Dark Ditties Presents ‘The Offer’ (2017)

Director: Chris Griffiths (co-director), Gary Smart (co-director)

Writers: Adam Evans (original story), Neil Morris (screenplay by), Gary Smart (original story), Gary Smart (screenplay by)

Stars: Kenneth Cranham, Bruce Jones, Gemma Gordon, Simon Bamford, Nicholas Vince, Barbie Wilde

Seven strangers are invited to a house to be offered a large inheritance, instead, they find themselves trapped in a deadly game to the death.

Date & Venue: Saturday 12th January 12:30

Park Inn by Radisson Palace, Southend, Church Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2AL, UK

Dark Ditties Presents ‘The Offer’ is a new horror film from co-writer and director Gary Smart, which has been selected to play at the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival. I got a chance to ask Gary Smart a few questions about what we can expect from the film.

Q. Dark Ditties Presents: The Offer has been selected to play at the Horror-on-Sea Film Festival in January, what can people expect from the film?

The Offer is Episode 1 of our Dark Ditties series. The series is an anthology series with a narrative theme. The Offer is a mixture of old-school horror (the likes of Hammer Horror) with a modern twist. One reviewer described it as ‘Agatha Christie with Chainsaw’s.’ The episode features a familiar cast including Bruce Jones (Coronation Street) and Hellbound: Hellraiser Kenneth Cranham, Oliver Smith, Simon Bamford, Nicholas Vince and Barbie Wilde.

Q. You are known for your documentary films, what made you decide that this was the project you wanted for making your first film?

My schooling on film and production has come from my extensive work on documentaries and interviewing many directors, producers and other crew members. Hellraiser (1987) Producer Christopher Figg once said to me that the reason he chose to make Hellraiser was that it was a simple story, with a small cast, set in one location. When thinking about writing The Offer I used what Christopher had said to me and developed the story around seven strangers being invited to a remote location to hear an inheritance reading. I then met up with Neil Morris and we wrote the screenplay. The Offer also gave me the opportunity to work with Ken Cranham again as well as the cast of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II.

Q. Where did the title Dark Ditties comes from?

Neil, Adam and I wanted to create our own series that was in the same vein as The Twilight Zone or American Horror Story. Neil came up with Dark Ditties as he has a literature background and we wanted something that not only sounded old but also was catchy.

Q. What were your influences for the look and the style of the film?

We are all big fans of horror and in particular Hammer Horror, so that was a big influence. We also like ensemble pieces such as Agatha Christie so we wanted a blend of both with a pinch of Insidious (2010) and modern horror. Credit for the look of the film goes to our Cinematographers Terrence Wilkins and Ben Halford. They both have a unique eye and want their work to look as best as it can.

Q. You co-directed the film with Chris Griffiths who you worked with previously on the documentaries. What is it the process like directing the film together?

Chris and I have been very good friends for many years and have worked together for just as long. Chris is very technical whereas I am very character driven. Therefore, our collaboration was a great blend and I took on the directorial duties of the deaths and character scenes whilst Chris worked closely with Terrence and Ben.

Q. Were there any changes in the final film from what you perceived in the original script?

With the film being shot in just 3.5 days we really did not have the flexibility to change much in the script. Neil and I write in a way that leaves little flexibility to cut, as the stories are very character driven and rely heavily on dialogue. The shooting script is pretty much what you see on screen.

Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?

I really enjoyed filming with Ken Cranham as I’ve been a big fan for years. I really enjoyed filming the Gimp scene, as that was just so surreal, kooky and took the film into a different direction. Working with the cast and crew of Hellraiser is always a pleasure and of course working with Bruce Jones was such a laugh as he is genuinely a really nice, humble and giving actor. Finally, I loved finding and working with new and seasoned actors. Finding newcomers like Stanley Rawlings, Gemma Gordon and Darnell Spence was such an amazing experience and I am really proud that The Offer helped showcase their skills.

Q. This is the first part of a proposed trilogy of stories. Other than a lot of the cast who will be returning as different characters, will the films be somehow connected?

It is now actually six episodes in the first season with us currently in post-production on Episode 3 and pre-production on Episode 4. We have returning cast playing different characters apart from Kenneth Cranham who plays the character of Benoit in each episode. The stories all have a narrative link and are filled with Easter Eggs throughout. Episode 4 will answer a lot of question from The Offer.

Q. The film is being produced by Cult Screening UK Ltd and Dead Mouse Productions Ltd who specialise in retrospective documentaries for Cult Classic movies. Can you tell us a little bit about the company and how it came about?

Cult Screenings UK Ltd and Dead Mouse Productions came about through the collaboration of Adam, Chris and I. Cult Screenings was originally set up as a screening company where we would screen cult films in Birmingham with special guests. We screened The Return of The Living Dead (1985) with Don Calfa, Demons (1985) with Bobby Rhodes, Manhunter (1986) with Brian Cox and Hellraiser with the cast/crew. From the screening of Hellraiser we made friends with a number of the cast and crew, so we then set out to make the documentary Leviathan: The Story of Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II (2015). We soon realised that it would be prudent to set up an actual production company so Adam, Chris and I formed Dead Mouse Productions Ltd. Soon after we started work on, You’re so Cool, Brewster! The Story of Fright Night (2016). The company also produces specialist behind the scenes books and we have released very successful ones on The Lost Boys (1978), American Werewolf in London (1981), Fright Night (2011), Hellraiser and The Return of the Living Dead.

Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?

We are currently in post-production on Episode 3: Finders Keepers as well as in pre-production for Episode 4: The Witching Hour. Documentary-wise we are in post-production on Robodoc: The Creation of RoboCop and Pennywise: The Story of IT. We are also in production on What An Institution! The Story of Police Academy and The Party’s Just Begun! The Story of Night of the Demons. Therefore, it is all very busy at the moment.

Q. If someone was looking direct their own horror film, what advice would you give them?

Of course, it sounds cliché but I would just say if you have a great story, passion for film and if you can access good cast and crew then you are onto a winner. Be patient and plan well ahead and don’t think you have to conform to the industry standard in terms of roles. Roles can be shared, the key to independent filming is collaboration and not allowing egos. Above all else, have fun with it, it is meant to be horror!

You can find out more about the feature films playing at Horror-on-Sea Film Festival and details of tickets on the website.

Philip Rogers

Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!