Cutting Your Horror Film Trailer

(The Wolf of Snow Hollow, On Demand and in theaters October 9. Official trailer by FireShip.)

Creating a trailer is a delicate tightrope walk of showing enough to entice audiences without giving away the film.

This can be challenging in any genre, but horror film offers its own unique hurdles. The first step is to determine your film’s subgenre.

It is very rare that a horror film is just a horror film. There are 10 horror film subgenres and almost every horror film fits into one (or more) of them. Take an honest look at your film and determine what subgenres your film fits into. Objective viewers can always help you determine.

Let’s talk tone.

Comedy-Horror

Comedy-Horror - Balance the horror of your bloodiest scene with jokes so that we know what we’re in for, but not so much that they cancel eachother out. Great examples are Scream, The Cabin In The Woods, and The Wolf of Snow Hollow, which FireShip had the honor of cutting the trailer for.

Psychological-Horror

The Shining, The Silence of the Lambs, and Psycho. It’s all about the subject’s perspective. Make us question reality. Is it all in our head, or is the killer around the corner?

Gore-Horror

Classic Gore-Horror films include Saw and The Evil Dead. Appeal to your niche audience by going all out on the blood and guts. Don’t hold back. If your audience is showing up for brutality, show them you plan to deliver.

Body-Horror

Examples would be The Fly or The Exorcist. A jump scare might be better replaced by a slow, haunting reveal of your victim’s transformation. Don’t show us the whole thing. Tease us with the cruel talent of your make-up team.

Slasher-Horror

Re-watch Friday the 13th and the Halloween films. Show us the weapon, the chase, the victim hiding under the bed.

Monster-Horror

Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies, Frankenstein. Show us its unnatural powers so we can’t know for sure if we’re getting out of this alive.

Natural-Horror

There’s something different about this forest. There’s something deep in the water. We’re running out of oxygen. Show us that it’s unsafe to be here. The scariest part of Jaws is not knowing if the beast may be swimming just beneath us. Right. Now. Cujo, The Reef. Sharknado.

Gothic-Horror

The eerie romance of gothic literature and the presence of the supernatural. Location location location.  Something is wrong about this house. The grounds keeper with the lazy eye knows why the walls creak. But he’s not telling. Crimson Peak and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Edgar Allen Poe.

Folk-Horror

A horror film that is set in a rural setting such as The Village, The Wicker Man, and Midsommar. The landscape, the time period, and the architecture set the tone. The locals watch with suspicion. The nearest town is just too far away. There’s only one pay phone. It’s ringing. And it’s for you.

Found Footage-Horror

The real fear comes from what we don’t see. The monster is off screen but we can’t see it because the victim is shaking so much. The camera is dropped and we catch a glimpse just off screen of the spectre just as the battery dies. Cut to title. Was it real? The Blair Witch Project and the Paranormal Activity films.

Once you have determined your subgenre, here are a few pointers from FireShip’s trailer team to cut it together…

Watch other trailers of films within those subgenres for inspiration.

Look for stylistic elements that you like and feel match your film. Consider whether classic elements like voice over or flashy voice over make your trailer distracting, or really stand out. A trailer is as unique as the film itself!

One thing your horror film trailer must have…

A scare. The majority of horror trailers start with establishing the main characters in a casual setting, then enter a montage of horror imagery to build shock value. Take quick flashes of shadows, gore, or your film’s villain and mix it with horrified reactions from characters (or even preview audiences). Don’t feel tied to your film’s chronological order. Skip around! Tease the big reveal right after the opening question, or show us the footsteps of your killer only after scaring us with your victim’s screams.

Use sound.

Sound is the best friend of any horror film trailer editor. Use sound to create anticipation and anxiety and create a startle. Play with music, sound effects, and volume Sometimes silence is scariest. Remember. In space...no one can hear you scream…

Title graphics.

Titles graphics are a huge asset for your film. Just like your trailer, a good title graphic teases your monster, your killer’s knife or gives a nod that we’re going to see some dismemberment. Does your film call back to early classics? Dig through old fonts. Your gothic horror could use some contrast and maybe the dust of your rickety, haunted house. Don’t be afraid to be bold and flamboyant. Many of the most famous movie posters are horror classics.

Finish strong.

Slam the door on your trailer by finishing us off with a jump scare, or the agony of your hopeless victim staring at an unknown villain. Then give us your scariest title with information on how your audience will be able to find it. Throw in your social, and website, where they can sign up for alerts on release and screenings.

Get feedback.

Horror film fans can be some of the most loyal moviegoers, but that also means they can be difficult to please. Get honest feedback on your trailer from avid horror fans before releasing publicly.

Now that your horror trailer is made, it’s time to make your big debut! Post teaser images, memes and even micro segments of your trailer that count down to the reveal. Give your trailer to press publications or horror film festivals to release exclusively. If you do not have those types of connections, FireShip can help, or we can refer you to our PR team.

If you have questions, we’d love to help. Reach out, at FireShip@vanishingangle.com .