I'm Jason Blum, and I'm in the business of nightmares. AMA!

Hey Mr. Blum,

I'm excited to see THE GIFT this weekend. You know, it's a bit weird to see Jason Bateman tackle something that isn't a comedy. What can we expect with this movie?

The Gift is more a Thriller than a horror. we have had good reviews so far . check out rotten tomatoes. i like to think its a throw back to hitchcock but that might make your expectations too high. Jason is a spectacular dramatic actor. wait until you see it. i bet you will agree.

What do you think about modern horror movies usually relying on jump-scares that startle audiences rather than creep them out?

good horror movies need to do both in my opinion. they need to be creepy and they need to also have jumps!

Hey Jason,

First off, thanks for the AMA! I'm the host of a movie-based podcast, and would love to have you as a guest. We've interviewed Eduardo Sanchez (Director, Writer, Producer: Blair Witch Project), Jamie Kennedy (Scream, etc.), among other guests, and I think you'd fit perfectly into our lineup. Would you be interested in a 20-30 min. interview? I look forward to the rest of your AMA and hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks again, Zach (Movie Buzzed Podcast)

i'll have someone on the team reach out!

Hi Mr. Blum big fan of your productions and excited for The Purge 3. Intrigued for The Gift and that Edgerton has written it. Are you open to viewing short films/other properties to further develop into features/franchises under the Blumhouse banner?

yes we are. our team looks at everything!

A bit of a weird one but; how are films budgeted? :~)

not weird at all. it is hard to do. i cannot do it. it takes about two weeks to do. to hire someone to do it costs about 5K. they first have to be scheduled so you know how many days they shoot and then the director talks to the budgeter about his vision and then the budget really becomes a best guess as to how much the movie will cost. budgets are 50 or 60 page documents and very complicated not only to do but to read as well!

First of all, just want to say congratulations on Sinister, it is very underrated in my opinion. I'm not one to be easily scared, but seeing Sinister in theatres was quite the experience, to say the least. Loved the usage of 8mm footage in it, brought me back to the days when I was at summer camp and we watched old movies at the clubhouse in the dark.

My question is: I work at a video rental store, and our horror selection is lacking in vitality. What are some good essential franchises that you think we should own in preparation for Halloween?

thanks everyone so much for joining me today and asking so many great questions. i will try and get to as many as i can. i love doing this. i think it's really fun.
halloween must have video store franchises!: All the Halloween movies (of course!) Friday the 13th Amityville Nightmare on Elm Street and obviously... PARANORMAL ACTIVITY!!!!

Hi Mr. Blum,

I'm a huge fan of the films you've worked on, produced, and contributed towards.

What film from the last 10 years do you wish you could have made or worked on?

THE CONJURING

What's a good horror novel i should read that's in no way related to your work?

The Shining

If it is O.K to ask: How did you get your start? :~)

of course it's ok to ask . you can ASK ME ANYTHING! :)

my roommate in college was Noah Baumbach. I got my start by selling cable TV as a door to door salesman and using the money i made from that to help get noah's film KICKING AND SCREAMING get made

Hi Jason, congrats on the nomination for Whiplash. My questions are kind of vague, but what's the hardest part of producing a film and how much input do you actually get in the films direction?

the hardest part is that no matter how much success one has had in the past it is almost like starting from scratch every time we do a new project. we have a great deal of input.

How does one get to pitch a film to someone such as yourself? :~)

one would start by getting an agent :)

Firstly--you're awesome! You restarted my love of horror. I actually have two questions: out of all your films, which is the one that has scared you the most? And has there ever been an awesome script that you passed on, and why??

i have to say the first paranormal probably scared me the most of all of them. and thank you by the way! i didn't pass on it because i never had the chance but the movie i really wish i got to produced and didn't was THE CONJURING!

i also passed on blair witch! and the answer to why is because i made a dumb mistake!

