#60 Research: Building the Mood of Static

    Hi everyone! Today I’m building a mood board to help me plan the visual style of my film campaign. I’m working with Madison Velasquez and Ethan Sanchez on our psychological thriller Static, and right now we’re collecting ideas for how our trailer and poster should look. This mood board is part of our research it’s helping us figure out what kind of colors, lighting, fonts, and layout match the tone we want.

Focus:
I’m collecting recurring aesthetic features, color palettes, and stylish choices that match the psychological thriller genre and the emotional tone of Static. I did research more on the genre because I’m still not sure if I’m going to keep going with the whole psychological genre but I’m liking the looks of it and I can’t wait to tell my team makes. As well as it also fitting in with our theme!

Since my case study is A24, I’ve been looking at films like The Front Room, Talk to Me, and Hereditary. These campaigns use a lot of dark tones, minimal layouts, and emotional close-ups. I’m focusing on how those choices create suspense and vulnerability without giving too much away.

Evidence:
Here’s how I’m organizing my mood board so far, and I've listed it the best way I could show because I don't like all that clutter

MOODBOARD:

- Color Palette
    - Deep reds and blacks = danger, fear
    - Muted greys = emotional tension
    - Occasional blues or white = contrast, hidden truth

- Lighting
    - Shadows across the face = mystery and vulnerability
    - Backlighting = isolation or emotional distance
    - Low-key setups = suspense and unease

- Typography
    - Serif fonts = serious tone
    - All caps or spaced letters = cinematic feel

    - Minimal text = focus on emotion

- Framing and Layout
    - One central character with layered visuals = emotional focus and hidden layers
    - Empty space = tension and isolation
    - Reflections or distortion = dual identity or secrets

- Mood and Emotion
    - Vulnerable expressions
    - Glitch effects or visual noise
    - A sense that something’s wrong but not obvious

Reflection:
    This mood board helps me stay focused while planning the campaign with Madison and Ethan.
We haven’t started filming yet, but this research gives us a clear direction. I want Static to feel tense and mysterious, but also emotional and personal. By collecting these design features, I can make sure our trailer, poster, and social media content all match in tone. That way, everything feels like part of the same world.

    I’m also thinking about how the audience will read these visuals. If we use shadows and glitch effects, they’ll expect something psychological and intense. If we show vulnerable expressions and layered visuals, they’ll know the story has emotional depth. That’s why this mood board matters it helps us make intentional choices instead of random ones.