By: Jewel Dickerman
Last semester, Mrs. Frable’s American Horror class completed an ambitious, semester-long Original Movie project that turned students into screenwriters, directors, editors, and marketers. Working in groups, students developed original horror and thriller concepts and guided each idea from initial plot to a finished pitch.
Each team produced a detailed plot outline, wrote three full scenes from their script, and designed promotional visuals that mimic streaming-service browsing pages. Students also learned video editing to create trailers or previews, then presented their projects in a pitch-style showcase to in-house executives—Mrs. Frable and her students.
The assignment emphasized both creative imagination and practical skills. Students had to think like filmmakers: crafting suspenseful storylines, building atmosphere through visuals, directing performances, and assembling polished trailers. Collaboration and technical problem-solving were central, as groups balanced storytelling with the realities of production and editing.
Standout work included a project from David Slavik, Connor Marro, and Colten Wilczewski, whose starter slide and trailer demonstrated a strong atmosphere and cinematic awareness. Across the class, final products ranged from eerie slow-burn thrillers to high-energy psychological pieces, reflecting a wide variety of influences and original ideas.
By blending close study of the horror genre with hands-on film production, the Original Movie project offered students a chance to apply literary analysis in a creative context while gaining real experience in media production. The result was a collection of imaginative, well-crafted projects that showcased student talent and a deepened appreciation for how stories come to life on screen.
