THE FILMMAKER’S BOOK OF THE DEAD

01-FM-K81206.indd i 10/21/09 2:51:58 PM Popcorn Artwork by Dave Lange, Darkmatter Studios

01-FM-K81206.indd ii 10/21/09 2:52:04 PM THE FILMMAKER’S BOOK OF THE DEAD

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN HEART-RACING HORROR MOVIE

Danny Draven

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

01-FM-K81206.indd iii 10/21/09 2:52:11 PM Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier 30 Corporate Drive, Suite 400, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK

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Notices Knowledge and best practice in this fi eld are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Draven, Danny. The fi lmmaker’s book of the dead/Danny Draven. p. cm. 1. Horror fi lms--Production and direction. I. Title. PN1995.9.H6D73 2010 791.43’6164--dc22 2009029535

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-0-240-81206-9

For information on all Focal Press publications visit our website at www.elsevierdirect.com

09 10 11 12 13 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America Typeset by: diacriTech, Chennai, India Cover Artwork & Design by : Dave Lange Darkmatter Studios

01-FM-K81206.indd iii 10/21/09 2:55:08 PM FOR MY MUSES JOSEPHINE & LUCAS

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FOREWORD by xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiii PART ONE • THE HORROR GENRE Chapter 1 THE MECHANICS OF MONSTERS 3 PART TWO • PREPRODUCTION Chapter 2 GETTING STARTED 27 Chapter 3 CASTING A HORROR 53 Chapter 4 THE CREW 73 Chapter 5 PREPRODUCTION TIPS & TRICKS 85 PART THREE • PRODUCTION Chapter 6 PRODUCING A HORROR FILM 99 Chapter 7 DIRECTING A HORROR FILM 115 Chapter 8 CINEMATOGRAPHY OF A HORROR FILM 133 Chapter 9 WAR STORIES & ADVICE FROM THE TRENCHES 141 PART FOUR • POSTPRODUCTION Chapter 10 EDITING HORROR 157 Chapter 11 THE SOUND OF HORROR FILMS 171 Chapter 12 THE MUSIC OF HORROR FILMS 183 Chapter 13 CGI 199 Chapter 14 THE PITFALLS OF POSTPRODUCTION 209

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PART five • DISTRIBUTION and MARKETING Chapter 15 DISTRIBUTION FOR HORROR FILMS 223 Chapter 16 GENERAL DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS 251 Chapter 17 HORROR FILM FESTIVALS 265 Chapter 18 SELF-PROMOTION & MARKETING 277 Chapter 19 THE FUTURE OF HORROR 289

INDEX 295

Website contents for draven’s filmmaker’s book of the dead Website Extras Chapter 2 Website Extras: Cryptz schedule Darkwalker shooting schedule Deathbed shooting schedule Ghost Month Production Schedule Production Agreement Sample

Chapter 3 Website Extras: Sample of non-union talent agreement

Chapter 7 Website Extras: Sample of non-union director’s contract

Chapter 15 Website Extras: Listing of horror distributors

Chapter 16 Website Extras: As produced sample Comprehensive CCSL Sample Comprehensive combined continuity sample Comprehensive dialogue list sample Comprehensive spotting list sample Simple CCSL sample

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Simple combined continuity sample Simple dialogue list sample Time as produced sample Music cue sheet sample

Chapter 17 Website Extras: Listing of horror fi lm festivals

Chapter 18 Website Extras: Listing of horror conventions Listing of horror magazines

Video Behind-the-Scenes Footage: Cryptz Darkwalker Dead Hate the Living Ghost Month Ghost Month: Origins Gingerdead Man Hell Asylum Lurking Fear Puppetmaster

Horror Movie Trailers: BioSlime Cryptz Dangerous Worry Dolls Darkwalker Deathbed Demonic Toys

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Dollman Ghost Month Gingerdead Man 2 Hell Asylum Intruder Invisible Lurking Fear Oblivion Pit and the Pendulum Puppetmaster 2 Puppetmaster 3 Robot Wars Shrunken Heads Skullheads 2 Trancers 3

To access this content, visit the companion website at http://booksite.focalpress.com/ companion/Draven. Use access code DRA8HL98FR53 to log in.

03-Contents-K81206.indd x 10/22/09 1:55:43 AM FOREWORD

By Charles Band

Charles Band (2009). Photo Credit: Courtesy of .

