Thrills and chills in new film by award-winning Walsall pair

Talented producers Dave Hastings and Kaush Patel last year won the Best British Film category at The London Film Awards for their film Checking In that was shot at Baron's Court Hotel in Walsall Wood.

Now the pair have come up with a new anthology project The House of Screaming Death, a nod to the classic Hammer and Amicus gothic series of the 1960s and 1970s that will cost £7,000.

They are launching an online fundraising appeal to complete their latest shoestring project that is being filmed at the Manor House visitor attraction, in West Bromwich, that featured on TV show Great British Ghosts.

The film script includes an adaptation of the ghostly Lady in Grey, blood curdling events that happened in a village terrorised by a chilling vampire as well as rituals that have grave consequences for the characters involved.

Mr Hastings, a media lecturer at Stafford College, said: "It has gothic horror soaked right into its pages with each story having a nasty sting in its tail. But the whole project never loses its connection to past inspirations and traditions. This is the old school British horror that I grew up on throughout my youth, but in an exciting and glorious way that both new and existing fans and audiences will enjoy no end.

"We're all fans of the classics that came before us, so we want to now bring that horror back to the UK properly as well as giving people many sleepless nights in the process."

People are being urged to back the production.

Mr Patel, a technician at Walsall College, said: "Our last film, the hugely successful Checking In has been seen by audiences worldwide to great continued critical acclaim and was made for only £2,500.

"It won Best British Film at The London Film Awards. Now imagine what we can achieve on this project with a bigger budget. We sincerely hope you will help us tell these deliciously frightening tales of gothic horror we have waiting for you.

"We need to raise our target budget of £7,000. This we hope will be achieved through our massive Indiegogo campaign - and all the money we get will be going towards getting the amazing locations we've got backing us already if we get the appropriate funding, as well as state of the art equipment and special effects.

"Everyone working on this project will be doing it voluntarily, both in front of and behind the camera. The cast we have already been talking to are amazing, and our recent casting call is bringing through the door equally fantastic talent who will only benefit the project further. We are very excited."

The film will start full production in August with a release date planned for 2016.

The critically acclaimed Checking In delves into the lives of a range of characters staying at a hotel during a random 24-hour period.

Supporters can help make the film dream a reality by going to www.screamingdeath.co.uk where details of cast and crew positions are also available.