A film forming method in which in a state in which a target substrate is loaded on a loading table body of a loading table installed in a processing container and an interior of the processing container is evacuated, a film forming material gas is supplied into the processing container while heating the target substrate with a heater installed in the loading table body, to be thermally decomposed or reacted on a surface of the target substrate to form a predetermined film on the target substrate, includes introducing a heat transfer gas containing an H2 gas or an He gas into the processing container to transfer heat of the loading table body to a radially outer side of the loading table body, before the film forming material gas is supplied.