Opening Horror: Hooking Readers in the First 5 Pages

Image by Julie Kadel

The harsh truth about screenwriting is this: if you don't grab a reader in the first five pages, your script is already in danger of being discarded. This is even more true in horror, where producers, managers, and contest judges are looking to see if you can deliver mood, atmosphere, and dread right away.

The first five pages aren't just an introduction; they're a promise. They tell the reader and audience what kind of story they're stepping into, what tone to expect, and whether they can trust you to guide them into something terrifying. Below, I'll show you how to craft an opening that doesn't just set the stage but hooks the knife in deep.

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Establish Atmosphere Immediately

Readers should feel the tone of your script from the very first line. Are we in a bleak, oppressive world, or a deceptively sunny one with shadows lurking beneath? Setting the atmosphere early makes the reader lean in and feel unsettled before anything overtly scary happens.

With the opening of your script, you want to use sensory details that imply dread without overselling. A creaking floorboard. The hum of fluorescent lights. A smile that lingers a second too long. Think of how Hereditary opens with stillness that feels suffocating, or how Midsommer frames tragedy in the bright daylight. Atmosphere is your handshake with the reader; it tells them they're in good, terrifying hands.

Start With Movement, Not Backstory

Many writers fall into the trap of opening with exposition, a character waking up, going through daily routines, or a long chunk of backstory. But readers don't want setup; they want to be pulled into action, conflict, or unease right away.

You want to drop us into something happening. It doesn't need to be a death scene. It could be a character exploring a strange noise or a conversation where tension simmers under the surface. The Conjuring doesn't waste time; it opens with the creepy doll and the unsettling presence of Annabelle, immediately proving it knows how to scare.

Introduce Characters Through Fear, Not Resumes

Readers don't need to know every detail of your character's job, wardrobe, and family history on page one. What makes characters stick is how they react to fear. The audience bonds with them through their choices under pressure, not through biographical bullet points.

When you introduce your protagonist (or victim) show them in a moment of vulnerability, resistance, or denial. Even a small beat of unease reveals more about them than a paragraph of description. Think of how Marion Crane in Psycho is introduced, not with a resume but through a transgressive, intimate act that immediately hooks us into her world.

Deliver a Taste of Horror Early

You don't have to blow your scariest moment in the first five pages, but you should give the audience a sample of what's to come. This could be a subtle image, a quick death, or even a disturbing tone-setting incident. Horror readers want proof that the genre is alive in your script from the start.

Use your opening to plant the seed of dread that will pay off later. In It Follows, the cold open with the doomed girl in heels tells us everything we need to know: something is coming, and it won't stop. Early scares prove you can deliver.

Keep Pacing Tight and Visual

The first five pages need to move. Long blocks of text or endless dialogue exchanges can smother your momentum before it starts. Remember, horror is about rhythm, moments of quiet punctuated by bursts of shock.

You want to break up your action lines. White space is your friend. You want to use it to create breathless pacing. Make sure every line either builds atmosphere, reveals character, or ratchets up tension. When the reader flips through those first pages quickly and feels gripped, you've already won half the battle.

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Final Thoughts

Your opening pages are your calling card. They tell readers whether you can create mood, introduce character, and deliver fear without hesitation. Don't waste them on backstory or filler, every beat should be pulling the reader deeper into unease.

If your script can terrify or unsettle someone in five pages, they'll trust you to carry them through the next ninety. In horror, the hook isn't just about starting strong; it's about proving you know how to grip your audience and never let go.

📄 Want help testing your opening pages?

Download my First Five Pages Evaluation Guide—a worksheet that helps you analyze atmosphere, pacing, character introduction, and early scares to make sure your script hooks readers immediately. Available to paid subscribers now.