To mark the digital release of the acclaimed period horror film FRIGHT on Prime, writer and director Warren Dudley reflects on the challenges / joys of indie filmmaking, his passion for football and what frightens him. The following is an interview for syndication.
Your latest film, FRIGHT, recently enjoyed a successful World premiere at FrightFest 2024, where it was compared to THE HAUNTING and THE INNOCENTS. Describe what the occasion was like.
The entire Frightfest experience was the usual festival mix of nervous excitement and terror! It was the first time the cast and crew were seeing the film too so I was really hoping they would love how it turned out – and I think they did. The paying audience added even more pressure, being made up of seasoned horror fans who, by that point, had already watched around 25 films over the weekend so that was quite stressful.
However, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive from the audience and the Frightfest critics. I was actually reading the reviews on the train back down to Brighton – it was a lovely end to an amazing weekend. Horror fans and filmmakers truly are some of the loveliest, most supportive people in the industry.
FRIGHT deals with the serious issue of chronic agoraphobia faced an isolated young woman in 1930s Britain. Quite a challenge threading that into a period horror film shot in black and white. How daunting was the process, both as writer and director?
In the past, portraying a serious mental illness on screen would have required hours of research and numerous trips to the library. Today, YouTube has become an invaluable resource, allowing access to firsthand accounts from people living with a condition I knew little about before writing the script. One American woman shared a powerful story about her mother dragging her to the front door out of sheer desperation—a moment that ultimately shaped a key scene in the film.
I hope that those living with agoraphobia, and there are many, can recognise what we’ve aimed to achieve, and I sincerely hope we’ve approached the subject with the sensitivity it deserves.
Gwyneth Evans is brilliant as Emily. How did you discover her?
She truly is incredible. I initially put out a casting call online for the role of Emily and received over 150 audition tapes. I had someone else in mind and was all set to offer her the role. But just before the deadline, Gwyneth’s tape landed in my inbox. It sounds like a cliché, but the moment I watched it, I knew she was the one. I didn’t even ask her to audition further—I just offered her the role on the spot. In hindsight, it was a bold decision, but one I’m so glad I made.
After Frightfest, one reviewer wrote that both Gwyneth and Jill Priest, who plays her mother, could easily have been plucked straight out of the golden age of cinema. That perfectly captured how I felt watching them on set, so it was incredibly rewarding to hear it echoed by a critic.
What frightens you?
Horror films! I often find myself, around 11:30 at night when insomnia hits, deciding to turn off the lights and put on a good horror movie… or even a bad one! There’s something about the intensity and heightened emotion that I absolutely love. That’s probably why I enjoy making others feel the same. Maybe though, it’s just so I can enjoy the lovely feeling of sitting in a screening room and being the only one who knows when the jump scares are coming! It happened at Frightfest. If you’ve seen Fright, you’ll know the bit I mean!
While I do enjoy modern horror, my heart will always belong to the classics from the ’70s. The Omen, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Exorcist are nearly perfect, in my opinion. And I have to give a special mention to An American Werewolf in London from the 80’s, which was my favourite horror film growing up.
Your previous film was the multi award-winning SIX YEARS GONE, about the redemptive journey a mother takes trying to solve the chilling mystery of her daughter’s abduction. What was the inspiration behind making it?
The idea for Six Years Gone came to me when my daughter Ellie was around ten or eleven. Like any concerned dad, I used to worry endlessly about the possibility of her disappearing or being taken. Rather than let those fears consume me, I decided to channel them into writing, which ultimately became the film.
We made the film on a tiny budget, but that didn’t stop an amazing group of people from coming together to make it happen. Everyone involved gave their all, and the passion behind the project is clear in the final product. I couldn’t be prouder of how it turned out, and the reception has been incredible since its release. It’s not an easy film to watch as it tackles heavy, emotional themes. It’s a story that comes straight from the heart.
And as a fun side note, Ellie, who’s now sixteen, contributed to Fright, by doing all the book illustrations that appear in the movie.
Let’s go back to the beginning. Your big break came in 2012, when you were asked to adapt Dave Robert’s football memoir THE BROMLEY BOYS, which enjoyed successful cinema runs in the UK and US. How did that come about?
When I first started filmmaking, my friend Matt and I made a football mockumentary around 2004, with The Office still casting its long shadow over British comedy. One of the actors we cast was TJ Herbert, a genuinely great guy who later became a film producer.
Out of the blue in 2011, I got a call from TJ. He had optioned the rights to a football memoir by the brilliant Dave Roberts and wanted to discuss writing a script. We met in a pub in Brighton, and that’s where the journey of The Bromley Boys began. We eventually shot the film, starring Alan Davies and Martine McCutcheon, in 2016. It’s since become a bit of a cult hit, especially among non-league football fans, which has been incredibly rewarding to see.
I’m so grateful to TJ for giving me the opportunity to write what has essentially become my love letter to football, and to honour Dave, who sadly passed away last year.
You also wrote and directed SEASIDE TOWN, a 6-part football comedy for Amazon Prime, shot in your hometown of Newhaven. Also, as an author you have written a fictional footballing memoir AND you’re an avid Brighton FC fan! Where do this love of football stem from?
Seaside Town was an absolute joy to work on. Two friends of mine, Mark Beaumont and Graham Precey, approached me with a plan to help regenerate my old hometown of Newhaven in East Sussex. They asked if I would write and direct a series featuring a cast and crew made up almost entirely of local talent. Naturally, I jumped at the chance and decided to focus on a subject close to my heart—football! Mark and Graham have also been instrumental in helping fund Fright, so their support has been invaluable.
As for where my football passion started, it all goes back to my dad taking me to see Brighton play at The Goldstone Ground when I was just eight years old. It was 1981, and we were playing Man City. From that moment on, I was hooked. I got my first season ticket at 15, and I’ve been supporting the Albion ever since. Being a Brighton fan has been a wild ride over the years, full of highs and mostly lows. I have to admit though, seeing us line up at The Amex against European giants Ajax last year brought a tear to my eye—it was an emotional moment for this old fella.
We beat Man City 4-1 in 1981 by the way…
Through your production company Sixty6Films, you’re noted as being a strong advocate for independent filmmaking. What advantages do you find this gives you in relation to the filmmaking process?
I absolutely love what I do. I’ve found a way to create commercially viable, and hopefully high-end looking, feature films on very small budgets. Of course, I couldn’t do it without the incredibly talented people I work with—many of whom I’m sure would appreciate being paid a bit more for their diligent work!
People often ask why I’m not pursuing bigger-budget projects, but those come with an entirely different set of pressures. What I enjoy most is starting with just an idea and a blank Word document on my laptop, then 18 months later, arriving at a film festival, suited and booted, with a brand-new feature film in hand. That creative process is incredibly addictive.
What advice would you give aspiring filmmakers?
For me, it all starts with the idea. Take Fright, for example. At first glance, it appears to be a grand looking project, but if you peek under the bonnet, you’ll find it’s built on a tight script, three outstanding actors, one stunning location, and a striking black-and-white aesthetic.
Add to that a small but incredibly talented crew and post-production team, and you have a film that’s hard to categorize in terms of budget.
So, my advice is to focus on telling a big story within a small space. For another example of this approach, check out my 2016 film Cage, which truly pushes this concept to its limits.
Finally, what’s next? Staying with horror?
I think so, yes. I have another idea for a big story set in a very small location, this time taking place in 1978. Stay tuned!
FRIGHT, distributed by Indie Rights, is now available on amazon Prime in the UK and US.
