Ever wanted to take your love of horror and craft your own genre masterpiece, but couldn’t quite figure out how to get started. Well fear not, I’ve found some help for ya (’cause that’s how I roll).
Over at andPOP they’ve posted 10 Steps To Writing A Horror Screenplay. It’s a pretty good list actually, and includes key elements such as:
1. The Hook. Start with a bang. Step right into a suspense scene. (“Scream” opens with a terrifying sequence with Drew Barrymore on the phone with a killer)
5. Foreplay. Tease the audience. Make them jump at scenes that appear scary — but turn out to be completely normal. (Like the cat jumping out of the closet) Give them some more foreplay before bringing in the real monster.
10. Evil Lurks. We see evidence that the monster may return somewhere..somehow..in the future..(Almost all “Friday The 13’th”-movies end with Jason showing signs of returning for another sequel)
You can click here to go check out the whole list. While it won’t guarantee you’ll write the next great fright flick, it does offer a good starting point for anyone who wants to get their twisted ideas on paper.
Good luck!
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