Love your work, I was wondering if casting for the new installment of The Purge has been completed yet?

not completed yet

Thanks for doing this!

I'm curious...has anything particularly creepy happened to you or any cast members while filming? What do you believe in regard to the paranormal?

my pleasure. nothing creepy on set. this is going to sound hypocritical but its how i feel so the answer is no i don't really believe in the paranormal supernatural but i did have one experience that was hard to explain. i was in NYC living on Crosby street and i was in my late twenties and i am convinced i saw a ghost at the foot of my bed. it wasn't a mean one or a nice one it just was. so maybe i believe a tiny bit in the paranormal. thats a better way too say it

my pleasure. nothing creepy on set. this is going to sound hypocritical but its how i feel so the answer is no i don't really believe in the paranormal supernatural but i did have one experience that was hard to explain. i was in NYC living on Crosby street and i was in my late twenties and i am convinced i saw a ghost at the foot of my bed. it wasn't a mean one or a nice one it just was. so maybe i believe a tiny bit in the paranormal. thats a better way too say it

What it was like getting small films up to the point of oscar glory with Whiplash? :~)

one word:

it was A W E S O M E but at times it was also very stressful!

Do you have any negotiation tips? :~)

know when to walk away. i don't do that enough myself. its hard but it is important to do!

Hi Jason! Thanks for doing AMA today! I saw "The Gift" last night out here in Las Vegas at The Palms Brendan Theatres. I have to say it was absolutely AMAZINGLY done! FABULOUS!!! I am a psychologist and love it when a great psych-thriller comes along.

I admit, I was surprised to see Jason Bateman co-starring in "The Gift" since he's known for comedy. Did you approach Bateman or did he hear about this great story and approach you? How did you get him for this role?

see above / answered this one already. SO GLAD you liked the movie. i did too. Joel did an AWESOME job.

Hi Mr. Blum. What do you look for in a film? Thanks :~)

2 questions i always ask: is it scary? does something about it feel new and different / original?

I am one of those shitty people that can't stand horror/scary movies. I think it stems from watching IT as a 7 or 8 year old and thus don't like spending money to feel uncomfortable, but that's neither here nor there. The Gift looks awesome, but very suspenseful and possibly scary. Am I going to figuratively and/or literally crap my pants and jump out of the seat or is it not that type of flick?

More general question - how is the ambiance on the set of horror movies? Does it differ from say, a comedy or drama?

you are allowed not to like horror movies!

THE GIFT isn't one. It is a thriller so you will be fine.

A set of a horror movie is not scary at all . we make jokes and have fun. there are kids everywhere remember??

Thank you so much for doing this Mr. Blum and congratulations on all of your success, What was it like producing 2000's Hamlet? :~) Thank you again.

oh it was so fun. ethan and i are great friends. it was the first film we did together. i was way in over my head and had no idea what i was doing but it was a lot of fun

Is The Gift set up for wide release across the U.S. or is it set up for limited release in a few select cities? Just curious as I really want to see it and not all movies come to my city.

WIDE!

Would it be possible for your to pitch US a film over here, maybe an elevator pitch for something that you have done before or just one off the top of your head? :~)

i can't do that publicly!

How do you decide which movies you'd like to carry under your Blumhouse banner? Do you choose personally, or do you have a crack team of professional horror aficionados? Reading your book currently.. Fantastic anthology horror!!! Thanks for all that you do

so glad you like the book. we choose films by both ways you describe. we all discuss it but ultimately i have the final say. i don't often veto but i do sometimes for sure!

What most appeals to you about found footage movies?

not much anymore. i always tell filmmakers they should shoot their movies traditionally unless it HAS TO BE DONE because of the story in FOUND FOOTAGE. CREEP is an example of a movie that could be done no other way. I think in general there are TOO MANY found footage movies and we are trying to make less of them!

Hey Jason, love the movies.

