2nd Edition

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

By Danny Draven Copyright 2016
    456 Pages 452 Color Illustrations
    by Routledge

    456 Pages 452 Color Illustrations
    by Routledge

    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 2nd 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 13th, 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...

    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


    Biography

    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.

    "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