With all these factors, we’re immediately hooked.Īvoid static openings-and script dialogue in which we merely see characters sitting around shooting the breeze-by connecting with our primal fears like how Mitchell does here. Not only is the tone established right away, but we’re thrown into a situation and a character in action-a girl trying to escape something unseen on a suburban street at night. Let’s take a look at the opening lines in It Follows: When writing horror scripts, one of the most important things to do early on is establish tone. This is an inventive horror screenplay from David Robert Mitchell and was only his second feature. When writing a scene, remember that the “big” ones in horror scripts like this, usually change in their emotional charge from positive to negative.

How he progresses from a bored young woman innocently flirting with a stranger on the phone, to running for her life. Here’s the moment when the scene takes a major turning point as the caller loses it, showing Drew his true nature:īreak down this scene structurally to see how Williamson escalates the tension. If you decide to go for a gore-fest opening intending to grab the reader’s attention like this, there’s no better place to start. While very tongue-in-cheek, and much satirized over the years, you can probably still remember the impact of watching this scene for the first time. The writer of Scream, Kevin Williamson, opted for the latter and it’s become one of the most iconic opening scenes in horror movie history.

A shocking first scene that immediately hooks the reader in and sets the tone.

A slow-burn opening that draws the reader into the lives of its characters, or….

The setups in horror scripts generally go either one of two ways: So, if you’re a budding horror writer (or aspiring writer of any genre) download these horror scripts and learn from the best.Ĭlick to tweet this post. We’re massive proponents of finding the best screenplays to read in order to improve your writing craft. 91 comments 5 horror scripts to download and take your horror writing to the next level.īelow you’ll find five classic horror scripts that every screenwriter who wants to write horror should study.

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