Topic Research

For our short film, there are only a few particular areas that we would need to research in order to make them more authentic and true to reality. This will need to be done to make it all seem as believable and realistic for an audience as possible, so as to not break any atmosphere that has been created.

Ouija Boards:
The most important area that i've done research into is the way that Ouija Boards are used and how they work in general. I have focused the most on this area of research, since it's such a massive part and idea for the plot of our film. I was aiming to find out about things, such as the rules that come with using it and therefore what you must and must not do, as well as what the various symbols and characters mean on the board. I've used a few different websites and sources to gather this information, such as videos, historical websites and more.

Original Ouija Board created in 1894

The typical appearance of Ouija Boards and what they look like is that they are a flat board with the letters of the alphabet arranged in two semi-circles above the numbers 0 to 9. In the top corners are the words "Yes" and "No" and the word "Goodbye" is placed at the bottom of the board. This is all accompanied by a planchette, which is a teardrop shaped device used to move around the board. Nowadays, they are usually made of cardboard, rather than the wood they are conventionally known for.




Elijah Bond was one of the first to patent the Ouija Board

The history of Ouija Boards are, as expected, quite unknown and creepy and as for origins of the Ouija Board; it is said to be just about as mysterious as how the 'game' works. Even the way they were named is quite sinister and similar to something you would find in a horror movie. The story goes that the makers of the first ever 'talking board' asked the board what they should call it and in reply it spelt out the name "Ouija". When asked what this meant, it simply replied "Good Luck."

This short video gives a small insight into some of the history behind the creation of 'talking boards'. It explains the way that Ouija boards used to be thought of as quite harmless and were used by many people as just another 'game'. They also acted as a way of making easy money, since it was fuelled by the spiritualism and love for the supernatural that had become so popular at the time.

Rules:
I have managed to find a couple of websites that outline the rules of Ouija Boards, as well as the steps to using them. A few cautionary rules are as follows:

1. Be serious! It's not a game! Being in a serious mood helps to naturally close yourself of to negative energy and protect yourself better.
2. Always say 'Goodbye' at the end! This acts as a way of ending the session by setting your mind to closing down the door that had opened to the other side and therefore stopping any negative energy from continuing on.
3. Never use the Ouija Board in your home!  The negative energy of spirits can effect you and the last place you want to release dark, swirling energy into is your home. It's supposed to be a place were you feel comfortable and don't have to worry too much, but this can cause various unwanted problems that will stick around.

In My Production:
We are actually planning on going against these rules, since this is going to be the basis for the plot of our film and the whole reason that the film's events are going to take a turn for the worst. We're going to have the teenagers acting in an irresponsible way, meaning they will misuse the Ouija board and cause many problems, through the way of using it in a home environment, neglecting to say 'Goodbye' at the end and acting foolishly overall. By doing this, we will be sticking to the typical horror conventions of films that involve the use of Ouija Boards, since they almost always are misused and often by young people.