Nefarious (2019)

Director: Richard Rowntree

Writer(s): Matthew Davies, Richard Rowntree

Stars: Jon Vangdal Aamaas, Aaron Thomas Ward, Richard Rowntree, Nadia Lamin, Tony Sands, Greg Smith

Darren, Lou, Jo and Mas live a meager existence on the fringes of poverty. Indebted to the criminal kingpin of their social housing development, they routinely fear for their lives. On the other side of town, the already wealthy Marcus and his disabled brother Clive receive a windfall in the form of a winning lottery ticket. When their worlds collide following a botched robbery, the would-be criminals get more than they bargained for, and will be tested to their limits in a desperate attempt to survive a predator of monstrous proportions.

In a new interview in the series leading up to Horror-on-Sea Film Festival, I got a chance to ask Nefarious actor Greg Smith a few questions about what we can expect from the film.

Q. You play Clive in the horror film Nefarious which has been selected to play at Horror-on-Sea. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?

Without wanting to give too much away, I think a good dose of gore, a splash of thriller with a shot of misdirection rolled into an imaginative and creative suspenseful urban British horror.

Q. What originally attracted you to the role of Clive?

I had worked with Ash Mountain before on Dogged (2017) and loved working with the team.  Richard is great to work with and I was thrilled to be invited to work with him again.  They create a fun and relaxed atmosphere to work in so I was more than happy to be part of Nefarious.  The fact that Richard had faith in me to portray Clive convincingly was also a motivating factor.  Clive is a challenging role to play; I wanted to give him credence and authenticity.  I wanted to make him real and not a pastiche of someone with learning difficulties.

Q. What sort of preparation did you do for the role?

I researched different elements for people with speech and learning difficulties, in terms of movement and speech and understanding of the world.  I tried to find Clive through a process of amalgamating aspects of people that I have known with various conditions so that he is not one-layered and has some depth to him.  I wanted to portray a character that is believable and recognisable. 

Q. Are there any elements of the character which you feel reflect some of your own personality?

I think there are probably some elements; I can be quite reserved around lots of new people and maybe a little naïve.  I channelled into my child self a fair amount, to try and give an element of innocence and non-malevolence.

Q. Did you make any changes to the character from how it was written in the original script?

I had imagined him to be slightly different before filming, but after discussions with Richard and using my instinct Clive became more fragile than I had thought him initially to be.

Q. What makes Nefarious stand out in the horror genre?

I think Ash Mountain are not afraid to take risks and try new things which is exciting in itself.  They like to test themselves and I think that it makes for a fresh and innovative style that is unique to Ash Mountain.  The fact that Richard and Matthew also write the scripts helps give an in house story telling.

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

To be honest I loved it all, apart from perhaps the weather, but being on set with Ash Mountain is such a pleasure.  They are really a great bunch and their passion, camaraderie and humour are infectious so there is always a sense of bonhomie that is truly special and part of the joy of working with them.  I feel honoured to be a part of that team.

Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?

I can’t recall anything major.  There are always minor things that don’t quite work exactly as planned but being prepared for the unexpected mean that it doesn’t affect you too much.  I think it’s generally technical issues with regards to light or sound, planes flying over are always a challenge for exterior filming.  

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

I am currently on tour with the Welsh National Opera in a production of Carmen so quite a different world to film and the horror genre.  An actor’s life is nothing if not varied.

Q. If someone was looking to get into acting what advice would you give them?

Be patient, be persistent.  Know that it’s the only thing that you want to do.  It’s not an easy profession to be in and it takes a lot of self-belief, dedication and hard work to follow your dreams.  Having said that it’s the best job in the world when you are working, collaborating on projects and being creative.  Entertaining people is such a gift to be given.  Keep an open mind to every opportunity that presents itself to you and enjoy the journey as much as possible whilst it’s happening as it is easy to lose sight of what gives you joy.  It’s a lifetime of different worlds and experiences that constantly keeps you learning, engaging and discovering. 

You can see my original interview with co-writer/director Richard Rowntree here

Nefarious will be playing at Horror-on-Sea on Friday 10th January at 20:00 hrs.

You can find out more about Horror-on-Sea and purchase tickets for the festival here:

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!