Premiering this week on Substack, First Word in Horror is the documentary we’ve been keeping a close eye on. Featuring some of the most influential horror writers of today, the series dives into their personal stories, inspirations, and reflections on the genre—exploring what drew them to horror and how they see its evolving landscape.
In the latest clip released by ETCH, writer Paul Tremblay discusses AI and the unsettling nature of power in horror. He reflects on the fear that comes from knowing that so many lives are controlled by a small, powerful few—an idea that resonates deeply with horror’s ability to capture real-world anxieties. The clip serves as a reminder of how the best horror writers don’t just look at monsters and ghosts but also find terror in the very fabric of our reality.
First Word in Horror premieres this Friday, February 7, kicking off an insightful journey into the minds of modern horror’s greatest storytellers. Watch the latest clip now, and read ahead for the full release schedule featuring all the writers involved.
FIRST WORD ON HORROR is a fifteen-part documentary series that profiles five of the finest horror writers working today.
Across multiple episodes, each author discusses their life, their inspirations, their philosophies, and their writing techniques while reading one of their short stories. As fact and fiction blend, secrets are revealed and the delicate alchemy that turns human experience into creative expression begins to emerge.
The series is a love letter to writers of all ilk, to the primacy of the human experience, and to the simple act of reading a damned good story.
The authors profiled are New York Times bestsellers, multi-award winners, and cult favorites. In this first season, they are Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Elizabeth Hand, Laird Barron, and Mariana Enriquez.
Through the authors’ lives the series takes viewers from a harrowing Iditarod dogsled race in Alaska to the lurking terror of growing up under the Argentinian dictatorship; from the unbridled energy of the early DC punk scene to an ill-fated hunting expedition on the Blackfeet reservation in Montana.
FIRST WORD ON HORROR is directed by Emmy and WGA winning writer and filmmaker Philip Gelatt, whose credits include: The Spine Of Night, Europa Report, They Remain, The Bleeding House and Love Death + Robots. The project is produced by Will Battersby (The Spine Of Night, They Remain, Trumbo) and other key crew include Director of Photography Sean Kirby, Composer Peter Scartabello, Editor April Merl and Sound Designer Ben Cheah.
FIRST WORD ON HORROR- FULL Episode Release Dates:
February 7 - Stephen Graham Jones
February 21st - Paul Tremblay
March 14th - Elizabeth Hand
April 4th - Laird Barron
April 24th - Mariana Enriquez
Comments