By Steve Conway – 04/11/23 – Filmmaker
Step into the world of legendary filmmaker John Carpenter and discover three invaluable lessons that aspiring filmmakers cannot afford to miss
As a child in the early 90s, Friday nights on UK television always featured a movie of the week, often a horror movie for some reason, which also happens to be one of my favourite genres. It was an event I eagerly anticipated all week long.
This was many years before the various online streaming platforms we have at our disposal today, with access to watch almost any film at the drop of a hat.
Sometimes, this coincided with me spending the night at my Nan’s (Grandmother) place to keep her company, as she was a widow and lived alone.
One night while staying over, when I was around ten years old, I discovered a film and director that would greatly influence me as a filmmaker much later on.
Obviously, the title of this blog post gives away whom I am referring to, but before I delve into the details, it’s funny to reminisce about how the electricity in my Nan’s flat in North London would occasionally cut out on some of those Friday nights. Believe it or not, she had a coin-operated electric meter back then, which required a fifty-pence coin to be inserted and turned to restore power.
I remember the frantic late nights when I would startle my Nan awake, rushing around the flat to quickly find a fifty-p to turn the electricity back on. This was usually because a film was about to start, or even worse, it had just cut out halfway through.
My poor old Nan, attempting to collect her thoughts, as I shook her awake in the middle of the night, ranting and raving about 50-pence coins and Count Dracula or some other crazy horror film on television, her head must have been spinning.
Friday Night Horror Movies: A Childhood Tradition
One of the films of the week was ‘The Fog’ by John Carpenter. I vividly remember sitting on my Nan’s settee, with her asleep next to me, all those years ago, watching that film for the first time, listening to its incredibly iconic soundtrack, and I was in complete awe.
The story of the film unfolds in a tranquil coastal town in America, focusing on a sequence of unsettling and strange events that transpire on the night of the town’s 100th anniversary of its founding. Suddenly a thick radiant fog begins to shroud the town, carrying vengeful spirits in its wake who seek retribution for a long-buried town secret.
Written by John Carpenter and frequent film collaborator Debra Hill, the inspiration for the film occurred while Carpenter and Hill, were promoting their film ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ (1976) in England. During a visit to Stonehenge, they noticed a thick, heavy fog in the distance and began a conversation about the possibilities of what eerie things might be concealed within the fog itself.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the film after watching it, and it inspired me to explore more of Carpenter’s work, including his soundtracks, as well as films and directors with a similar style.
To this day, I watch ‘The Fog’ at least once a year, and I highly recommend seeing it in a remastered version in a cinema if you have the chance.
Of course, by today’s standards, it might be easy for some viewers to believe that older horror films aren’t as terrifying as they once were due to advancements in special effects and even desensitisation to graphic content. However, it is the general tension and atmosphere that these old films expertly crafted, drawing viewers into a world of fear and imagination with a combination of suspense, psychological elements, and skillful storytelling, often achieved with limited budgets.
Budget-Friendly Filmmaking: Lessons from John Carpenter
Those Friday night movies at my Nan’s were quite an eclectic selection, but also included a lot of the Hammer Horror films starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.
If we take a look at some of Carpenter’s more notable films, there are some common themes that run through them, apart from the horror genre.
Films such as ‘Assault on Precinct 13’ (1976), ‘Halloween’ (1978), ‘The Fog’ (1980), ‘Escape from New York’ (1981), and ‘The Thing’ (1982).
All classics in their own right, these films are typically set in just one or two locations, with stories unfolding over a short period, often just a couple of days or less and also stories that are fundamentally very simple really. In Carpenter’s case, in its simplest terms, this typically involves a group of people trying to escape from something.
It’s understandable to think that as Carpenter moved from one film to the next, with significantly increased budgets and his own directorial success, he would significantly expand on this.
Sure, he did with things such as the scale of the sets involved, practical effects, and the overall production value.
But not with his tried-and-tested three core elements.
Many aspiring filmmakers should take note of this, especially those working on projects with little to no budget, and follow the way Carpenter approached his own work, even when he could have been much more extravagant.
Crafting Compelling Film Stories: Simplify and Engage
Of course, you will want to put your own spin on things and incorporate your ideas and storytelling.
However, based on my own experience, believe me when I say that you will have enough to think about just getting the film made with a minimal budget. You don’t want to further complicate matters by attempting a mind-bending plot in addition.
As I touched on in my previous blog post, ‘Why I Believed I Could Make a No Budget Film – And Others Should Too’, focus on what you can do and then try to excel in those few areas alone.
And, also keep in mind the three core elements of John Carpenter’s films as a useful guide:
- Feature just one or two main locations.
- Unfold the story over one or two days.
- Maintain a fundamentally simple concept for the story.
As a bonus tip, it also won’t hurt to include an iconic soundtrack in your film as well.
Do I Need a Professional-Grade Cinema Camera to Make a Film?
Like most dedicated filmmakers, I shared similar equipment concerns when I set out to create my first feature-length film. This topic is a common point of discussion among fellow creators. Dive deeper into equipment considerations by downloading my free, concise 4-page PDF guide, available here.
Steve Conway Films 