Hope regional horror will be monster hit

The Black Country will be the scene for a new feature length horror film, which bosses hope will become a cult smash.

Filming for slasher flick Dead Time starts in Wednesbury next month and tells the tale of a Midland rock band who settle down in the studios to record their latest album before things start to go horribly wrong.

The £25,000 movie is being financed by Wednesbury-based production company Spooked Films and will use an almost entirely local cast and production team. It is being made by the same team behind pilot children's drama Spooked!, which was filmed in the town last year.

The company, based at the The Old Post Office in Holyhead Road, is now focusing on an adult horror movie, in the same tradition as recent hits such as Saw and Hostel and influenced by classic 1980s horrors.

The script has been written by Moseley-based novelist and scriptwriter Steve Bishop, with the film being directed by co-producer Tony Jopia.

The 12-day shoot starts on November 23 at the music studios in The Old Post Office, using a crew of around 30 people including a special effects team which has worked on Harry Potter.

The story focuses on a fictional Birmingham-based heavy metal band Love in a Time of Murder who found success with their debut album of hard rock music, but flopped with their second release. The group then lock themselves into studios in Wednesbury during 'dead time', a weekend when no other bands are booked in, but a series of grisly murders unfold.

Director and co-producer Tony said they had self-funded the production so far. He said: "Its been near impossible to find funding under the present economic state of the country but we are marching forward with local talent and making it in Wednesbury." Potential investors can email contact@deadtimefilms.com.