A Sense of Dread

A Sense of Dread consists of three main sections. First, we examine in detail the biological, psychological, and cultural bases of fear. What are the fears that we share with animals? What fears are uniquely human? What fears do we learn from our culture? From our families? From our experience of growing up? And what, exactly, is the difference between fear and dread-that emotion at the heart of the experience of terror that we seek to create when we write a horror movie? Second, we discuss the fundamentals of storytelling and scriptwriting, including the basics of story structure, creating effective protagonists and antagonists, want vs. need," exposition and set-ups, and advice on writing dialogue. Third, we combine these ideas to mine the roots of human fear and apply them to storytelling for the screen. "The Toolbox of Dread" outlines various means and methods of creating terror on the page. We also discuss a wide array of horror subgenres, why they exist, and what challenges each one presents to the horror screenwriter. Guidance on adding horror elements to non-horror movies is also included. Finally, we seek to answer the question that many people ask: Why horror?"--