10 points on how to scare

Ten Steps to A Good Scare

The horror genre makes extensive use of the false scare tactic. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a clear and present danger for the film’s protagonist, it just means that the frightening reveal is delayed and more shocking because of the audience’s false sense of relief. The false scare scenario plays out following these basic steps.

The protagonist is setup in an isolated area, their vision is limited because of either darkness, blocking through close quarters or both

1. 1. Tension builds as the protagonist reveals their own anxiety about their current predicament. They sometimes call out to nobody in particular or emotionally express their concern.

1. 2. Unbeknownst to the protagonist, the antagonist is revealed. This is done by the blocking of the shot, the protagonist moves about as the antagonist waits, unobserved but clearly present. This can also be accomplished through a point-of-view shot from the antagonist.

1. 3. The antagonist is hidden from view once again. The protagonist shows that their anxiety is building and they are unaware of how close the antagonist was.

1. 4. Tension rises in the scene, whether it’s accomplished by a rise in the music or a slow move-in by the camera, the evident danger is obvious to the audience.

1. 5. The scene is now set-up, tension is high and the scene blocking has the protagonist positioned for the surprise of their soon to be shortened life.

1. 6. The false reveal occurs when a door closes, the protagonist turns around, or an object falls off the shelf. With a quick movement and an exaggerated sound effect the audience is shocked for a moment as nothing is revealed except for a startled protagonist.

1. 7. There is a sigh of relief now coming from both the audience and the protagonist as they pick up the broken pieces of the scene, knowing they survived this moment.

1. 8. The protagonist starts to move about with their guard down and their courage up. 

1. 9. Unfortunately, not all is settled with the audience, as the editor’s pacing reveals that there is still a present threat.

1. 10. The protagonist hesitates for only a slight moment, but that moment is a hair too long and the antagonist is fully revealed. It’s too late for the unfortunate victim and the audience gets a big surprise.