So, I bet you're saying "PFFFT! You just describe blood and guts, that's easy!" Well WRONGO, ya jabroni! It's never that easy. Well... okay, it CAN be that easy, but there’s just being gross on the page, and then there’s being an effective gore-master that uses violence and carnage in a way that elevates their script.
It's not just HOW GORE, it's also WHY GORE. As one of many toys in the horror sandbox, gore is also one of the most effective ways to manipulate your audience, which at the end of the day, is what storytelling is all about.
My method for emptying gore is based on two factors: METHOD and STYLE. It should also be set by the kind of story being told. Meaning, a horror movie with a light tone and bombastic style is going to use gore in a different way than one that is super dark and is leaning into morbid vibes. Looking at your own script, you know the tone, you know the subgenre, you know the style— so make your gore match them.
The tone and style of gore both come on a spectrum. The method and style of gore both come on a spectrum. Let’s start with METHOD. On the low end, you have MOTIVATED VIOLENCE. This is gore that comes only because the story requires it. Think: cause and effect, or punishment scaled to a crime. If somebody has been horrible, we expect their demise to be satisfying. This style of gore is infrequent, withheld even, so it comes at impactful moments.
Midway on the spectrum there is TARGETED BLOODSHED. This is what most mainstream horror movies shoot for. In this method, gore generally comes with scares and kills. You have bits of story, where tension builds and eventually leads you to a scare. Depending on the type of movie the timing can vary wildly. A slasher movie is going to have things on a pretty methodical clock, as it's a subgenre known for delivering kills. An A24 grief-train style horror film is going to go LOOOOONG stretches of time between just a few key moments of gore for maximum shock value.
On the far end of the spectrum, is SPLATTER. This is when gore can happen anytime, or anywhere and is designed purely to shock the audience, and not necessarily because the story requires it. It’s important to note that it is also possible to move along that spectrum as things go along. There are many great horror films that start with no gore at all, but the last twenty minutes are complete splatter-fests.
(Also, as always, remember these terms are just for me and my brain, and not industry key words or anything. This isn’t Save the Cat.)
As for the STYLE of gore-- again think of it as a spectrum. At one end, you have BELIEVABLE BUTCHERY, which is hyper realistic gore that is super upsetting. At the opposite end is COMEDY CARNAGE, when the gore is so over the top, it is just funny.
Again, most mainstream movies will ride the middle-zone of the spectrum and will be deadpan about the gore. It will amuse gore-hounds and startle the squeamish, double wins. Is this playing it safe? Yes. But safe sells more movie tickets. (Your mileage may vary.)
The key thing to remember when you deploy gore in a screenplay is that it tends to be the #1 factor for somebody who isn’t a pure horror fan. MOST people out there who say they hate horror movies are really saying they hate gore. That’s how impactful it can be. That said, here’s some basic writing tips for gore:
A. Remember the WHY. Are you goring things up to scare? To disturb? To shock? That’s great, but these are things your story should doing if it is horror-ing correctly. If it’s there to be gonzo splattery about it, lean in and don’t hold back.
B. Find poetry in the words. Remember it’s going to be READ first. Know your audience. Word things in a way that’s not just describing the gore— remember those simile, metaphor, and allegorical things that make you look like a fancy writer and not a sicko.
C. Super important: think about escalation. Think about the timing. Think about scaling. This should be in sync with the tone of your film. Scares (and therefor gore) get bigger and closer together as you go along (generally). Don’t go too big too soon, then get smaller.
D. This is more of a directorial/editorial decision, or even one commanded by the MPAA, but if you are trying to sell a script and it is full of gory descriptions that tells the exec they’re going to have to work to even get an R-rating, you’re putting yourself out of the game. Don’t be afraid to sneak in a descriptor like “for a split second we see ____” so you don’t give them a reason to pass.
Final tip— execs really hate dead dogs, so unless you have a trust fund and plan to make it yourself, leave that out! Happy gore-ing!