If you had to pursue a career outside of film, what would it be? Why?

i love to work outdoors and build stuff. i love watching construction . i always stop to watch it. if i didn't produce movie i would do something where i was outdoors doing some kind of physical labor.

Hello Mr Blum, I'm going to university in september to study film production, how does one get into producing? Also can you get straight into producing or do you have to work your way up? :)

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

there is no for sure way. my advice to to start producing shorts and posting them on line. the more you make the better they will get!

Hello sir! Bug fan of yours. You're famous for making great thrillers for next to nothing. Have you ever turned down a project because it was too expensive?

all the time. we turn down big budget movies almost every week.

I really enjoyed The Blumhouse Book of Nightmares: The Haunted City! Are there any plans to release another Book of Nightmares?

not sure. but we will be doing more books for sure.

How do you plan distribution for movies like the one you produce? Would you agree that distribution begins in the story line?

i do. we think about how we are going to market at the script stage. this is not usual but i think its important even if you are only going for a small audience.

What's the best way for someone to break into the horror movie business? I'd love to write a horror movie but I don't think I'd know what to do with a finished script.

start with a short you can shoot on your phone in your house or apartment!

Hey Jason, Im going in blind to The Gift because I love these kinds of movies and have heard great things, what kind of tone can I expect? Is it suspenseful? I love movies like Enemy and Coherence. thanks.

it is a hitchcockian thriller. and yes very suspensful!

Hello Jason, How did the idea come to you to choose Jason Bateman to star in a darker film since he is known mostly for his comedy?

he was interested in the script before we even came aboard.

adam fogelson who runs STX who is distributing the film had a relationship with Jason and really encouraged us to cast him and he was right. there is not a single actor i know who could have done a better job than the one jason does in THE GIFT

How do you tackle the challenge of bringing something fresh to the horror genre?

we ask ourself when we analyze every script "is something about this new or different?"

Does Blumhouse have any stake in U.K projects? :~)

UK is a huge market for our movies but we haven't shot anything there yet/ i did one day there on a movie called THE FEVER but that is the only time i shot there. J

to what do you ascribe the success of the films you produce?

luck/ perseverance/ marketing/ low budgets and most of all great filmmakers

Ghost films have hit a rather lucrative trend thanks to your Paranormal Activity series, do you think this will last or do you think another movement of horror could be right around the corner? :~)

no way to know but my guess is something new is going to come sooner rather than later. a new trend.

Italy contributed a lot to horror cinema (thx #MarioBava), have you ever thought about producing, filming or scouting in Italy?

i have shot in Italy before but never a horror movie. our model really works best when we shoot in Los Angeles. that said , as you say there is a great horror tradition in italy not to mention delicious food so i am open!

Do you ever worry about the projects you get behind not being as successful as others? (not that they aren't successful but still.) :~)

of course i do and some are not successful for sure. i worry about it all the time but i don't let it stop me from making new things and taking risks on things that are different.

Can you talk about the importance of playing films at a film festival? Any particular favorites festivals on the circuit?

i love sundance and toronto . festivals are best for films that are not overtly commercial. they help these films find an audience. some movie are really great but hard to market . festivals help distrbutors market these kind of movies. Festivals are very important for the existence of good unique movies!

What ratio of original films > sequels do you set out to make? Is there a set company mandate? Some kind of algorithm? Is it simply based on box office?

no mandate. it is largely based on box office and also on if the creator of the original wants to do more. one think i am most proud of at our company is that our sequels almost always done with the original creators of the franchise.

Hey Jason,

I was just curious on how your journey began to where you are today? It doesn't have to be a life story just a quick summary of how you started and how you got to where you are now, the guy known as the horror producer. Also what encourages you to produce mostly just horror films as they tend to have such a 50/50 chance of popularity?

i love horror most of all because i love horror fans. we are mostly weirdo's and outsiders and odd balls. i am all those things so i have obviously found my calling. the first part of you question answered above!

Will you turn my ultra-creepy story into a movie? We'll make billions.

only if we can make TRILLIONS!

