What Makes a Great Jump Scare? — 4 Ways to Terrify an Audience

Jump scare tricks and techniques filmmakers use to build terrifying moments.

All-Time Best Jump Scare Horror Movies ►► https://bit.ly/3lNXMou

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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro — What Makes a Great Jump Scare?
00:37 - Types of Jump Scares
01:37 - Technique 1 - Timing
03:07 - Technique 2 - Withhold Information
05:40 - Technique 3 - The Sting
06:18 - Technique 4 - Misdirection
07:40 - Exercise — The Exorcist III
08:15 - Wrap Up — Tips for Good Jump Scares

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Almost every horror movie has a jump scare (or two…or twelve). In fact, for many people the overuse of jump scares has turned them into a cliche of the genre. In other words, we’ve all seen our fair share of horror movie jump scares so what makes a great jump scare and why do some fall flat? In this video, we’re going to run through four different techniques filmmakers can use to create the next great jump scare.

The first technique necessary for a jump scare is timing and there are two general categories to consider: shock and suspense. Shock is created with a sudden and unexpected event; suspense, on the other hand, is created with a delayed and expected event. Therefore, by definition, a shocking jump scare has no build-up — the timing just comes down to when to spring the surprise. A suspenseful jump scare requires some anticipation, which typically lasts anywhere from 30 seconds to nearly 5 minutes.

The next technique in making a scary jumpscare is to withhold information. In most of these scenes, suspicions are raised — something is going to happen but we don’t know what, where, or when. The more successful a filmmaker is at generating these compelling questions, the greater the jump scare (in theory). So, how do we withhold information? By limiting what we can see and hear. Shadows are the perfect place to hide our biggest fears. Looking through keyholes or even using a found footage style of shooting where the shaky camera makes it even more difficult to see what we need to see.

Third, and perhaps most important in building good jump scares, is the sting. The sting is that typically loud noise that accompanies the jump. This can be any diegetic sound like someone screaming, a chainsaw ripping to life, or a cat screeching. Or it could be a non-diegetic sound like a sharp, jarring hit in the musical score. Some of the most creative jump scares use the lack of a sting and opt for a whisper, someone speaking, or no sound at all.

Finally, a great jump scare will often use some form of misdirection to help surprise the audience. This usually centers on the location of where the jump scare happens. If you think the monster is in the closet, when it appears under the bed instead, the fright could be elevated. Another form of misdirection in jump scares is the fake-out. For example, when the closet door is finally opened but it’s empty. Then, almost immediately after that, the real threat appears from behind.

Jump scares are a dime a dozen but a great jump scare will have people talking for years. Hopefully, these tips and techniques will help you make one of the best jump scares ever in your next project.

#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking

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♬ SONGS USED:

“Title” - Disasterpeace
“Halloween 1978” - John Carpenter
“Detroit” - Disasterpeace
“Main Titles” - Final Destination
“Aidan’s Drawing” - Hans Zimmer
“Meet Charlie” - Douglas Pipes
“Theme Song” - Ginger Snaps
“Driveway to the Cemetery (Main Title)” - Night of The Living Dead
“The Exorcist III Main Title” - Barry De Vorzon
“Danse Macabre” - Camille Saint-Saëns
“Jump” - Van Halen

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Music by Artgrid ► https://utm.io/umJy
Music by Soundstripe ► http://bit.ly/2IXwomF
Music by MusicBed ► http://bit.ly/2Fnz9Zq

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