Contrary to what many would suggest, crafting horror is one of the more complex and intricate art forms within the scope of cinema. While there have been plenty of awful horror films which have sought to evoke terror by hurling as much fake blood as was monetarily possible at the screen, there have been thousands of others which have elicited genuine fear from an audience by getting creative with filmmaking techniques.

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From tricks of perception which make a viewer’s blood run cold to aural gimmicks that get hearts pounding, these techniques have been the hidden secret behind some of the most iconic scenes in horror history. In fact, many of the greatest horror moments use several of these techniques at the same time to make for a truly terrifying visual experience.

1 Jump Scares

The Lipstick Face Demon behind Patrick Wilson's character in Insidious.
Image via FilmDistrict

It’s not the most subtle technique, and is often overused, but implementing jump scares into a film is a great way to get an immediate reaction from the audience. While horror film history is littered with lazy examples of the gimmick, jump scares can be an incredibly effective storytelling device and elicit genuine terror when employed intelligently.

As explored by Insider, crafting a good jump scare is a meticulous process demanding precision concerning what is shown, when it is shown, and how it is complimented by the soundscape. 1942’s Cat People helped to popularize jump scares in cinema and the technique has been used prolifically ever since.

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2 Use of Negative Space

ethan-hawke-ellison-oswalt-sinister
Image via Summit Entertainment

Negative space is everywhere. It refers to parts of the screen we’re not really meant to be paying attention to such as a blank wall in the background or the surrounding diners in a restaurant. While designed to be practically invisible, horror directors have sought to embolden negative space with the terrors of the audience’s imagination.

Den of Geek explains how horror hits It Follows and Sinister have used negative space so effectively that audiences start searching for the monster in the background rather than watching the scene as it is presented. The end result is an amplified paranoia and one hell of an intense viewing experience.

3 Body Horror and Irregular Movement

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Image via Warner Bros

Body horror has proven to be such a popular aspect of the genre that it has long stood as a distinguished subgenre in its own right. Covering everything from intense blood and gore to parasitic monsters that horrifically transform their hosts, body horror is among the most immediately terrifying and potent ways the genre can impact an audience.

It also bleeds into the use of irregular movement, which is essentially an actor’s physical performance being so unnatural that it disturbs an audience. This can often be infused with blood and guts, as seen in the films of John Carpenter and David Cronenberg, but it can also be horrifying without the excessive gore, as seen in films like Pulse, The Ring, and The Exorcist.

4 Infrasound

Paranormal Activity couple on camera while in bed
Image via Paramount Pictures

So much of the impact of horror comes not from what we see but what we hear, which is what makes the use of infrasound so intriguing. Existing at 19 Hz or lower, infrasound refers to frequencies which are just below what the human ear is able to hear and is best defined as a low, base-like hum which can give people feelings of unease, disorientation, and even make them physically sick.

It is typically used in horror soundtracks as a way to add to the creeping suspense of dread, and compliments psychological horror movies rather effectively. It was used consistently throughout the first 30 minutes of Gasper Noe’s shocking thriller Irréversible to great effect while the Paranormal Activity movies used it frequently as well.

5 Using the Rhythm of the Edit

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Image via Paramount Pictures

One of the most effective ways tone can be manipulated in film is to control the rhythm of the edit. The average shot in a film last 4-6 seconds; going slower than that can instill a sense of calmness while cutting faster creates a sense of tension. Horror revels in that brand of tension, and one of the finest examples of this technique in use is the shower scene from Psycho.

The video above goes in depth about how the rhythm of the edit made the scene so terrifying, with the actual attack using a rapid 31 cuts in just 22 seconds. Premium Beat have also explored the impact of using the rhythm of the edit in horror, conducting an intriguing interview with Us editor Nicholas Monsour who shared his insights on the matter, as well as how editing horror is different to other genres.

6 Uncommon Cinematography

The Exorcist
Image via Warner Bros.

Unlike most other genres of filmmaking, horror has a set of cinematography rules which are uniquely its own. According to filmschoolrejects.com, this is because horror films need audiences to identify with the protagonist on such a level that their experiences can be occupied as the audience’s own, necessitating more expansive and expressive visuals.

This technique can include anything from POV or even found-footage camerawork, extended tracking shots, dutch tilts, as well as under exposure and the use of shadows. This is one of the oldest and most traditional tools in horror filmmaking, dating as far back as the silent era when films like Nosferatu terrified audiences.

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7 Non-linear Sound

Iconic Horror Movies-Psycho
Image via Paramount Pictures

What good would all the horrific visuals and suspense be if there wasn’t an appropriately grating soundscape to compliment them? With an ability to elicit a powerful mental reaction, non-linear sound has become something of a secret weapon within the genre. It refers to sound waves that are too loud in comparison to usual noises, with examples including a baby’s crying and wildlife distress calls.

Typically an abrasive, piercing noise which strikes terror into an audience, non-linear sound has been used in horror soundtracks for decades to get viewers experiencing feelings of dread and imminent danger. To cite the Psycho shower scene again, the screeching music used makes the motion of the knife all the more visceral and squeamishly terrifying.

8 Redlighting

A wild-eyed Nicolas cage staring at the camera in Mandy
Image via RLJE Films

As an alarming signal of danger, violence, and rage, the use of red in film has always had a powerful impact on the psyche of an audience. Horror is able to take that response and dial it up to eleven, with the use of redlighting one of finest examples of the genre operating in excessive style to strike fear.

Simply put, redlighting is when a shot or scene is captured in red light, be it from tinted lights, a red lens filter, or any other source that gives the shot a haunting red glow. It has been utilized in all forms of horror, from blood-soaked visual extravaganzas like Mandy to psychological thrillers like Carrie.

9 Tight Framing

Get Out - Chris crying while looking at camera
Image via Universal Pictures

One of the fundamentals of horror is controlling what the audience can and can’t see, or, in more camera-friendly terms, what is in the frame and what is out of it. Tight framing is when little space is given around the subject of the shot, giving audiences a confined image which, in horror, can cause feelings of constriction and discomfort.

Limiting the audience’s field of view, it draws us in on a very specific subject, but draws attention to we can’t see coming either. Jordan Peele used this technique brilliantly in Get Out to build tension and establish that something was wrong in the lead up to Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) first being sent to the sunken place.

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10 Suspense

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Image via Netflix

Many greats of the genre have made comments to the effect that true fear does not reside in horror itself, but in the anticipation of it. While it may seem as simple as cutting the music and creeping towards an inevitable scare, there is a lot more to creating suspense then that.

According to StudioBinder.com, everything from shot selection to production design contribute to building suspense in film. A great example of this is the hospital hallways scene from The Exorcist III which is able to draw out the suspense for over four minutes, leaving audiences in an agonizing state of anticipation before the terrifying jump scare is finally delivered.

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