Contents
3 Introduction 5 Of movies and films 7 A brief history of horror films 15 Script essentials 23 Shot list and storyboard creation 39 case study 1 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 43 Birds eye view and overhead schematics 47 Case study 2: Hellraiser 49 Psychology of horror framing 59 Case study 3: House of 1000 Corpses 61 Scheduling and practical application 67 Sample script 89 Death Angel storyboard creation 113 Case study 4: Saw 115 Post production & beyond 121 That’s a wrap! 123 Web resources 129 Top 10 films per decade
Chapter 1
Introduction
As a filmmaker, I have produced and directed feature films for HBO Entertainment, Roger Corman, Lions Gate Entertainment, Alliance Atlantis and many more. I have produced a number of World Premieres and many network MoviesOf-The-Week (MOW's), and direct-to-video sci-fi and action features. I produced and directed the critically acclaimed television miniseries, Robocop: Prime Directives, consisting of four feature films that continues to play worldwide. My festival horror entries, Creep and Haunted have thrilled audiences both at home and abroad and won a number of awards and continue to play on television specialty channels. I want to share with you the tricks of the trade and the tools you are going to need to create your own dark and disturbing worlds and communicate that vision to your audience, cast and crew. This Directing Horror - Blocking and Staging the Horror Screenplay is my attempt to give you the inside track on how to make movies or films by yourself. But, no one person truly makes a film or a movie (a distinction that I will clear up for you shortly) by his or herself really. You, as the Director (or Producer/ Director/ Writer combination) are no exception. In order to realize your vision onscreen, you will need a willing group of like-minded professionals or eager amateurs to help you put on your show. No one goes it alone. Your job will be to make the best of every situation by taking advantage of this Directing Horror - Blocking and Staging the Horror Screenplay. This will help you make your own original horror statement and take advantage of all of the opportunities available to you – right now! First up, let's define horror and what it means to a film or movie maker. Horror, like comedy, is all about timing and the release of specific information to the audience at the critical moment and scaring the heck out of them. What you choose to say and how you say it in combination with when it occurs on screen is the difference between thrilling, exceptional work and boring, leaden failure.
The worst thing you can ever do is turn off your audience. A badly photographed movie or film that telegraphs its punches is the hallmark of someone who has not done his or her homework. You won't let that happen, will you? Your goal as an emerging film or movie professional (or dedicated amateur auteur) is to study the tools of CONSTRUCTING HORROR and apply them to your own Night of the Living Dead, Hellraiser or 28 Days Later. Throughout the course of this handbook you will have practical examples of classic horror films and a chance to look over my shoulder while I break down a new horror screenplay excerpt from noted screenwriter John Fasano. You will work alongside me and see the choices I make when I make movies.. You may have a different take on how to do it. Good. You can do it your own way but you are being given the tried and true methods of genre experienced professionals, You'll find these guidelines work! Being a successful filmmaker means that you have to understand more than just the emotional truths that the actors are striving for on-screen. Throughout my career as both a Producer and Director, I have met a number of talented storytellers and craftspeople (i.e., Directors) that left all of the photographic shot composition, scene staging and lens selection to their Director of Photography (DOP). If you allow your DOP to photograph your film or movie without knowledge of why one frame works better than others, then you have done yourself and your soon-to-be-finished horror project a grave disservice (no pun intended). That's what this handbook is all about. Over the course of this work, I will show you the specific skills that you can immediately put to use to increase your completed work's worth and merit. Some of these skills are closely guarded secrets that we use everyday. Draw on them. I do. So do many other genre film and moviemakers. When you have completed Directing Horror - Blocking and Staging the Horror Screenplay, you will be ready to begin breaking down and filming your horror project. It does not matter if it is feature length or a short film, the method of distribution or the subject matter you intend to shoot. These rules still apply. This handbook is a reference guide with reminders, tips, examples and remedies for most, if not all, production based staging nightmares to help set your course in developing and shooting your film or movie. So, read on, take notes and get ready to increase the fear factor in your film and build on the most effective tool available to you as an artist – clear and effective communication with your crew and audience.
From the forthcoming book ”Directing Horror” by Julian Grant. Feel free to visit: www.constructinghorror.com