Culture
Locally Produced Horror Film to Premiere Next Week
By: Sara Brumfield | Athens Messenger
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A locally shot and produced horror movie will be making its debut at Movies 10 Theater near Nelsonville next week.
When Night Comes is a project of Athens-based BuckDog Productions. Athens County natives Glenn Martin and Alex Couladis served as executive producers, and Martin also wrote and directed the film.
“I felt it was time to resurrect the classic horror film. It was also important for me to be able to produce it in my hometown area in Athens County,” Martin said.
Filming of the movie began in the fall with local actors — including Couladis — and the final product was completed last month.
To keep costs to a minimum for the low-budget picture, students in Hocking College’s broadcast production and engineering program helped shoot and edit the film. A few students also make appearances in the movie.
Couladis, who is a certified public accountant by day, said he has had lots of performing experience, but never on the big screen.
“I got involved initially to have some fun and help make a movie that was written and would be filmed and produced in Athens County. The real joy became working with and watching young, talented, committed and enthusiastic Hocking College students accept this challenge and become an integral part of this production,” Couladis said. “Glenn and I hope our local community will come out and enjoy this movie.”
In addition to Couladis, other main actors in the picture include Jason and Miranda Miller and Mike Stene.
Martin said he wrote the horror film based on true events that happened in the region in the 1940s regarding a masked serial killer. He emphasized that the movie has “more scare and less gore.”
The film was shot at multiple locations around Athens County, including at Strouds Run, Lake Snowden, Albany, downtown Athens, Chauncey, Nelsonville and the Wayne National Forest.
After the movie was complete, the two approached Movies 10 owner Joe Edwards about screening the film at his theater. Edwards quickly jumped on the idea and the premiere date has been set for May 21 at 7 p.m. The movie will be shown in at least two theaters at Movies 10.
A meet and greet with the cast will be held following the premiere. When Night Comes will continue to be shown at Movies 10 for a limited time.
Martin said got his first foray into movies when he was selected as a double in the Nelsonville-shot film Mischief in 1984 at the age of 18. He later spent nearly 10 years in Los Angeles before returning to Athens County.
He’s written several screenplays and plans to film another movie in Athens County late this summer. He said the next film will include some actors from L.A., but will also include local actors and be shot entirely in Athens County.
Advance tickets for When Night Comes are available online now at www.moviesten.com.