What do you get when you round up a bunch of teens in a 1980s American summer camp? Well, if you’re watching Friday the 13th (1980), you’re probably going to get a whole lot of murder.

While the horror film has since become well-known for its thrills and chills, it was originally created on a shoestring budget by Sean S. Cunningham. But so many constraints didn’t hinder the film. Rather, the limitations helped contribute to the believability of the plot.

Director Sean Cunningham explained that when searching for the stars of Friday the 13th, they specifically looked for young actors with less experience.

“We weren’t looking for the greatest actors in the world,” said Cunningham, according to Making Friday the 13th: The Legend of Camp Blood by David Grove. “I wanted kids who were somewhat likeable; responsible camp counselors, not your typical horror movie geeks. Basically, they had to be reasonably good-looking, and they had to read dialogue fairly well, and they had to work cheap.”

Julie Hughes, who cast the film, was never nervous about finding the perfect stars for this thrilling film. “We saw a lot of nice kids, and I didn’t think we’d have a problem finding suitable actors,” said Hughes. “We were lucky because New York is always full of good young actors who are excited about appearing in movies, even if they are low-budget, independent films.”