Film producer Peter Katz is using medical science to determine how horror movies can obtain the greatest impact on an audience.

Teaming up with researchers, Katz (" Mortuary") is rolling scenes from his latest horror flick, "Pop Skull," as an MRI scan of brain functions helps track the degree of fright caused by the film.

"I wanted to understand how we can make a horror film quantifiable," Katz said in an interview with CNN. "On the timing, I wanted to see just how precise we can get."

Researchers at Mindsign Neuromarketing, based in San Diego, Calif., scanned the brain activity of a subject while she watched two "Pop Skull" scenes. The collected data pinpointed the exact moments when her amygdala -- the part of the brain linked to fear -- was activated, and to what degree.

Experiments like this could change the way films are made in the future and result in better movies, according to Katz. It should help filmmakers to identify scenes that don't work and to make adjustments to maximum the entertainment value.

Industries like marketing have been exploring the benefits of brain research to reach wider audiences. Last year, the market research firm Nielsen made an investment in NeuroFocus, a firm that applies neuroscience to advertising and product branding.

However, brain analysis for films is still in its infancy. Getting a focus group armed with a questionnaire is a lot easier than getting them to lie still for a costly MRI during a feature film.

But today's social networking world is forcing studios to seek solutions. Moviegoers have more influence than ever before.

Katz plans to continue the experiments in upcoming movie projects too.

"Now more than ever you want to make sure that people are satisfied. You can kill a film over Twitter," Katz said.