The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead: A Mortal's Guide to Making Horror Movies

by Danny Draven

Overview

Produce, direct, promote and sell your own chilling horror film with real-world advice from award-winning producer/director/writer Danny Draven! The second edition is completely updated with information on new technology, new exclusive interviews with industry pros, new photos and samples from the production of recent horror movies, new behind-the-scenes video, information on modern distribution methods and delivery and more! From the history of horror and the technique of the scare to pre-production and distribution, this complete, full-color guide to filmmaking uncovers all the insider secrets for creating your own spine-tingling horror film from start to finish.

• The 2^nd Edition features all NEW interviews from industry professionals such as:

Mick Garris (Sleepwalkers, Bag of Bones, Desperation, The Stand)

John Ottman (Composer/Editor of X:Men: Days of Future Past, The Usual Suspects)

Mark Ordesky & Jane Fleming (Producers of Lovely Molly, Exists)

Kane Hodder (Jason from the Friday the 13^th, part 7 to 10, Hatchet)

Tibor Takacs (Director of The Gate, Spiders 3D, Megasnake)

John Debney (Composer of Predators, Sin City, End of Days)

Jojo Draven (Composer of Ghost Month, Reel Evil)

Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science)

Mike Mendez (Director of The Gravedancers, Big Ass Spider!)

Neal Marshall Stevens (Screenwriter of Thir13en Ghosts, Hellraiser: Deader)

Chris Alexander (Editor in Chief of Fangoria Magazine)

Jessica Cameron (Actress/Director of Truth or Dare)

Denise Gossett (Founder of Shriekfest Film Festival)

• A newly updated companion website that features:

*Behind the scenes videos for films films such as Puppet Master, Blood Dolls, Trancers, Subspecies, Reel Evil, Ghost Month and more!

*A revised collection of horror movie trailers!

* Sample scripts, schedules, storyboards, agreements and more!

• Other featured interviews include:

James Wan (Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring)

Robert Englund (Freddy from Nightmare on Elm Street)

Robert Kurtzman (From Dusk Til Dawn)

Stuart Gordon (Re-Animator, From Beyond, Dagon)

Tom Savini (Night of the Living Dead)

Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger)

Charles Band (Parasite, Metalstorm, Ghoulies)

John D. LeMay (Friday the 13th: The Series)

David DeCoteau (Puppet Master 3, Sorority Babes in the Slimball Bowl-O-Rama)

Debbie Rochon (Tromeo & Juliet)

Reggie Bannister (Phantasm)

Sam McCurdy (Director of Photography of Dog Soldiers, The Decent, The Hills Have Eyes 2)

Nathan Barr (Composer of Hostel,True Blood, Hemlock Grove)

Jim Dooley (Composer of When A Stranger Calls)

Chuck Williams (Bubba Ho-Tep)

Herschell Gordon Lewis (Blood Feast, Wizard of Gore)

H.P. Lovecraft’s Notes on Writing Weird Fiction

And many more...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138908796
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/08/2015
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	456
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Danny Draven is an award-winning writer, director and producer of genre films. After receiving his film degree from Emerson College, he moved to Hollywood and worked his way up through the ranks until he began producing and directing sci-fi/horror films for B-movie studio Full Moon Pictures (Puppet Master series, Trancers) where he cut his teeth before starting his own production company, Graven Imageworks. He has edited over 80 feature films, including films for Lionsgate, NBC Universal's Chiller TV and the SyFy Channel. He has worked with and been mentored by Hollywood veterans such as Master of Horror Stuart Gordon (Fortress, Re-Animator), legendary cinematographer Mac Ahlberg (Beverly Hills Cop 3), and executive producer Mark Ordesky (Lord of the Rings Trilogy). He is also the author of three published books on genre filmmaking, a member of the Producers Guild of America, and a dog aficionado.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD by CHARLES BAND

