PRODUCTION. HOUSE RED
GRAPES OF WRATH The horror draws on the ecclesiastical associations of red wine
BAD FOR BUSINESS Due to the fact House Red is a small film, Storey was in dialogue with many different agents as well as a large studio to secure backing. “The studio wanted to make a TV show out of it,” she says. “Just as that was happening, the global pandemic started. We were messed around by several Hollywood big dogs and sales agents, which slowed the process down. At the start of 2022, we were approached by a distributor, but it all came to nothing. There are a lot of empty promises in this business.” However, Storey does single out Final Frame, a New York-based boutique post-production company, for special praise. “The company is very supportive of independent filmmakers, was hugely supportive of us, this project and me as an independent producer,” she beams. While independent filmmaking will always introduce challenges, it also affords a lot more autonomy. Even then, Hassan explains he and the crew ‘did tell a few white lies to the castello’ in order to get the film over the line. “They said, ’We don’t want any horror films made here,’ so I told them, ‘It’s not a horror film, it’s a love story,’” recalls Hassan. “We gave them a completely different script, which meant we had to shoot specific scenes really early in the “It’s why I always want to shoot on location – once you’re there, it doesn’t matter”
morning, before the management had woken up. This shoot couldn’t have been more guerrilla.” As Greenop declares: “It’s all part and parcel of being an indie filmmaker. Roll with the punches and make the best film you can with nothing. “It’s why I always want to shoot on location – once you’re there, it doesn’t matter. Tuscany is such a beautiful place, you’re just happy to be there. I was happy to be trapped on a vineyard, drinking red wine at lunch. If I was shooting in Croydon, I’d have taken the Tube home.” Storey is used to dealing with the trials and tribulations that come with independent filmmaking, but she doesn’t recall ever being so indebted to the team both in front of and behind the camera before. “Tamer and George rescued the film and my career with it,” she insists. “And I know that Darius was smiling down on us.” Watch House Red via Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store in the UK and Vudu in the US
A FINE VINTAGE Milsome lent an immense degree of experience and esteem to the production
16. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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