%
• Presentation incl. spelling and grammar: 10%
Assessment Form is on the next page.
“The Steeping”











2
NAME: Evanthia Apostolopoulos, STUDENT NUMBER: 1461381 WORD COUNT: 1,758
Story Title (10 words max – may be between 1 and 10 words):
The steeping.





Synopsis – include target audience/demographic (aim for 200 words limit)
Upcoming it girl Ottessa Fields gets invited to the
Thornhill’s tea party, an illustrious annual event of her elite
society. What first appears to be the usual, superficial, and
aristocratic event, quickly takes a dark turn. Tension is built
throughout the first act, where polite conversations and
contrived smiles carry unsettling undertones. Glimpses of
horror elements are shown throughout segments of Ottessa
and her friends getting ready, networking, and arriving at
the tea party set in rural Iowa. I intend to evoke an uncanny
effect where the audience feels unsafe in an environment
that wouldn’t usually inhabit disturbing tones; being a
wealthy tea party, set during the day. Creating a sense that
their money will not be able to buy security as glimpses of
horror gradually pervade the film.
After mingling at the tea party, the toasting sound of
clinking against tea glasses sets Ottessa sinking into a state
of hypnosis as she begins to uncover the truth. As the film
progresses, both Ottessa’s past and the acts of the Thornhill
family are simultaneously revealed; as the family’s corporation owns plantations and is exploiting
female workers to make the businesses tea, host events, and perform in mime costume at events.
Ottessa used to be trapped on a plantation, but escaped as a child and has suppressed these memories.
The use of flashbacks is utilised to guide an uncovering of the truth.
In act three, a violent rampage is ensued, reminiscent of a classic slasher movie. The upper-class
members are slowly killed off, whilst Ottessa is gradually drawn to the brink of insanity, murdering
her best friend, and clique leader Alice Thornhill, after finding out she is accountable for
masterminding the current operations, and covering the dark history of Thornhill’s Tea.
With themes of perfectionism, isolation, and imposter syndrome, “The steeping” is recommended for
mature audiences only (MA 15+) and would do well on streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon,
and Apple. As well as being released to the general public, similar to A24 Films marketing.
Director’s Vision - use at least FIVE of genre, casting, cinematography style (that is camera
and lighting style) production design, sound design including music, editing, special and
visual FX. (Aim for 1400-word limit).


3
Genre –



Casting –
I am casting a primarily female cast, similar to Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) and Picnic
at Hanging Rock (1975) as I wish to concentrate on female perspectives, and hone in on the
different struggles each distinct role is faced with. My lead Actress and Heroine is Taylor
Russell, being cast as Ottessa Fields. As she has an innocently beautiful appearance, which is
suited to an up and coming it girl. However, she also has the capacity to play into and reach
disturbing spaces as seen through her work in Bones and All (2022). The duality of Russell’s
acting is perfect for my film as her role requires both in order for the plot twist to be
successful. Throughout her descent into darkness, Russell’s performance will lean into a
more sadistic space. For the role of Alice Thornhill, I will cast Anya Taylor Jordan due to her
ability to portray an elite upper-class role, as seen through Emma (2020) as she suits the
The Steeping is a psychological/slasher horror movie.
I admire the history of horror as a genre in
centralising female heroine roles. In the film
industry, women are often relegated to roles that are
surface level or supporting characters. I chose to go
in the direction of horror as it enabled me to explore
the multifaceted nature of femininity, and the
struggles that accompany it. Not only, for my heroine
Ottessa Fields, as her past traumas and pursuit of
perfectionism is explored. But additionally, Alice
Thornhill as she feels the pressure to uphold the
standards of the elite, akin to many females living
under the patriarchy; yet is ultimately punished for
her actions despite her role being puppeteered by her
family. The Steeping fulfils Horror conventions of
psychological thrillers such as Get Out (2017),
Midsommar (2019), and The Black Swan (2010). For
example, I focus on perfectionism whilst applying
makeup, the use of teacups being stirred and clinked
immersing the audience in a hypnotic state, the
disturbing undertones of a contrived smile, plastered
on whilst ill intentions hide beneath, and the
performance of the workers dancing in mime
makeup and costume display themes of identity and
evoke an uncanny and unsettling state for viewers.
Additionally, my film also takes on slasher horror
movie conventions, similar to X (2022), and The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) as each of the elite
main characters are preyed upon, and slowly
murdered up until the climax of Alice Thornhills
death. I look to Parasite (2019) as I blend
psychological and slasher horror genres; with the
beginning of my film being slow-paced and
unsettling, taking the turn to becoming a murderous
rampage. Horror music scores will be utilised to
build suspense and accompany jump scares.

