I learned to take the first job that you have in the business that you want to get into. It doesn't matter what that job is, you get your foot in the door.

While his role in Deep Throat is undisclosed most of his early known work involved writing film editing or both. Craven also frequently collaborates with Sean S. Although known for directing horror/thriller films he has worked on two that were outside this genre: the 1999 film Music of the Heart and as one of the 22 directors in the 2006 collaboration Paris je t'aime.

Craven has also directed the entire Scream series featuring Ghostface. Some of his other films include The Hills Have Eyes The Last House on the Left The Serpent and the Rainbow The People Under the Stairs Vampire in Brooklyn Red Eye and My Soul to Take. He is the creator of the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street Wes Craven's New Nightmare and also co-wrote A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors with Bruce Wagner featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character.