This thesis consists of practice-led research in the form of a full-length script for a feature film; plus, an 5975-word essay (exegesis). A summary of the script is as follows:

After a near-death experience, Kaden, a troubled gay man with fears of starting a family, seeks out his estranged father in hopes of gaining closure for the trauma of his past. With his partner and sister, he soon finds himself in the middle of the harsh Fiordland wilderness, where his father – David, reigns supreme as the leader of a religious cult. Yet, David’s control is not the true threat of this place, and it isn’t long before Kaden runs afoul of a supernatural darkness poisoning the land – and the minds of those who live there.

The script is framed by an Exegesis which is a 5975-word essay on the subject of: a) the horror genre – of which this film belongs b) the development process from synopsis to second draft.