ABSTRACT

Produce, direct, promote and sell your own chilling horror film with real-world advice from award-winning producer/director/writer Danny Draven! The second edition is completely updated with information on new technology, new exclusive interviews with industry pros, new photos and samples from the production of recent horror movies, new behind-the-scenes video, information on modern distribution methods and delivery and more! From the history of horror and the technique of the scare to pre-production and distribution, this complete, full-color guide to filmmaking uncovers all the insider secrets for creating your own spine-tingling horror film from start to finish.

  • The 2nd Edition features all NEW interviews from industry professionals such as:

Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers, Bag of Bones, Desperation, The Stand)

John Ottman (Composer/Editor of X:Men: Days of Future Past, The Usual Suspects)

Mark Ordesky & Jane Fleming (Producers of Lovely Molly, Exists)

Kane Hodder (Jason from the Friday the 13th, part 7 to 10, Hatchet)

Tibor Takacs (Director of The Gate, Spiders 3D, Megasnake)

John Debney (Composer of Predators, Sin City, End of Days)

Jojo Draven (Composer of Ghost Month, Reel Evil)

Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science)

Mike Mendez (Director of The Gravedancers, Big Ass Spider!)

Neal Marshall Stevens (Screenwriter of Thir13en Ghosts, Hellraiser: Deader)

Chris Alexander (Editor in Chief of Fangoria Magazine)

Jessica Cameron (Actress/Director of Truth or Dare)

Denise Gossett (Founder of Shriekfest Film Festival)

  • A newly updated companion website that features:

*Behind the scenes videos for films films such as Puppet Master, Blood Dolls, Trancers, Subspecies, Reel Evil, Ghost Month and more!

*A revised collection of horror movie trailers!

* Sample scripts, schedules, storyboards, agreements and more!

  • Other featured interviews include:

James Wan (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring)

Robert Englund (Freddy from Nightmare on Elm Street)

Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Til Dawn)

Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Dagon)

Tom Savini (Night of the Living Dead)

Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger)

Charles Band (Parasite, Metalstorm, Ghoulies)

John D. LeMay (Friday the 13th: The Series)

David DeCoteau (Puppet Master 3, Sorority Babes in the Slimball Bowl-O-Rama)

Debbie Rochon (Tromeo & Juliet)

Reggie Bannister (Phantasm)

Sam McCurdy (Director of Photography of Dog Soldiers, The Decent, The Hills Have Eyes 2)

Nathan Barr (Composer of Hostel,True Blood, Hemlock Grove)

Jim Dooley (Composer of When A Stranger Calls)

Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho-Tep)

Herschell Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast, Wizard of Gore)

H.P. Lovecraft’s Notes on Writing Weird Fiction

And many more...

part One|30 pages

The horror genre

chapter 1|29 pages

The mechanics of monsters

part Two|107 pages

Preproduction

chapter 2|46 pages

Getting started

chapter 3|21 pages

Casting a horror film

chapter 4|22 pages

The horror film crew

chapter 5|15 pages

Preproduction tips & tricks

part Three|87 pages

Production

chapter 6|22 pages

Producing a horror film

chapter 7|36 pages

Directing a horror film

chapter 8|10 pages

Cinematography of a horror film

chapter 9|15 pages

War Stories & Advice from the Trenches

part Four|96 pages

Post production

chapter 10|22 pages

Editing horror films

chapter 11|14 pages

The sound of horror films

chapter 12|34 pages

The music of horror films

chapter 13|12 pages

Cgi

chapter 14|12 pages

The pitfalls of postproduction

part Five|101 pages

Distribution and marketing

chapter 15|30 pages

Distribution for horror films

chapter 16|16 pages

General delivery requirements

chapter 17|18 pages

Horror film festivals

chapter 18|16 pages

Self-promotion & marketing

chapter 19|6 pages

The future of horror

chapter 20|11 pages

Bonus interview with danny draven