The Fan Horror Film

  The Fan Horror Film You learn by doing. Film making is that simple. You learn by making one. All the tutorials on earth do not make up for being on a movie set. I realize that there is a lot of pressure when it comes to making a horror movie. Coming up with a story and then a script can be overwhelming to the beginner. Perhaps the best way to start is to start filmmaking with something familiar. Why not do a fan film. Many of us started off by shooting short films based upon our favorite movies.
The most obvious question about fan films is can you legally use someone else’s characters and situations in your movie? The answer is yes, as long as you do not try to profit from it. You can not sell a fan film. You are making it for the love of the game. You have to offer them for free. This is not the worst thing when starting out. Not having to make money takes the pressure off. You get to learn film making wile shooting your film and you get your name out there as a film maker. Some of these fan films have become franchises of their own. Are you familiar with the movie Scream. The movie inside a movie called Stab has become a long running and popular online franchise. Pick a horror movie and there is a fan film connected to it. In the world of scifi there is an industry built around the Star Wars universe. Along with a growing number of films based upon the Dark Knight universe. There are so many movies and series that are ripe for fan films. Do Supernatural or Grim. Take a comedy and turn it into a horror film. The sky is the limit and the characters are already there.

Horror Basics, Part 1

Horror Basics, Part 1

There are some horror movie basics that need to be looked at even if you do not plan to use them in your horror film. I am not the biggest fan of bloodshed and violence in my films. I do not love horror movies like the Saw sequels or Hostel, but I do love bloody violence in movies like Hobo With A Shotgun and the new Evil Dead.

What I am saying is that blood should be part of your film, but do not make it the point of your film. You are a movie maker. Let’s make it sound more impressive. You are a motion picture director and or producer. Always keep in mind that if they do not like your story and your characters they will watch it once and not bother to tell anyone about it unless adding the word sucked when describing your movie.
Let’s make sure that your digital feature film is something more than a connection of one bloody scene after another. Horror movie making is as much about what you don’t see as what you do.

 Okay here is a tutorial on a basic effect that many of you may use in your low budget horror movie.


Next up is a look at something you need to focus on during every single scene. Lighting. If they cannot see it, and there have been many horror movies during your life as a viewer where this has come up, they will not like it. A movie where the action is too dark is one that will be dismissed. I have to ask you, why would you want to spend money shooting a scene only to find out in post that it is unuseable. It is so dark that you do not know where to place the sound effects. Learn how to light.


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