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5 horrific questions with filmmaker Henrique Couto

Filmmaker Henrique Couto
Filmmaker Henrique Cuoto >>>

When Henrique Couto was 12 years old, he found himself volunteering at his local cable access channel in Dayton, Ohio. He didn't know it then, but that experience would become the catalyst that sparked his lifelong obsession with filmmaking.

Early exposure to the mechanics of storytelling and production laid the groundwork for a career that now spans dozens of films, podcasts, and digital series.

“From that moment on, I couldn't imagine doing anything else at all with my life,” Couto says.

An eclectic taste

Though Couto is often associated with the horror genre, his creative output today is far more eclectic.

“It’s about fifty-fifty between horror and other genres,” he explains. “The last 5 or 6 years, horror has been a soft market and hard to make solid money in, so I've expanded a lot.”

Horror remains close to his heart, he admits, not just for its narrative possibilities, but for the community it fosters. Forming those relationships surprises some horror movie fans early in their obsession.

“Being a horror fan can be isolating at times,” he explains, “but when you find your people and get to nerd out with them about all the films that mean so much to you, that’s something special.”

Exploring new storytelling formats

That sense of connection has carried over into his recent work, including two micro drama series for the Dorian app, which explores new storytelling formats in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

“This is such an incredible time in video content,” Cuoto says, citing AI advancements and the explosion of platforms as catalysts for creative experimentation.

For those curious about Cuoto’s work, his official website, fittingly titled IncrediblyHandsome.com, offers a gateway to his films and his podcast Weekly Spooky.

“Or simply paste my unusual name into Tubi and find a pile of free movies to enjoy!”

Cool, but let's get back to that passion for the horror genre ….

On the set of a Henrique Couto movie

On the set of a Couto horror flick.


5 Horrific Questions with Henrique Couto

No. 1: What gives you chills? What do you think makes a movie truly scary?

Believability. Nothing makes me more afraid than when I'm watching a film or reading a book and my always-spinning critical mind can't find a hole to poke in the logic. That makes a scary concept stay with me for days after watching.

Henrique Couto

No. 2: Which horror film scared you the most — and why?

In the Mouth of Madness always gets to me. Something about not knowing if the world has gone insane or if it's just you that really freaks me out. Plus the few jump scares in that film are extremely effective.

No. 3: Which filmmakers, writers, or creators inspire your horror work — and why?

I was heavily inspired by big names like Wes Craven and Sam Raimi a ton as far as style and substance in the horror genre. As I got older, it was filmmakers like Fred Olen Ray and Roger Corman who inspired me to be brazen in telling stories.

No. 4: Why do you think people love being scared?

Being scared is a basic human experience that requires the least amount of setup to achieve. Making someone feel love or anger takes multiple steps, as a simple sudden "Boo!" can make a person's blood pressure spike in an instant. It also gives a great deal of relief and gives us a safe outlet to feel fear, where we can better understand it.

No. 5: If you could turn any non-horror movie or book into a horror story, what would it be — and how would you make it terrifying?

I'm not sure, that's kind of a hard one because most non-horror movies and books I like wouldn't really be improved to me by adding horror to them. Maybe an adaptation of Black Hawk Down that goes really in-depth into the true dangers and risks taken by the soldiers there.

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