Moodboard & Shot-List Pack: Creating Gothic/Haunted Visuals for Musicians

Stop wasting production days on unclear references and sloppy shot list — make a spooky, intimate music promo fast with ready-made moodboards, color grades, and shot-list templates.

If you’re a musician or creative director trying to translate a haunted, Gothic vibe into film — but you keep losing time to endless moodboard edits, unclear camera notes, and guessing on color — this pack was made for you. In 2026, audiences expect cinematic detail even in a 60-second single promo. That means you need tight visuals, reproducible color, and a shot list that’s camera-ready.

Why Gothic/Haunted Visuals Matter for Music Promos in 2026

Over the past two years we've seen a resurgence of intimate, literature-inspired aesthetic choices in music promos — from Shirley Jackson-inflected narratives to slow-burn, interior-focused character pieces. Artists like Mitski (who leaned into The Haunting of Hill House vibes for her 2026 rollout) proved that a single, consistent mood can drive engagement across short- and long-form platforms.

“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality.” — Shirley Jackson

That quote has rippled through 2025–26 releases and creative briefs. The trend leans toward low-key production that feels handcrafted but technical: practical lights, narrow palettes, and close, claustrophobic framing. Add modern tools — AI-assisted color matching, cloud-based collaboration, and template-first production — and small teams can deliver polished, haunting promos faster than ever.

What’s Included in the Moodboard & Shot-List Pack

The pack is built for musicians, indie directors, and producers who need assets that are plug-and-play. It includes:

• Downloadable Gothic moodboards (6 curated boards: Victorian decay, Candlelit Intimacy, House-as-character, Mirror & Reflection, Mist & Exterior, Portrait Study). PSD and Figma files included for instant edits.
• Color grade LUTs (3x .CUBE + mobile presets): Mold Green, Ash Sepia, Midnight Violet. Each comes with hex palettes and reference stills.
• Shot-list templates (CSV, PDF, and editable Notion template) optimized for music promos with durations, lens suggestions, motion notes, and frame IDs.
• Storyboard frames & icons — 16:9, 4:5 and 9:16 templates, camera move icons, lighting glyphs, and shot-type stickers for quick board creation.
• Animatic starter project (After Effects + Premiere sequences) with beat-markers and placeholder audio for 60s and 180s formats.
• Production checklist & shot-day lighting diagrams (printable), including minimal-crew setups for practical candlelight and fog.
• Client review package — frame-stamped PDFs and versioned exports for easy approvals.

How to Use the Pack — A Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Pick your moodboard. Start by choosing the board that matches the song’s emotional core. For an introspective dark ballad, pick Candlelit Intimacy; for more narrative-driven, choose House-as-character.
2. Adapt the shot-list template. Open the CSV or Notion template and drop in your song structure (Intro / Verse / Chorus / Bridge). The template maps sections to durations and recommends shot lengths (see sample below).
3. Build a one-page lighting diagram. Use the included diagrams to plan practicals (candles, lamps) and a single key with negative fill to sculpt shadows.
4. Block the shoot with a micro schedule. Group shots by setup (same lens, same lights) to save time. The pack’s checklist flags multi-use props and continuity notes.
5. Shoot with the frame in mind. Use the storyboard frames to maintain composition across takes. Capture extra reference stills for the colorist.
6. Apply the Gothic LUTs in post. Use the included LUTs as base grades; tweak with local masks for skin tones and practical highlights.
7. Export review-friendly versions. Use the pack’s export presets for web, socials, and DCI/P2 masters. Attach frame-stamped PDFs for client sign-off.

Quick Tip:

In 2026 most color tools have scene-aware auto-match. Use that to get to a baseline, then dial the LUTs to taste — particularly for skin tones, which need gentle correction in green-ish Gothic looks.

Sample Gothic Shot-List Template (Camera-Ready)

Below is an extract from the downloadable CSV. Copy-paste into your call sheet or edit inside Notion/Google Sheets.

• Scene 1 — Bedroom, Night
  • Shot 1A — CU (Close-Up) — 85mm — Subject’s hand tracing water glass — 6s — Mood: tentative, soft candle rim — Notes: use single candle + 1/4 CTO LED; ISO 800, f/1.8, 24fps.
  • Shot 1B — MCU (Medium Close-Up) — 50mm — Subject in bed, shadow over half face — 8s — Motion: slight handheld push — Notes: negative fill on camera-left.
• Scene 2 — Hallway / Dolly
  • Shot 2A — Wide — 35mm — Dolly push through doorway revealing cluttered hallway — 12s — Mood: reveal, slow dread — Notes: fog machine low density; shutter 1/48, 24p.
  • Shot 2B — OTS (Over The Shoulder) — 50mm — Looking at framed photos, practical highlights — 5s — Close on photo detail; add soft blue rim.
• Scene 3 — Mirror / Reflection
  • Shot 3A — Reflected CU — 85mm — Eye, tear, candle reflection — 6s — Use small LED panel behind camera for catchlight; color grade to Ash Sepia.

Shot duration and pacing guide

For a music promo (60–180s), use a mix of short holds (4–8s) for rhythmic edits and longer pushes (10–16s) for narrative beats. Mark the longest holds at chorus transitions to let the music breathe.

Color Grades & LUTs — Practical Application

Each included LUT is designed as a starting point. Here are the palettes and application notes for 2026 workflows.

