As we have chosen Edgar Allen Poe’s famous ‘Tell tale heart’ for our film adaption we found it fitting to honour his gothic style. To do this we have adapted the story to appear as a children’s fairytale – but going very wrong, resulting in brutal murder between a childlike hare and a crazed unstable fox.

Our main aims are to unnerve the audience and build tension to an almost palpable level through our oddly charming character designs, taking inspiration from classic children’s media such as Fantastic Mr Fox and Beatrix Potter’s illustrations, and a decaying 19th century environment. To most effectively convey our narrative to the audience we have chosen not to show the graphic details of the murder but instead, show just enough to let the audiences mind wonder. Using film language and cinematography (for example; extreme close-ups and a limited yet growing soundscape), we will fully immerse the audience in our story- going by the logic, the less that is seen, the more possibility.

One way to do this is by reflecting each characters intention through their design – hence why we have chosen the Fox and Hare, two natural enemies.

Following the cunning fox through his descent into madness, his design only foreshadows this. He wears a fitted fox hunting outfit which both raises questions about his morals and gets progressively damaged much like his own deteriorating mental condition as he devolves back into an animalistic state. Of course, this drives him to kill the old hare, he once cared for.

The Hare, on the other hand, holds many shared traits to an old Victorian doll, beloved by all. His design also goes back to folklore in which a broken hearted maiden haunts her unfaithful lover, a little like the hare pining over the murderous fox. Even his draping nightgown links clearly into these ghost-like tales and gives him a sense of childlike vulnerability.

Finally our set plays a key part in this as this is where the audience can gather key information about the lifestyle and personality of our two characters. Much like the start of their picturesque lives, we have put them in a 19th century room full of decaying decadence. A key reflector of their story and mental journey. Alongside the cinematography, lighting and colour theory can create a specific mood quickly rather than verbal dialogue. Due to this, we have decided to use warm earthy colours such as reds and browns to decorate the room. The earthy tones are extremely reminiscent of death and decay while making a place feel rather pessimistic and grounded – the perfect environment for our murder.