Things You'll Need:
- Lights
- Cameras
- Action!
- Makeup
- Actors
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Step 1
Write an original plot. Do we really need another mute masked killer stalking teens in a campground? If so, what new are you adding to the equation? A feathered hat perhaps?
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Step 2
Hire good actors. No matter how good your script is, it will fizzle if your actors aren't up to snuff. Sure, they might be able to scream effectively when they're being attacked, but can they deliver believable lines for the rest of the film? You might owe your cousin a favor, but buy her dinner; don't give her the lead role is she can't act.
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Step 3
Create a memorable villain. In horror movies, the villain is usually more memorable than the hero and can carry your film into a half-dozen sequels, so take your time in creating his look and back story.
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Step 4
Plan the death scenes carefully. Other than a cool bad guy, horror movie fans look for unique and bloody ways to punch somebody's ticket. Consider using a feathered hat. The pointy end.
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Step 5
Splurge (relatively speaking) on makeup and special effects. The gore should be realistic and the bad guy(s) creepy.
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Step 6
Avoid cliches. Granted, nothing anymore is truly original, but the half-naked teenaged girl twisting her ankle as she runs through the woods? Come on, let's try a little harder.
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Step 7
Get rid of clunky, overly explanatory dialogue. SHOW something happening rather than relying on a character to TALK about it.
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Step 8
Make sure your characters' actions make sense. If you heard a noise in a spooky house, would you REALLY go inside just to check it out? Give your character a reason to go in.
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Step 9
Invest in a good camera. Not everyone can afford to shoot on film, but high-end digital cameras can approach that quality. If your movie looks like it was shot with a Betamax camcorder, a lot of people will turn it off within the first five minutes.
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Step 10
Make sure there are no technical issues with sound or lighting. If the viewers can't hear or see what's going on, they'll track you down and beat you mercilessly.
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Step 11
Keep the camera movements to a minimum. Yes, "The Blair Witch Project" was a hit, but that doesn't mean you should go flailing your camera around in a desperate attempt to be "edgy." Also, a bunch of sudden, "dramatic" zooms will just end up making everyone nauseous.
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Step 12
For goodness sake, make sure the boom mike doesn't show up in the final cut!
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Step 13
If all else fails, blow your budget on a top-notch graphic designer who can create DVD cover art that will make people think your film is much better than it is.
