While the festival features films that showcase all elements of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and cult classic retrospectives, we touched base with several filmmakers from all genres to share some creative tips for genre-specific filmmaking.<\/p>\n
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Creating Atmospheric Horror<\/h3>\n![\"Roundup:](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Fantastic-Fest-Horror.jpg\" "\\"Roundup:")
<\/a>Image via\u00a0House of Sweat and Tears<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\nAll the photography of the film was created with the light of candles and no artificial light, creating the true aura of atmospheric horror. I wanted each frame to be a painting, as I am a great admirer of the Caravaggio paintings. Pepe de la Rosa, the cinematographer, did an extraordinary job, though it was a great challenge for him.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Written and directed by one of the only women featured among Fantastic Fest\u2019s lineup of directors, Sonia Escolano\u2019s<\/a> House of Sweat and Tears<\/em><\/a> (aka Casa de sudor y L\u00e1grimas<\/em>) is an elevated and atmospheric Spanish horror film based on a real cult operating in Spain during the 1990s. Escolano, along with DP Pepe de la Rosa<\/a>, worked with their Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro<\/a> to create a panoramic screen format that featured cinematography that solely relied on on-set candle lighting for their entire film. The final look is a dreary atmospheric horror style which harkens back to classical paintings of Caravaggio<\/a>, while challenging your perceptions of religion, faith, rebellion and power.<\/p>\n(If you’re looking for practical ways to film your own candlelight-primary project, we’ve got you covered<\/a>.)<\/p>\n
\nBuilding (and Destroying) a Cabin in the Woods<\/h3>\n![\"Roundup:](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Fantastic-Fest-Cabin.jpg\" "\\"Roundup:")
<\/a>Image via\u00a0Feral<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\nAfter much searching, we decided to film in the forest of the Dinamos, on the outskirts of Mexico City, at almost 4,000 meters above sea level. There, we built the cabin from scratch, which would become the set for filming the footage found for two weeks. The next step was to burn the cabin, destroying any possibility of retake. With the cabin half burned, we filmed the newscast that gave account of the facts. We did this with a Betacam SP camera, to give a realistic appearance to the footage.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
For the found-footage, documentary-styled feature Feral<\/em><\/a>, director\u00a0Andr\u00e9s Kaiser<\/a> not only constructed a full cabin in the woods for this dark and brooding drama, he also burned it completely to the ground. Set in the mountains of Oaxaca harbor in Mexico, the cabin was a central element to the film\u2019s plot, as it portrays the three moments in the film\u2019s history: the past in the found-footage, the news footage that gives light to its existence, and the present documentary footage for the narrative. As such, the crew had to build out a full house to film in, which they then burned down for the rest of the shoot.<\/p>\n
\nGunshot Effects and VFX Chase Scene<\/h3>\n![\"Roundup:](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Fantastic-Fest-LED.jpg\" "\\"Roundup:")
<\/a>Images via\u00a0The Unthinkable<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\nAll gunshots were made with small LED lights installed in <\/i>the<\/i> mouth of <\/i>the<\/i> gun that <\/i>the<\/i> actor could light by themselves on <\/i>the<\/i> trigger. Then we just added gunfire in post, but got <\/i>the<\/i> real light on <\/i>the<\/i> environment from set. Easy, fast to use, safe and great result!<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The Unthinkable<\/a><\/em> is yet another great example of how Scandinavia continues to emerge as a leader in genre filmmaking. Directed by Victor Danell<\/a> (aka Crazy Pictures), the Swedish thriller is a great action-packed genre piece that hits hard but has heart. For some of their more fiery shootouts, the team made creative use of small LED lights in their prop weapons, which they found to be both stylish and safe. The film also features an impressive chase scene<\/a>, which uses some clever CGI and VFX \u2014 which they\u2019ve outlined in this behind-the-scenes video.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Image via\u00a0House of Sweat and Tears<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n All the photography of the film was created with the light of candles and no artificial light, creating the true aura of atmospheric horror. I wanted each frame to be a painting, as I am a great admirer of the Caravaggio paintings. Pepe de la Rosa, the cinematographer, did an extraordinary job, though it was a great challenge for him.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Written and directed by one of the only women featured among Fantastic Fest\u2019s lineup of directors, Sonia Escolano\u2019s<\/a> House of Sweat and Tears<\/em><\/a> (aka Casa de sudor y L\u00e1grimas<\/em>) is an elevated and atmospheric Spanish horror film based on a real cult operating in Spain during the 1990s. Escolano, along with DP Pepe de la Rosa<\/a>, worked with their Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro<\/a> to create a panoramic screen format that featured cinematography that solely relied on on-set candle lighting for their entire film. The final look is a dreary atmospheric horror style which harkens back to classical paintings of Caravaggio<\/a>, while challenging your perceptions of religion, faith, rebellion and power.<\/p>\n (If you’re looking for practical ways to film your own candlelight-primary project, we’ve got you covered<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Image via\u00a0Feral<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n After much searching, we decided to film in the forest of the Dinamos, on the outskirts of Mexico City, at almost 4,000 meters above sea level. There, we built the cabin from scratch, which would become the set for filming the footage found for two weeks. The next step was to burn the cabin, destroying any possibility of retake. With the cabin half burned, we filmed the newscast that gave account of the facts. We did this with a Betacam SP camera, to give a realistic appearance to the footage.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n For the found-footage, documentary-styled feature Feral<\/em><\/a>, director\u00a0Andr\u00e9s Kaiser<\/a> not only constructed a full cabin in the woods for this dark and brooding drama, he also burned it completely to the ground. Set in the mountains of Oaxaca harbor in Mexico, the cabin was a central element to the film\u2019s plot, as it portrays the three moments in the film\u2019s history: the past in the found-footage, the news footage that gives light to its existence, and the present documentary footage for the narrative. As such, the crew had to build out a full house to film in, which they then burned down for the rest of the shoot.<\/p>\n Images via\u00a0The Unthinkable<\/a><\/em>.<\/p><\/div>\n All gunshots were made with small LED lights installed in <\/i>the<\/i> mouth of <\/i>the<\/i> gun that <\/i>the<\/i> actor could light by themselves on <\/i>the<\/i> trigger. Then we just added gunfire in post, but got <\/i>the<\/i> real light on <\/i>the<\/i> environment from set. Easy, fast to use, safe and great result!<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Unthinkable<\/a><\/em> is yet another great example of how Scandinavia continues to emerge as a leader in genre filmmaking. Directed by Victor Danell<\/a> (aka Crazy Pictures), the Swedish thriller is a great action-packed genre piece that hits hard but has heart. For some of their more fiery shootouts, the team made creative use of small LED lights in their prop weapons, which they found to be both stylish and safe. The film also features an impressive chase scene<\/a>, which uses some clever CGI and VFX \u2014 which they\u2019ve outlined in this behind-the-scenes video.<\/p>\n
\nBuilding (and Destroying) a Cabin in the Woods<\/h3>\n
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\nGunshot Effects and VFX Chase Scene<\/h3>\n
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