094 - That Horror Movies Are Least Scary in Act 3

Today I learned that in horror movies, the least scary moments are usually in occur in Act 3, which is typically when the protagonist finally confronts the monster. I’m convinced it’s because unknown things (i.e., the monster before we truly see it and the protagonist finally engages it) are almost always more frightening than anything known.The creative lesson I took from this Noticing is the power of the unknown in creating suspense and fear. In horror and other suspenseful, scary genres, keeping certain elements hidden and/or mysterious can heighten tension because it engages the audience's imagination. You can use “the unknown” to build suspense, making the eventual revelation or confrontation even more impactful. (But no, I don’t know how to make Act 3 more scary, maybe because Act 3 is usually supposed to be more action-packed and climactic than scary.)WANT MORE?Members get extra episodes of the podcast, extra companion blog posts (see below), and more every week … all for the price of a fancy coffee. Learn about membership here.Prefer reading?Listening to the Art of Noticing podcast is only one way to get these lessons. Every episode of the podcast also has a complete companion blog post, all of which you can find here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnnybtruant.substack.com