Introduction to Horror Storytelling
The first Hollywood & Horror event, hosted by diversity, brought together some of the biggest producers, executives, and creatives in the industry to discuss their influence on genre storytelling. The event, held at the Trophy Room in Los Angeles, featured a keynote conversation with Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum, who reflected on his career and the company’s 15th anniversary.
Special Keynote Talk: Jason Blum
Blum began his career as a cable salesman and real estate agent before imagining himself as a film producer in the early years of Blumhouse. He discussed the company’s business model, which is based on not paying a fee unless the film works. Blum also talked about his love for the horror genre and working with major production companies to bring it to a wide audience. He mentioned that horror is the only genre where you can do crazy things and still get studios to release them.
Behind the Scenes with Shudder
Samuel Zimmerman, SVP of Programming at Shudder, discussed his journey from being an intern and editor at Fangoria to working at AMC Networks. He talked about how Shudder has become a prominent voice in showcasing emerging genre filmmakers from around the world. Zimmerman mentioned that Shudder releases films that might not be considered successful or commercially viable by traditional standards, but they trust their instincts and the audience’s instincts. He also discussed how Shudder has worked with platform directors who have gone on to find success on the big screen.
Revolutionizing Horror Storytelling
Meta has entered the world of horror through virtual reality, collaborating with Blumhouse on projects like "M3GAN" and "The Black Phone." Rick Rey, head of Meta Content Entertainment, discussed how these experiences offer different types of possibilities and allow viewers to feel like they are part of the story. He also talked about how Meta is developing technology to enable creators to produce these types of experiences at scale.
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
Nic Novicki, creator of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, discussed how he originally created the competition as a one-time event with friends. He mentioned that 95% of roles for people with disabilities are played by people without disabilities, and he wanted to change that. The challenge has produced 850 films to date, and this year’s theme was thriller and suspense. Novicki talked about how the entries explored different avenues into the horror genre and showcased people with different disabilities.
Featured Speakers: Masters of Horror Music
A conversation with music industry creatives, including Jeff Russo, Chanda Dancy, and Amanda Krieg Thomas, discussed their work in various horror projects released in 2025. Russo talked about the challenges of scoring a series based on the Alien franchise and how he wanted to tip his hat to Jerry Goldsmith’s score. Dancy discussed her experiences as a composer on various films and how she likes to use a huge orchestra and lots of brass in her horror scores. Thomas talked about the importance of trust between creatives and music supervisors in making a collaboration strong.
