Creating the Horror in Your Screenplay (On Demand)
About this On Demand Course
This is an On Demand course that was developed from existing live online library content. On Demand courses allow you to watch video lectures at your own pace, with curated resources and other materials to support your work. You can begin taking this course at any time.
Ready to write a horror screenplay that gets under your audience's skin? Learn to craft truly terrifying and unforgettable horror stories in this comprehensive, On Demand course taught by celebrated horror screenwriter Owen Egerton.
In this course, you'll go beyond cheap jump scares to discover the core principles of cinematic horror. Through bite-sized video lessons you can watch at your own pace, Owen will guide you through writing exercises that build your story from the ground up, helping you develop compelling characters, build suspense, and create scares that are both original and deeply unsettling.
This course builds upon a previous Sundance Collab Master Class and features exclusive insights and conversations with some of the biggest names in the genre, including Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night), Jason Blum (Blumhouse Productions), and Robert Eggers (The Witch).
In this course, you will:
- Develop and outline a compelling horror story
- Create and define your characters
- Craft and analyze the art of "the scare"
- Write a powerful logline to pitch your project
- Draft a short horror script for your film concept
Who this course is for: This course is ideal for aspiring and working screenwriters, as well as directors and genre enthusiasts who want to master the unique elements of horror storytelling.
Additional Benefits: Your enrollment includes a Workbook and access to several additional videos from Sundance Collab's Video Library.
View the Outline tab for more details on the course.
All course videos are closed-captioned. For other accommodations and support services, please email us at accessibility@sundance.org.
On Demand CourseOutline
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to Horror
- Horror in Horrific Times
- History of Horror
- Making Horror That is About Something
Topics covered include:
- Story Development
- Building Narrative
- Amplifying the Idea
- The Art of Character-Based Horror
Topics covered include:
- Character Development
- Creating the Scare
- Horror Scene Analysis
Topics covered include:
- Navigating the Horror Market
- Jason Blum on Entrepreneurial Producing in the Horror Genre
- Making Your Film
- Career Evolution and Creative Partnerships
Team
Owen Egerton
Instructor
Award winning filmmaker and novelist Owen Egerton is the screenwriter and writer/director of several films including Blood Fest (Rooster Teeth, Warner Media) and Mercy Black (Blumhouse, Universal). Working in horror, comedy, and occasionally animation, Egerton has written for Fox, Disney, Warner Brothers, HBO and more. He’s written several novels including The Book of Harold the Illegitimate Son of God and Hollow which landed on NPR's Best Books of 2017. Egerton is also one of the comics behind the Alamo Drafthouse’s Master Pancake Theater and host of the Fantastic Debates at the Fantastic Fest.
FAQ
Sundance Collab’s On Demand courses provide flexibility to learn on your own time, whenever you’re ready. On Demand courses do not provide you with feedback on your work, but they do provide suggested activities and curated resources.
Participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for all of the On Demand courses and the certificate will include the name associated with your Collab account.
You can find any courses that you are enrolled in or have already completed in the profile section of your Collab account under “Courses.”
Sundance Collab provides accommodations and support services to participants with disabilities. Please contact us at (435) 776-7790 or email us at accessibility@sundance.org to ask any questions or to discuss your specific needs.