Danny Draven is the renaissance fi lm dude! From the moment he joined us at Full Moon Pictures almost 10 years ago (at the ridiculously young age of 21!) his love and dedication to the genre along with his uncanny ability to adapt to the never-ending new technologies put him into a unique and very valuable category. Although Danny left Full Moon a few years later to pursue his many independent dreams, we have been associated ever since. Independent fi lmmakers are certainly in a new world today where practically anyone can create, produce, and market a fi lm almost single-handedly, and the cost to produce a feature that way is practically zero. Back when I started out in this intoxicating business, you had to have at least $40,000–$50,000 to make a fi lm, you had to shoot

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it on 35mm, you had to have an expensive answer print to screen it, and ultimately you had to have some form of theatrical distribution to exploit it. Then, you just prayed that your distributor would be at least partially honest and send you a report with some pennies. You were part of an expensive food chain and there were few shortcuts. Today, you can shoot your show on your camcorder in HD, edit and post it on your computer, spit out DVDs, create your own packaging, and start selling your fi lm on the Internet. You may not make a dime, but you can do it all yourself! And if you actually have some talent, then you have a real chance of being discovered, and off you go! That brings me back to Danny Draven. Danny can do it all and he is super talented! He can craft a fi lm for very few dollars and make it look like the budget was 10 times what was actually spent. It’s not because he is extremely technically profi cient (which he is)—it’s because the love for his craft shines through and he is truly gifted. This book is a terrifi c practical guide to fi lmmaking from someone who doesn’t just write about it, but lives it every day.

CHARLES BAND Full Moon President May 19, 2009 Hollywood, California

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Every writer is a frustrated actor who recites his lines in the hidden audito- rium“ of his skull. ” —ROD SERLING A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO MIKE & MARLENE BROWN

Elinor Actipis Jane Dashevsky Amanda Guest Melinda Rankin Jeanne Hansen Jojo Draven & Lucas Pebbles Mami & Papi Takim Albert “Koko” & Siane Soegijopranoto Stefan Soegiarto Loui & Ika Sugiyanto Jason Rouch Sheena & Shawn Rolsen Helene Hill Stuart Gordon Rick & Angie Irvin Dave & Sandra Lange Darkmatter Studios David DeCoteau Charles Band, Full Moon Features

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Shirley To Marina Resa Tom Savini Lloyd Kaufman, Troma Entertainment John D. LeMay Robert Kurtzman Chuck Williams Buddy Barnett Kathe Duba-Barnett Steven M. Blasini BenniQue Blasini Robert Englund Nancy Booth Reggie Bannister Gigi Fast Elk Bannister Mbencekno, Inc. Fangoria Magazine Michael Gingold Tony Timpone Debbie Rochon James Wan Patricia Dziekan Michael King Mac Ahlberg John Strysik Herschell Gordon Lewis Andrea Beesley-Brown Ryan Brookhart J. R. Bookwalter, Tempe Entertainment Del & Sue Howison Dark Delicasies, Burbank, California ( www.darkdel.com ) Jon Sagud, RED Digital Cinema North American Motion Pictures Brett Lauter, Pan Global Entertainment Arrifl ex Sound Indeas, Inc., Elliott Zimmerman Regent Releasing, Jonathon Aubry

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Ryan Mantione, Full Moon Features Draven Lovell Marc Pilvinsky Todd Debreceni Producers Guild of America Nancy Naglin, Videoscope Magazine Dean Boor, GoreZone Magazine Rue Morgue Magazine Karoline Brandt Nathan Barr Jim Dooley Matthew Sakevitz Kwok Ching Gold Wheel Abbot Lee Mok-sau Yeung Gor Chow Bak-tung Script Sample Creation for Chapter 22 Line 21 Media Services Ltd. www.line21cc.com Da Vinci City Hall provided the original script and it was produced by: Haddock Entertainment Inc. www.haddockentertainment.com Software Contributors Chris Huntley, Write Brothers, Inc. Paul Clatworthy, PowerProduction Software Alejandro Seri, Final Draft, Inc. Michael Trent, Movie Outline Software David Parrish, Wide Screen Software, LLC Logan Ryan, Mariner Software, Inc. Steve Shepard, Storyist Software David Johnson, Literature and Latte Interview Transcriptions Marlene R. Brown Danny Draven Back Cover Photo Michael Helms

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Cover Artwork, Design, and Section Illustrations Dave Lange Darkmatter Studios www.darkmatterstudios.com FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DANNY DRAVEN AND HIS FILMS GO TO: www.dannydraven.com www.myspace.com/dannydraven

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