The Elements of Horror Film Making

Filmmakers need to keep a few key elements in mind when they are making a horror film. These include lighting, camera angles, sound effects and more. When a filmmaker understands these things they can create an effective horror film that will scare the audience.

Creating an antagonist

The antagonist, or villain, is one of the most important elements to consider in horror film making. This is because the antagonist’s actions create conflict in the story and push the hero to act heroically. To create a memorable antagonist in a film, the screenwriter should spend time developing their character and finding out what drives them.

A good way to do this is by watching as many horror movies as possible. Taking notes on each one will help the writer learn what makes a scary movie and how to make their own. For example, the screenwriter will want to take note of when each scary moment happens in the film and how long between each one. This will help the writer know when to slow down in a scene and when to speed up.

Another thing that the screenwriter will want to do is to pay attention to what types of sounds are used in a scene. This can add to the suspense of a scene and can give the audience a jump scare. To create eerie sounds, the screenwriter can use things like a boom mic or even a radio microphone. This will help the movie have a more authentic feel to it.

Using the right camera equipment is also important when making a horror film. Horror films often have a low budget and can benefit from having the right type of equipment on hand. For instance, some of the most popular horror movies of all time were made with low-budget cameras such as the Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity.

The actors that you choose to play your characters are also a very important part of the film. Some actors can really take a director’s idea of a character and turn it into something that is truly terrifying. For example, Lupita Nyong’o brought a whole new meaning to the character of Red in Jordan Peele’s Us.

Finally, the filmmaker will need to think about the different camera angles and how they can add to the suspense of spooky scenes. This includes things like the Dutch angle, which tilts a shot to one side and can make it look surreal or nightmarish. The filmmaker will also need to consider the lighting of a scene and how it can be used to set a mood.

These tips will be very useful for anyone that is thinking about making a horror film. When a filmmaker keeps these points in mind, they will be able to create an effective horror movie that will scare the audience and have them talking about it for years to come.