On Tuesday 4th November 2025, members of Sutton Filmmakers gathered for a very different kind of night at the club: a deep dive into the history of horror cinema.
The special one-off workshop, led by Owain Dain, the club’s resident horror expert and producer of the award-winning short The Lake on the Cabin, promised to explore how fear has evolved on film, and why horror continues to be one of the most creative playgrounds for low-budget filmmakers.
A Century of Fear
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The evening began with lights dimmed as Owain took members on a fast-paced presentation on eight decades of cinematic terror. Starting in the 1940s, he traced horror’s trajectory through the shifting tides of pop culture, production trends, and audience psychology.
Owain described how post-war anxieties gave rise to creatures from the deep and mad scientists in lab coats, before the 1960s and ’70s introduced grittier, more personal horrors that mirrored a world grappling with social unrest and moral ambiguity. By the 1980s, masked slashers like Halloween and Friday the 13th had become cultural icons, embodying the era’s appetite for franchise-friendly villains.
The 1990s saw horror reinvent itself with self-awareness and irony, while the 2000s brought a surge of “torture horror” and found-footage experiments that pushed both technology and cultural norms to their limits. The 2010s and beyond have seen horror regain critical respectability, as films like Get Out and Hereditary turned social commentary into box-office success.
Owain noted that horror has always mirrored its era’s collective fears from nuclear monsters to viral outbreaks to existential dread.
Monsters, Masks, and the Human Mind
One of the more fascinating insights from the session was the ebb and flow between “masked” and human monsters throughout horror history. Studios, Owain observed, often swing between two instincts: the commercial allure of an enduring, easily recognisable villain (think Jason or Michael Myers) and the artistic pull of stories grounded in the monstrous potential of ordinary people.
For filmmakers, that push and pull is part of the fun. Horror can explore taboos, test new technology, or turn a tiny budget into something unforgettable. These limitations often become projects’ strengths.
Horror as a Filmmaker’s Playground
After the whirlwind history lesson, the discussion turned to why horror remains such fertile ground for aspiring filmmakers. Unlike many genres, horror thrives on minimalism — a single location, a few actors, a simple premise, and a camera willing to linger just a moment too long.
Owain broke down the current state of the industry, where horror occupies a rare sweet spot: independent creators can make a name for themselves with viral shorts or micro-budget features, while major studios continue to profit from long-running franchises, with studios like Blumhouse shaking things up by offering profit participation to established filmmakers curious about the dark side of drama.
A Glimpse of What’s to Come
To close the night, Owain screened an award winning short film he produced, The Lake on the Cabin. The film, already the recipient of several festival awards, was suspenseful and imaginative; a perfect illustration of the evening’s lessons.
Why Horror Still Matters
Beyond the jump scares and special effects, Owain’s session reminded everyone that horror isn’t just entertainment: it’s a reflection of who we are and what we fear. From social commentary to personal catharsis, horror gives filmmakers a language to explore the boundaries of empathy, morality, and courage.
As the lights came back on and conversations carried on over to the local pub, it was clear that Sutton Filmmakers had found fresh inspiration in the darkness.
Join the Next Meeting
If you’re a filmmaker (or just someone fascinated by how stories are made) come join Sutton Filmmakers, meeting on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Whether you love horror, comedy, or documentary, you’ll find a welcoming community of creatives eager to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and learn from each other.
Who knows? The next great horror story might just start here in Sutton.
