The Most Important Things to Keep in Mind in Horror Film Making

Horror film making can be a tricky business, even for filmmakers with years of experience. It’s not enough to rely on jump scares alone, but rather an entire package of factors that combine together to make the film terrifying. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to horror film making:

Special Effects

One of the biggest challenges in any horror movie is creating a monster or ghoul that will truly be scary to an audience. If the effects aren’t top quality, they can be so off-putting that audiences will not take them seriously and won’t be frightened by the monster or ghoul.

The first step is to find the right special effects company that can help you with your creature or ghoul. They will be able to tell you what works and what doesn’t. They will also be able to give you ideas on how best to use the special effects, so that they have the maximum impact on the audience.

The next step is to find a good location for your filming. There are plenty of options out there, such as woods, cabins or abandoned houses, but the key is to find a location that has a dark and spooky atmosphere. Then you’ll need to find a crew who are happy to work in the darkness for long periods of time.

Once you have a location and a crew, you need to find the right cast for your film. Horror movies are not known for their incredible acting, so you’ll need to look for people who have a passion for the genre and can act in low light. It’s also a good idea to ask for recommendations from other horror filmmakers.

Poor dialogue is something that really lets down many horror films, but it’s also often the easiest thing to improve. Spending the time to make sure that all of your characters’ dialogue is believable and interesting will make the audience care more about what happens to them.

When it comes to pacing in horror, the rule of three-acts is a good place to start. This will allow you to set up the character and plot so that the audience will feel scared as the movie progresses.

It’s also important to understand how to use lighting and shadows in horror film making. Darkness will create a sense of mystery and unease in the audience, so it’s worth spending some time practicing with different light sources. For example, you might want to try using blue gels to simulate moonlight in your scenes.

Finally, it’s essential to think about your antagonist and what their motivation is for doing evil things. It’s not enough for the antagonist to just be a bad guy – they need to have an agenda that will work against the hero and make them uncomfortable. This is what will set your film apart from other horror films and will make the audience genuinely fear your monster or ghoul.