Elements of a Horror that Make a Film Scary...

     As you already know, the entire point of horror movies is to grab the greatest fears and phobias of the audience and bring it to life. For years, certain elements of horror movies have been used so often that it is now scary to us by default. Here, I'm going to explore the certain elements in horror movies that are effective in making the audience afraid and excited.

Fear of Death

    Research has shown that death is the fear that scares the audience the most, both existentially and psychologically. That is why it is common for characters in a horror movie to get killed by the villain or antagonist of the story. Knowing that their life is about to reach its end frightens the audience and makes the villain seem that much more scarier.

Saw (2004)

The Dark

    During childhood, one of the most horrifying things to us is the dark. Some people don't even grow out of that fear, but most do. However, that feeling will still always be there whenever we see a scene full of just darkness. And what scares us is not the dark, but what kind of monster or creature could be hiding within it to scare us. Funny enough, I'm currently writing this at 3:04 AM in the living room couch with all the lights turned off so my parents don't wake up and realize I'm still awake and working. As I search for pictures to put on my blog, some scary images appeared and now I'm a little worried that something will attack me as I write this.

Lights Out (2016)

Insects and Other Creepy Crawlers

    Anything that crawls around the floor or resembles an insect, such as a spider or rat, is already considered scary by many, so much so that a lot of people have phobias of said animals. In scary movies, these pests commonly come up close to the character and come into contact with them, increasing that phobia. Some movies even make these animals abnormally large, such as in King Kong, which added to the overall fear and gross factor of the film.

Slender Man (2018)

Scary/Isolated Locations

    Certain settings and places combined with other elements create for a fear-inducing film. Places that are usually described as creepy or uncomfortable to be in alone add to the frightful atmosphere that horrors try to depict. Graveyards, large forests, attics and basements, etc. all have dark spaces within it, allowing for evil entities to hide in. Even if there is nothing there but darkness, the audience will still be afraid because in the back of their mind, something is lurking there.

Pet Sematary (2019)

Disfigurement

    Some things that come to the minds of people when they think about blood and gore in horror movies would be disfigured bodies lying the ground, disfigured facial features on the villain, etc. Many people, when they see the burned and messed up face of the infamous Freddy Krueger, scream in horror and are terrified at such a sight. As it turns out, infants associate uneven and disordered faces with fear, which is most likely where we get that fear as we grow up and watch horror movies.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

    Looking at these elements, I will definitely be using some of these and incorporate them into my opening. One of my characters will be killed by my slasher at the end of the opening, which plays into the fear of death. Furthermore, my desired location, which is a forest or simply an abandoned area (if I can not find a suitable environment that resembles a forest), plays into that fear of scary places. If I feel the need to add anymore elements, I will choose another one from the ones listed above or research a few more before I finally begin recording.