Was making Paranormal Activity The Ghost Dimension in 3D a challenge since that is the first film you released in that format?

it was. 3d takes a TON of time. i am used to shooting fast! it was an adjustment and a steep learning curve!

What is the best way to get noticed as a new director and what are the things you look for in New talent?

most projects are brought to my attention by my staff.

Have you ever had an idea for a horror movie?

yes. bad ideas! we never made one into a movie thank god!

Hi Jason! Thank you so much for doing this. What would your advice be to an aspiring filmmaker that is coming of age in a time where everything is so democratized and there is an overflow of content that can be seen? What role do you think VR Oculus Rift technology will play in cinema and have you seen Julien Maury's AMONG THE LIVING?

lots of questions! i haven't seen among the living. if i were an aspiring film maker today i would get involved with VR. VR is going to be a huge part of how we consume stories in the future. it takes a a very different skill set to do a VR experience than direct a movie. the way to get good at it would be to start young.

Firstly, I am a huge fan of the paranormal activity films and sinister. They have restored my faith in horror movies. My question is, what is your advice towards someone who would like to do film? photography? etc.

answers above to this!

Strangely enough I'm editing the premiere for The Gift right now. How much input did you have on Joel Edgerton's directing?

Thanks, I look forward to the movie!

we had a lot of input. some of it he took some of it he didn't. we give the final say to our directors and thats what he had!

At a time when most movie studios make fewer movies that each cost more (and therefore all have to be 'event' movies that have to be box office home runs in order to succeed), your strategy seems to be exactly the opposite: lots of low budget movies, meaning a lot of at-bats with an occasional home run.

How did you figure that out? And to what do you attribute the fact that you figured it out when apparently no one else in the industry did?

i'm going to print this question and put it on my wall! you are right in everything you say above. i figured it out by trial and error and by having lots of great mentors and working in the business for a long time. as to you last question i can't answer that. i have no idea.

Jason,

Do you agree with King's breakdown of the genre of fear into its constituent parts: Horror (the impending dread), Fear(adrenaline and shock) and Terror(the grossout, disturbing)?

i do

Hey Jason,

I noticed in a reply above saying you did some shooting in Italy and I am going to Italy next month for the first time. Anywhere specific you recommend to eat in either Rome, Florence or Venice?

Thanks!

seriously? i'm flattered you asked but i may not be the best to give you advice on that one!

Super excited to see Insidious back at Halloween Horror Nights again this year, but do you have any plans to do any stand alone haunts this year like has been done in the past with The Purge?

its possible but unlikely. next year though i hope for sure.

Do you watch others' horror releases throughout the year? What did you think of films like It Follows, The Battery, Spring and The Babadook ... if you saw them.

i see most of them. didn't see SPRING.

i love Babadook and IT FOLLOWS . thought they were both great.

Where do you tend to find the best talent for new projects? Submissions sent to you/staff, viral videos, short films at film festivals?

truly all of the above. we are searching everywhere all the time!

What do you think is the most violent film you worked on?

TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN or LORDS OF SALEM

[deleted]

citizen kane for sure. a cliche know but a cliche for a reason.

Yes! JOEL! I forgot the name of the actor playing "Gordo". He was creepy as F---!

Do you find it is easier or harder to work with the writer/director who ALSO is a lead in the movie?

harder but joel did a great job.

Which of your upcoming productions are you most excited for?

i can't pick favorites!

I love some of your work, but get the impression you back affordable creepy movies, not necessarily good ones. (ref: the gallows, absent from your list.)

What elements of a movie do you really look for when you take on a new project?

Also are you worried your infrared audience reaction commercials have lost their kick?

the gallows in on my IMDB! it did not do well financially but i am proud of it.

I'm sorry you have that impression but i guess it comes down to taste. i believe all the movies we producer are good. some are even great. we always look for new and different and is it scary. sorry if they have disappointed you.

and yes i do think the audience reaction commercials are over done!

