Known globally for her voice work across major video game and film franchises, including Five Nights at Freddy’s, VALORANT, and Battlefield, actress Marta Svetek is taking center stage in the British survival horror feature Savage Prey.
The independent thriller celebrates its World Premiere at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival on August 9. Audiences across the United States can stream the film virtually on demand for 48 hours.
Svetek doesn’t just star as the main protagonist, Ava; she also served as Executive Producer, contributed to voice direction, and assisted with post-production. This makes her one of the key creative forces behind the project. Written, directed, and edited by David Ryan Keith, Savage Prey was filmed entirely in the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. It delivers an intense, character-driven story that blends deep emotional roots with relentless, isolated suspense.
Ahead of the premiere, Svetek sat down to discuss the grueling Highland shoot, pulling trees out of roads, and why human craftsmanship still reigns supreme in horror.
What drew her to Savage Prey and the horror of non-verbal acting:
“What drew me to the project when David sent the very first draft was that it was a horror film that really took its time to establish the character. It made you emotionally invest in her, allowed you to relate to her feelings, and really care about her overcoming her obstacles. That’s where a lot of movies have gone wrong—you need the audience to care about what happens to the character for the 90-plus-minute journey to be worth it. Even though a lot changed from that first draft I read in December 2024, we made sure to preserve that emotional core.
What also drew me in—and terrified me as an actor—was how little dialogue there is. I often play villains with the almost mandatory villain monologue, so this was a real change of pace. Without dialogue, you have nothing to hide behind. Every emotion has to be at the forefront because the audience needs to understand exactly what Ava is going through with very little exposition. It was a genuine test of my abilities and one of the most rewarding challenges I’ve ever had.”
Surviving an 18-day shoot in the Cairngorms during Storm Amy:
“It was honestly remarkable that during our 18-day shoot, we didn’t lose a single day of filming despite the constantly changing Highland weather. We were watching Storm Amy move across Scotland and hearing horror stories from other regions, so we were genuinely worried this might sink the production.
Instead, the storm came overnight, knocked down scores of trees around us, yet somehow left our filming location untouched. Dave and I actually arrived at the location early the next day and dragged trees off the road ourselves so our production vehicles could follow. There is photo evidence on the Savage Prey Instagram page! That’s the reality of independent filmmaking—everyone helps wherever they can.”
Stepping up as Executive Producer and handling ADR at home:
“From the moment I read the script, I wanted to help make this film happen. As production developed, I naturally became involved in areas beyond acting, from financing and post-production to marketing and distribution. I have a Master’s degree in Creative Industries and spent almost a decade working in tech before acting became my career, so I really enjoyed bringing those experiences together.
Because I work extensively in voice acting, I have a professional recording studio at home. That allowed us to record much of the ADR there, helping the production save valuable resources while maintaining high quality. It gave me an entirely new appreciation for post-production. This film has definitely given me the filmmaking bug, and I’m already developing another script.”
Performing under unforgiving 135mm close-up lenses:
“I was honestly terrified when Dave first told me he’d be using 135mm lenses for many of the close-ups because they capture absolutely everything. Every tiny emotional shift is magnified, so there is nowhere to hide. That meant my preparation focused heavily on subtlety and truthfulness. I spoke a lot about it with my acting mentor, Tom Keegan, and we spent time developing that approach before filming.
The lenses also helped me understand exactly how each scene needed to be performed. If Dave shouted, ’35!’, I knew there would probably be running involved! If he called, ‘135!’, I knew every expression had to be incredibly controlled. Eventually, we developed such a great rhythm together that I rarely watched playback. I completely trusted the process.”
Making Savage Prey without generative AI:
“This film represents the dedication, creativity, and craftsmanship of everyone involved. Every department relied on years of experience and practical skill to bring the story to life, and I think audiences will feel that. There is something special about that which work created with AI will never be able to replicate.
I believe AI can absolutely be used ethically as a creative tool—for example, in helping artists in post-production automate repetitive technical tasks. At the same time, I’ve personally experienced the negative side of generative AI through the prolific use of unauthorized voice clones of my work. For me, the most important thing is that genuine human creativity remains at the heart of filmmaking. AI will never destroy the demand for handcrafted films created with passion, care, and real collaboration. That’s exactly what Savage Prey is.”
Catch the World Premiere of Savage Prey during its 48-hour virtual streaming window at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival starting August 9.
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- Photo credit Unstable Films
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- Photo credit Unstable Films
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- Photo credit Unstable Films
