Beginning: Open on a scary event. This is usually the villain’s first victim– the murder or event that sets the movie in motion and shows the villain’s “style”. In Scream, for example, it is Drew Barrymore’s babysitter character and boyfriend getting murdered. [3] X Research source The Set-Up: Who are your main characters, and why are they in this “horrible” place? This is when the teens head to the cabin, or the family moves into the creepy old house. This is the first 10-15% of your movie. The Warning: The first clues that something is wrong begin popping up. Someone might disappear, the furniture might begin to move, or a character awakens some ancient evil. The majority of characters, however, are going to ignore these signs or miss them. This is roughly the 1/3 mark of your script. The Point of No Return: Suddenly, something happens that makes all the characters grimly aware that they are in a terrible situation. This is usually your first death scene or major scare, when the villain becomes apparent to everyone. It occurs roughly halfway through the movie. The characters decide to either escape or fight back. The Major Set-Back: More and more characters are dying or becoming incapacitated, and the villain has the upper hand. Evil is winning, and there may only be our protagonist left to fight it off. Oftentimes the characters believe they have won, only for the villain to come back stronger than before. This comes at the 75% mark of your story. The Climax: Your main character(s) has a final push to save themselves, either by escaping or defeating the villain. This needs to culminate in your scariest set-piece, the most thrilling and terrifying battle/moment seen thus far. [4] X Research source The Resolution: More often than not, at least one character escapes, and the villain is defeated. At least, it appears so. . . . Until the sequel.
Throughout histories, villains have been used to symbolize real-world fears. Vampires stood in for the horrors of HIV/AIDS in the 90’s. The Host used a fish monster to comment on South Korean economics, etc. [5] X Research source Many movies have had success with hordes of villains (zombies, monsters, birds), unseen villains (haunted houses, ghosts), and even a wide-variety of villains (Cabin in the Woods, V/H/S). Villains are not the only way to make a horror movie unique, but you need a good villain or the movie will fail, every time.
Good ideas are in the woods (especially at night), cabins, wooden buildings, abandoned houses. Make sure that you have permission to film at the location before you start. Filming takes a lot of time and energy, and you need an undisturbed location to work at for 7-14 days if you’re shooting a feature film.
Cameras: For most movies, you need at least 2 cameras, and preferably 3. That said, modern camera advancements have made it possible to film a movie with an iPhone 6, or a bunch of web cameras. The most important thing for a professional film is to have cameras that shoot in the same format (1080i, for example), otherwise the video quality will change with every cut. Microphones: If you’re in a bind, spend your money on audio equipment, as audiences are proven to notice bad sound before bad video. While you can use the attached camera microphones, a Tascam or shotgun mic is a great investment to instantly improve your movie. [6] X Research source Lighting: 5-10 cheap clamp lights and extension cords have lit many an indie film, but get a professional 3 or 5 piece kit if you can. That said, a variety of bulbs, home-improvement store lights, and high heat spray paint (to color light bulbs) is a great substitute. [7] X Expert Source Travis PageVideo Content Specialist Expert Interview. 27 June 2019. [8] X Research source Essential Accessories: You’ll need memory cards, a backup hard drive, tripods, light reflectors, extension cords, black tape (to cover or tape down wires), and computer video editing software. And, of course, you need some fake blood. [9] X Research source
Think of when you were scared of the dark. A rustling sound, a glint of light, a face in the window – these things are scary because you don’t know what they are. And the unknown is always scary. [10] X Research source Let this be your guiding principle while filming.
Get every single detail you need – if the audience needs to see the knife on the table, make sure to get a shot of the knife on the table, alone. Movies are not shot like plays, where every scene is captured in real time. Having a shot list shows how you need to move the cameras, get specific information, and line up shots. For example, you may need to show the villain in the window for one second. Instead of trying to get the actors inside to get the scene right, then have the villain pop up, you can simply film the villain popping up then edit it in later.
Review the day’s shot list – know in advance what you need to get, and what you can skip if you run out of time. Rehearse with the actors. They should know what to do before the cameras are rolling Review lighting and camera positions. No actor wants to sit around while you fiddle with lights. Have them ready before they arrive. [11] X Research source
Cameras need light to take smooth video. This is why you always darken the footage while editing instead of trying to shoot in the dark. Horror movies are known for dramatic lighting. This means dark, almost black sections contrasted by bright, well-lit areas, like in the famous House on Haunted Hill opening shots. Colored lights, specifically greens, reds, and blues, can create a wonderfully creepy atmosphere for your scene. [12] X Research source
Keep this as simple as possible for most shots– walking in straight lines, basic entrances and exits, and mostly still positions. It is not a play and the cameras will only capture a small fraction of the entire scene. Let the camera do the movement whenever possible, not the actors. The less your actors need to move, the easier your job lighting, shooting, and editing will be. Blocking is crucial for long takes. For example, if you want to follow a killer through the house, you need to know what rooms they hit, what they see on the way, and where they stop. Then you need to make sure the lighting is even all the way through.
The villain. When you do finally reveal your bad guy, it needs to be good. This doesn’t mean it needs to be complicated, as The Babadook, and Friday the 13th have proven countless times. Just make them creepy, and let the shadows to the rest. The essential props. You can buy fake guns and knives online, which allow you to “stab” actors effectively. Antique stores and pawn shops are also great places to get creepy old props, decorations, and costumes for cheap. Fake blood is a nearly-universal must in horror. There are a lot of recipes out there, but corn syrup and food coloring is as basic and effective as it gets.
You should also return to the location without actors and shoot as much footage as possible of the house and sets. These shots are great ways to introduce a scene, such as when a character walks into a room for the first time and we “see” them exploring it through their eyes. [14] X Research source
You’ll notice that most scary movies, especially famous ones like The Shining, Aliens, and The Exorcist, take their time between scares. They build up tension until it is almost unbearable, then hit you with the scariest scene they can dream up.
The final scene of The Silence of the Lambs, where the night vision goggles tell us our heroine is being stalked, is nearly unbearable– in the best way possible.
This give and take is what makes up the rhythm of a good horror movie, and is the essence of good editing. [16] X Research source
This includes music as well, which is usually minimalistic and eerie. If you cannot record the music yourself, be sure to use “royalty free music,” which can be found online and is free to use in a movie without worrying about lawsuits. When possible, try and make the sound effects yourself. Take a portable microphone and record the sounds yourself, layering them into your movie, for uniquely creepy effects.
Many modern directors are using “fake” jump scares by having the jump come from something innocuous, like a cat or friend knocking on the door. Even more directors are using anticipation instead of a scare. They build the expectation that something will jump out at us, but the nothing does. You’re lead into a feeling of complacency, making the next scare twice as powerful (though not a horror movie, see “Ex Machina for an example). Watch Insidious for a master-class in suspenseful, well-designed jump scares.
Color grading is when you make the whole film have a similar color pallet. For horror, this usually means darkening shots and adding blue or green color effects to give the film a moody, scary feel. [18] X Research source