Hello! My name is Dan Litzinger, I've been a professional editor for five years, mostly reality TV, one feature doc. It's my dream to cut horror films and I love your company, particularly the Paranormal series and The Town That Dreaded Sundown. How can someone like me get a foot in the door at Blumhouse? Also, thank you for releasing Green Inferno!

do you have a webstite or a linked in profile we can look at?

Do you have a hand in Olga Kurylenko's upcoming film Mara directed by Clive Tonge? :~)

i did not , but i heard its great and I'm dying to see it

along with the upcoming psychological thriller THE GIFT

Interesting. Is it about a clairvoyant woman in a backwards southern town?

no, not at all! check out the trailer. it's a cool movie!

Hey Jason! I wanted to know what kind of horror films make it the new best horror movie? Like what does it need to have or be a unique film and not one that is too predictable and familiar e.g. suspense, psychological, etc. Thanks for your time!

if i only knew!! we look for new stuff. we don't invent it. i am alway looking for the next paranormal activity!

What's the best advice someone has given you? In related to filmmaking

keep trying

have you ever read Japanese horror mangas? If so, would you ever consider making movies inspired by them?

Stories I thought would make great movies, or even short films (as part of anthology type of movies, perhaps) are stories by Junji Ito. He creates these worlds and situations that are horrifying to think about rather than creating tangible monsters or demons/entities.

I always thought it'd be cool to see more movies like Insidious build around concepts like "The Further" rather than just specific monsters. So I love every single PA movie because it builds around this whole lore.

I guess my overall question would, would ever consider stories similar to these types of japanese horror stories?

my answer is yes! absolutely.

Hi Jason!! I'm a huge fan of you and your company and I have great things about your leadership style. What advice do you have for aspiring leaders that would one day like to start their own company?

Thanks for the AMA!!

as often as you get no try to stay open and positive. try to look at new things with a positive point of view instead of a cynical one. i try and do that and remind myself to do that all the time. i don't always succeed but i try!

In a Bret Easton Ellis podcast one of the rules that were mentioned for your filmmaking process is that all of your movies have to be made in L.A. why is that? Is this apart of the NBC Universal contract you signed or is it just cheaper?

its because our filmmakers and actors all work for scale. if talent doesn't get paid upfront it is hard to ask them to work far away from their families. it is actually more expensive to shoot in LA but its worth it because we get better talent!

Do you find that the more you work with these films, the less horror movies scare you? Can you still find that same fear somewhere else like in books or video games?

i do. it is really hard for me to get scared watching a horror movie these days but it happens. video games still scare the crap out of me.

Jason why do you think we no longer have slasher movies? Is Rob Zombie the only one keeping them alive?

TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN that we made was a slasher. so was Evil Dead and GREEN INFERNO coming up is one too. don't worry rob is not the only one!

Hey Jason!
Just one question: Are you hiring? :)

not right now. sorry!

Hey Jason. Big fan of the films you have produced. I'm a filmmaking student in Leeds, UK. My question to you is, if your ever up't north will you come and give a tutorial at my uni, the Northern Film School and p.s do you offer placements? If so how can I go about getting one!

send a link about the school. filled up for now!

Jason,

Thanks for stopping by! I'm a sissy when it comes to horror, and rarely ever watch a horror film. That said, The Purge series is phenomenal! I was so bummed when the first one focused on a family inside, because I was so excited to see how you built a world around complete anarchy. The second film was even better than the first, I thought, because we could actually see the insanity that was let loose.

For my question(s): In the Purge 3, can we expect to see more "outside" action, or are you returning to the horror angle of a group being stalked in their own home?

Also, what drew you to horror as a genre? I think it has to be the hardest one to get "right," balancing scares, jumps, drama, tension and a little bit of camp. You have a knack for it, but how did you discover that horror was the right genre for you?

outside for purge 3!

i love horror fans. that is my favorite thing about horror