Projection Room: A Haunting Awaits

In the last episode of The Journal, I got to tease a project that will shed some light inside this fantastic industry- we weren’t allowed to reveal the full details at the time, but I have been given the all clear to finally talk about it all.

About 4 weeks ago, I was offered the opportunity to see UCLan’s film production lot do their thing on the only module in the UK that lets students make their own feature film and gain vital industry knowledge through the practical application of their skills. Of course, here at TheJackSmit.com, we celebrate all forms of big screen entertainment, from Hollywood right down to the indie scene where the Nolans, Villenueves and Russos of the future are honing their craft- we’re literally building 2019 around these independent stylings. So of course I said yes to working with the second year students as part of their little feature film project.

Under the supervision of some fantastic behind the scenes talent, including frequent collaborator here on the blog (and a recognisable name to a lot of our old school readers) Ed Greenberg, these students are embarking on their own version of what is arguably one of the most well known and beloved horror films ever made: The Haunting of Hill House. And they’re using the 1999 version as their base for the script (with a few changes, most notably the removal of that awful CGI)- believe me, I am excited to see what this brilliant lot can come up with. They may only be students taking their first major steps into the wider world of this industry, but they have some very big ideas based on what I’ve heard them discussing so far, especially with Netflix coming out of nowhere with their take on it in the form of a limited series. And believe it or not, these super talented people are making a feature film like this merely for the love of cinema- they ain’t making this for profit. So where do I come in then?

You’ll be able to see the ups, the downs and the challenges these students face during the production of an independent film of this nature- from the early stages of production, to the smaller details like refining the script to truly make it their own, casting, picking the locations and actually shooting it- as I will be following them throughout the film’s production period for the whole multimedia empire we run here nowadays. There will be Projection Room interviews with the crew, video content for the YouTube channel, radio content for the Ripped Ticket Show (and hopefully also on the soon to be launched Talking Smit About Film podcast), and a lot more stemming from what these students are about to embark on. Based on their first few pre-production meetings, and conversations I’ve had with the film’s producers Leeane and Urini, and their directors Shayla, Jack and Caitlin, they are already have some solid ideas for where they want to take this script, and even in my role as a film critic, I’m excited to see the finished product.

Our blog-wide Secrets of a Haunting series will launch on The Journal this January, and you can find the film on social media on Twitter and Instagram (@_thehaunting), and over on Facebook (HauntingHillHouse).