4
makeup and costume design of decadence and old money.
Additionally, her performance in The Queens Gambit
(2020) stands out to me as I think she has the ability to
build on the psychological thriller style acting and lean
further into horror. Further to this, I would like to cast Mia
Goth and Jenna Ortega as supporting actresses due to their
up-and-coming prominence in the horror genre. They will
bring attract a contemporary audience for my film. Their
work in X (2022) portrays similarities to how I envision
my slasher performances in the third act. Additionally,
Goth’s acting in Pearl (2022) is reminiscent of the type of
hysteria I would like to bring to The Steeping. Her talent
would be utilised on set as she has experience both
assisting with X (2022), and co-writing (Pearl 2022).
Production design –

I will utilise production design to evoke a disturbing
undertone in my film. As production design has the most
influence over the colour of the film, I will select items
intently to create a pastel space; reminiscent of old money and
richly lavish homes as seen in the set design of Emma (2020)
to portray an elite tea house setting. However, these pastel
tones, will also play into a gloomy and unsettling mood when
I have scenes that are heavier in horror and need to portray
dark and foreboding prescience’s. For example, I will use
chairs that are skinny and of Edwardian style for the tea party,
coated in gold and appearing decadent, however not carrying
much support to the characters. I will utilise household items
such as dolls, and teacups to invoke an uncanny sense; placing
objects in most domestic spaces and bringing them into a
horror setting in order to expose their ability to be destructive.
As for costuming, I take inspiration once again from Emma
(2020) and fashion that occurs in period pieces and
contrasting it with mime makeup. This juxtaposition is
utilised to distinctly separate the two worlds of my film; with
the entrapped in mime makeup that will carry disturbing
tones, with the hidden meaning of their identities concealed as
they are one of many to the big corporation of Thornhill Tea
compared to the use of makeup and hair in an overly contrived
dress-up manner displaying the fallacies of the upper class
and their superficial interests. Production design, hair and
makeup design will work together for the audience to
understand this dichotomy and see the differences of class and
socioeconomic status. Through Ottessa’s descent into
madness, she will slowly become less put together and take a
form that is strongly reminiscent of the mime characters. For
example, slowly her hair and makeup will become unkept.

5
The setting of my story will be in a rural town in Iowa, with the tea party taking place in a
decadent colonial home. This vast juxtaposition of nature and greenery, compared to an
artificial and upper-class home will appear as an “architectural anachronism in the …bush”
[Lindsay. J, 1967] as described as Joan Lindsay’s novel Picnic at hanging rock. Similar to its
movie counterpart, I intend to evoke an unsettling tone from the forefront of the film. I’m
setting The Steeping in rural Iowa due to the distant location creating a sense of isolation, and
entrapment as the characters must feel as if no one can help them, and there is nowhere to run
to. The forest in winter will create a cold and dissonant feel to the film.
Cinematography style –
I will utilise cinematography: lighting, composition such as shot sizes and angles, movement,
and colour to support the horror conventions of my film. I will utilise the medium of light to
create dark and suspenseful images that invoke fear. Overall, I will need to use Naturalistic
lighting in the film segments that are set during the day, utilising soft light as I intend to
depict the tea party as normal on the surface (akin to many society issues), in order to subvert
horror conventions into ordinary life. Soft light will be more flattering on the elite upper-
class, and compatible with the beginning
scenes of getting ready, putting on makeup,
and mingling tea scenes. It will enable the
audience to empathise and connect with the
heroine, final girl Ottessa. Later scenes that
have more horror elements will incorporate
hard lighting to enhance shadows on the
mime girls and Ottessa’s face. This will help
bring about a uneasy sense to the film.
Additionally, I will use low key lighting in
frames where I need to depict the mime girls
living space, in order to present a grim
environment, and lurking shadows.
I can use highlights in these shots with lowkey lighting, making the painted mime faces well
exposed. For shot sizes, I will use Extreme Wide Shots (EWS) when introducing the setting
of the decadent home. Wide Shots (WS) will be used to show the getting ready scenes, tea
party setting, mime dance, etc. Close up (CU) and Extreme Close Ups (ECU) will be used to
depict the fear of the victims, with facial expressions of screams and terrified eyes, enabling
the audience into the characters state of mind, an insight into their trepidation.
Sound –
I intend to use the sound of classical music as a motif throughout The Steeping. As it will be
utilised in the form of decadence and upper class in the first act, accompanying the tea party,
followed by a violent and more intense classical piece, and ended with a light and elegant one
whilst Ottessa murders Alice to represent a form of catharsis. Both diegetic (monologue,
piano player at tea party, tea clinking) and non-diegetic sounds (classical music, horror
scores) will be incorporated to transport the viewer to the setting in order to engross them in a
world of horror and contribute to the suspense of jump scare and the slasher scenes.

6
References
Aronofsky, D. (Director). (2010). Black Swan [Film]. Searchlight pictures et al.
Aster, A. (Director). (2019). Midsommar [Film]. A24.
Guadagnino, L. (Director). (2022). Bones and All [Film]. Vision distribution et al.
Hooper, T. (Director). (1974). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Film]. Vortex.
Joon-ho, B. (Director). (2019). Parasite [Film]. Barunson E&A.
Lindsay. J, (1967), Picnic at Hanging Rock, F.W Cheshire Penguin.
Peele, J. (Director). (2017). Get out [Film]. Blumhouse production et al.
Sciamma, C. (Director). (2019). Portrait of a Lady on Fire [Film]. Lilies Film et al.
Weir, P. (Director). (1975). Picnic at Hanging Rock [Film]. Hal and Jim McElroy.
West, T. (Director). (2022). Pearl [Film]. A24 et al.
West, T. (Director). (2022). X [Film]. A24 et al.
de Wilde, A. (Director). (2020). Emma [Film]. Working Title Films et al.
Frank, S. (Director). (2020). The Queens Gambit [Television series]. East Connection Music
Recordings Co.







学霸联盟