Best Low-Budget Horror Plots?

[InkyWretch]

Some friends and I are shooting a serries of horror shorts on DV, and we're looking for plots that get the most bang for the least buck. My first instinct was the slasher, given its history of success in low-budget movies. We'd love to do a zombie short as well, but the effects required seem too expensive. What do you guys think? Which horror plots and sub genres are best for movie makers whose ambitions exceed their budgets? Examples are welcome.

[IGotsNewShoes]

If you have a good writer, then suspense thriller type films are probably best. They don't require too much in the effects department therefore they are a lot cheaper to make. Slasher would probably be good too, just look at Slumber Party Massacre and films like that to get ideas on how to do cheap effects.

[Dwhots]

I find doing a ghost story would be quite simple and cheap to do. Just make sure you got some kick ass sound effects.

[Livingdead102]

I actually wrote a ghost story rough for an anthology some friends and I were going to shoot, but we never got around to it. They can be super cheap if you do them right, but I think they're probably the hardest to do properly--you'd need a really great script and cinematography to pull it off (something we were probably lacking, but what the hell).

One piece of advice, though. Nothing screams low-budget like a lack of locations. I would try to shoot at a bunch of different locations for scenes that aren't too important (instead of having a quick conversation in the same old living room as everything else, for example, have it on a park bench or something). And lots of extras, like friends or classmates or something, that just walk around and provide scenery, make your film look a lot bigger than it is too. At least, those are just my guesses, I'm hardly a pro.

[Alien Redrum]

The ghost story and suspense are great ideas. If you look at movies such as Blair Witch Project, The Haunting (original) and Black Christmas you realize you never really saw the evil presence/bad guy/what have you.

[InkyWretch]

Thanks for the suggestions. Our first script is a pretty standard slasher, with a few interesting twists. It's set on a college campus. We're going to start soliciting permission from the local university to shoot in one of their buildings during the Xmas break. Some of us are students there, so hopefully permission will be forthcoming.

BTW, anyone have any ideas on how to convince aspiring actresses to volunteer to be doused in fake blood and chased around a dark building by a guy with a fake knife? I'm just wondering how to bring it up. :)

[dwatts]

BWP. Enough said.

[InkyWretch]

BWP. Enough said.

Why didn't I think of that? It seems to work wonders for the guys who produce the "Girls Gone Wild" videos. :sperm:

About that nude scene ...

[mcchrist]

BTW, anyone have any ideas on how to convince aspiring actresses to volunteer to be doused in fake blood and chased around a dark building by a guy with a fake knife? I'm just wondering how to bring it up.

Even if you're casting your own friends, make sure you hold an audition. At the audition have them fill out a questionare (?) with a list of things, include in the middle of the questions something like: "Are you comfortable with participating in simulated gore effects? If yes, are you comfortable with being covered in stage blood?" etc. That's how you find out.

EDIT: Make sure that you have in writing a talent release for every one involved in the production and location release for where you are shooting.

[Shannafey]

Even if you're casting your own friends, make sure you hold an audition. At the audition have them fill out a questionare (?) with a list of things, include in the middle of the questions something like: "Are you comfortable with participating in simulated gore effects? If yes, are you comfortable with being covered in stage blood?" etc. That's how you find out.

EDIT: Make sure that you have in writing a talent release for every one involved in the production and location release for where you are shooting.


MC's giving you some great advise, especially about the releases. It could bite you in the butt later if you don't have them and you want to go places with your film.