Hey guys, I'm starting to write my new horror short film. I have a story and all, but while I was writing, I was worried that maybe thenaudience might not catch the horror side to the story. Is there anything I should know when entering this genre of film?
Horror Film Approach
- Thread starter cmnervegna
- Start date
Great horror is about withholding information in order to create uncertainty. Nothing scares people as much as the unknown. Anticipation creates dread, which is the foundation of horror. Once you show the boogeyman, it's easy for the fear to dissipate, so wait as long as possible to show him.
As a case study, check out the original Robert Wise version of "The Haunting." It's extremely creepy and effective, and the horror is almost all created with sound design. Now compare it to Jan de Bont's big-budget, overblown remake. He very quickly shows you Disney-esque ghosts, and totally undermines any real fear he might have created.
Different subgenres of horror may have differing approaches, but uncertainty drives them all by keeping the audience off-balance.
As a case study, check out the original Robert Wise version of "The Haunting." It's extremely creepy and effective, and the horror is almost all created with sound design. Now compare it to Jan de Bont's big-budget, overblown remake. He very quickly shows you Disney-esque ghosts, and totally undermines any real fear he might have created.
Different subgenres of horror may have differing approaches, but uncertainty drives them all by keeping the audience off-balance.
Remember that you have to give your audience a break from the tension every once in a while so that you can hit them again. If you build the tension and never release it, the audience will become acclimated to it and you will lose effect. I like it when the tension builds to a point where it is so thick that you couldn't cut it with a chainsaw then, out of nowhere, something funny happens.
When you say the audience might not catch the horror side, why is that? Is the horror not obvious enough in your story?
Your post does not give enough information about the kind of horror movie want to make.
So what i recommend is that you take your own favourite horror movies and break them down, analyse them. See what it is about them that is to your liking.
Start there...
So what i recommend is that you take your own favourite horror movies and break them down, analyse them. See what it is about them that is to your liking.
Start there...
I agree 100%. I saw the original in the early 1980`s and found it really scary because you dont get to see a ghost. They are suggested with sound effects and lighting for the most. Nothing works better for this kind of thing than your own imagination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haunting_(1963_film)
The three "C's" of story
Some of the prior posts make it sound like building suspense is like opening a can of spinach. Actually, mulitple film elements have to work together. Start with the three "C's" of story telling: Character, Conflict & Consequences, which works for any genre of film. The audience has to care enough about the characters to be scared for them, the characters have to struggle (conflict) and the filmmaker has to convey or suggest to the audience in some way (preferrably with something other than on-the-nose-dialog) what terrible things could happen if, for example, the house is truely haunted or the slasher finds them or that cute two year old really is a demon, etc. If you do those three "C's" well, you'll have a damn good start to making a damn good flick.
Some of the prior posts make it sound like building suspense is like opening a can of spinach. Actually, mulitple film elements have to work together. Start with the three "C's" of story telling: Character, Conflict & Consequences, which works for any genre of film. The audience has to care enough about the characters to be scared for them, the characters have to struggle (conflict) and the filmmaker has to convey or suggest to the audience in some way (preferrably with something other than on-the-nose-dialog) what terrible things could happen if, for example, the house is truely haunted or the slasher finds them or that cute two year old really is a demon, etc. If you do those three "C's" well, you'll have a damn good start to making a damn good flick.
I also agree with this. You can also include into this the original "Lost Boys" you never actually see the vampires untill near the end. It is all just camera work to imply the vampire.
Now also in horror you go one of three ways to get to the end.
1. Compleate Blood guts gore and t&a
2. Go phycolagical warfare you loose a lot of people in this form but if you do it "right" you get a very good film you don't you get a very lousy film.
3. A great script with a "big bad" that is either "beliveable" or scary enough to cause fear upon seeing it.
That is my opinion. Some body on here will disagree with me.
I personally feel that you can have T&A in any kind of horror film.
I personally feel that you should have T&A in every kind of horror film.
Be careful, or some smart a$$, such as myself, will start putting horror T&A in your horror story.I personally feel that you should have T&A in every kind of horror film.
(Pictures not included due to a rare bit of sheer decency on my behalf. Besides, we've all seen bad T&A before. Who needs that this early in the morning)?
Can you be very specific about exactly WHY the horror isn't or may not be... horrifying?
Is it just... uncomfortable or awkward situations substituting/soft pitching for horror?
Too implicit/subtle?
Are you trying to go old school and just imply something very bad happened with out jamming the camera up the protagonist's trachea as the head is being chainsawed off by the antagonist?
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