If you haven’t checked out Shudder yet, you’re missing out. For those who haven’t been following, Shudder is a new horror-only movie streaming service, which launched in beta last month. I was fortunate enough to get an early access invite ahead of the true launch to give it a test drive. I sent some questions Shudder’s way a while back, and while some of them have been answered with the launch itself, I did get additional responses courtesy of lead curator Colin Geddes.

Asked to talk about how Shudder came to be, Geddes said:

On a dark and stormy night, a lightning bolt struck a TV antenna which was wired up to a strange creature stitched together from some of the best video store clerks and fanzine writers of all time, scavenged from moldy, dark graves. A horror super-service was born!

But seriously, Shudder is clearly an idea that’s long overdue: to provide horror film fans with a well thought out and curated selection of horror films, all at their fingertips. Some smart horror aficionados put their heads together and decided to put together the best horror “video store” on the internet. Whereas other services may offer a horror section, we offer a curated experience full of top quality cinema, not just “content”.

On the best way for users to know when titles have been added or removed:

We hope to continue adding new titles to the service on a regular, ongoing basis, so members will have a constantly growing library to choose from. We’ll be letting people know about what’s new by spotlighting recently added titles on the site, and also noting them on social media and in a members’ email bulletin.

When I first got my invite to Shudder, the first movie I watched was Asylum Blackout (which I recommend checking out if you haven’t seen it). I noticed about a week later that the title appeared to no longer be available. While it has since reappeared, I had asked about this and if other titles had been removed when I sent my questions in. While the question of this particular title is irrelevant now, Geddes’ response still provides some insight worth noting:

We are still in beta (aka, still reinforcing the stitching on our beautiful monster’s bodyparts), which means we’re continually refreshing artwork and adjusting copy to make the experience better. That said, if you go back into the service, you should be able to find Asylum Blackout once again.

Film rights are also a complex thing, and as with Netflix and other VOD services, films won’t necessarily stay on Shudder for eternity, as they may be available to us only for a specific period of time. However, you should get at least a year or two to enjoy a title before it disappears, so if something seems to be prematurely gone, email us!

I asked if Shudder has plans for original content or even syndicated serial content. Geddes said:

To keep reusing the metaphor … our monster is still a baby! We hope to add all kinds of things to its diet to make sure it grows into a big, scary beast! In other words, we’ve got lots of ideas in the works, but nothing to officially announce just yet.

Finally, a question that is probably on a lot of users’ minds: Can we expect to see new releases appear on Shudder? According to Geddes:

Yes. We’re hoping to get some cool exclusives for the service in the months to come. We will continue to offer a wide array of classics, and older titles, but we do want to keep our fans fed with a steady diet of fresh blood and guts!

It will be very interesting to see what kinds of deals Shudder can work out in this department. While the service is already a bargain for $5 a month (and already has 180 movies that aren’t on Netflix), the addition of new releases would significantly increase the value of a membership. Consider that new VOD rentals are typically more than that.

Geddes recently spoke with Modern Horrors further discussing his involvement and the service’s content strategy, so give that a read too. He talks about how filmmakers can try to get their films on the service, but notes that they won’t just take anything. In other words, there’s some quality control going on and of course rights negotiations.

Shudder has also been looking to add more curators, and has at least two new hires. Shock Till You Drop managing editor Samuel Zimmerman announced this past week that he’s leaving that site to take one of the spots. He had only taken on the Shock role in December after leaving a similar position at Fangoria where he had been since 2009. Shudder also added Sam Wunderl, who previously worked at Sony Pictures Classics, Advanced Alternative Media, and Jimmy Kimmel Live.