How to Write Compelling Scenes: Lessons from Horror Films

If you’ve ever wondered how to write compelling scenes that keep your audience hooked, the answer may surprise you: study horror films.

In this week’s Indie Film Podcast, Chuck and Victoria dive into why horror is one of the best teachers for screenwriters and filmmakers, even if you don’t plan on making a horror movie yourself. Horror thrives on tension, high stakes, and inherently dramatic situations, all of which can be applied to any genre.

10 Inherently Compelling Situations

Horror films excel at creating scenarios that immediately grab attention. In this episode, we break down ten of the most powerful setups that writers can borrow for scripts, novels, or indie films:

• A character being chased

• An argument between lovers

• A character stealing something

• A character spying on someone

• A character trying to start a fire or destroy something

• A character dying

• A character getting kidnapped

• A character getting physically trapped

• A character getting drunk

• A character on trial

These moments work because they come preloaded with tension and stakes. Audiences are wired to pay attention when danger, conflict, or risk is at play.

Why Horror Teaches Us How to Write Compelling Scenes

From The Shining’s hedge maze to the relentless stalker in It Follows, horror showcases how simple setups can lead to unforgettable storytelling. But it’s not just the big classics, even micro-budget films like Paranormal Activity show us the risks of leaning too heavily on gimmicks without strong story foundations.

By examining these examples, filmmakers and writers can see how compelling scenes are built on more than just scares: they’re about character, choice, and consequence.

Lessons from Filmmaking Fails

Of course, not every attempt at these situations goes smoothly. Chuck and Victoria share behind-the-scenes stories of botched chase sequences, overly complicated stunts, and indie filmmaking mishaps. These moments highlight the importance of planning, shot listing, and knowing your limitations: lessons just as valuable as the successful attempts.

Dramatic Irony and Suspense

The episode also explores Alfred Hitchcock’s famous “bomb under the table” analogy. By giving the audience information that characters don’t have, writers can transform even a mundane scene into one filled with unbearable suspense.

If you want to know how to write compelling scenes, look to horror. These films are a masterclass in tension, pacing, and high-stakes storytelling. Whether you’re writing your first short film, your tenth novel, or just exploring new ways to strengthen your scripts, borrowing from horror’s playbook will help you create stories audiences can’t turn away from.

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