Halloween Horror Fest Tienen Seeks Short Films

Tienen is in Belgium -- and the Halloween Horror Fest Tienen is the first horror short film festival in that European nation. As the name implies, they screen on Halloween night. This year marks their second annual event.

Festival organizer Ray Kermani offers these tips to filmmakers:

* Be original. Give the audience something they haven't seen yet.

* Choose one location for your film.

* Work with a small crew. The smaller, the better -- and faster.

* Limit the amount of dialog.

* Use the right lighting on set.

* Never forget the importance of a great sound design for your horror film. Sound is as important as your images.

* Listen to what the audience has to say and wants to see. You want your movie to be seen [and enjoyed, and talked about] by horror fans out there.

* Stay away from the zombie genre. We've seen way too many zombie flicks. If your name is George A. Romero, then go for it. Otherwise, make something else.

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For a behind-the-scenes look at horror film festivals and the festival directors who manage them, see Horror Film Festivals and Awards. This book also includes a directory of over 200 horror film festivals, and a list of festival award winners from dozens of festivals over several decades.