SECTION ONE - The Horror Genre

CHAPTER 001: The Mechanics of Monsters & Story

PART TWO - Pre-Production

CHAPTER 002: Getting Started

CHAPTER 003: Casting a Horror Film

CHAPTER 004: The Horror Film Crew

CHAPTER 005: Pre-Production Tips & Tricks

PART THREE - Production

CHAPTER 006: Producing a Horror Film

CHAPTER 007: Directing a Horror Film

CHAPTER 008: Cinematography of a Horror Film

CHAPTER 009: War Stories & Advice From the Trenches

PART FOUR - Post-Production

CHAPTER 010: Editing Horror Films

CHAPTER 011: The Sound of Horror Films

CHAPTER 012: The Music of Horror Films

CHAPTER 013: CGI

CHAPTER 014: The Pitfalls of Post

PART SIX - Distribution and Marketing

CHAPTER 015: Distribution for Horror Films

CHAPTER 016: General Delivery Requirements

CHAPTER 017: Horror Film Festivals

CHAPTER 018: Marketing and Selling Yourself

CHAPTER 019: The Future of Horror

BOOK WEBSITE COMPANION CONTENTS

Focal Press Presents

HORROR FILMMAKING DOCUMENTARY (30 minutes)

With Danny Draven

A 20 Minute behind-the scenes featurette from Danny Draven's film GHOST MONTH
A 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette from Danny Draven's film CRYPTZ

A 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette from Danny Draven's film DEATHBED

A 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette from Danny Draven's film DARKWALKER

The Danny Draven Trailer Reel - Trailers for all 6 feature films

Selected Horror Movie trailers

Horror Script Samples (PDF files) - Ghost Month and Cryptz

Editorial Reviews

"In addition to all of this, the margins of the book are peppered with creative tips and production warnings as a bonus 'To Do or Do Not' list. Draven supplies information ranging from camera selection to the use of CGI in smaller productions. Many previous instructional film books provide a lot of information in a dry manner that read like textbooks but Draven wisely embraces technology and offers a companion website to the book that allows specific examples of production forms andcontracts. The site also presents candid interviews and behind the scenes footage and trailers for several titles in Draven's filmography. An access code (provided within the book) is required to view the exclusive content and is well worth checking out. The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead is filled with tons of valuable information that will not only apply to horror fans, but to filmmakers across all genres working on a smaller budget.—HorrorTalk.com

"Danny Draven's book, The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead How to Make Your Own Heart-Racing Horror Movie is a terrific new 'How To' for aspiring indie horror filmmakers. In fact, there's a ton of great information packed inside making it a great go-to reference for anyone involved with indie production, not just horror. If you want to learn how to make a horror movie without enrolling in film school, this book is where your journey should start!"—Todd Debreceni, Makeup Effects Artist/Designer, Author of Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen Making and Applying Prosthetics (Focal Press, 2008)

"...the reader will find interviews with filmmakers Charles Band, Stuart Gordon, Lloyd Kaufman, David DeCoteau and J.R. Bookwalter...followers of cult cinema will be thrilled to hear these masters of low-budget features discuss the hazards of the industry. The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead is filled with tons of valuable information that will not only apply to horror fans, but to filmmakers across all genres working on a smaller budget."—ZigZag, horrortalk.com

"Set tips and applications from an award-winning director, enhancing his perceptions with interviews with horror legends from Stuart Gordon (of Re-Animator) to Tom Savini (Night of the Living Dead). The result is a fine history of horror and pre-production techniques key to putting on a superior production."— CA Bookwatch

"The book covers every step of the filmmaking process (pre-production, production, post-production, and marketing) and is full of the author's experience and advice. There are also several insightful interviews throughout the book where horror icons such as Stuart Gordon, Robert Englund, and Tom Savini, dispense advice to aspiring filmmakers. The book is beautifully laid out and is full of great images. There is also a companion website to the book where you can download examples of forms used in filmmaking and watch multimedia examples of topics discussed in the book. The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead is an amazing resource for all aspiring filmmakers in any genre."—FamousMonstersofFilmland.com

"In 2010, Draven published his first book entitled The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead: How to Make Your Own Heart-Racing Horror Movie. Contained within is a wealth of information about making your own independent movie, including all of the tips, tricks, and money-saving shortcuts that Draven uses on his own films. In addition to his own wisdom, the book contains interviews with some of the most respected figures in independent horror including James Wan, Tom Savini, Lloyd Kaufman, and a foreword by Full Moon's own Charles Band."—FullMoonHorror.com

"Danny Draven started his directing career with the famous scifi/horror power house Full Moon Pictures. He has directed eight films and since moved into editing; cutting thirty-nine films and counting. His new book The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead: How to Make Your Own Heart-Racing Horror Movie reveals all of his secrets to putting together and distributing a low budget flick."-Moviemavericks.com

From the Publisher