Palette Previews (hex)

• Mold Green: #0F2E1F (deep green), #516A58 (muted mid), #C9B9A7 (warm highlight), #2B1F1B (deep shadow)
• Ash Sepia: #3B2F2A (charcoal), #8D7A6C (warm mid), #D9CBBB (cream), #5A4B46 (desat brown)
• Midnight Violet: #1A1630 (near-black), #533A5B (violet mid), #C7B7D0 (cool highlight), #2E2331 (shadow)

How to apply

1. Load the .CUBE LUT in Resolve/Pr/FCX as a technical LUT layer with 60–85% opacity.
2. Use skin isolation (qualifier) and lift skin exposure +2–4% to keep warmth natural.
3. Add a subtle film grain layer (2–4%) to avoid digital flatness at high ISO.
4. Export separate SDR and Dolby Vision/HDR masters if your release platforms require them — the LUTs include HDR-safe variants.

2026 Trend Note: AI-based color assistants can automate shot-to-shot continuity. We include a simple workflow to run batch color-matching that preserves your LUT’s mood while evening skin tones across takes.

Camera, Lens & Lighting Recommendations

For the Gothic intimacy look, choose optics and light that add texture and selective focus.

• Lenses: 35mm for wide interiors, 50mm for medium framing, 85mm or 100mm for compressed close-ups. Vintage glass + subtle flares heighten period feel.
• Cameras & settings: 24p for cinematic motion; 1/48–1/50 shutter; ISO 400–1600 depending on practicals; RAW or Log capture for maximum grade latitude.
• Lighting: Single key source (practical or HMI through window), heavy negative fill, tungsten-balanced practicals with 1/4CTO for warmth; use gels to push highlights toward green or violet for mood.
• Atmosphere: Low-density fog + backlight creates layers. Control with flags to keep smoke out of subject’s face.

Animatics & Turning Boards into Moving Story

The pack’s animatic starter includes pre-mapped beat markers. Convert your storyboard frames into a timed animatic in 3 steps:

1. Import frames in sequence (use 1 frame per second as placeholder for tempo).
2. Drop the reference audio (stem or temp track) and nudge frames to hit the music hits.
3. Export a low-res MP4 for review and iterate with the team using the included commenting template.

Collaboration & Client Reviews — Faster Approvals

In 2026, remote approvals are table stakes. The pack supports modern review systems with:

• Frame-stamped export presets for Vimeo/Frame.io with timecode comments
• Notion-ready shot lists that update in real time for producers and colorists
• PDF sign-off pages for final deliverables and licensing notes

Advanced Strategies & 2026 Trends to Try

Leverage these techniques to keep your promo on-trend without losing the Gothic core.

• Virtual production background plates: Use LED walls for atmospheric exteriors while keeping the actor warm and practical-lit in close shots. (See field options like portable AV kits for compact setups.)
• AI-assisted reference generation: Generate multiple composition references quickly, then human-curate. Avoid overreliance — use generated frames as mood helpers, not final art.
• Spatial audio for streaming platforms: Mix a 2.0 and spatial version for immersive release — subtle room ambiences can make a small space feel vast. (See micro-documentary workflows for short-form spatial mixing ideas.)
• Small-crew sustainability: Use the pack’s minimal lighting set to reduce crew size and energy use while keeping production value high.

Case Study: Single Promo Inspired by Mitski (Concept -> Shots)

Concept: A solitary woman lives in a decaying house; outside, she’s judged; inside, she’s free. Visual aim: claustrophobic warmth that feels haunted not horror.

Key Storyboard Decisions

• Keep camera close: 60% shots are MCU/CU to maintain intimacy.
• Use practical lamps and candles to anchor the palette; apply Mold Green grade to exterior frames and Ash Sepia to interior skin-forward frames.
• Insert mirror reflection moment mid-song as psychological pivot — make the grade colder at that beat.

Selected Shot Sequence (from pack)

1. Opening wide of house at dusk — slow push — 10s — establish architecture and color mood.
2. Montage of domestic details — 3–5s cuts — a rusted doorknob, a record on player, a hand on a windowpane.
3. Close-up: face in candlelight — 12s — slow exhale, micro-expressions hold for chorus entrance.
4. Mirror reveal — 8s — subjective distortion with prism glass.

Practical Deliverables & Export Checklist

Before you call it done, run this checklist from the pack:

• Export SDR and HDR masters if needed
• Deliver web-ready 1080p H.264 for socials + 4K ProRes master
• Include color metadata and LUT version used
• Attach PDF shot list and continuity photos

Download & Next Steps

The Moodboard & Shot-List Pack: Gothic/Haunted Visuals for Musicians contains everything listed above — ready to download and start using on your next single. It’s made to speed production, align teams, and lock in a consistent mood from pre-pro to final grade.

2026 is about marrying fast, AI-assisted workflows with human curation. Use our templates to save time, then spend that time on the one thing AI can’t replace: creative intention.

Ready to transform your next promo? Download the pack, open the Notion shot-list, drop your song, and build an animatic in under an hour. Get the Gothic Moodboard & Shot-List Pack at storyboard.top/gothic-pack-2026.

Final Action

Download the pack, test the Mold Green LUT on a reference still, and post a frame to our community board for feedback. We’ll critique composition, color, and pacing — and help you refine the shot-list to camera-ready status.

Grab the pack now and turn your next single into a haunting visual story that looks like a feature, but shoots like an indie.

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