--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's really hard to scare people on…" description: "\"It's really hard to scare people on network television. You've got to be smart about it. You've got to parcel out the scares.\" — Chris Carter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png" --- # It's really hard to scare people on network television… ![“It's really hard to scare people on network television. You've got to be smart about it. You've got to parcel out the scares.” quote by Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png) > “It's really hard to scare people on network television. You've got to be smart about it. You've got to parcel out the scares.” [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective horror on TV requires pacing and restraint, delivering scares in measured doses rather than overwhelming the audience. **In simple terms:** Scares must be paced and delivered gradually. Key Takeaway Use restraint to heighten tension. Themes storytelling media psychology fear control Mood thoughtful strategic Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - television production - film direction - writing workshops Key Concepts narrative pacing audience engagement impact management Questions to Reflect On - How much fear is too much for viewers? - When does restraint become dull? A Different Perspective Over‑controlling can reduce emotional impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) ## Related quotes > [Trying to hard might scare your attraction away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/trying-to-hard-might-scare-your-attraction-away/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [I'm really quite hard to scare so it was about mining times when I have jumped, and what creeps me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-hill/i-m-really-quite-hard-to-scare-so-it-was-about-mining-times-when-i/) [Susan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-hill/) > [At the end of the day, a "jump scare" scares the audience for the moment. Slow burn horror ideas scare people forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/at-the-end-of-the-day-a-jump-scare-scares-the-audience-for-the-moment/) [Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/) > [Well, in the '80s and '70s, with the exception of Sidney Poitier and Brock Peters, maybe Ivan Dixon, if you were as big and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-duke/well-in-the-80s-and-70s-with-the-exception-of-sidney-poitier-and/) [Bill Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-duke/) > [I scare people a little bit, so why not? That's what we do as drag queens. We're supposed to be a little intimidating!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutan-amrull/i-scare-people-a-little-bit-so-why-not-that-s-what-we-do-as-drag/) [Sutan Amrull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutan-amrull/) > [I have a zero tolerance for sanctimonious morons who try to scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/i-have-a-zero-tolerance-for-sanctimonious-morons-who-try-to-scare/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [If you're really special, meaning you're doing something unique and original, it could scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/if-you-re-really-special-meaning-you-re-doing-something-unique-and/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [Perhaps I scare people. I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/perhaps-i-scare-people-i-don-t-know-why/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [I have a quality where I sort of scare people. But I am who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-ghesquiere/i-have-a-quality-where-i-sort-of-scare-people-but-i-am-who-i-am/) [Nicolas Ghesquiere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-ghesquiere/) > [Well, for one, you have to remember not to scream. Once you have their attention, whispering is much more effective. Screaming ghosts scare people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/well-for-one-you-have-to-remember-not-to-scream-once-you-have-their/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [You know what scare people to much... it's SUCCESS!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/you-know-what-scare-people-to-much-it-s-success/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [“At this point, he looks enough like the Prince of Darkness to throw a scare into people who might have once made some rash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-this-point-he-looks-enough-like-the-prince-of-darkness-to-throw-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you do have to scare people a little bit: if someone is not acting in the best interest of the show, then maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-levitan/sometimes-you-do-have-to-scare-people-a-little-bit-if-someone-is-not/) [Steven Levitan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-levitan/) > [We were not folk-rock. We would scare people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-densmore/we-were-not-folk-rock-we-would-scare-people/) [John Densmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-densmore/) > [Well, you know, they use those words so that they can scare people "terror" and "cell."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/well-you-know-they-use-those-words-so-that-they-can-scare-people/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) ## More by Chris Carter > [“The Truth is out there”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-truth-is-out-there/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [The real challenge in doing a TV show is in what I would call the maintenance energy. You take that creative energy and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-real-challenge-in-doing-a-tv-show-is-in-what-i-would-call-the/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [When something original works, then everyone wants to copy it. But if you're trying to do something that no one's ever seen before it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/when-something-original-works-then-everyone-wants-to-copy-it-but-if/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [The experience of seeing a surf movie in the 1970s, as a teenager, and the energy in those theatres, was amazing. It was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-experience-of-seeing-a-surf-movie-in-the-1970s-as-a-teenager-and/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“He's the most dangerous man alive. Not so much because he believes in his actions, but because he believes his actions are all which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/he-s-the-most-dangerous-man-alive-not-so-much-because-he-believes-in/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Writing is a little athletic for me. I get worked up a little bit when I do it. So I guess I'm a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/writing-is-a-little-athletic-for-me-i-get-worked-up-a-little-bit-when/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [I think I've been asked a lot more than most TV producers to go on-camera. But I just do what I do and don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/i-think-i-ve-been-asked-a-lot-more-than-most-tv-producers-to-go-on/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > ['The X-Files' was a hard sell because people didn't know what it was. The network didn't understand what it was that they were buying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/the-x-files-was-a-hard-sell-because-people-didn-t-know-what-it-was/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Just think of any consulting business – its solutions to whatever problems occur will be what it currently offers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/just-think-of-any-consulting-business-its-solutions-to-whatever/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Even if I see 300 'X-Files' fans together, I can't fathom - I cannot imagine - the audience itself. All I think about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/even-if-i-see-300-x-files-fans-together-i-can-t-fathom-i-cannot/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [Producing a series is like being Lewis and Clark: You know where you're going, you just don't know how you're going to get there.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/producing-a-series-is-like-being-lewis-and-clark-you-know-where-you/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [So many things for me are unfortunate in the commercialization of something that is special. It's like when Led Zeppelin appears in Cadillac commercials.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/so-many-things-for-me-are-unfortunate-in-the-commercialization-of/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [I've become very interested in the spectrum of political discourse as seen on the cable news channels that are conveniently right in a row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/i-ve-become-very-interested-in-the-spectrum-of-political-discourse-as/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Our knowledge does not help us to forecast the future, but it makes us more certain that our guesses are the right ones. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/our-knowledge-does-not-help-us-to-forecast-the-future-but-it-makes-us/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) > [“Interpretation is directly related to a person's frame of mind. Looking at the same image, a person could see two different things depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/interpretation-is-directly-related-to-a-person-s-frame-of-mind/) [Chris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) [Explore all 48 Chris Carter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's really hard to scare people on network television. You've got to be smart about it. You've got to parcel out the scares.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Carter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-network-television-you-ve-got-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-network-television-you-ve-got-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/chris-carter-14002_about_it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-netw_1113355.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's really hard to scare people on network television. You've got to be smart about it. You've got to…” — Chris Carter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Carter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-carter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's really hard to scare people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-network-television-you-ve-got-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-carter/it-s-really-hard-to-scare-people-on-network-television-you-ve-got-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```