Horror Formula

I wrote a formula for big, budget mainstream horror movie in case anyone wants it. Substitute whatever you find scary for the “horror element” (murderer, ghoul, demonic presence)

•open on some unsuspecting schmuck (who isn’t relevant to the main plot line.) Immediately see that schmuck splattered everywhere because they don’t matter, they are just a quick, cheap scare to show us what’s coming

•cut to a totally normal, upbeat, sunny scene with the *actual* protagonists now everything is great! We get to know the person(s) we’re rooting for

•enter horror element. Something weird/creepy/odd happens that makes the protagonist(s) suspicious but everyone else is like “nah it’s all good calm down.”

•they try to calm down and be normal

•something more weird/creepy and now also slightly horrifying happens and our protagonist is really getting concerned

•JUMP SCARE!!!! that is actually nothing important. It’s just like a cat jumping from an alley and knocking over a trash can or whatever

•something more creepy/horrifying that we (the audience) see that the protagonist doesn’t see like a figure pass the frame behind them or something moving very very slowly that catches the audiences eye in the background (as something normal enough happens in the foreground)

•JUMP SCARE 2!!!! THIS IS THE REAL ONE

•rising horror elements. It’s undeniable. Shit is going down

•RISING HORROR

•someone that the writer considers expendable but who is close to the protagonist dies

•RAPIDLY RISING HORROR

•slower moment for the protagonist(s) to regroup. Spoon feed the writer’s mythology to the audience as the protagonist(s) strategize a way to combat the horror element. Or maybe they get the help of some outside expert who can spoon feed more of the writer’s mythology and offer a way to stop the horror element introducing a plan. And hope

•OPTIONAL THIRD JUMP SCARE!!!!!!!

•extreme horror elements

•it’s really going all to hell

•unflinching horror shit at this point. Most people expect the main protagonist are dead

•things take a turn and we see protagonist be a bad ass or sometimes just manage to escape/outlive the horror shit

•optional brief resurgence of the horror element with final bad ass moment for the protagonist

•things now seem like they’re all good. Or at least good enough. Sometimes we that ole protagonist living happily ever after.

•The End. (Or is it….?*)

*leaving the door open for the sequel should it make the studio enough $$$