Silver Compass Studios has completed principal photography on What Are You Afraid Of?, a feature-length documentary exploring why people are drawn to fear, why we seek out experiences designed to scare us, and why others devote themselves to creating those experiences.
Filming concluded October 30 following months of production centered around the Boo Crew Haunted House in Rochester, Illinois. The documentary follows the volunteers throughout their 2026 season as they plan, build, rehearse, and bring their annual Halloween attraction to life.
At the heart of the film is a simple question: Why are we drawn toward fear?
Through the Boo Crew’s story and interviews with psychologists, historians, and creators in the fear-as-entertainment industry, the documentary examines the psychology, history, and creativity behind our fascination with being scared.
Beyond the scares, the film also reveals the friendships and sense of family that have developed among Boo Crew volunteers. For many, the haunt has become more than a seasonal activity. It’s a creative outlet and a place where they feel accepted, valued, and genuinely belong.
“Finishing principal photography is a huge milestone, but what excites me most is how much the story grew while we were filming,” said director Ben Harl. “We started out exploring why people are drawn to fear, but spending time with the Boo Crew revealed another story. These are people who have found friendships, a creative outlet, and a place where they fit in. That human element has become an important part of the film.”
The documentary explores how fear, an emotion typically associated with danger, has become the foundation for storytelling, art, entertainment, and even community.
“Fear as entertainment is one of the strangest and most revealing things humans do,” Harl added. “We write stories about it, make movies about it, build entire environments around it, and then buy tickets to experience it. Understanding what draws people into that world, both as creators and audiences, is really at the heart of this film.”
With principal photography complete, What Are You Afraid Of? now enters post-production, with a planned release in October 2027.
About Silver Compass Studios
Founded in 2019, Silver Compass Studios is an independent film production company based in Decatur, Illinois. Led by filmmaker Ben Harl, the studio has produced several award-winning short films, including the horror short MARA, and the feature-length documentary Afterlife (2024), which explores questions surrounding life after death. Its work also includes The Apocalypse Smells Like Cookies, a segment of the horror anthology Final Days: Tales from the End Times. The studio continues to develop original films that explore unusual stories and compelling human experiences.
