Directing Dread: A Horror Filmmaking Podcast
by Justin Harding
Directing Dread is a horror filmmaking podcast hosted by working director Justin Harding and up-and-coming filmmaker Jacob Phair. Each episode blends real-world experience with fresh perspective—breaking down how to actually build a career directing horror, from first projects to professional sets. They cover directing actors, crafting tension, practical effects, low-budget execution, and the realities of making a living in the genre you love. If you're an aspiring horror filmmaker looking for both inspiration and practical insight, this is your playbook.
Episodes
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07 - The Premiere Is Over... Now What?
very filmmaker dreams of a sold-out world premiere. Then the lights come up. Now what? In this episode of Directing Dread, Justin Harding and Jacob Phair unpack Jacob's world premiere of his debut feature film, Chimera, and the reality of what happens after you've achieved the milestone you've…
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06 - The New Scream Kings of Hollywood
Something is stalking Hollywood. For years, studios searched film festivals, film schools, and agency rosters looking for the next generation of directors. Now they're lurking somewhere else entirely. YouTube. The breakout success of The Backrooms and Obsession has sent a shockwave through the...
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05 - Sick, Twisted, and Maybe Brilliant: Breaking Down Jacob Phair’s short horror script
After our deep dive into short films in Episode 4, things get real. In this episode of Directing Dread, Jacob and Justin discuss Jacob’s horror short screenplay and his idea of turning it into an actual project for the podcast. What follows is an honest breakdown of the script, the good, the bad,...
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04 - Short Films That Hit: Festivals, Strategy, and Standing Out
Short films are one of the fastest ways to get noticed, if you approach them the right way. In this episode of Directing Dread, working director Justin Harding and up and coming filmmaker Jacob Phair break down how to actually make a short film that gets programmed, gets seen, and moves your…
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03 - The Pitch Deck From the Future: Selling Your Horror Film Before It Exists
If you cannot sell your horror movie, it does not get made. In this episode of Directing Dread, working director Justin Harding and up and coming filmmaker Jacob Phair take a deep dive into the art of the pitch deck and why it is one of the most important tools a director has. We break down what...
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02 - AI Isn’t the Problem, Your Budget Is
AI is already in the filmmaking pipeline. The question is how you use it. In this episode of Directing Dread, working director Justin Harding and up and coming filmmaker Jacob Phair break down the real role of AI in filmmaking today, and where it is actually heading. We dig into the recent deal...
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01 -YOUR FIRST KILL: Making Horror with What You Already Have
Welcome to the first episode of Directing Dread. This is a podcast built for aspiring horror directors who want to stop waiting and start making films. In this episode, working director Justin Harding and up and coming filmmaker Jacob Phair lay out the mindset that matters most at the beginning…
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About this show
Directing Dread is a horror filmmaking podcast hosted by working director Justin Harding and up-and-coming filmmaker Jacob Phair.
Each episode blends real-world experience with fresh perspective—breaking down how to actually build a career directing horror, from first projects to professional sets.
They cover directing actors, crafting tension, practical effects, low-budget execution, and the realities of making a living in the genre you love.
If you're an aspiring horror filmmaker looking for both inspiration and practical insight, this is your playbook.
Hosted by
Justin Harding