I'm working on writing a horror film about teenagers being trapped in a house by a evil force that wont allow them to leave, but is also killing them one by one. When it's said like that in its most basic form it seems..... you know, generic and a bit overused. I want to keep the "I knew that was coming" and the jumpscares for a quick easy scare to a minimum. How do I know what is overused in the horror business?
Producing : When it comes to horror, how do we know when somethings "OVERUSED"? by Christopher Owens
When it comes to horror, how do we know when somethings "OVERUSED"?
Other topics in Producing:
Check out Trending Discussions
Register / Log In
1 person likes this
I think one of the ways to figure that out is watch ALOT of new horror movies because those ones tend to re-use the same stuff over and over again. For example, the "found footage" trend that has been festering in Hollywood since Paranormal activity. Once you've done your research on the new stuff, go back in time and watch all the classic horror movies and find out what they did differently and then...take inspiration from them. Or blend the old and the new and come up with something different. It's hard to get around the "over used" label because...everything is a take off of the thing before it.
Exactly. See I was gonna base my killer loosely off of the killer in the old movie "Darkness Falls". You know how the killer could only get you in the dark? That's how I want my killer to somewhat be, luring the victims into the dark and destroying light bulbs to get the kill. I just need to get intuitive and imaginative with the way the people are killed, instead of, the killer just pulls them into the dark annnnd boom they're dead.
This should be in the writing section. Consider that it's the genre many filmmakers and low budgets start with. I suggest anything you come up with easily is already overused. So scratch the first idea, even the second and third and really push yourself to create something new. Most horror flicks compensate for lack story with extra gore. So though everything has been done in horror, the story has infinite room to be improved, and that will set you apart from anything else. Rather than teenagers trapped in a house, why not change up that tired theme? ....trapped at school, in a library, at the mall, at the museum, on a boat, in a submarine, in prison, in a church. Rather than teenagers what about navy seals (trained to be badasses, but can they handle this?), the president, horror film buffs (oh awesome, did you see how that guy just died!?), serial killers. Rather than an evil house killing stupid teens (who aren't developed enough to be good), what about a good house killing evil characters? The story could be told from the house/force perspective. You may freely use any of my ideas as long as you make something awesome!