Amongst the deluge of October horror movies, one has a lot to teach about limitations. Scare Me follows two horror writers (and eventually, a pizza delivery man) trying to scare each other. What would normally become an anthology with a series of short films instead turns into an exercise in restraint.
Working within Limitations
Each writer has a limited set of tools to tell a story. Their words. Moody lighting. Spooky sound effects. And the imagination. With just that, they trade off responsibilities for crafting a scary story. And largely, they succeed. Except when they don’t, which the movie plays for a joke.
This replicates what writer (and director and co-star Josh Ruben) put himself through making the movie. But those same limits make for inspired and original moments. The sensation of dread as a make-believe werewolf comes stomping up the stairs. An abrupt appearance of a furry claw against the wall. The funny contortions Ruben puts himself through creating a troll. These moments pop because of the limitations of the story.
Applying to Your Own Work
You don’t need to go as hardcore as “one location, two actors, no cut-aways while telling an anthology.” But by placing limitations on yourself you can encourage creativity and uniqueness in your work. The moments listed above only work within the context of Ruben’s story. So what limits on your script lead to their own surprising and entertaining moments?